Pineapple Gojju - Tangy Spicy Pineapple Curry

Some tastes from your childhood stay with you always, even if you did not like it back then! This beautiful dish, popular in South Indian weddings and functions is one of those tastes. I never liked it much then, but now it is one of my favourites. 

Pineapple Gojju, a delicious curry that delicately balances the sweet tangy flavours of Pineapple with spicy tastes of chillies and roast spices. The best part for me, is using  my Mum's recipe to recreate the same taste that she made for us. 

Here it is, my version of PINEAPPLE GOJJU:

Ingredients - 2 small cups of chopped pineapple chunks (possible to use canned sweet pineapple too), 1/4 cup of coconut, 2 tbsp urid daal, 1 tbsp channa daal, 1 tsp fenugreek seeds, 4 to 5 dry red chillies, 2 tbsp jaggery/brown sugar, 1 tbsp tamarind paste, 1 tsp mustard seeds, handful curry leaves, salt to taste.

Make - Dry roast the urid daal, channa daal & fenugreek seeds until aromatic. Next dry roast the coconut slightly along with red chillies. Put all of these into the mixer, add in tamarind paste and a little bit of water and grind into a smooth paste. 

In a pan, saute mustard seeds in a little oil, add in curry leaves then pineapple chunks and roast nicely. Now add in the masala paste and jaggery. Add 1 to 2 cups of water and simmer with closed lid for about 10 minutes. 

Serve hot with rice or chapathi. Enjoy! 

Gulab Jamun - Sweet Dumplings

The most popular of traditional sweets are often the best and most loved. For a good reason - they're just so delicious! One of India's most known desserts are Gulab Jamuns, found on most Indian restaurant menus too. 

There are so many different recipes and methods to make these and many will find one that suits them best after trying a few different ways. My version, which I learnt from my Aunt is one that has always worked wonderfully.

Here it is, my version of GULAB JAMUN:

Ingredients: 1 cup full cream milk powder, 3/4 cup thick cream, 2 tablespoons plain powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda. For the sugar syrup, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, few saffron strands, 1 teaspoon cardamon powder. 

Make: To make the dough, mix the milk powder, plain flour, baking soda and cream together and form a soft dough. Use a little more plain flour if it gets too sticky or more cream if it's dry. Do not add any water but you might want to use a pinch of oil to smooth the dough while making small balls.

Make the sugar syrup by boiling the sugar with water then add saffron and cardamon powder.

To deep fry Jamuns, drop in the dough balls in medium heat oil and fry slowly on low heat until golden brown. Let it sit for a few minutes on serviette so oil gets soaked up then drop into the sugar syrup. 

Let it all cool and serve delicious soft juicy Gulab Jamuns either on their own or with ice cream!

Eggless Wheat Choc-Chip Cookies

When are sweet snacks not so unhealthy? When they're made with ingredients that are pure and whole! That's exactly why I love baking my own sweet treats. 

Choc-chip cookies are so popular you can buy them anywhere but the joy is in making your own, especially since I Iove eggless baking. So here it is, my version of EGGLESS CHOC-CHIP COOKIES:

Ingredients (for about 14 cookies): 1/2 cup wholewheat flour, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1-2 tbsp raw sugar, 1/4 cup butter at room temperature, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, pinch of salt, choc chips.

Make: Using an electric hand mixer, cream the butter to form soft peaks then add brown sugar and raw sugar. Mix well. Now add in the wheat flour bit by bit while mixing by hand. Also add the baking soda and vanilla extract. Bring the dough together so it's soft but not sticky. If sticky, add a little more flour. Put the dough in the fridge for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven and prepare baking tray with baking paper.

Take small golf ball sized portions and pat slightly on the baking paper. Poke in some choc chips. 

Bake for about 15 minutes at 170deg. 

Cool completely and enjoy your yummy cookies!

BAKED Badam Puri (Almond pastry soaked in sugar syrup)

Keeping with my current experiments of turning deep fried snacks into healthier baked versions, I thought of giving it a shot with one of my favourite Indian sweets, Badam Puri. 

I have previously posted the traditional deep fried version of Badam Puri, you might want to check that out also Badam Puri. How to describe this delicious, crispy yet soft, sweet, juicy sweet treat? Try it yourself to see!

Here it is, BAKED BADAM PURI:

Ingredients for about 12 Badam Puris: 1 cup fine semolina (chiroti rava), 1/2 cup plain flour (maida), pinch of salt, milk to mix the dough, 1/2 cup almond powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, few tablespoons melted butter/ghee, some cloves for holding puri in place. 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water for sugar syrup.

Make: In a bowl combine semolina, plain flour, almond powder, salt and mix into a soft dough with milk and butter as needed. Keep aside for about an hour. In a separate dish bring the sugar and water to boil to make your sugar syrup. Make small golf ball sized balls with the dough then using a rolling pin, roll out flat, around the size of your palm. Fold into triangles as shown in the photo, put in a clove to keep the shape during baking. Lay puris on a lined baking tray and bake at 170 deg for about 30 minutes or until crisp. 

Cool down the puris, drop into the sugar syrup to soak for about 5-10 minutes. Place on a serving plate and dust powdered sugar for a lovely presentation. 

Vegan Potato Gnocchi with Roast Pumpkin

Italian food has a way of spinning its magic on food lovers from everywhere! While pastas and pizzas are popular, their more gourmet friend Gnocchi has always been one I wanted to try making from scratch. Truth be told, it's not easy or quick but ohhhh so worth it...especially as I could make it eggless and vegan! Tasted just perfect with the light fluffy Gnocchi & delicious roast pumpkin and definitely will be made often.

Here it is, my VEGAN POTATO GNOCCHI with caramelised onion, roast pumpkin & chillies:

Ingredients for two plates: 5 medium sized potatoes boiled & skin peeled, 1 cup of wheat flour (or can use plain flour), 1.5 cup cubed pumpkin, 1 onion sliced thinly, 1 tablespoon garlic, few chillies as desired, handful of walnuts/pine nuts, parsley for garniush, olive oil for cooking, salt.

Make: To make the Gnocchi mash the boiled potatoes in a bowl completely so it is fully smooth. Add in a pinch of salt and the flour spoon by spoon while mixing with your hands into a soft dough. It should be a soft but non sticky dough (be careful not to use too much flour either). On baking paper roll with hands into strips as shown in the picture, then cut into small sections, use flour to shape nicely. Use a fork to imprint as shown. To cook the Gnocchi dough, drop one by one into boiling water. It should only take 3-4 minutes for them to cook, they will float up when cooked. Remove and keep aside.

In a pan, saute in olive oil, chillies, onion, garlic until onion is caramelised. Add in cubed pumpkin and roast till golden brown. Now add in salt and the cooked Gnocchi and pan fry all together. Sprinkle parsley and serve hot. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato PAV BHAJI - Golden toast bread with spicy topping

A very popular Indian street food and sure to please even the fussiest of eaters with its beautiful blend of spice, vegetables and bread. Pav Bhaji is so quick and easy to prepare and can be enjoyed as a snack or main meal. With a squeeze of fresh lemon, its sure to make mouths water! By replacing the authentic ingredient Potato with Sweet Potato, it's all that much healthier too.

Here it is, my version of SWEET POTATO PAV BHAJI:

Ingredients: Bread rolls of your choice, peas, carrots and sweet potatoes cut into small cubes, fresh tomatoes/tomato paste, chopped onions, chilli, cumin seeds, salt, pav bhaji masala, one tablespoons oil, fresh lemon and butter for topping.

Make: Pressure cook the chopped sweet potato, carrot & peas so they are soft.

In a pan heat oil and add cumin seeds, chilli, onion and lightly fry. Add in the cooked vegetables and cook for 5 minutes, adding tomato paste as needed to make a nice gravy. Also add during this process, add the pav bhaji masala, salt and some butter.

'Bhaji' is ready!

Spread butter generously on bread rolls and roast on a pan until mildly crisp. 
'Pav' is ready! 

Serve as in photo, enjoy hot with a dash of lemon.

Baked Bhakarwadi - Savoury Spiced Pinwheels

When you're on a baking spree and want to try baking all sorts of snacks that are menat to be deep-fried, how can you not try the famous Marathi sweet & savoury Bhakarwadi! I'm so glad I did too. These were so yummy we'll probably never buy packaged ones again! Especially given no deep-frying.

Here it is, my healthier version, Baked Bhakarwadi:

Ingredients for the dough: 1/2 cup besan flour, 1/2 cup plain flour, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder, 1 tbsp red chilli powder, 2 tbsp oil, salt to taste, bit of water as needed.

Ingredients for the filling: 1/2 cup descicated coconut, 1/4 cup white sesame seeds, 1/4 tbsp chilli powder, 1/2 tbsp cumin powder, 1/2 tbsp coriander powder, 1/2 tbsp garam masala, 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, bit of lemon juice.

Make: To make the dough, combine all of the flours and spices together with oil and form a firm dough using water as required only.  

To make the filling, first dry roast the sesame seeds and cumim seeds. Add these to all of the other spice powders and coconut into a mixer. Grind it all together to make an aromatic mixture.

Roll out the dough like a roti then smear a bit lemon juice on it so the spice mixture can stick to it. Spread some spice mixture on top to cover the whole roti. Roll into a long shape, then cut into small sections as shown in the photo. Arrange all in a lined baking tray, spray with a bit of oil and bake at 170 deg for about 20 minutes. Cool completely before storing or serving for teatime!

Baked KODBALE - Spicy Savoury Rings

With "lockdown baking" at extreme levels everywhere thought I'd use this time to experiment baking some popular Indian snacks that are traditionally deep fried. 

There are many variations for the traditional "Kodbale" recipe which is super famous in Karnataka so I used some of these along with my little baking knowledge acquired over experiences to give this a shot!

Here it is, my baked version of KODBALE (Spicy Savoury Rings):

Ingredients (for about 14 medium sized rings): 1/2 cup fine semolina, 1/2 cup fine rice flour, 1/4 cup plain flour, 1/4 cup wholewheat flour, 1/4 cup dry shredded coconut, 1 tbsp yogurt, 2 tbsp red chilli powder, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, handful curry leaves chopped finely, 1 tspb salt, 2 tbsp olive oil.

Make: Dry roast the semolina & rice flour for about 5 minutes only until the raw smell has gone. In a mixing bowl add these to all of the other ingredients listed except the yogurt & oil. The oil needs to be heated separately then added to the flours & spices - ensure heating oil as this brings out the flavours. After adding oil, mix with hands to form a crumbly mixture. Then add the yogurt and just a little water enough to make a firm dough. Take small amounts of dough and roll into tube shapes with hands and join ends to make rings. If it cracks, use a little oil to reshape.

Place all rings on a lined baking tray, spray with little oil and bake at 180deg for about 25 minutes, flip sides for another 10 minutes. 
Cool completely before serving with a hot cuppa :) Kodbale can be stored in an airtight container for upto a week.

Baked MADDUR VADE - crispy baked spicy crackers

Maddur Vade..till now it's been one of those snacks we miss and crave for and can't wait to grab some everytime we visit Bengaluru!

That unique authentic taste of crispy fried flours & spices is simply mind blowing! However, not being a fan of deep frying I never bothered to give this treat a try at home. Until now - BAKED!

Oh how delicious it turned out! Here it is, my healthier baked version of MADDUR VADE:

Ingredients (for about 14): 1/2 cup fine semolina, 1/2 cup corn flour, 1/2 cup rice flour, 1/3 cup whole wheat flour, chopped coriander, 1 onion & chillies chopped finely, curry leaves, cumin seeds, 2-3 tablespoons yogurt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, red chilli powder, salt to taste.

Make: Dry roast semolina till golden in colour, then dry roast corn flour & rice flour together for 3-4 minutes all on low flame. In a pan, put in a little oil & saute chopped onions, chillies & curry leaves till well cooked. Add all roasted flours, wheat flour & onion mixture, coriander, salt, chilli powder and yoghurt together in a bowl and mix into a dough. Do not use any water, only use the olive oil & if needed extra yogurt. Make a soft dough and set aside for 5 minutes.

On a baking tray lined with baking paper, take small balls of the dough & flatten with fingers into flat disc shapes. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 170deg for about 30 minutes. If wanting more crispness, flip them all over and bake for another 10 minutes. 

Cool and serve with chutney & hot cups of tea/coffee! These can be stored for upto a week in air tight container. 

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 :)

Savoury Cookies - Finger Millet & Wheat

Who says baking is always to make naughty foods that are only for indulgence? No way - baking is one of the best ways to keep calories low as you can often create treats that would traditionally be fried without all the oil. 

Often referred to as a "super food" Finger Millet or Raagi, is calcium and iron rich as well as being low GI. Whole wheat also has its well known healthy benefits. So why not enjoy the healthy benefits by making something tasty to munch on!

There are different recipes out there but I made my Savoury Cookies using a simple method which worked out great. Here it is:

Ingredients (for about 12 cookies): 1 cup Raagi/Finger Millet, 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup butter at room temperature, handful of curry leaves finely chopped, 1 spoon sesame seeds, chilli flakes, pinch of salt, pinch of sugar, milk only enough to form the cookie dough.

Make: In a bowl, mix the raagi, wheat flour, salt and sugar. Then add the butter, chopped curry leaves, chilli flakes and mix with your hands, adding milk to form a soft dough. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes then make small portions and flatten to make a cookie shape. Place all cookies on baking paper in a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 170 deg for about 20 minutes. Let it cool before serving or storing.

Enjoy your crispy yet crumbly healthy savoury cookies with a cup of tea!

Paneer Fried Rice

When you're craving your favourite restaurant dishes and can't go out to get them, isn't it just perfect to find an easy quick recipe for it!? That is exactly the reason I made this little dish while being pleasantly surprised how easy it was to replicate that magic restaurant flavour.

Lot of different recipes out there, I read up a few different one, used my own tastes and made this PANEER FRIED RICE which was a hit!

Here it is:

Ingredients: 1 cup cooked fragrant rice (preferably long grain basmati or similar, do not over cook), 1 cup of chopped carrot, beans/peas, 1/2 cup paneer chopped into small cubes, 1 tablespoon black pepper powder, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic paste, 1 small onion finely chopped, salt to taste.

Make: In a non stick pan, saute chopped onion and garlic paste in some oil. Add chopped veggies and fry for a few minutes then add the chopped paneer. Fry till paneer cubes are golden brown (do not overcook to avoid rubbery paneer). Add the cooked rice, pepper powder, soy sauce and salt to taste. Lightly toss together and serve. Enjoy!

Goli Baje - Spicy Yogurt Fritters

When it's tea time and you feel like indulging in some deep fried yummies this little snack is both delicious for that afternoon craving and super quick to make. Loved and famous especially in South India for it's crunchy on the outside and fluffy soft on the inside texture, you won't find many folks that don't want this with their afternoon cuppa!

Well, there are many recipes out there but I have found a perfect little one that works great everytime. From batter to fried and ready in 10 minutes!

Here it is, my version of GOLI BAJE (Spicy Yogurt Fritters/Manglore Bajje):

Ingredients: 1/2 cup self raising flour, 1/2 cup plain flour, 1 tablespoon rice flour, 1/2 cup yogurt (sour is even better), 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger, few curry leave chopped finely, few green chillies chopped finely, handful chopped coriander, salt to taste.

Make: In a bowl, take all of the above ingredients and mix well together. Add a bit of water as required to bring the consistency to a thick batter (but not runny). Heat oil in a pan and drop small ball sizes of the batter using a tablespoon. Fry on low flame until golden brown. Ensure low flame so that the inside cooks well while outside is crispy. 

Enjoy hot with chutney/sauce and a warm cup of tea/coffee! 

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!

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 :)