I love to try out these different combinations of vegetables that are staple in the Gujarati Cuisine. Let's savor round eggplants with valor - valpapdi today.

Vaalor Ringna nu Shaak

Indian string beans with Eggplants

Ingredients

• 2 cups vaalor/vaalpapdi, strings and both ends removed, halved and torn into bite sized pieces
• 1 longish or 2-3 round eggplants, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup water
• A pinch of sugar
• 1/2 tsp paprika or mild chili powder
• 1 tbsp coriander-cumin powder/dhana jiru

Tempering

• 2 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
• 1/4 tsp ajmo/owa/ajwain
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp ginger-green chili  paste

Garnish

• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)

Method

1. Rinse, cut and set veggies aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan/kadai. Add all the tempering ingredients. Saute ginger-chili paste for 1 minute.

3. Add vegetables, chili powder and coriandercumin powder.

4. Add water. Cover with a lid and let it cook for15-20 minutes on medium flame. Keep checking in between so veggies aren't burnt.

5. Add more water if needed. Add salt and sugar after veggies are cooked.

6. Serve with rotla or thepla.

7. Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired.

Note -

1. Keep a little gravy to this preparation. So you may need to add more water after veggies are cooked. But be sure not to make it too watery.

 

Source: Enjoy Indian Food

Its July, and i want to declare that i failed miserably in my resolutions. one of my resolution was to blog frequently. i don't know, something in me is keeping me away from blogging. probably i should change my mindset, go ahead and fight. coming over to bhindi sabzi. 

Bhindi sabzi is one side-dish that i am trying very frequently now a days. this can be prepared quick and makes a great pair with roti or chapathi. Dry vegetable curry is called as sabzi. what i like about this sabzi is, its tangy, as we add amchur powder or lemon juice. and the kasuri methi(dried methi leaves) gives an extra taste. 

If you have sabzi masala, you can use it. you need not add any other spice powders. if you dont have sabzi masala then you have to use various spice powders like cumin powder, curry powder, garam masala, amchur powder and kasuri methi. 

Bhindi Sabzi
serves - 2
preparation and cooking time: less than 30 minutes




Ingredients:

• Okra / Bhindi - 250gms
• Onion -1
• Tomato - 1
• Green chilli - 1
• Ginger - 1 inch size (finely chopped)
• Garlic - 3 cloves (finely chopped)
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Curry powder or Sambhar powder - 2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
• Garam masala / Kitchen King masala - 1/4 tsp
• Amchur powder - 1/4 tsp or Lemon juice - 1 tsp
• Kasuri methi - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 3 tbsp
• Cumin - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

Chop the onions and tomatoes finely. slit the green chilli and set apart. chop the head and tail of bhindi's and cut them diagonally as 2 inch sized pieces. 

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and fry the bhindi pieces for about 2 minutes. remove them from pan and set apart.

Heat the rest of oil in a pan, add cumin, garlic, ginger, green chilli and curry leaves, saute them at medium flame, till they are almost roasted.

Add finely chopped onions and saute till they turn translucent. then add finely chopped tomato and saute till till they turn soft and mushy. add salt, turmeric powder and mix well. 

Add salt to taste, curry powder, cumin powder, garam masala and amchur powder and mix well with the onion and tomato mix. 

Then add the fried bhindi to the pan and mix well with the masala's. keep the flame in medium and cook the bhindi in the pan with its lid covered for about 3 - 4 minutes. make sure to check the bhindi in between, so that they don't stick to the bottom of the pan and get burned.

Once the bhindi is cooked, add kasuri methi and lemon juice(if amchur powder is not added) and mix well. switch off the flame and garnish with corriander leaves.

Serve with roti or chapathi.

 

Source:  Home Cook's Receipes

This recipe i have inspired by Sanjeev Kapoor Potli samosa (deep fried). Samosa is one of the favorite snack which we love to have any time not only tea time. Normally samosa is a deep fried snack and made by maida(allpurpose flour). I have seen in some food websites they made this deep fried snack in a baking version. But i wanted to try this snack in much more healthy way. So tried I them steamed my first attempt is with maida. I mixed the dough maida and prepared just like how we make for deep fried samosa. I use the filling also same like as deep fried samosa filling with potato curry. I must say this attempt is a failure because the puri which i made was thick like normal samosa. And stuffing is potato curry is so soft without any crunches. When we deep fry samosa the out side crust will be crunchy so if the fill is soft also the out side crunchy crust will give a tempting taste to samosa. Now when we steam them the out side crust will not be crisp it will be soft. And when we make the crust thick like normal samosa that the  in side of the samosa dough did not cooked properly . I find that raw taste in that samosas.

This time I changed the flour to wheat flour to make the crust and made a very thin puri. For filling I used mixed vegetables like carrot and beans along with potato so that you can find the filling crunchy.So do not over cook the vegetables for this steamed samosa. Serve this delicious and healthy potli samosa with chili garlic sause. Because the filling is less spicy so you have to serve a dip which is spicy. They did not  taste like deep fried samosa but the filling will give you a  feel like that you ate samosa. I want to make them more healthy way so i used wheat flour. You can use All purpose flour(maida) also but make the crust as thin as possible. So lets check how I made them....

INGREDIENTS:---

• Atta (wheat flour)  --- 1 cup
• Salt  to taste
• Water  --- 1/4 cup
• Onion --- 1 big finely chopped
• Carrot  --- 1 finely chopped
• Green beans  -- finely chopped 1/2 cup
• Potato  --- 1 medium finely hopped
• Green chillies  --- 2 finely chopped
• Ginger  --- 1/2 inch piece finely chopped
• Garlic cloves  --- 5 finely chopped
• Oil  -- 1 tab sp
• Cumin seeds  --- 1 tea sp
• Salt  --- 1/4 tea sp
• Garam masala  --- 1/2 tea sp
• Chat masala  -- 1/4 tea sp
• Dry mango powder   -- 1/4 tea sp

 

METHOD:--

For filling:--

1. Heat oil in a pan add cuminseeds let them popup then add chopped onion, green chillies, ginger, garlic fry till onion turn into trasperent.

2. Add choped potato, salt mix well cover and cook in a low heat for 5 minutes by the time potato will be half cooked.

3. Then add chopped cattot, beans cover and cook till vegetables are cooked.

4. Open the lid and add garam masala, chat masala, dry mango powder mix well and remove from heat and set a side.

5. Now take atta in a mixing bowl add salt sprinkle water and knead a little stiff then chapathi dough.

6. Knead well and make small balls out of this dough

7 . take small portions how we do for puris.

8. Press this dough ball in to very thin circle.

9. Press this puri as thin as possible like how i made check the above picture you can see my finger shadow trough the puri.

10. Now apply little water on the edeges of the thin puri.

11. Keep a table spoon full curry in the center of the puri.

12. Bring up the edges and lightly press to stick and give a bundle shape (potli)

13. Press well to make sure that stuffing should not come out.

14. Heat 1 cup water in a pan.

15. Place a idli plate in that pan and grease with a drop of oil.

16. Place the potlis in the greased idli plate.

17. cover and cook for 7 minutes

After 7 minutes when you remove the lid they looks like this with a shining like in the above picture.
Serve this healthy steamed potlis with chilli garlic sauce.

One more snack that we all want to munch is Pakodi . Pakodis are all time favorite  tea time snack for Indians. The ingredients what we use for pakodi is healthy, but the way we cook them is not a healthy way, That is deep fried. I wanted to change this unhealthy way of cooking in to healthy way  our favorite snack. First I made them in a paniyarm pan that also took 1/4 cup oil to cook. I am not happy with this exprement, because when we deep fry also they suck the same amount of oil which i used in paniyaram pan.

Then I tried them baked first I made onion pakodi, they came out realy good and taste delicious. After some time again tried with cabbage they came out well after that i stop deep frying pakodi. Now lets check how i made baked mixed vegetable pakodi ....  

 

INGREDIENTS:-

• Chick pea flour (besan, senagapindi, kadalai mavu) --  1 cup
• Rice flour  --- 1 tab sp
• Red chilli powder  --- 1/2 tea sp
• Salt --- 1/2 tea sp
• Baking powder  --- 14 tea sp
• Carom seeds  -- 1/2 tea sp
• Ginger and green chilli paste  --- 1 tea sp
• Carrot  --- 1/2 cup finely chopped
• Beans  --- 1/2 cup finely chopped
• Potato -- 1/4 cup finely chopped
• Capsicum  --- 1/2 cup finely chopped
• Onion --- 1 big cut in to very thin slices
• Olive oil --- few drops for toping (optional)

1. Chop all vegetables in to fine pieces I used carrot, capsicum, potato, green beans you can add finely chopped cabbage and leafy veges like amaranth leaves, spinach and cauliflower also.

2, Cut onion in to thin slices and take all the vegetables in to big mixing bowl.

3. Add chick pea flour, rice flour, red chilli powder, salt, baking powder, carom seeds, ginger and green chilli paste, mix well to combine evry thing well so that the flour mixture should coat on every piece.

4. Sprinkle little water and make a batter like showen in the above picture. Sprinkle very little water because we are going to bake them. If you add more water it will take more time to bake.

Heat oven in 200 degree C. for 10 minutes.

5. Greas a baking try with little oil.

6. Take small portions from flour and vegetable mixture and place them on the greased baking try.

7. Place this pakodi try in pre- heated oven and bake for 10 minutes.

8. After ten minutes remove the try from oven drop 1 drop of olive oil on each pakodi and again place the pakodi try in the oven and bake for 7 more minutes.

9. After seven minutes remove the try from oven by the time your healthy baked pakodi s are ready to serve.

Serve the healthy pakodi s with a cup of chai or coffee. For me they taste even delicious then deep fried, can not stop eating.....

 

Source: Plantain leaf

Moong or chora daal vadies give a protein boost to the simple vegetables.

Ringna Vadi nu Shaak

Eggplants with vadies

Ingredients

• 7 small eggplants, sliced
• 1/2 cup mag or chora vadies
• 1/2 tsp paprika or mild chili powder
• 2 tsp coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp jaggery or 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Tempering

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp ginger-green chili paste

Garnish

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add all the tempering ingredients. Saute for 1 minute.

2. Add vadies and saute for 2 minutes.

3. Now add eggplants and all the powders. saute for 2 minutes.

4. Add water. Cover with a lid. Let it cook on a medium heat for 10-5 minutes till eggplants and vadies are soft.

5. Check from time to time so the eggplants are not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add more water if needed.

6. Add salt, sugar or jaggery.

7.Garnish with cilantro.

Note -

1. Keep a little gravy but do not make it too watery.

2. A potato can also be added to the above preparation.

3. Traditionally, vadies are fried in tablespoon ful of oil separately before adding to the curry. I tried to save the oil and hence, the calories. ;-D

 

Source :  Enjoy Indian Food

A simple stir fry with cabbage, ginger and leeks.

Kobij nu aaduwalu shaak
Cabbage with ginger
Ingredients

• 1 small cabbage, shredded
• 1 stalk of leek, chopped
• salt to taste
• A pinch of sugar
• 1/2 tsp mild chili powder/paprika

Tempering

• 1/2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tbsp grated ginger

Suggested accompaniments
Rotla
or
Thepla

Method
1. Heat oil in a nonstick kadai. Add all the ingredients for tempering. Saute for 1 minute.
2. Add cabbage and leek stalk. Saute for 5 minutes.
3. Add paprika, salt, sugar. Keep on sauteing sprinkling water in between if needed

Note -
1. Instead of leeks, you can use 2 stalks of spring onions.
2. Sometimes I prepare the same shaak using"Savoy Cabbage".

Source :  Enjoy Indian Food

This pickle is made with the freshest, recently harvested ginger. If you use old ginger, the pickle may taste spicier and more pungent. It does have a bite due to ginger, whether it's new or old.

Navu Aadu nu Athanu

New Ginger Pickle

Ingredients

• 1 knob of freshly harvested ginger, peeled & minced or grated
• salt to taste
• 1 or 2 lemons, freshly squeezed

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients.

2. Adjust lemon juice so the ginger pieces are covered with lemon juice.

3. Store in an airtight glass bottle or jar. Refrigerate.

Note -

1. This pickle comes handy while making any chutney that requires ginger. Just take a spoonful or so from the jar and add to your blender. Just make sure that the spoon your are using to dip in the jar is clean and dry.

2. This pickle is also considered good for any indigestion problems.

3.If you grate the ginger, lots of juice comes out. Do add that juice to the pickle. If you are going to chop instead of grating, please make sure that the ginger is very finely minced.

 

Source :  Enjoy Indian Food

I am sure everyone has a favorite recipe/way of their own to use up the odds and ends from their vegetable bins. When I have to deal with a vegetable medley, my first choice goes towards subzis. I have several versions of mixed veggie subzis but I stick to particular combinations that work, like this one for instance. To be honest, I prepare this curry not only when I have to cleanup my refrigerator but even when my vegetable bin is full. I love this combination so much - cabbage, carrot, beans and chayote all being in top of my favorite veggie list. Add any other veggies that work with this combination like peas, potatoes or remove some, the subzi would still be wonderful. And also no need to worry about the quantity of the veggies. Just adjust according to the availability.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 cup chopped beans
• 2 carrots - peeled and cubed
• 1/2 chayote - peeled and cubed
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup fresh, shredded coconut
• Green chillies / dried red chillies as needed
• Salt to taste

For tadka:

• 1 -2 Tbsp oil
• 1 tsp Bengal gram / chana dal
• 1 tsp split, skinned black gram / urad dal
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
• Few curry leaves

Method:
* Heat oil in a non stick pan or a kadai. Add all the tadka ingredients in the order mentioned and when the dal starts turning reddish, add the chillies and saute for few seconds.
* Next add the veggies and salt to the pan. Cover and cook on low flame, stirring intermittently. When the veggies are done, add coconut and stir well. Cook for a couple of minutes more and turn off the stove.
* Serve with rice / rotis.

Source:  Veggie Platter

In a fast paced lifestyle with all the junk entering our system the only solution is to start your day with the healthiest breakfast. And there is no better grain like ragi to have. Its nutritional benefits makes me wonder why we indians are moving away from this wonder grain.This dosa has a earthy and nutty flavor unlike a regular dosa but a lot tastier. You must try it to believe it !!

 

Ingredients

• 3 cup ragi flour
• 1 cup rice
• 1 cup urad dal

Filling

• 1 cup finely chopped cauliflower
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
• 1/4 cup finelt chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp oil
• salt to taste.

Procedure

 

Soak rice and urad dal for 4 hrs. Make a smooth paste with enough water. Add the ragi flour to it. Mix ricely with a spatula until all lumps dissapear. Ferment it overnight. Your dosa batter is ready for the next day.

For stuffing heat oil in a pan, add onions and fry till they become translucent. Then add cauliflower and sprinkle salt and cook till the cauliflower becomes soft.Add the tomatoes, keep stiring till it becomes soft. Add the chilli powder and chopped cilantro , mix well and switch off the flame and keep aside.

Heat tawa on a low flame , add one cup batter in the center and spread it nicely in a circular motion and spread one tbsp of  filling over it.Then increase the flame to medium and let it become crispy. Increase the flame to high for a few seconds for a golden crust, fold and serve hot with your choice of accompaniment.

 

Source: Super Yummy Recipes

I bought a bunch of methi planning to try a new recipe that I got from my MIL's sister. Today when I thought about it again, I wasn't sure whether it fit the dry saute theme as it involved frying. And so I took the easy route since that's what I prefer doing when it comes to everyday cooking. A simple, healthy stir fry using carrot and methi with no concoction of spice powders.

Ingredients: (yield 2 generous servings)

• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 tsp chana dal / Bengal gram
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
• 1.5 cups grated carrot (or peel and cube.)
• 1.5 cups methi leaves (washed and roughly chopped)
• Salt and chili powder to taste

Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Add chana dal and mustard seeds. When dal starts turning reddish, add carrot, fenugreek greens and turmeric powder. Stir once, cover and cook until carrot softens. Next add salt and chili powder. Mix well and cook for a minute and turn off the stove.

Source:  Veggie Platter

I've been introduced to this Nethili Sambal dish when I's 17 r 18 yrs old. A family member had been to singapore for many years and learned many dishes from there. That time she used to tell us about some paste ( which u don't get in India) which gives that authentic sambal flavour (now I know what she meant, obviously it's belacan). Inspite we had prepared this dish many a times. Later, we stopped consuming as it involves lots of time n lot's of OIL. This sambal chilli is used as a base for many malay dishes. It's finger licking delicious and I made Ikan bilis sambal ( nethili sambal)with this paste .Just try once, u'll fall in love..

Ingredients:

• Shallots (rose) --300 gm
• Dry red chillies -- 30 - 35 nos ( remove the seeds to take off the heat)
• Garlic -- 14 nos.
• Ginger -- 1" piece
• else
• Galangal -- 10 gm
• +Ginger -- 20 gm
• Salt -- to taste
• Oil -- 1/4 cup
• Jaggery /palm sugar -- 3 tbsp
• Thick tamarind pulp -- 3 tbsp (mixed with 1/4 cup of water)
• Belacan -- 1 tbsp,toasted (optional)

Method :

• Soak the shallots in water overnight to peel the skin easily( else soak it for a couple of hours)
• Cut the chillies using a scissor and remove all the seeds. Soak the skin in plain cold water for couple of hours or until it's soft.
• Toast the baacan in a pan until all the moisture is absorbed and turns dry n powdered.
• Also soak the garlic in water if it's skin is tight . Peel the skin off and gather the shallots,garlic,red chillies,ginger/galangal,belacan and put them in a blender. Finely grind everything adding only 1/4 cup or less water to run the mixie.
• Tranfer the grounded paste to the pan and cover it with a lid. Cook the mixture over medium to medium low flame for 7 to 8 minutes. By the time, all the moisture would have been gone and the paste would be dry.
• Pour n the 1/4 cup of oil to the paste now and mix thoroughly with the masala. Cover it with a lid and cook the mixture over a LOW flame for 35 to 40 minutes stirring every now and then. During this interval, u might see the colour changer from the blood red to almost brown tinge.This happens only if u slow cook the mixture for the specified time mention above.
• After 40 minutes, the oil would start leaving at the sides of the pan, @ this stage add the salt,tamarind pulp,jaggery and add 1/4 cup of water. (if needed)
• Mix them thoroughly and again cover it with a lid and again cook over a low flame until u reach the desire consistency (like jam,spreadable consistency)
• Let the sambal chilli cool for couple of minutes and store them in a good container .Store them in the freezer if u r not going to use it immediately,else keep it the fridge.

Notes/Suggestions :

• Adding belacan is purely optional, if u can get hold of it ,USE it. 
• Vegetarians  may simply omit the belacan and go ahead with the rest of the ingredients .This is the base masala for most of the Malaysian recipes.
• Actually, 1 cup of oil is used to make this sambal but I've reduced to 1/4th cup and u r welcome to filter the oil once the sambal has been made.
• Always add the oil after cooking the paste for atleat 5 minutes, by doing so, u r avoiding the spluttering situation inside ur kitchen.
• It's NOT SPICY at all as u already removed all the seeds.It's deliciously sweet..

Cheers,

Shanavi

 

Source:  Kitchen Secrets

When Moong dal - Black pepper were announced as the ingredients for this month's magic mingle

 

, I didn't have to think much. Moong dal and Black pepper usually means spicy pongal in my dictionary and the ingredients invoke the memories of delicious piping hot pongal that used to be served in my MIL's kitchen during breakfast times. She had such magic in her hands that each time she would dish out pongal with the same great taste and flavors, which used to leave me craving for more. After my MIL, I have never eaten such tasty pongal anywhere else, not even at restaurants or at weddings.

And so with my love for pongal, I decided it would be pongal this time for the magic mingle. However, I am going with the rava version instead of the traditional rice version as I have already posted it on my blog and I don't prefer now to eat rice in the mornings.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup semolina / rava
• 1/2 cup moong dal
• Water as needed (7.5 to 8 cups)
• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

For tadka:

• Ghee as preferred (be generous for a tastier pongal.)
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 Tbsp pepper corns ( I usually prefer pongal slightly on the spicier side and use crushed pepper as well.)
• Few curry leaves
• 1 - 2 Tbsp cashews

Method:
* Fry moong dal on low flame until it starts to turn a few shades darker. Remove and keep it aside. This step is however optional and can be skipped.
* Toast semolina on medium flame until it starts to change the color. Transfer it to a plate and let cool.
* Heat about 4 cups of water and add moong dal and turmeric powder to it.  If you prefer adding pepper corns at this stage, you can do so. Cook until the moongdal is done. Add some more water during cooking (About 3.5 to 4 cups more.)
* Now add rava slowly and keep stirring so that no lumps are formed. Next add salt and stir well to combine.
* Cover and cook on low flame until rava / semolina is done.
* Heat ghee in  a pan and add cashews. Toast them until they turn golden brown and remove them aside. Then add ginger and fry until it starts turning golden brown. Next add the remaining tadka ingredients and toast them as well.
* Add toasted cashews and  tadka to the pongal and mix well.
* Serve as breakfast or a mini meal. Drizzle generously with ghee and serve with chutney / sambhar / tangy gojju.

Source:  Veggie Platter

My mom and her friends meet and dine, at least once a year, at Samrat - a vegetarian restaurant in Churchgate. Every single time, mom and all aunties order a Gujarati thali. I, as always,  am very curious to know what exactly was served in that thali. This time, I discovered - along with the usual suspects - it was "boondi chaas" - flavored buttermilk with boondies floating. Well, I had to try it myself. So here's my version.

Boondi Chaas
Flavored Buttermilk
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 cups drinking water, preferably chilled
• 1 tbsp ginger, peeled & chopped
• 3-4 mint leaves, fresh
• 1 green chili (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 tsp chaat masala
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• salt to taste

Garnish

• 1 tbsp salty boondi per serving

Method
1. Blend all the ingredients except boondi in a blender
2. Refrigerate till ready to serve.
3. Just before serving, pour in the serving glasses and add 1 tbsp boondi per glass.

Note -
1. I used fat free yogurt. Full fat yogurt will give a richer flavor.
2. Adjust water according to thick or thin consistency.
3. Use drinking water since we are not going to boil this dish.
4. My proportion of cilantro and mint gave a light green hue to this "chaas". If you want deeper green color, increase the amount of cilantro.
5. Do not use dry mint or cilantro.
6. Chaat masala has rock salt in it so adjust salt accordingly.
7. Boondi are generally available at your local Indian stores.
8. Do not use sweetened boondi for this recipe.

Credits
Samrat
Prem Court, Jamshedji Tata Road, Churchgate , Mumbai

Source:  Enjoy Indian Food