Moong sprouts salad

Sprouts are said to be super foods.And so ,I decided to include sprouts in my food at least on some days.

Moong sprouts : Soak whole moong in water for 4-5 hours.Then drain the water & use the sprout maker to get moong sprouts,the next day.In the alternative use a thin cotton cloth to grow sprouts.Tie the drain moong into a clean cloth .Leave it over night.Next day ,moong will have sprouted.Keep sprinkling the cloth with water drops every 2-3 hours.In winter,sprouting may be slow as compared to summers.

I soaked 1/4 cup whole moong to get sprouts which I used in this salad.Trust me ,it makes 1 whole cup of salad.

Ingredients : 1/4 cup   grated  carrot,1/4 cup grated cucumber,1/4 cup finely chopped onions,1 tsp lemon juice,moong sprouts ( 1/4 cup moong soaked & sprouted ) ,1/4 tsp grated  ginger, 1 green chilli finely chopped ( optional ) salt to taste.

Method : Mix all grated veggies & sprouts.Add salt & lemon juice & mix nicely.Add green chillies if that is needed.The salad is ready !

Actually,even grated  beetroot can be added.Even red, yellow bell peppers,shredded cabbage,etal.The possibilities are endless !

Puri ragda chaat.

Pani puri puris are   left over.Ragda is  left over.Sev is left over.My friend suggested, that I make ragda puri chaat or puri ragda chaat.

Ingredients :  25-30 small pani puri puris....these can be puffed ones or flat ones or crumbled ones, 1 cup ragda ,1 cup sev ( any type thin, or thick etc. or 1 cup mixed farsan or even dal moth, as per choice) ,juice of half lemon  ( or as per taste ) ,1-2 green chillies finely chopped ( or as per taste ) ,1 cup onion finely chopped, 1 cup fresh dhania cleaned & chopped.

Method : Crumble the puris roughly with hands.Take a plate & spread some crumbled puris on plate.Now pour some spoons of ragda on to the crumbled pooris.

Mix chopped onions,chillies & dhania.Spread this mix on the ragda .Now decorate with sev.Sprinkle lemon juice on top.Mix & eat.

It was simply tangy & so yummy !

All amounts of ingredients are simply approximate.If puris can less,it is ok.Add more ragda .Add more onions ,if that is what you like.Add more hara dhania if freshness is desired more.Add more green chillies if tongue can tolerate it.Add more lemon juice if more sourness is needed.Add more sev or any farsan or even dal moth if that is what you like.

Come to thaink of it,even churmura can be added.So many permutations & combinations !

There are no rules.It is as per wish.

Coconut free Veg Kurma

I made veg kurma with coconut earlier.I wanted to try out a recipe sans coconut.Hence, this recipe.

Ingredients :

For sabzi : 3/4- 1 cup cauliflower florets,1/4 cup beans stringed & chopped into 1/2 " pieces, 1/4 cup carrot peeled & chopped into 1/2 " pieces,1/4 cup capsicum roughly chopped,1/4 cup green peas,2 tsp oil,1/4 tsp haldi,1/2 tsp cumin,1 /2 tsp garam masala powder,salt to taste.

For gravy : 2 medium tomatoes roughly chopped,1 onion roughly chopped,1/2 carrot peeled & roughly chopped( optional ) , 2-3 green chillies, 1/2 ' ginger finely chopped,1 tbsp dalia or daria dal or roasted chana dal & 4 cashews,1 -2 tbsp dahi( optional ) , 1/2 tsp flaxseed meal ( optional )

Method : Cauliflower is supposedly ,the vegetable that is loaded with pesticides.So ,I have started boiling the florets in water, to which a pinch of salt & turmeric has been added.After one boil,the florets can be used for cooking.Keep aside the  boiled florets .

Pressure cook beans,carrots & peas .Pressure cook tomatoes & onion as well.Keep aside.

Powder dalia & cashews.Add finely chopped green chillies & ginger.Add pressure cooked tomatoes,onions & just half a carrot ( optional ) which as been pressure cooked to the dalia cashew mixture.Blend all together in mixer.Keep aside.

In a pan or kadhai take oil.Heat it.Add cumin.When they splutter,add chopped capsicum.Add haldi.Mix.Add cauliflower florets.Add salt.Let it cook for five minutes.Add salt.Mix nicely.Add pressure cooked veggie pieces...beans,carrots & peas.Mix nicely.Now add the gravy that is tomato onion dalia cashew mix to the kadahi.Mix nicely.If it is too thick,add water.Add garam masala powder .Bring it to a boil.Put off gas.Serve with chapatis and or rice.

The gravy turns out pretty thick.The gravy has a creamy texture perhaps due to cashews.Though I used 3 green chillies,it was not spicy at all.Those who want more spicier versions can add more chillies and ginger or any spice which they prefer.

Another method : Take oil in a kadhai.Heat it up.Add cumin seeds.Let the cumin seeds splutter.Add onion, green chillies & ginger to mixer & make a coarse paste.Put this coarse paste in kadhai.Shallow fry this paste till raw smell of onions disappears.Make a coarse paste of tomatoes & carrots & add it to the kadhai.Mix nicely.Cook till raw smell of tomatoes disappears. Add salt. Add chopped potatoes,capsicum , partially boiled florets ,carrots , beans & peas. Mix .Add haldi.Mix again.Let it cook.

Powder dalia & cashews in mixer & add to the kadhai.Mix with all vegetables.Add half a teaspoon of flaxseed meal ( optional ) as it is good fat.Mix nicely. Add 1 tbsp of yoghurt ( optional ) to the kadhai & mix. Add garam masala powder. Now transfer the contents of kadhai into a small vessel which can fit into the pressure cooker.Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup water.Mix nicely.

Pressure cook for 2 whistles.Slow cook in pressure cooker for 10 minutes.Put off gas.Let cooker cool.Remove lid.Veg kurma can be served as a side dish for chapatis and even as an accompaniment for rice.

Vegan Pineapple upside down cake

I had made Pineapple cake earlier.This time ,I wanted to make batter using apple cider vinegar.I searched for such a recipe.I stumbled upon this apple cake recipe.I replaced apple with pineapple & lemon juice with apple cider vinegar .

Ingredients : 1 cup  atta ( whole wheat flour  ) , 1/4 cup maida,3/4  cup jaggery  sugar ( Patanjali brand )  ,1 tsp baking soda, 2 tbsp oil,1 tbsp apple cider vinegar,4 round pineapple slices ( the kind available for 10 -20 Rupees in plastic pouches throughout Mumbai now, in season ) pinch of salt, warm water .

Ingredients for sprinkling on pineapple pieces : 2 tbsp brown sugar ,1/2 tsp cinnamon powder.

Method : Preheat oven  @ 180 deg centigrade.

Take a baking dish.Line it with butter paper.On that,arrange pineapple slices by cutting them or as it is.I lined just one layer.One more layer can be lined ,if you so wish.I added remaining tit bits of pineapple into the cake batter.I added remaining sugar cinnamon mix to batter.

Mix all dry ingredients that is atta,miada, baking soda & salt.Mix nicely with fork or whisk many times over.Keep aside.

Mix all wet ingredients that is apple cider vinegar & oil.Add 1/2 cup-1 cup warm ( optional ) water  water.Mix nicely.Add jaggery sugar to this wet mix. This is because, jaggery sugar has lumps & mixing this jaggery sugar in wet ingredients helps dissolve big lumps into small ones & finely dissolves lumps completely.

Make a well in the dry ingredient mix & pour the wet mix into it.Mix both dry & wet ingredients nicely so that no lumps remain.Add remaining pineapple tit bits to batter.Mix nicely again.Pour this batter on the pineappple slices lining the bottom of the baking dish.Bake @ 180 deg.centigrade for 50 minutes.

Put off the oven after 45-50 minutes.Then bake in microwave mode for 4-5 minutes so that no part of cake will remain unbaked. After 10-15 minutes,open the oven & take out the baking dish with gloved hands as baking dish will be hot.

Place baking dish out to cool for 20 minutes.Put the baking dish upside down on a plate.The cake will fall on it.Remove the butter paper from the cake .Let the cake cool for some more time.Cut into desired shapes & serve.

My cake was crumbly.It had started falling apart after I had turned it upside down .Maybe because,I did not allow it to cool much at any stage.Or maybe ,because ,I baked it for a longer time.Maybe ,I should bake it for 45 minutes & see.

The texture was nice.It had a nice dark brown crust on top & pineapple lining at bottom as seen in the picture..The cake was just sweet enough.If more sweetness is needed,sprinkle powdered sugar on top before serving or add more sugar to batter. Jaggery sugar is less sweet compared to white sugar.That makes all the difference in the sweetness. 

Masoor gobhi nimona

I wanted to try something different with gobhi.I thought of Sangeeta Khanna's banaras ka khana .I came across one masoor dal ka nimona.I decided to try it out .Also winter is getting late to Mumbai.I thought, if i tried this winter dish,maybe winter will be tempted to arrive soon !

I had whole masoor at home.I used whole masoor in place of masoor dal .I made very little as it was just for one person that is me.

Ingredients : 1/4 cup whole masoor ,1/2 cup washed cauliflower florets,1 small potato peeled & cubed,i roughly chopped tomato,1 tsp grated ginger,cumin powder 1/4 tsp,coriander powder 1/4 tsp,haldi 1/4 tsp,jeera 1/4 tsp,1 tbsp oil,salt to taste.

Method : Pressure cook whole masoor ( 1/4 cup masoor with 1/2 cup water ) with chopped tomatoes,haldi & salt for 2- 3 whistles.Then slow down the gas.Cook on slow flame for 5 minutes.Put off gas.

Take oil in kadhai.Heat it.Add jeera.When they crackle,add cubed potatoes.Slow the gas to low flame.Saute for 4-5 minutes.Add cauliflower florets & grated ginger .Mix nicely.I added 1 tbsp water as I found all veggies had started sticking to the kadhai bottom.Saute for another five minutes.Add jeera powder & dhania powder now.Mix nicely.Add salt. Mix. Put off gas.Transfer the contents of kadhai to the masoor tomato mix. Simmer the masoor tomato mix with added veggies on slow gas for 10-15 minutes.Put off gas. Whole masoor nimona is ready.

I skipped adding fresh hara dhania as I did not have it.Yes, loved the flavours.The dish becomes thicker as it cooks & water evaporates.

Veg manchurian.

I have made vegetarian manchurian balls in gravy before.They had become hard balls.They could be cut with fork & yet they were hard.So,I googled & came across this recipe here .

I made some changes.And the dish turned out better than last time.Yes,even my kid agreed that this time around,this was a good dish !

Ingredients :

For Manchurian balls :1/4 cup mashed boiled potato,1/4 cup grated cabbage,1/4 cup grated carrot,1/4 cup cornflour ,1 /4 cup  maida,1 tsp grated ginger,2-3 tbsp oil,salt to taste .

For gravy : 1/4 cup finely chopped & washed spring onion greens,1 tsp grated ginger,1 tbsp soya sauce,1tbsp corn flour,1 cup water,salt to taste.

Method :

Manchurian Balls: In a bowl mix all ingredients that is mix mashed boiled  potato,grated carrots,grated cabbage,ginger ,corn flour,maida & salt .Leave 1 tbsp maida asde to roll the veg balls in before frying them.

After mixing all ingredients nicely,shape small balls of the size of small lemons from the veg flour mix.Keep aside.

Start heating a paniyaram vessel.I prefer paniyaram vessel as it uses less oil.Moreover,I am afraid of spilling oil in large kadahis.Put oil drops in each of the inlets of the paniyaram vessel.Drop the balls -one each in each inlet.After sometime,turn the balls all upside down one by one.They will have browned bottpoms.After some time,check if the bottoms have browned.Sides may look light coloured & unfroed.Turn them around in the inlets so that they also get fried.In short,see that alls ides of balls are evenly fried.Put off the gas.Take out the balls & keep aside.

In another vessel,take 1tbsp corn flour & water.Mix nicely & start heating up the vessel.Add spring onion shoots & grated ginger to the vessel.Add soya sauce & mix.Keep stirring to see that no lumps are formed.Add salt to taste always remembering that soya sauce & balls both have salt in them.Add the veg balls that have been kept aside into this vessel.After it has boiled,put it off.If it is too watery,add more corn flour & boil it stirring constantly.If it is too thick,add more water & boil it once.

The veg manchurian is ready.This is a good side dish for veg fried rice as also veg hakka noodles .

Veg hakka noodles

I have made hakka noodles many times before.Yet ,when I wanted to make this dish & put it up on my blog,I decided to check out the recipe on the net.

I liked the step by step method  here.I have used less veggies as my kid will try best to remove all veggies.By default,some veggies, do end up in my kid's tummy.Thank God for that !

Ingredients : 1 packet Veg Hakka noodles,1/ 4 -1/3  finely shredded cabbage,1 medium carrot grated ,1 green capsicum finely chopped, 6-8 French beans  finely chopped, 1 tbsp spring onion green stems finely chopped, 1tsp grated ginger,2  tbsp oil,1/2 tbsp soya sauce,1/4 tsp black pepper powder ( my kid will eat less spicy food,that's why ),salt to taste.

Method : Take water in a pan & bring it to boil.Put the Hakka noodles into the boiling water.Cook as per instructions on the Hakka noodles packet.Add some oil drops to the boiling water as noodles get cooked.Put off gas after the Hakka noodles have been cooked as per instructions on the packet.Now drain the water by straining it in a big strainer.Let tap water run through the cooked noodles .Then add some oil drops & toss noodles so that oil coats the noodles & they do not stick to each other.Keep aside the noodles.

In a pan ,take some oil.Heat it.Add all shredded &  grated veggies except spring onion shoots.Fry the veggies nicely for 4-5 minutes.nicely.Add 1 tbsp soya sauce to the veggie mix .Mix nicely.Fry again for a minute.Now add the cooked noodles to it.Add pepper powder.Toss the noodles well so that all veggies & pepper & noodles get nicely mixed.Add salt.Remember that soya sauce has salt So add less salt..Toss noodle veggie mix nicely.Add spring onion shoots.Toss all nicely.Cook for a minute.Put off gas.

Serve noodles with raita and or veg manchurian.