Wholemeal Spinach Roti

Making colourful food for kids can be a challenge for Mums, as we try to keep ingredients as natural as possible. While there are natural food colours available, I'm sure you will agree it's always better to use fresh fruit or vegetables to bring out colours in food. 

While my little one loves Roti/Chapathi, I do get asked for different coloured Rotis sometimes and when the request was for green, I was totally excited! Spinach always does the trick in bringing out bring green colour in any dish so why not Roti. Unlike Paratha, where spinach bits and pieces are seen in the normal golden brown Roti, I used a whole lot more spinach this time which was a win-win for colour and nutrition!

Here it is, my colourful green SPINACH ROTI:

Ingredients: 1 cup wholemeal wheat flour (atta), 2 cups steamed spinach leaves, 1 spoon natural yogurt, pinch of salt, 1 spoon olive oil, small spoon cumin seeds (if desired). 

Make: Puree the steamed spinach to smooth paste without adding any water. To make the Roti dough, mix the flour, salt, yogurt, oil and puree all together. Mix and knead until it is a firm dough ready for rolling Rotis. You will not need any water as the spinach will do it's job. Make small sized balls and make Rotis as normal. Serve warm with your favourite side dish :)

Mango Kulfi

Summer is a lot of things for a lot of people..one of the best things for us is Mangoes!! Lots of lots of them :) So, with Mangoes here there and everywhere, it only makes sense to use them to create some lip smacking dishes.

Mango Kulfi is a very popular dessert and even those who don't know much about Indian desserts will have tried or seen Mango Kulfi on restaurant menus. While you can easily buy Mango ice creams, it's not the same with Kulfi, which is a more dense and solid. Also making your own Kulfi means you can add all the extras like nuts. We made it without nuts this time and they were gone in a hurry!

Here it is, my version of MANGO KULFI:

Ingredients: 1 cup full cream milk, 3 tablespoons milk powder, 2-3 tablespoons raw sugar, pulp of 1 fresh ripe Mango, 1 spoon cornflour, few saffron strands, 1 teaspoon cardamon powder.

Make: In a thick bottom pan, heat up the milk, milk powder and sugar. Don't let it boil, keep stirring for about 10 minutes until it all thickens slightly. To help thicken, add in the cornflour mixed with a spoon of the milk. Add saffron and cardamon powder (if adding nuts add now too). Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool completely. Once cooled, add in the mango pulp (I grinded pulp to ensure a smooth puree) and mix well. Pour into moulds, cover with foil or clingwrap and poke in sticks if desired. Freeze for about 8 hours.

Sankranti Ellu Bella - Healthy Trail Mix

It's the Indian festival of Harvest - the celebration of food! Makara Sankranti/Lohri/Pongal, whatever it might be for you, it's sure to be a food filled day! One of the best memories as a child is collecting and sharing "Sankranti Ellu Bella" with friends on festival day, visiting family and friends. 

Sharing my version of the healthy and delicious festive snack, SANKRANTI ELLU BELLA:

Ingredients: 1 cup roasted peanuts (skin peeled after roasting), 1 cup roasted gram, 1 cup chopped roasted coconut flakes, 1/4 cup roasted sesame seeds (ellu), 1/2 cup small chopped jaggery (bella), sugar cubes if desired.

Make: Roast each of the above (except jaggery) separately. Cool down completely. In a bowl, mix all of together. Share and enjoy snacking!

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!

Masala Buttermilk

Happy New Year! Happy New Decade! Here's to a healthy, happy and peaceful year ahead.

It's been a hot hot Summer down under so the less time spent in the kitchen the better...and that doesn't mean sneaking in takeaway or short cut foods. We have been enjoying easy simple dishes made with fresh seasonal fruits and lots of cool ingredients.

One of our favourties has been a healthy, cool drink that is famed in the Indian subcontinent not only for it's nutritional benefits but also the delicious blended flavours of fresh herbs.

Here it is, my version of MASALA BUTTERMILK (Spiced buttermilk/Masala Majjige):

Ingredients: 1 cup natural yogurt, 3/4 cup water, small amount of ginger, fresh chilli if desired, handful corriander, few curry leaves, cumin seeds, 1 spoon cumin powder, salt to taste.

Make: In a juicer/blender, put in all of the ingredients above and give it a quick whiz just to blend together (do not blend for long, the ingredients do not need grinding). Ready! Cool in the fridge or add ice cubes and serve.

Eggplant Bruschetta

Eggplant or Brinjal or Aubergine, is one of those versatile veggies that you are either love or just don't like. It's no surprise that I'm a huge fan and I always try to bring Eggplant into simple dishes. Very few flavours match that of a nicely grilled Eggplant, with perfect roasted skin and soft flesh. So why not just enjoy this simplicity!

Taking the idea of Bruschetta, an Italian entree or side dish, typically made with roasted bread and topped with fresh tomato, basil, onions etc I tried creating the same with Eggplant instead of bread - the result was YUM! Those who love anything Eggplant will definitely love this one!

Here it is, my version of EGGPLANT BRUSCHETTA:

Ingredients: One medium sized Eggplant (firm), 1 tomato chopped, one red onion chopped, 1 spoon olive oil, salt to taste, herbs of your choice such as parsley, basil etc.

Make: Chop the Eggplant into thick circles (don't make it too thin as it will flop once grilled). On a griddle pan, grill/roast the circles nicely on each side with a bit of olive oil. Should take about 5 to 8 minutes each side. In a bowl, mix the chopped tomato, onion and all herbs with olive oil. Add chill powder if you like some spice. 

Once the Eggplant circles are well grilled, spoon some mixtures on each slice and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Mango Cake - Eggless & Dairy free

The onset of sweet Summer means it's time to bask in the sweetness of the king of fruits, Mangoes! It's no surprise that there aren't many folks out there whose eye don't light up when they see any Mango dish or simply the fruit itself. 

So when life gives you Mangoes, make everything with them :) I tried creating a healthy sweet treat using fresh Mangoes and it definitely will become a regular.  With no added sugar or colour and completely dairy free, here is my MANGO CAKE!

Ingredients: Pulp from 2 fresh ripe mangoes, 1 cup wholemeal self raising flour (can also use plain flour with baking soda), 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla essence.

Make: Take the fresh mango pulp and grind into a smooth puree. Mix the flour, oil and mango puree well until you have a smooth batter. Add vanilla essence and mix. If the batter is too thick you can add a spoon of water as required. If the mangoes are ripe and sweet, you will not need any extra sugar for sweetness. 

Pour the cake batter into a greased and lined baking tray and bake in a fan forced oven at 160 deg for about 25 minutes. 

Once cooled, your soft, dense Mango cake will be ready to serve along with a cup of tea.

Enjoy!

Rasmalai - Sweet Cottage Cheese Dumplings

It's no secret that Indian festivities go hand in hand with sweet treats (overload)! While there is not much you can do to avoid sugar at these times, you can opt for the healthier options. One such option is the very loved, very well known Rasmalai. A sweet dish originally from Bangladesh, I don't know of many folks from the sub-continent that would say no to Rasmalai.

With the soft and juicy textures that crumbles in your mouth, accompanied with sweet almond milk, cardamom and saffron flavours, this one is a celebrity in the world of sweets! Whenever I make this star in our home, it doesn't last long in the fridge at all!

Here it is my version of the RASMALAI:

Ingredients: 

For the dumplings - 2 cups of full cream milk, juice of 1 fresh lemon. 

For the sugar syrup - 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water.

For the sweet almond milk - 1 cup milk, few tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon almond milk powder, few strands of saffron, handful of flaked almonds, 1 teaspoon cardamom powder.

Method in pictures:

Make: First make the dumplings by heating the 2 cups of milk, then without boiling, add lemon juice bit by bit while stirring continuously. When the milk curdles completely, remove from heat and drain the paneer (cottage cheese) in a muslin cloth. Press to drain excess liquid and hang for 30 minutes.  

While waiting, make the sugar syrup by bringing to boil the 1 cup sugar with 1 cup water.  

Once the paneer is well drained, it should feel like a soft dough. Kneed gently with your fingers then make small dumplings as desired. Place these into the sugar syrup, cover and cook for about 10 minutes. 

You can prepare the almond milk while the dumplings are cooking. Just bring to boil the 1 cup of milk with sugar, almond powder, saffron, cardamom powder, flaked almonds. Let it cool before placing the cooked dumplings into it.

After putting the dumplings into the sweet almond milk, rest it in the fridge for a few hours and serve chilled :)

Dhokla - Steamed Savoury Cake

Snacking does not always have to be unhealthy - infact, with a little bit of effort snacking can be so healthy it becomes part of your daily healthy food intake! 

Traditionally from the Gujurat region of India, Dhokla is just that, a healthy snack that is made from steaming chickpea flour making it both high in protein and low in calories.

There are many variants to the traditional recipe but sharing my version which is easy and quick as well tastes great! Here it is: DHOKLA - Steamed Savoury Cake.

Ingredients: 1 cup of chickpea flour (besan/gram flour), 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 and 1/2 cup of water, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil. For seasoning, 1 teaspoon oil, 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon shredded coconut, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, handful of chopped coriander, chopped chillies if desired.

Make: In a bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, sugar, salt, olive oil and water together to form a smooth batter with out any lumps. Leave aside covered for about 15 minutes. Grease your steaming dish with a bit of oil then pour in the batter to steam for about 20 minutes. When steamed, sprinkle the shredded coconut and chopped coriander on top. Let it cool for a little while then add the seasoning - in a pan, heat mustard seeds and chillies in oil and pour all over the Dhokla. Cut into pieces and enjoy with a hot cuppa!

Spicy Murmura/Spicy Puffed Rice

Snacking healthy seems to the word everywhere you see - from reduced fat to oil free to no salt to low calories. Sometimes reducing the "bad stuff" reduces the taste factor. Here's a super easy snack that you can whip at home in less than 10 minutes, keeps for about a week in an airtight container and tastes sooo good it's hard to believe that it is healthy!

Always a regular in our pantry, this healthy snack ticks all the boxes and satisfies the taste buds too. Here it is, my version of the SPICY MURMURA/SPICY PUFFED RICE. This exact same recipe can also be made with FLAT RICE.

Ingredients: 2 cups of plain puffed rice (or plain rice bubbles cereal, flat rice), handful of peanuts, cashews, handful of curry leaves, handful of dry coconut flakes, 1 tablespoon mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Make: Ensure there is no water/moisture near this preparation. In a wide non stick pan, add into the oil, all the above dry ingredients except for puffed rice and fry on low flame until roasted. Now add curry leaves and puffed rice and continue frying on low flame. Add salt/sugar as needed. The aroma will be just right when the puffed rice is roasted nicely.  Remove from the flame and let it cool completely.
Enjoy once cooled and can be kept in an air tight container for snacking!

Wholemeal Veggie Pizza

Pizza...the name itself is enough to get the taste buds tingling! However, this humble Italian treat is often referred to as junk food - and sometimes rightly so with the large amounts of calories and traditional plain flour base. 

We love a good Veggie Pizza and I thought how can I make it healthier and more nutritious for my family..? The first obvious trick is to replace the plain flour with a more wholesome base, so I tried wholemeal wheat flour. Just like a soft wholemeal bread, it was absolutely delicious! To stick to the healthy twist on Pizza, I reduced the amount of cheese and increased the veggies :)

Here it is, my healthy nutritious version of the good old PIZZA!

Ingredients for one pizza base: 1 full cup wholemeal wheat flour with a pinch of baking soda (or use wholemeal self raising wheat flour instead), 1/4 cup natural yogurt, pinch of salt, water. 

Ingredients for pizza toppings: any veggies you like (if using eggplant, pre-roast chopped eggplant), tomato paste, olive oil, chilli flakes, spinach leaves, your choice of grated cheese.

Make: To make the base dough, combine all of the ingredients and mix with your hands into a firm dough. Cover and leave to raise for a few hours.

When ready, flour the work bench and roll out the dough to desired size. Use wheat flour to avoid any sticky dough. Transfer the base to your pizza baking tray. Brush the rolled out dough with olive oil. Spread tomato paste evenly on the base then sprinkle the chopped veggies, chilli flakes, cheese. 

Bake in a pre-heated fan forced oven at 160 degrees for about 25 minutes. 

Enjoy your healthy, delicious Veggie Pizza nice and hot!

Eggplant Coconut Curry

There's something so comforting about a hot, hearty curry on a cool evening. The feeling is even better when it involves favourite veggies, in our case, Eggplant! 

Eggplant/Brinjal/Aubergine whatever you may call it, is one those vegetables that is either absolutely loved by those that are fans. As I belong to the group of Eggplant lovers, I often experiment with different combinations and this curry I tried, with it's smooth, silky texture, became an instant hit at our house!

Here it is, my Eggplant Coconut Curry:

Ingredients: 1 large eggplant chopped into semi circles (not too thin), 1 can light coconut milk, 1 onion chopped, 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic, chilli flakes, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon garam masala, curry leaves, corainder for garnish.

Make: In a thick wide based pan, add a spoon of oil and heat chilliflakes and cumin seeds. Add turmeric powder, chopped onion and garlic to saute. Then add the chopped eggplant semi circles, curry leaves and garam masala. Roast nicely on both sides, this may take around 10 minutes. Lastly add the can of coconut milk, salt to taste and bring to boil. Garnish with coriander and serve steaming hot with rice or roti. Enjoy!

Split Pea Fritters (Ambode)

Those from the southern part of India will be very familiar with the very delicious "Ambode" which promptly takes its place in almost all festival menus! This little treat is also great for the healthy conscious as it is made with yellow split peas (lentil) making it a high protein food.

However there's no short cut to achieving the authentic taste of Ambode, as deep frying is the way to go. Go on, it's ok to indulge in a deep fried treat atleast as it made from healthy ingredients!

So here it is, my version of the famous Ambode/SPLIT PEA FRITTERS: 

Ingredients: 1 cup yellow split peas soaked for 2 to 3 hours, few green chillies, 1 tablespoon fresh chopped ginger, 1 onion chopped (if desired), handful of dill leaves chopped (if desired), handful of chopped fresh coriander and curry leaves, salt to taste, oil for deep frying.

Make: Take the soaked split peas and chopped ginger and grind in a mixer roughly. Ensure it is not a smooth paste (should still have some split peas visible). In a bowl, combine the split peas mixture with chillies, onion if using, salt and green leaves. It should form a firm moist dough which you can shape into small balls then pat into oval shapes. Heat oil and deep fry the fritters until golden brown on each side. 

Serve hot with your favourite chutney or sauce!

Carrot Cake

Carrots in sweet treats are one of the best combinations to add that bit of healthy touch to sweets. The good old Carrot Cake is one that is best enjoyed with a hot cuppa! Best part is that kids will love it without even knowing all the goodness of carrots hidden inside.

Given my love for eggless baking, including carrots in my recipe makes it even easier to achieve a soft, juicy cake without the use of eggs. 

Here it is, my version of Carrot Cake:

Ingredients: 1 carrot grated, 1 cup self raising flour, half cup brown sugar, half cup full cream milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla essence, dry fruits if desired. For topping, 1 tablespoon icing sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, dry coconut shreds.

Make: In a bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, butter, olive oil. Mix well and add milk. Once the consistency is smooth, add in the grated carrot, dried fruits and combine well. Pour the batter into a bread baking tray (greased with baking paper is recommended) and bake in a pre-heated fan forced oven 160 degrees for 30 minutes. You will know it is baked if it bounces back when touched slightly in the middle. 

Let the cake cool. Prepare the topping by mixing the icing sugar and milk and pour over the cake. Sprinkle the coconut shreds on top immediately so it sticks.

Enjoy with your favourite cuppa! 

Hara Bhara Kabab (Green Veg Cutlet)

As the cold weather approaches, so do cravings for those hearty warm dishes. It's probably true that a lot of people throw that healthy diet out the window as warm weather disappears, but it doesn't has to be that way! A lot of hearty hot foods also means things like deep frying and overdoses of fatty ingredients...not this little gem that we love :)

The very popular Hara Bhara Kabab or green veg cutlet is usually made by deep frying, not the best if you are conscious of keeping calories low. At our place, this little goodie is preferred not deep fried but pan fried instead - the same crunchy texture with softness inside, only a whole lot healthier!

Here it is, my version of HARA BHARA KABAB:

Ingredients: 1 cup peas, 1 cup blanched spinach, 1 onion chopped, 1 chilli chopped, 1 teaspoon crushed garlic, 1 teaspoon crushed ginger, a small plate of corn flour, a small plate of bread crumbs, a little oil for pan frying. 

Make: In a pan, add in a spoon of oil and saute the chilli, onion, garlic and ginger. Add the peas and spinach with salt to taste. Cook together for a few minutes. Let it cool then transfer to a blender. Pulse a few times and ensure it does not become a smooth paste. 

Make small cutlet shapes, dip into the plate of corn flour then bread crumbs. Now to pan fry these cutlets, add some oil (the less the better) and fry on each side until golden brown. 

Serve hot with side salad, chutney or anything you choose!