Cabbage-Palak Curry


After yesterday's Orange Cupcakes, I was wondering what I can post for the last day of this edition of the blogging marathon. This curry piqued my interest when I was skimming through Raghavan Iyer's '660 Curries' and I also had to cook something for lunch to go with Dal. Don't you think this combination of Cabbage and Spinach is very unique? I did and so wanted to give it a try. 


The flavors blended in perfectly and most importantly mustard seed powder was a very new addition to this kind of a curry for me. My kids liked the combo very much which means this would be made often in my kitchen! 


cabbage-palak curry

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Posted by Harini on Friday, July 22, 2011
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Eggless Orange Cupcakes


Early this week we celebrated our little one's birthday. A quiet celebration it was, but to her liking. All the details were worked out by her. Mind you, she just turned 4. She wanted cupcakes with chocolate topping and rainbow colored sprinkles and some extra on hers. Then she wanted small candles (only 4 of them) on the cup cakes. And to top it all, she refused to wear any dress which I chose. She would say, it was too pink, or it was too flowery or it was too soft and it took me an easy 30 min to convince her to wear something nice. Oof..Girls are not an easy lot to handle if they decide to throw tantrums at the 'right' time !!


The sweetest part was she wanted to bake the cup cakes herself. I was so amused by her thought that I let her do all the work and me acting the sous chef. All the while she screamed with joy, "Amma  made me the big chef and Amma is the little chef!!"


She was maaaad at me because I didn't let her handle the chocolate topping. So I compensated by letting her decorate them with sprinkles and she was all smiles again!!  Such sweet memories I wanted to record for her to read when she grows up..can you blame me ??


Since I had the freedom to choose what cupcakes to bake, I convinced her that we should bake orange cup cakes (she is a big fan of oranges!). I had these cup cakes in mind from the time I read the recipe in Isa Chandra Moskowitz's 'Vegan cupcakes Take Over The World'. Please note that I didn't prepare the vegan version, but by simply substituting milk with soy milk or rice milk, it can be easily made vegan.


Eggless Orange Cup cake

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Posted by Harini on Thursday, July 21, 2011
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Apple Rabdi - Low Fat


You probably know by now that I have a terrible sweet tooth and so all the desserts are not doing a great deal of good to me :) So I thought to myself that there must be some desserts which are not hard on the waist line. This led me to look into Tarla Dalal's  'Fast Foods Made Healthy'.  The last post saw me blog about Dal Makhani - Low Fat. And after I saw this recipe in the same book, I couldn't resist making it and indulging in a guilt-free dessert.


The fact that this can be made with fat-free milk, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 apples was unbelievable. In my mind this was impossible and so I added the extra condensed milk (which I realize now, was totally unnecessary). I think this dessert qualifies as a diabetic friendly one too. Don't you agree? The texture of this Rabdi is one to fall for. Only a trained tongue can   guess the presence of apple in here!! Check it out for Day 5 of this marathon. Also peep into my friends who are cooking up a storm in this edition of BM #7.


Apple Rabdi


Ingredients - 


Milk (Low Fat) 4 cups or 1 liter
Condensed Milk (Fat free) 2 Tbsp (Optional) * See Notes
Sugar 2 Tbsp 
Apples 2 medium size
Cardamom Powder
Almonds blanched, sliced 5-6
Saffron a few strands (optional)


*Notes - The apples I used were extremely sweet and so I shouldn't have added the extra sugar. So test the sweetness of the apples before adding condensed milk/sugar. I suggest that either sugar or condensed milk be used and not both :)


Method Of Preparation - 


Boil milk while stirring continuously, until it reduces to 3/4ths of the original. (About 15 min)


Add the condensed milk and sugar and let it boil for another 4-5 min.


Meanwhile, peel, core and grate the apples and add to the boiling milk and let the apples cook for another 10 min or so.


Apple Rabdi


When the Rabdi starts thickening, add the cardamom powder and the blanched almonds. Also sprinkle the saffron strands.


Remove from fire, chill and serve!


Sending this to  Vardhini's Fast food not Fat food started by Priya of Now Serving and to Momchef's My Mother's Kitchen - Indian Mithai Mela.


Preparation Time 30 min
Serves 4-5

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Posted by Harini on Wednesday, July 20, 2011
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Dal Makhani - Low Fat


The classic Dal Makhani with loads of cream and butter devoured with Buttery Naan with a dollop of butter is just a step closer to paradise. Don't you all agree? But then I don't think it is practical to eat such a calorie-laden curry on a regular basis. So for such occasions when you want to freely indulge in this creamy protein rich classic, here is a low calorie, low fat version from Tarla Dalal's 'Fast Foods Made Healthy'. 


For Day 4 of this marathon, here is the low calorie version which can be consumed without any guilt! 


Dal Makhani


Ingredients - 


Whole Urad Dal (Minumulu/whole black lentils) 1/2 cup
Rajma / Kidney Beans 1 Tbsp
Milk (Low fat) 1 cup
Onion , finely chopped 1/2 cup
Tomato pureed 3/4 cup
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder 1 tsp (or as needed)
Coriander Powder / Dhania Powder 1 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste 1 Tbsp
Salt to taste
Seasoning (Oil 1 Tbsp, cumin seeds 1/2 tsp)


Method Of Preparation - 


Pick for stones, wash and soak the whole urad dal and kidney beans over night. Drain and set aside.


Mix salt to the dals with 2 cups of water and pressure cook until they are overcooked. Use a masher to get a coarse texture.


Mix 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of water and boil separately stirring continuously. Keep aside.


In a heated saucepan, add oil and cumin seeds. After the cumin seeds crackle, add onions and saute until they are golden brown.


Dal Makhani


Add in the ginger-garlic paste and saute until they change color.


Mix in chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder and the pureed tomato as well. 


Add water as much as required and saute for 5-7 min.


Add the dal mixture and milk and simmer for 10-12 min or until the dal is thick and creamy.


Serve hot with Rice or Roti, garnished with chopped coriander leaves.


Sending this to 'Proteinicious' by Sobha, 'My Legume Love Affair' by Susan, Lets Cook: Subzis for Rotis of Tickling Palates and Fast food not Fat food started by Priya of Now Serving.
Also peep into my friends who are cooking up a storm in this edition of BM #7.


Preparation Time 45 min  
Serves 5

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Posted by Harini on Tuesday, July 19, 2011
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Glazed Orange Scones


A Scone, according to Wikipedia, is a small British quick bread, which uses baking powder as a leavening agent.  That is all I knew about scones until I baked them at home recently.  After I baked, tasted and relished, I felt it was a cross between a cake, muffin and a cookie, if you will. 


I received this book 'Vegan With a Vengeance' by Isa Chandra Moskowitz as a gift in an MLLA giveaway. To be frank, I am not into cooking from cookbooks (ya, don't give me looks :) ). So this book was sitting in one corner of my bookshelf gathering dust, so to say. This theme of the current Blogging Marathon, helped me shed off my resistance to cook from cookbooks and pushed me into picking up recipes from books. Having gotten used to browsing the recipes online, reading and searching through the books sure is time consuming, what say you? 


Anyway after I went through the contents of this book, these scones caught my attention and I had an instinct telling me that these would be great as a tea time snack! To be honest, I hardly had time to make tea to enjoy these scones, these just disappeared off the parchment paper just like that..poof...


I like the fact that these scones used very little fat, a little less sugar and were a treat for sure! So for Day 3 of this marathon here are the easy to bake scones ..


Glazed Orange Scones

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Posted by Harini on Monday, July 18, 2011
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Dal Kurma


Once again from the great book of  '660 curries' by Raghavan Iyer, here is a unique, tasty, creamy and rich and healthy gravy which tastes great both with Rice or Roti. We were simply bowled over by the unique taste, texture and blend of flavors. My happiest moment was when both my little ones ate multiple servings (though smaller !!)


So for Day 2 of this marathon, this protein packed Dal Kurma will be it. Check here to know what my fellow marathoners are upto!


Dal Kurma

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Posted by Harini on Sunday, July 17, 2011
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Palak Papad Curry ~ Palakura Appadala Koora


Srivalli's Blogging Marathon is here for this month's edition. Going forward, this marathon will be from 16th-22nd and 23rd-29th of every month. This month the themes announced were 
1. Combo meals 
2. Cooking from back of packets
3. Cooking from cookbook
4. Crunchy snacks for kids
5. Regional Special
6. Butterless Bakes for Diet
7. Microwave cooking


I have chosen to blog this week from a few cookbooks. I have recently borrowed a book called '660 curries' by Raghavan Iyer from the library. I had read about the book in many blogs and was inspired to borrow this book and see if I could find anything which suits our palate and trust me, there are plenty. I shall post a couple of them from this book.


Day 1 - 
Coming to this curry , it is supposed to be native to Rajasthan, the desert state of India. Since  vegetables are not readily available year round in the desert, they resort to using preserves of various kinds. Here the usage of lentil wafers (Papads or Papadaums or Appadams) is highlighted. 


We personally felt the combo of palak and the papad was very good. Initially folks at home were skeptical and even laughed at the idea of cooking papads as opposed to frying them in oil. But one morsel of this curry mixed with rice into their mouths and they had to bite back their words. They loved the curry so much that they polished the bowl taking second and third servings much to my delight!! I am positive this curry will feature often in our menu.


Palak Papad Curry


Ingredients - 


Palak / Spinach leaves, finely chopped  6 oz (or 5 handfuls)
Papad / lentil wafers (uncooked) 5-6 (I used 3 inch papads)
Green Chillies 1-2 (or as needed)
Salt 1/2 tsp (Or as needed - Please note that the papads would have salt too)
Seasoning [Oil 1 Tbsp, Mustard seeds 1 tsp, Dhania (Coriander) Powder 1 tsp, Jeera (Cumin) Powder 1 tsp, Red Chilli Powder 1/2 tsp (or as needed), Curry leaves few torn]


Method Of Preparation - 


Heat oil in a medium size pan on medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds and let them pop. 


Temporarily remove from heat and add the rest of the seasoning and mix well.


After about 20-30 seconds, add in 1 1/2 cups of water and salt. 


Let the water come to a boil. Grab handful of chopped spinach and submerge in the boiling water. After the spinach wilts, add another handful of spinach and continue till all of the spinach is cooked.


Palak Papad Curry


Break the papad into bite sized pieces and add it to the boiling spinach. Lower the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered stirring occasionally.


Remove from fire after about 2 min and serve hot along with rice!


Check out the Blogging Marathon page to see the details of my fellow Marathoners doing BM#7


Preparation Time 20 min 
Serves 3-4 

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Posted by Harini on Saturday, July 16, 2011
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Punjabi Mango Pickle - ICC June 2011


This month's Challenge was a very simple yet unique to our palates which are used to the spicy, red pickles! Srivalli has chosen this pickle from Simran's space. The recipe was a straight forward one. This involved no roasting, no grinding, just measuring, adding and mixing. Don't you think it is simple for a pickle?


Coming to the part about how I went about making this pickle, I chopped the mangoes, which by the way, were not sour at all :(, and sun dried it for a few hours. Let me just say that I forgot to get them inside after a couple of hours! But no problem, they were still fine. I blindly added all the ingredients according to the recipe and kept it aside in a bottle. After a couple of days, I noticed that the pickle was a little too salty to my taste. So I added some more oil (about 4 Tbsp) and that seems to have done the trick.


Nigella seeds are a  new addition to my pantry and I now have to look for recipes which ask for them to use up the 100 gms pack which I got :) I wonder how this would taste with some red chilli powder! After all we are from the South and are used to the spicy pickles!!


Here is the recipe. We were given two different types of measurement. One for 5 kgs of mangoes and the other one for 1/2 kg of mangoes. So adjust according to your need.




Punjabi Mango Pickle


Ingredients -


Raw Mangoes - 5 kgs
Mustard oil - 250 ml

Mix the Spices:
Salt - 700 grams
Methi / Fenugreek seeds - 100 grams 
Kalonji / Nigella seeds - 50 grams 
Saunf / Fennel Seeds - 100 grams
Turmeric powder - 100 grams 
Whole Peppercorns - 50 grams 
Sugar - 2 Tbsp 



Measurement for 1/2 kg of mangoes - 
Raw Mangoes - 1/2 kg
Mustard oil - 50 ml (I used Olive Oil)

Mix the Spices:
Salt - 70 grams (I thought it was too much salt, so reduce to be safe)
Methi / Fenugreek seeds - 10 grams 
Kalonji / Nigella seeds - 5 grams 
Saunf / Fennel Seeds - 10 grams
Turmeric powder - 10 grams 
Whole Peppercorns - 5 grams 
Sugar - 1/2 tsp 


Note -  All the spices are to be added whole [remember - no roasting, no grinding :)]. Kalonji and fenugreek seeds are critical to the pickle so make sure you don't forget to add them :) Also no chilli powder and the pickle is not spicy at all unless you bite the pepper corns!


Method Of Preparation - 


Cut the mango and remove the seed and the white lining and chop into bite size pieces and spread them on a plate and sun dry / air dry for a couple of hours. (I dried them for more than 6 hrs :) )


In a mixing bowl, add oil and the rest of the spices and mix well. 


Transfer the chopped and dried mango pieces into the spice mix and coat all the pieces with the spices. Add a little more oil to cover the mango pieces.


Make sure you have a dry glass/ceramic jar ready to transfer the prepared pickle.


Keep the jar in the sun for a day. The pickle is nearly ready for consumption.


But it is advisable to consume the pickle after about 10-15 days. And each day, just stir the pickle and keep it closed.


Optionally 1 teaspoon of Sodium benzoate can be added as a preservative. 


This pickle is supposed to stay good for an year or two.


Preparation Time 20 min + Drying time and soaking time!
Makes 1/2 kg pickle

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Posted by Harini on Friday, July 15, 2011
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Mango-Coconut Burfi


OMG! This is simply unforgivable!! I can't believe that such a delectable sweet made with mangoes was sitting in my drafts for so long. I know that the mango season is on its way out for this year in many parts of the world but better late than never. I have seen different variations of this burfi in the blogosphere and my aunt makes the best coconut burfi. so I combined both and arrived at this formula :) I had made this for a potluck party and was enjoyed by everyone. Special mention here is that my kids loved these. I cut them out in different shapes for them and they had fun! So here is a virtual treat for all of you.


Mango-Coconut Burfi


Ingredients -


Mango pulp from 3 Big Mangoes
Coconut powder 1 cup
Khoya/Khoa/Mawa 1 cup (I used Homemade)
Sugar 1 cup (Adjust according to the sweetness of Mangoes)
Almonds and Cashews, Powdered 1/4 cup
Cardamom Powder 1 tsp
Ghee 1 Tbsp


Note - I added coconut powder to increase the quantity. [Remember I had to make it for a party!!] Please feel free to omit the coconut powder for a rich mangoey dessert!!


Method Of Preparation  -


In a heated non-stick pan, add the mango pulp and stir it for 25 min until the pulp reduces by half. 


Add coconut powder, khoya, sugar and powdered almonds and cashews.


Mix well and keep stirring adding a few drops of ghee as and when needed. Add the cardamom powder in the last few minutes of stirring.


When the mixture leaves the sides of the pan, it is ready to be removed from fire.


Mango-Coconut Burfi


Pour into a prepared plate (either greased or lined with a parchment paper) and smoothen the top.


Make pieces of desired shape with a well greased knife.


Gulp down as many as you can!! I wouldn't bother about storing them but if you have to store, store it an airtight container in the refrigerator for upto a week.


Sending these to Dr.Sameena Pratap's 'Mango Recipes' , Srivalli's 'Kid's Delight - Mini Bites' hosted by VersatileKitchen this month and also to Momchef's My Mother's Kitchen - Indian Mithai Mela.


Preparation Time 45 min
Makes 50 pieces (3/4 inch size)

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Posted by Harini on Thursday, July 14, 2011
9 comments
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Sooji-Vegetable Sandwich


Last year when I was on vacation in India, my cousin told me about this sandwich and I had scribbled the recipe on one of the endless papers. It so happened that I lost track of some of the recipe scribbles and this was one among them. Frankly, I had no great opinion about this sandwich when she told me. But after reading Suma's post, I had to change my mind and I am so glad today. Finally I got to make these sandwiches for breakfast one fine morning and has since become a regular at home.


Sooji Vegetable Sandwich


Ingredients -


Bread slices 8-10
Sooji/Bombay Rava 1/2 cup
Mixed Vegetables, finely chopped/grated (I used Onion, Tomato, Capsicum, Carrot) 1 cup
Salt as needed
Red Chilli Powder 1/2 tsp or as needed
Coriander leaves and / or Mint leaves, finely chopped 2 Tbsp
Yogurt/Curds 1 cup


Method Of Preparation -


In a mixing bowl, add the sooji, salt and red chilli powder. Add the chopped vegetables, coriander leaves and/ or mint leaves.


Mix well and add the yogurt to get a spreadable consistency.


Apply a thick layer of this spread on one side of the bread slice and place it on a heated tawa with the spread side down. 


Sooji Vegetable Sandwich




Let it brown (about 2 minutes) and flip it onto the other side and remove onto a plate in a minute.


Continue for the rest of the slices.


Sending these sandwiches to Srivalli's  Sandwich Mela.


Also linking these sandwiches to the Bookmark Recipes by Aipi and Priya, 'Anyone Can Cook' series by Umm Mymoonah.


Preparation Time  - 20 min
Makes 8-10 slices

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Posted by Harini on Tuesday, July 12, 2011
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Home Made Paneer Pizza with Whole Wheat


After I made Paneer (cottage cheese, as it is called sometimes) at home on a weekend, I had an urge to bake a pizza making use of it. Since I have a bunch of pizza lovers at home, I gave them a heads up about my idea of a pizza for the evening. The Dad was game for the 'challenge' and the kids followed suit. I wanted to make a healthier alternative to the regular cheese laden , buttery pizzas made with all purpose flour. So I looked around the web for some fresh ideas and found this combination of wheat flour and vital wheat gluten and decided to add in some cilantro (Coriander leaves) for a distinct 'Indian' flavor and the result was well appreciated by the pizza freaks at home :) Now I have to deal with the constant demand of 'make this same kind of pizza' ..


Paneer Pizza


Ingredients -


For the dough -
Whole Wheat Flour (Aashirwad Atta from the Indian Store) 3 cups
Vital Wheat Gluten 3 Tbsp
*Whey Water up to 2 cups (or as needed) [Water can be used instead]
Oilve Oil 2 tsp
Cilantro / Coriander leaves, finely chopped 3-4 Tbsp
Active Dry Yeast 1 Pkt (7 grams or 1/4 oz)
Salt 2 tsp (Divided use)
Sugar 1 tsp
Warm Water 1/2 cup
Cornmeal for dusting (about 3 Tbsp)

*Paneer (Low Fat - Home Made) crumbled or grated as needed (I used about 1/2 cup)
Toppings (I used onions, zucchini, halopenos and tomatoes) 
Oil 1 tsp (to saute the toppings)
Pizza Sauce ( I used Home Made) as needed
Pizza / Italian Seasoning (Optional)
Butter 1 tsp (Optional)


* To make Paneer at home - Boil 4 cups of milk in a sauce pan and add 2-3 Tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar. Remove from fire, cover with a lid and in a few minutes, the milk separates into watery whey and curds. While it is still warm, place a colander over a clean pan. Spread a wet muslin cloth and pour the hot milk to separate the whey and curds. The curd here is known as paneer. Now to get a solid paneer block, knead the soft paneer, put a heavy object in the muslin wrapped paneer for a couple of hours and refrigerate preferably overnight. And the result is here...


Paneer and Whey
   
Method Of Preparation - 


Prepare the toppings - 
Slice onions, zucchini, tomatoes and halopenos. Saute sliced onions in a teaspoon of oil until they are golden brown. Add zucchini and saute for a couple minutes. Set aside.


Paneer Pizza
All set to be baked!!

For the pizza crust - 
In small bowl of warm water, add 1/2 tsp of salt, 1 tsp of sugar and empty the yeast packet. Let it froth up in a warm place for about 7-10 min. 


In another mixing bowl, add in the wheat flour, vital wheat gluten and salt. To this mixture add the proofed yeast solution, whey water and knead into a soft pliable dough. Mix in the chopped cilantro (coriander leaves). If it gets too sticky, apply oil to your hands and knead for about 10 min. [I used up to 1 tsp of oil].


Oil the bowl and the dough (to keep the dough from drying out) and cover it with an oiled cling film. (I used a deep bowl as a lid.)


Keep the covered dough in a warm place undisturbed for about 2 hours or until the dough doubles.


Once the dough gets doubled, on a cornmeal dusted surface (I used a pizza pan) , roll the dough into a large circle about 1/2 inch thick. [Or can be divided into 2 smaller sized pizzas]


Paneer Pizza
Oops..one slice is gone already!!
Pinch the edges of the circle to create a border. Poke the entire surface of the circle with a fork to bust any bubbles which might form when baked.


Preheat the oven to 425 F.


Apply the pizza sauce all over the circle and layer the toppings. 


Sprinkle the pizza / Italian seasoning. (Totally Optional)


Sprinkle the crumbled/grated paneer as needed. 


Bake in the center rack for about 18 min or until the top paneer layer browns a little.


Sending this pizza to 
Siri's Healing Foods: Whole Grains hosted Simona,
Priya's Fast food not Fat food hosted by Vardhini, 
Kalyani's  Healthy Lunchbox Ideas - Paneer hosted by Jayashree 
Pari's 'Only Baked' hosted by me and 
Sobha's PROTEINicious.









Preparation Time 30 min + Baking Time 20 min (excluding the dough resting time)
Makes a large pizza

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Posted by Harini on Monday, July 11, 2011
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