Ragi Dosa (Finger Millet Crepe)

Dosa has long been a most popular Indian breakfast delicacy and there are so many varieties and versions to making Dosa.

Traditionally rice & urid daal are soaked, ground and fermented, but what about those that want to try a healthier gluten free option? Replacing the rice with super food Ragi or Finger Millet gives not only a healthier option, but is equally as delicious!

Here it is, my version of RAGI DOSA:

Ingredients: 1 cup Ragi flour, 2 tablespoons rice flour, 1 cup urid daal, 2 tablespoons poha, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, salt.

Make: 

1. Wash then soak urid daal, poha and fenugreek seeds for about 4 hours.

2. After 4 hours, grind the soaked mixture into a thick smooth paste. 

3. In a bowl, mix Ragi flour and rice flour with water into a smooth paste without lumps. Add in the ground urid daal mixture to this, add salt and mix completely. Use water as needed to get a thick but not watery batter.

4. Cover the bowl and leave it to ferment overnight. If the weather is cold, you can use a 1/2 spoon baking soda mixed in too.

5. After fermentation the batter should have risen and be airy. Make Dosas on a non stick pan as normal. 

Enjoy crispy, delicious, healthy Ragi Dosa with your favourite chutney!

Spinach & Cottage Cheese Curry - Palak Paneer

Vegetarian dishes in Indian cuisine are fabulous and varied, with so many amazing ingredients that are used to create wonderful flavours. Some of my favourite ingredients not just for taste but also for the nutritional goodness are Spinach and Paneer, so when there is a delicious curry using both, it's no surprise that it's a regular on the menu! 

There are so many different versions of Palak Paneer and everyone finds their own way of making it. Here's my version that is quick, easy and is delicious everytime!

Ingredients: 500 grams Spinach leaves or frozen Spinach, about 300 grams Paneer chopped into cubes,1 onion chopped, few dry red chillies, 1 tbsp garlic smashed, 1 tbsp ginger smashed, 1 tomato chopped, 1tsp cumin, 1tsp garam masala, 1 tsp cumin powder, salt to taste.

Make:

1. Blanch the Spinach leaves and cool immediately by a little adding cold water (don't add too much as you can use this extra water to grind so mo wasting nutrients).

2. In a pan, heat a bit of oil and add red chillies, cumin seeds, garlic, ginger, chopped onion. Sautè until onion is cooked then add tomatoes. Add in the blanched Spinach and mix together. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. 

3. Grind the whole mixture into a puree, adding water as needed to get a thick gravy texture.

4. In the pan again, add a little butter/oil and add in the paneer cubes. Roast for a few minutes until it is soft. Now add garam masala, cumin powder, salt to taste. Finally add in the Spinach puree, mix and simmer on low flame for 5mins. 

Enjoy hot Palak Paneer with Jeera Rice or Rotis!

Curry Leaves Chutney Powder

The year's off to a super busy and wonderful start, hence it took two months to get back to blogging! Why not start on a healthy note as always😊 

Curry leaves are a core part of South Indian cooking and filled with antioxidants and nutritional benefits. When the warm weather gives you loads of Curry leaves, one is the best ways to use it is by making this delicious chutney powder. The perfect accompaniment to rotis, toast, rice, whatever!

Here it is, my version of KARIBEVU CHUTNEY PUDI - Curry Leaves Chutney Powder: 

Ingredients: About 50 sprigs of Curry leaves with leaves washed, dried and separated, dry red chillies as per taste, 1/2 cup dried coconut or descicated coconut, 1/2 channa daal, 1/3 cup urid daal, 2 tbsp dry coriander seeds, 1 tbsp asetofida, 1 tbsp amchur or tamraind powder, salt to taste.

Make:

1. In a wide pan, use a little oil and dry roast the Curry leaves until they are fully crisp and there is an aroma of roasted leaves. Keep aside and let cool.

2. In the same pan, dry roast coconut until golden brown. Keep aside and let cool. Next dry roast the red chillies until crisp, keep aside and let cool.

3. Next in the pan, dry roast channa daal until golden brown and crisp. Next repeat the same with urid daal. Keep aside and let cool.

4. In the pan, add a little oil and roast together the coriander seeds, amchur powder and asetofida just for a few minutes. Now add back all of the roasted ingredients above and mix with salt to taste. Let the whole mixture cool completely.

5. Once fully cooled (important to ensure a fine powder), grind it all in the mixer. Ensure the chutney powder is fully cool before transferring to an airtight container. It will be great for use for a few months.

Instant Besan-Rava Dosa/Crepe

When it's a Dosa breakfast, it's bound to be a good day! Even better if that Dosa batter doesn't involve hours of work in soaking, fermentation and grinding - instant Dosa to the rescue! 

The traditional rice/urid daal Dosa made in the authentic method is hard to beat, however there are so many other forms of Dosa that are both nutritious and delicious. I've shared my Moong Daal Dosa and Tomato Rava Dosa, this yummy one is similar too.

Here it is, my version of BESAN RAVA DOSA:

Ingredients: 1 cup Besan/Chickpea flour, 1/2 rice flour, 1/2 fine rava/semolina, 1/2 cup plain yogurt/curds, handful of coriander chopped, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp asetofida, chopped chillies as desired, salt to taste, water.

Make: 

1. In a mixing bowl, add in all the flours above and mix together. Now add in the yogurt/curds and water bit by bit, mixing to ensure no lumps. The batter should be thin like a Rava Dosa batter.

2. Add in asetofida, cumin seeds, salt, chopped coriander and chillies if using. Mix it all well and rest for 5 minutes. 

3. On a hot flat pan, ladle the batter to make to the Dosa, one ladle full for each Dosa. This is not a thick batter like a traditional Dosa so just ladle without rubbing to shape the Dosa. The heat will create the holes which will be crispy once cooked. Cook on each side for a few minutes until golden brown.

Serve the crispy hot Besan Rava Dosa with chutney. Enjoy!

Spicy Stuffed Eggplant - Badnekayi Ennegayi

Some old recipes need to be made exactly the way they were meant to be. This special eggplant dish is famous in South India for being itself! Just absolutely delicious and it looks as great as it tastes!

So here it is, my version of the BADNEKAYI ENNEGAYI (Spicy stuffed eggplant/brinjal/aubergine): 

Ingredients: 8 to 10 small sized eggplants, slit into 4 but not completely cut. Chopped onion, handful curry leaves, salt to taste, turmeric powder, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp brown sugar/jaggery, 1 tsp tamarind. 

For the masala, 1/2 cup grated coconut, 1 tbls channa daal, 1 tbls peanuts, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp sesame seeds, 1 tsp coriander seeds, a pinch of fenugreek seeds, few chillies. 

Make: Dry roast all of the spices & peanuts except grated coconut till golden brown. Next put roasted spices in with the coconut, tamarind & chillies and grind to a paste using a little water as required. Take the masala paste and stuff into the slit eggplants so it's overflowing with masala. It is also possible to just use chopped eggplants instead of stuffing.

In a non stick pan, put in some oil, add mustard seeds, turmeric powder then saute chopped onions and curry leaves. Now add in the stuffed eggplants by placing them neatly around in the pan (do not toss around). Sprinkle salt to taste and cover to cook. After about 10 minutes, add some water on top and slighlty move around the pan without tossing the eggplants. The masala will have cooked and become redder in colour, the eggplants will be roasted and cooked well. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. 

Serve hot with rice or roti! Enjoy :)

Sabudana Kichidi - Spicy Sago/Tapioca

We all try to include healthier options in our daily diet but it can be hard to find ingredients that are both tasty, easy to find and easy to maker as well as be healthy. One of these gems is SAGO or Tapioca Pearls, which come from tropical palm stems, and is gluten free too! 

The Indian subcontinent is familiar with a spicy cooked version of Sago/Sabudana and it is often made during festivities. We love Sabudana Kichidi in our house and definitely don't wait for festivities to enjoy it.

Here it is, my version of SABUDANA KICHIDI:

Ingredients: 1 cup of Sago/Sabudana, 1 potato chopped into small cubes, 1 onion chopped, few fresh chillies chopped, few curry leaves, handful of peanuts, a small bunch of fresh coriander leaves. For tempering: oil, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric powder. 

Make: Wash the Sago thoroughly until the water runs clear (wash a few times), then soak in minimal water for about 5 hours. Don't put too much water or it will over-soak and be sticky. To make the Kichidi, in a heavy bottom pan heat the oil, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric powder. Add chillies, curry leaves, peanuts and chopped onions and saute. Add chopped potato and cover to cook for a few minutes. While it is cooking, grind the bunch of coriander leaves into a coarse paste. Pour this paste into the pan and add the soaked Sago. Add salt to taste and only toss gently without mixing heavily. As the Sago balls turn translucent, remove from flame. Enjoy!

Mutter Paneer - Peas & Paneer Curry

Sometimes nothing beats the classic dishes that simply are amazing just being their authentic self! While a lot of curries and Indian dishes can be altered or modernized, I think a good hearty Paneer curry just needs to be itself.

Always a favourite at our place..here it is my version of the humble MUTTER PANEER:

Ingredients: About 250 grams of Paneer (cottage cheese) chopped into small cubes, 1 cup of green peas, 2-3 ripe tomatoes chopped, 1 onion chopped, 1 tablespoon giner-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 tablespoon oil (use butter/ghee if preferred), chopped coriander, chilli as desired, salt to taste.

Make: In a heavy bottom pan, saute in oil, the onion, chilli, cumin seeds, garam masala and ginger-garlic paste then add the tomatoes. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Cool slightly and grind in a mixer to form a paste. In another pan, put in a small amount oil and pan-fry the paneer cubes and peas slightly then add in the tomato paste made as above. Add salt and cook covered for about 8 minutes. If consistency is too thick, add a bit of water or if it is too runny, add some almond or cashew powder. Once ready, sprinkle chopped coriander and serve hot with roti or rice. Enjoy!

Ragda Chaat (Spicy Chickpeas Salsa)

The spicy, tangy, sweet, crunchy, juicy and just plain DELICIOUS flavours of Chaats...Indian street food which is basically irreplaceable! Anyone who has enjoyed this taste will surely want to have more. 

One of the best things about chaats is that they are easy to create as there is no special formula to follow, throw together a few of your favourite ingredients and you can whip up a mouth watering snack in very little time. This is where I like to make things a little healthier than the traditional methods.

So here it is, my version of the very yummy RAGDA CHAAT :)

Ingredients: 1 cup boiled chickpeas (or you can use canned chickpeas if you prefer), 1 cup boiled potato cubes, handful of papdi (or crispy wheat crackers if you want to keep it lighter), 1 tomato chopped small, 1 onion chopped small, handful of pomegranate seeds and chopped coriander, 1 teaspoon chaat masala powder, sev. For the chickpea masala, you will need 1 table spoon tomato paste/puree, 1 onion chopped, 1 teaspoon garam masala, chilli powder, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds.

Make: In a non stick pan, heat a little oil and put in cumin seeds and chilli powder. Add 1 chopped onion and saute. Now add in the boiled chickpeas, potato cubes and mix. Add tomato paste/puree, garam masala, salt to taste and a little water. Cover and let it simmer.

On your serving plate, crush the papdi/wheat crackers to form the bottom layer. Spread the chickpeas masala on top, sprinkle chaat masala, then layer with chopped fresh tomato and onion, followed by sev, coriander and pomegranate. Serve nice and hot! 

Vegetable Pulao

Rice main dishes are one of most popular in South India. There's a sense of comfort associated with varieties of rice creations and there's no denying that when it comes to rice, the possibilities are almost endless! 

One of the most well known is the humble Vegetable Pulao - there's nothing much fancy about it but certainly is most loved by rice lovers all over the Indian subcontinent. Packed with goodness from fresh vegetables and the comfort of spices and rice, it's a beautiful combination.

Here's my quick and easy version of the famous Vegetable Pulao.

 Ingredients: 1 cup cooked basmati rice, 1 cup chopped vegetables (such as carrots, beans, peas), 1 onion sliced thin, handful of curry leaves. For masala - 4 or 5 cloves, 1 small piece of cinnamon stick, 4 or 5 peppercorns, 1 or 2 fresh chillies, 1 spoon chopped ginger, half a bunch of fresh coriander, a few fresh mint leaves, 1 spoon of coconut. For tempering - 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon mustard seeds.

Make: In a wide base non stick pan, temper the cumin seeds and mustard seeds in the olive oil. Once it starts to splatter, add in the sliced onions and curry leaves. Saute then add all the chopped vegetables and let it cook in the open pan. Meanwhile prepare the fresh masala by adding all of the above masala ingredients into a mixer and grind to a paste using as much water as required. Add the masala paste into the pan with cooking vegetables and mix well. Add the cooked rice, salt to taste, mix well and simmer with the lid closed for about 5 minutes. 

Serve hot with raita or yogurt. Enjoy!

Sabudana Kichidi (Spicy Stirfried Tapioca)

Tapioca..most of us have heard of it but not quite sure where it comes from. I was the same until I discovered the health benefits of these little pearls! Tapioca pearls are made of starch from Cassava roots, so they are gluten free and pretty much fat free. 

The Indian continent knows these pearls as Sabudana and is popular for both savoury and sweet dishes. I have become a fan of the very popular dish, Sabudana Kichidi, which is like a spicy stirfry. It is so simple and easy to make yet delicious to savour as a snack or a meal in itself! Also a great dish for those that follow religious fasting where only gluten free foods are consumed.

Here it is, my version of SABUDANA KICHIDI or Spicy Stirfired Tapioca:

Ingredients: 1 cup of tapioca pearls soaked for 1 to 2 hours, 1 potato chopped into small cubes, handful of peanuts, small amount of fresh ginger finely chopped, 1 onion chopped, a few chillies chopped, a handful of green peas if you wish, lemon juice. Spices of tempering: 1 spoon each of urid daal, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and turmeric powder.

Make: In a non stick pan, heat a tablespoon of oil and put in all of the spices for tempering as above. Saute then add chillies, chopped onion, ginger and peanuts. Roast these all nicely then add chopped potatoes and peas if using. Once they are almost cooked, add the in soaked tapioca pearls and salt to taste. Stir gently (to keep the pearls intact) and you should notice after a few minutes the pearls will start to turn translucent. Once all the pearls are translucent and fluffy it should be all cooked well. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and garnish with coriander. 

Enjoy your healthy gluten free meal :)

Spicy Lemon Pickle (Uppinakayi)

Any South Indian food lover is sure to list the humble "pickle" or "uppinakayi" as one of their favourite condiments/side dishes. I'm no different...whether it be along with rice and curry, with hot rotis or just to savour along side any savoury dish, pickles are just the perfect addition to get your taste buds tingling! 

Lemon pickles are probably the most common type of pickles in South India and also super easy to make fresh at home. Also helps that we have a beautiful lemon tree which is abundant with lemons this season! 

Here it is my version of the delicious LEMON PICKLE :)

Ingredients (for one jar of pickles): 3 fresh lemons, 2 tablespoons salt, 2 tablespoons chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon roasted fenugreek seeds made into a fine powder, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon mustard seeds for tempering.

Make: Wash the lemons completely clean and dry thoroughly, preferable for a few hours in open air. It is most important to have zero water content while preparing pickles. Cut lemons into small pieces and start placing into a clean, completely dry glass jar. Once the jar is half full, put in 1 tablespoon of salt and mix with a dry spoon. Place more lemon pieces on top and add the second spoon of salt. Mix again and close the lid tightly. 

Leave this jar to sit in for about 3 days, in a non sunlit area. Open after 3 days and give it quick mix with a dry spoon, close and leave for another few days. The mixture will have produced lots of lemon juice and the lemon will have softened. 

Add the chilli powder and roasted fenugreek powder and mix well. Temper the mustard seeds in olive oil, let it cool and add to the pickle. Mix well and keep the jar tightly closed for a few days. Your spicy lemon pickle will be ready to enjoy!

 

 

Spiced Cauliflower Rice & Roasted Chickpeas

A hearty, delicious and healthy lunch is not always possible to put together especially on busy days where time is precious and list of to do's are too long!

Here's a quick meal including a side dish (now that's pretty fancy for a busy day lunch) which you can put together within minutes by preparing a few things the night before.

It's always a hit at our household and very healthy with a nice serve of veggies and protein :) Here is is, my SPICED CAULIFLOWER RICE & ROASTED CHICKPEAS.

Ingredients for Roasted Chickpeas: 1 can of preboiled chickpeas, chilli flakes, salt.

Make: Grab a thick bottomed pan and put in chilli flakes into a bit of oil, add the chickpeas (double washed out of can), salt to taste and roast till golden brown - should take just a few minutes. 

Ingredients for Spiced Cauliflower Rice: 1 cup of cooked rice (can be made night before), 1 cup of chopped cauliflower florets, half cup chopped carrots, handful of frozen peas or corn kernels, 1 fresh tomato chopped, 1 onion chopped, chilli powder, 1 spoon cumin seeds, 1 spoon mustard seeds, salt, olive oil, cumin powder.

Make: In a non stick pan, saute the onion in a bit of olive oil with cumin seeds and mustard seeds, then add all the chopped veggies. Roast on high flame for a few minutes, add cumin powder, chilli powder and salt. When mixed well, add in the cooked rice and combine well. Done! 

There it is, a healthy, hot cooked meal ready to enjoy for lunch :) 

Sev Papdi Chaat

When the craving for snacking strikes, you really don't want to spend lots of time making something AND you don't want to snack on high fat or high sugar foods. I find that quick 'Indian street food' style snacks tick all my boxes!

Very similar to "Sev Puri", my SEV PAPDI CHAAT is a quick to make snack with the perfect combination of spicy, tangy and sweet flavours.

Simple and quick to put together and tastes as delicious as it looks! 

Here it is, Sev Papdi Chaat :)

Ingredients: 

Papdi (or crisp wheat crackers), chopped fresh tomato, chopped onion, chopped coriander, mint paste or mint & coriander paste, sev.

Make:
Layout the papdi in a serving plate. Spread mint/coriander paste then sprinkle chopped onions, tomato and coriander. If desired, lightly sprinkle some chilli powder on top for extra spice. Finish off with a generous sprinkle of sev. Serve and enjoy your healthy and delicious snack!

Tawa Pulao (Indian Fried Rice)

Wanting to make a hearty Indian rice dish but have little time or patience to spend in the kitchen? It happens to the best of us and more often than not! The biggest downside to most quick cook dishes are that we loose out on nutritional benefits, however not this beautiful dish!

Taking just half an hour to create, not only does it tick the nutritious box but will also put smiles on your family's faces.

My version of the very famous dish by celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor (his version on his page Sanjeev Kapoor)...TAWA PULAO.

Ingredients: 1.5 cups cooked rice (preferably basmati rice), 1 tomato chopped, 1 carrot chopped, 1 potato chopped, half cup green peas or corn kernels, 1 onion chopped, 1 spoon garlic paste, 1 spoon pav bhaji masala, 1 spoon garam masala, coriander leaves. For tempering, cumin seeds and mustard seeds.

Make: In a wide based pan, heat oil and saute the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, onion and garlic paste. When there is a nice aroma, add all other chopped vegetables and masala powders. Cook for 5 minutes. Add in the hot cooked rice, salt and mix well. Mix in chopped coriander leaves. Done!

Enjoy your hot Tawa Pulao with yougurt or raita :)

Eggplant Potato Fry

Everyone has an all time favourite vegetable that they would include in any possible dish possible..! The humble eggplant (or aubergine or brinjal) is that very favourite of mine. Whether it's Indian, Asian or Italian cuisine that I'm cooking I'll take any chance to add some delicious eggplant :) 

On the health benefits side, it's a winner all round too. Not only low in calories and rich in antioxidants, the skin of eggplant is known to protect brain cells from damage due to free radicals. So with all these extremely great qualities, why not include eggplant as part of your regular diet!?

A regular dish in my kitchen which combines perfectly with rice, breads or roti, is my very simple EGGPLANT POTATO FRY - simple, delicious and super easy to create!

Ingredients: 1 large eggplant, 1 potato, 1 red capsicum (if desired), 1 onion, few strands coriander, for tempering - mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chilli flakes.

Make: Chop eggplant and other veggies into cubes. In a wide pan, temper the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and chilli flakes in a tablespoon of oil. Add chopped onion and saute till golden, add chopped eggplant and other veggies and saute. Add salt to taste. By the time the eggplant is well roasted and soft, all other veggies will also be cooked. Remove from flame and present it with coriander. Enjoy hot with rice, roti or your favourite breads.