Seasonal fruit parfait

Sangeeta Khanna's food blog banaras ka khana  introduced me to the fact that just milk & rajgir ladoos can make a wonderful cereal .And to a lazy  person like me ,this was too yummy .I loved the flavour ! Moreover,rajgir ladoos have no oil and or ghee.Rajgir danas bound by jaggery ! Then through her blog post on healthfooddesivideshi,I learnt to add fruits & dahi to rajgir  laddoos to make morning breakfast cereal !

And here is my recipe...actually it is Sangeeta Khanna's recipe just tweaked a little, by me  !

Ingredients : 2 Rajgir laddoos,1 orange desseded & peeled & cut ,3-4  strawberries cut, 1 chikoo deeseeded ,peeled &  cut & 1 apple deeseded & cut , & peeled,1 banana peeled & cut into thin slices, 3-4 tbsp dahi or milk  ,1 tbsp crumbled cookie or crumbled cake ( optional ) .this quantity is enough for 1 person.

Method : Take a glass tumbler ( so that one can look at the parfait & start oogling at it ) .Drop 2 rajgir laddoos inside it.Add the seasonal fruits like bananas,apple,oranges,strawberries even black & green grapes,etal In fact any seasonal fruit can be added .Moreover,in any quantity.Add yoghurt ( I prefer yoghurt....alternatively milk can be added or maybe a mix of both  ) ..... on top of the fruit mix.Now add crumbled cookies or cake.Let it stand for 10 -15 minutes.

Now take a spoon & try to mix all the ingredients reaching upto the bottom.And just eat it spoon by spoon ! It is just heavenly !

Instead of cookie or cake ,dry fruit can be added for the crunch like almonds,cashews,walnuts.etc.Even kismis can be added for extra sweetness.Though the jaggery in the laddoos will impart the needed sweetness !

Pomegranate raita

This is one of my atya's favourite raita.Raitas are wonderful-  green cooking meaning absolutely no cooking or in exceptional cases,minimal cooking is needed.Raiats are ready in a jiffy & make use of raw ingredients. Riatas are in effect fruits and or veggies in combination with dahi ! A complete health food.A complete meal in itself.If it has fruit ,it is also the dessert !

Ingredients : 1 pomegranate,2 tbsp dahi,1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder,1/2 tsp pepper powder,salt to taste.

Method : Wash pomegranate.Remove the peel of the fruit & deseed it.Put all the seeds in a plate.Keep aside.

In a bowl ,take dahi & beat it till it has paste consistency.Add the pomegranate seeds & mix.Now add the roasted jeera powder & pepper powder & mix.Add salt & mix again.

The raita is ready -so colorful & healthy !

Healthy bread pakoras.

My kid is always yearning for pakoras.. Potato & bread pakoras are her favourites .I am petrified of frying & so I avoid making pakoras.I came across this shallow frying of bread pakoras at Priya's versatile recipes.I tried it & my kid just loved it.I made some changes.

Ingredients :1 cup besan,1/2 cup dahi,4 tbsp oil,1/2 tsp red chilli powder,1/2 tsp ajwain,1/4 tsp hing,1/4 tsp haldi,salt to taste,a pinch of baking soda,1 tbsp rava or sooji, 1tsp flaxseed powder ( optional ) , 4 bread slices,water to make batter consistency appropriate.

Method : I used brown bread slices.Even white bread can be used.Cut each bread slice diagonally into 4.Keep aside all  cut bread slices.

Take besan .Add sooji, flaxseed powder , red chilli powder,ajwain ,haldi,hing ,salt & mix .Now add dahi to make batter.If batter is not drop down consistency,more water or dahi can be added.Mix batter nicely till no lumps remain.

Take a shallow tawa or non stick tawa & put oil on it.Spread the oil on the tawa so that the whole surface of tawa gets coated with oil.Heat the tawa with oil in it.As the oil gets heated up ,dip bread slices in the besan mix & put them on the tawa.Fry the slice on one side.Turn it upside down after some time & fry the reverse side.Take it off from the tawa.Repeat with other bread slices.

Serve with tomato ketchup  or any chutni.

Shrikhand

Ingredients : Dahi made from 1/2 litre milk,2 cups sugar, 5-6 elaichi ,kesar( optional).

Method : Take a big sieve ( just like the one used to filter tea ) & pour dahi into that sieve.Leave the sieve with dahi,  suspended, to the edges of a vessel ( patela ).Leave it overnight.Cover the dahi in the sieve with a plate or lid.This is done, so that, all water keeps trickling down.By morning ,there will be a semi solid mass of dahi  left  in the sieve.

Another method is to put dahi on to a thin cotton cloth & tie up the cloth with knot & suspend it from a stand.This helps the  water in the dahi , to get separated from the dahi.

12 hours suspension is enough to drain water -hence keep it overnight.

The water along with a little dahi which has collected in the vessel below the sieve can be consumed  as chaas.

Take this dahi mass & add sugar to it.Mix this nicely.Now add powdered cardamom to it.Take kesar strands & soak   them in milk  & add the kesar also to this mixture.

The shrikhand is ready.Amount of sugar can be adjusted -one may add more or less depending on how much sweetness is needed.Also ,powdered sugar can be used to make mixing easy.

Avial

This recipe is from an ex-colleague who is from Kerela.I love avial & make it whenever I have, even a little amount of fresh coconut, at home.

Ingredients : 10 beans,1 big carrot,1-2 drum sticks,1-2 raw bananas,150-200gm yam( suran ),150-200gm red pumpkin,150-200gm white pumpkin,2-3 hari mirchi,1 cup dahi,1 cup fresh grated coconut,a few kaddipatta leaves ,1tbsp jeera ( cumin ),1/2 tsp haldi,salt to taste.

Method : Keep 1 cup water to boil in a pot.Now start cutting vegetables.Cut 1 inch pieces of drumsticks & put them in the pot of boiling water.Next cut the carrots - thin 1 inch pieces.Add carrots to the pot.Next cut the beans in to 1 inch pieces- this can be managed by fingers - no need to use knife.The beans also added to the pot.Add more water to the pot -the water must be just enough to drown the vegetables,not more.No standing water on the veggies.

Remove skin from bananas,yam ,red & white pumpkin.Now cut bananas similarly & put them in the pot.Next goes the yam ,followed by white & red pumpkin. All must be sliced into thin 1 inch pieces & put in the pot.Add water if level goes below that of the veggies.Add haldi & hing.Also add salt to taste.

Take grated coconut ,mirchi,kadipattas & jeera & grind them nicely in mixture.Add this ground mixture to the pot after the veggies are cooked.Let this ground mixture & veggies simmer for 4-5 minutes.Put off the gas.After it cools down to room temperature,add beaten curds to the mixture.Mix nicely.Salt can be added if needed.

Another method is to keep all the cut veggies ( except drumsticks which get overcooked in pressure cooker)   in a cooker by adding salt & haldi to washed & diced veggie pieces. Pressure cook for  cooking for 2 whistles..Cook drumsticks in water with haldi n salt. Cook in water sufficient enough to drown diced drumsticks.

After drumsticks are cooked, add pressure cooked veggies to cooked drumsticks in vessel .

.Then add the coconut mixture & simmer for 4-5 minutes.Lastly, add dahi after veggie coconut mix has cooled down.

If there is need for watery avial ,one can add water or chaas.As you get the hang of it ,you can reduce the amount of coconut also.One can use sour curds to make this dish tangy.I make avial with sometimes 3 veggies only -like banans,red & white pumpkin.Also the proportion of veggies can change depending on what suits your taste & availability.

I added lots of curry leaves while grinding & got this green avial another time when I made it ! More nutritious !

Steamed Kakdi raita

This recipe was actually told by my ex-colleague.

Ingredients : 1 green & yellow cucumber ( known as Madraasi kakdi in Mumbai ),1/2 tsp mustard seeds,1/2 tsp jeera,1/2 tsp urad dal,1/2 tsp hing,1/4 tsp turmeric  ( optional )1 lal dry mirch ( Byadgi mirchi),1-2 tbsp fresh dessicated coconut ( optional ) 1 hari mirch,a few curry leaves ,1tbsp oil,4 tbsp dahi,salt to taste.

Method : Peel the skin of cucumber .Then cut a small piece & taste it to find out if it is bitter.If it is ,then please throw it & get another one.Or postpone this dish !

Now ,if the kakdi is ok ,please remove the seeds.Cut it into small pieces or big pieces according to convenience & liking.

Take oil in a kadhai & heat it up.Put mustard seeds.When they splutter add urad dal.When the urad dal turns golden brown,add jeera  & hing.Now add the lal mirchi & hari mirchi & kadi patta leaves.Add the diced kakdi & mix all nicely in the kadhai.If turmeric is going to be used, add it now. If no turmeric is to be added, add salt & let it cook by covering the kadhai with a lid..The kakdi will ooze water & get cooked.Sometimes ,one may have to add a few drops of water to the mixture.

After the kakdi gets cooked ( in 15-20 minutes )-it will have turned tender & translucent ,put off the gas.Let it cool.Then add dahi by beating it.Mix with dahi nicely.

If coconut is to be added, add it after kakdi gets cooked a little...maybe after 10 minutes into cooking of kakdi.Let it cook after adding coconut as well.Mix nicely.It may start sticking to bottom.Add water maybe 1-2 tbsps to prevent sticking.After 10 minutes, put off gas.Then cool it.Add dahi & mix.

Serve with rice ,chapatis or  stuffed parathas.

Veg. Biryani

Ingredients :10 beans ,1-2 carrots,1tbs green peas,1medium sized tomato,1 medium sized onion,1 sprig of curry leaves,1 green mirchi,1' inch ginger,1 cup rice,1/2 tsp haldi,1/4 tsp hing,1/4 cup dahi with cream or only cream of preferably sour dahi,2 tej patta,2 cinnamaon sticks of 1/2 inches,2 cloves,5-6 black pepper ,2 tbsp oil,salt to taste.

Method :Wash the rice & keep aside.Take 2 tbsp oil in a pressure pan & heat it.Put tej patta & cinnamon sticks.Add cloves & pepper.Add hing.After the spices start emitting their aromas,add the carrots & beans which have been cut into 1/2 ' pieces.Add shelled peas.Fry the veggies.Add the rice & fry a little, maybe for a minute.Add turmeric & mix it nicely.

Take onions tomatoes,hari mirch,curry leaves & adrak.Cut them all .Now put all this in amixie & grind them.Now add dahi or cream of dahi to this mixture & again grind.Now pour this mixture on to the rice veggie mixture in the pan.Add salt.Now add 11/2 cups water to the rice.Less water is added as the onion tomato dahi paste contains some water.

Pressure cook for two -three whistles.Put off the gas.Let it cool.Remove whistle after the cooker gets silent.After 10 minutes,remove the whistle.After another ten minutes,remove the lid of the cooker to view & smell the veg biryani .

Tip :I added diced potatoes also with carrots & beans as my kid loves aloos.

Ripe Mango Curry

This dish was taught to me by  my colleague at work.She is from Kerela & so this is from that State.

I have always made this with Badam aam.One can use any mango which has a predominantly sour taste.

Ingredients : 1 badam aam,1/4 cup dahi -beaten up ,1/24 cup fresh grated coconut,3-4 red chillies ( Byadgi variety ),1 tsp jeera,1/24 tsp haldi,1/4tsp hing ( powder form ) ,salt to taste.Kadi pattas are optional.

Method : Cut the badam aam into big pieces ( more than 1 inch) & put it in a flat pan with water  enough to  just drown the mango pieces.Put on the gas. Now add haldi,hing & salt.

Take the coconut, lal mirchi & jeera & make a paste in the grinder.Within 5 minutes of cooking the mango ,it would have turned tender.Now add the ground paste to the pan. & mix the paste with the cooked mango pieces.Cook for another two minutes .Put off the gas.

After the pan has cooled to room temperature add the beaten curds to it & mix thoroughly.Delicious ripe mango curry is ready.It has three tastes-sweet,sour & teekha.

I add kadipatta whilst grinding the coconut paste as kadipattas are good for blood hemoglobin. The ghutli of the aam can be also added to the pan at the initial stage itself or it can be separately consumed as per one's wish.Byadgi is a place in Karnataka which produces the famous Byadgi mirchi.They are not hot at all but they have a unique taste.

Doodhi raita

This is a dish often served by my mom.It has delighted many guests.

Ingredients : 1 doodhi,1 katori dahi,1 hari mirchi,1 sukhi lal mirch, a sprig of curry leaves, 1 tsp oil,1/4 tsp mustard,1/4 tsp jeera,1/4 tsp hing,salt to taste.

Method : Peel the doodhi & remove the seeds.Cut it into 1/2 inch pieces & pressure cook the diced pieces .After the pieces have cooled,take 1/4 of the same & put it in a blender or mixie .Add dahi,one hari mirchi,curry leaves,hing & salt.Blend all into a puree.Pour over the 3/4 remaining pieces of diced doodhi.
Prepare the seasoning by taking the oil & spluttering mustard & jeera & lal mirch in the oil.Pour over the raita.

Hara dhania can be used as a garnish or added while blending in the dahi.

Cabbage paratha.

I  make cabbage parathas so that my daughter will eat cabbage.She loves them though I would apprecitae it more if she would start relishing  cabbage sabzi.

Ingredients : a quarter piece of a small cabbage, half an inch piece of adrak(ginger),one teaspoon lal mirchi ( red chilli) powder,half a teaspoon of haldi,quarter teaspoon hing,two tablespoons dahi or take  chaas ( buttermilk ) ,two cups atta , one tablespoon besan ,two table spoons oil &  salt to taste.

Method : Grate the cabbage & ginger.Add salt & keep for 5 minutes.Squeeze out the water.Now take atta,add besan,dahi or chaas,red chilli powder,haldi , hing  & salt .Mix all this into a soft dough by adding sufficient water.

Now make  lemon sized balls .Roll the lemon sized balls into parathas .Take a paratha & put it on the heated tawa.Smear a little oil on the uncooked side of the roti.After 2/3 minutes,turn over the paratha& cook on the tawa by smearing a little oil on the paratha.Cook till golden brown.Now take it out from the tawa.Repeat with other lemom sized dough balls.

Serve the parathas with dahi & achar or chutni.

Dahi or chaas gives a tangy taste to the parathas & is a source of calcium.

Basket puri -a recipe.

I prepared this today-got basket puris from a local grocery store.One packet has as many as 40-50 basket puris.

For 10 basket puris ingredients needed are- one small bowl chana,one medium sized onion,100gm sev ( from your local bhel wala or any namkeen sev).

For imli chutni-a small  cherry sized  ball of tamarind,two dates soaked in water,red chilli powder(this is optional-it can be avoided) quarter tea spoon & salt to taste.

 I pressure cooked  some brown chana .Got bhujia sev ( Haldi ram's),cut onions finely.

I also boiled some imli ( tamarind) in cooker.Then squeezed the imli pulp & strained it.I added date jam ( dates can be soaked in water & then added as well ).Then ,I added salt as also red chilli powder.Then I boiled this mixture to get a sweet sour chutni.The consistency of the chutni must be like that of a paste. This is as per Tarla Dalal recipe for chaat chutni.Another option is to boil dates,imli & add a small piece of  crushed sunt (   dried ginger ) with salt added to get chutni.You can use jaggery also if you so desire instead of dates.If you don't want a spicy chaat chutni you need not add red chilli powder.

Now,I arranged some boiled chana in the basket puri,then the bhujia sev followed by onions,followed by the chaat chutni.I found that my chutni had become too spicy as I seemed to have added more of red chilli powder.So I added little curd on top of all this to neutralise the spiciness.

Chana is the protein source ,curd provides calcium,onion gives minerals &  sev is again besan -so protein.Dates & imli give you iron.So quite a healthy &  tasty snack.

Palak ki dandiyon ka raita ( Raita of palak leaf stalks)

This recipe was taught by my mom.It is healthy & fat free !


Ingredients

One bunch of palak-cut the stalks of the palak leaves.

Two tablespoons of thick dahi ( please drain out the water ).

One teaspoon roasted jeera & lightly crushed.

Salt to taste.

Method

Clean the palak stalks thoroughly in water & drain out all the water.Cut the palak stalks into one inch pieces & steam cook them in a vessel.

Let the steamed palak stalks cool.Now crush them slightly with your fingers.Beat the dahi & pour over the palak stalks.Add salt to taste & mix it in the dahi.Your raita is ready.Garnish with the roasted jeera & serve.