Kolhapuri Khichadi

Hello all you lovely people! The weekend is already here and the rainy season too! No, not in Delhi yet, but back home in Mumbai it seems the season has already shown it's glimpses of showers! From all my friend's pictures and messages and status updates, i already felt as if I am in Mumbai! Each of us has a memory with rains - sometimes good, sometimes otherwise! My love affair with the rains has been associated with watching it pouring down sitting by the window! Yes, other than getting drenched in the first rains, i don't like to travel much in the season. The reason : Traffic jams!!! Unless it's an outdoor trip or a trek, i prefer staying home, listening to music, reading, or just lazing around.

Image source : Google

And how can we forget food? Hot cuppas of coffees and teas being made in the kitchen with some fried bhajiyas or poha or warm sabudana khichdi! Uffff...Nothing beats this food in rainy season. I would have mentioned "Maggi" too, but with the recent controversies and news about it, i would rather not add it to the list ( Though, i must say, the damage has already been done as Maggi was a saviour during the stay-alone days :)). I found 2 very nice images from Google which i am sharing. Its true... Rains bring happiness :)

Image source : Google

Coming to the post, i have already posted the recipe of Sabudana Khichdi . The one i am posting here is a different version which is popular in Kolhapur. The only difference is adding extra corriander leaves and coconut and making a paste. Some even make it a little spicier (we are all aware of the kolhapuri spicy masala, so eating spicy is natural to them) by adding more green chillies or addition of red chilli powder. I had tasted this khichdi when i visited Kolhapur in 2010 to the famous Mahalaxmi Temple. And of course, couldn't resist buying some authentic (and cheap) Kolhapuri chappals :

Though the regular Sabudana Khichdi is our comfort food and remains a weekly breakfast dish at my home, this version is a hot-favourite too :)

Ingredients:

Sabudana - 1 cup

Danyacha kut or coarsely ground peanuts - 1/2 cup

Ghee or oil - 2 tbsp

Green chillies - 3

Salt - to taste

Sugar - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp

Potatoes - 1 (Peeled and cut into small cubes)

Corriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Grated fresh coconut - 2-3 tbsp

Recipe:

Rinse the sabudana thoroughly in a strainer 2-3 times under cold water. Since sabudana is starch, make sure you don't over rinse it as it will turn soggy. Drain well.

Place the sabudana in a covered bowl for about 8 hours or overnight. Add just a little water to it (Don't soak, or immerse the sabudana in water. This will make the khichdi sticky.) Sabudana should be soft and milky white the next day. They would have expanded. If not, add just a little water and soak for some more time. 

Make a paste of peanuts (if using grounded peanuts or powder, then mix it later along with salt or sugar), coconut, green chillies and corriander leaves. Add this paste along with salt and sugar to the sabudana. Mix well as if the sabudana is marinated with the paste. 

Heat oil or ghee in a pan. Ass cumin seeds. When they splutter, add the potatoes. Saute briefly and cook covered for 4-5 minutes till done. Alternatively, you can also add boiled potato cubes. That will reduce the cooking time.

Now, add the sabudana and mix well. Cook covered for about 10-12 minutes, stirring well to avoid sticking and clumping.

Each pellet should be separate yet cooked. You will know it's done when it turns translucent.

Garnish with corriander leaves. You can also add grated fresh coconut on top for garnishing.

Serve along with curd.

Happy weekend everyone and Happy Cooking :)

Sabudana Khichdi

As much as the health experts say to control eating the 5 white things in kitchen - Sugar, Sabudana, Rice, Salt and Maida - we can't keep ourselves away from any of it ;) Rice is one ingredient that we don't make too often as compared to rotis, but both of us love Sabudana. So, this recipe is a fixed once-a-week breakfast menu on our list. Hubby loves it so much, that whenever (i really mean, whenever) i ask what should i make for breakfast, Sabudana Khichdi is his reply! :)

Well, it tastes best when served warm and is a hassle-free recipe, if you have your things ready, especially the peanut powder. We Maharashtrians normally stock the "Danyacha kut" (Roasted Peanut powder) as we call it, and use it in various curries, sabzis or even chutneys. Danyacha kut is basically a coarse powder of peanuts which are dry roasted and skin removed.

The recipe varies from place to place. Some people add crushed roasted peanuts instead of powder, some add red chilli powder instead of green chillies, some add onions instead of potatoes or both, some don't add sugar but only salt. I make it in different ways each time, just to give a different taste. But this one is the way my mom used to make it and it absolutely tastes delicious!!

The key to make a good khichdi is to soak the sabudana in proper quantity of water. It shouldn't be a lot, as we soak our sprouts in, niether too less that the sabudana doesn't remains raw. Also, we normally leave it to soak overnight, so a minimum of 7-8 hours of soak is good.

Ingredients:

Sabudana - 3/4 cup

Green chillies - 2 (chopped finely)

Boiled potato - 1 (chopped)

Salt - to taste

Sugar - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Peanut powder (Danyacha kut) - Just enough to marinate the sabudana well, so add little by little and see how much is required

Oil - 2 tbsp + ghee 1 tbsp (This is the way to get a great taste out of the khichdi, you can make it in only oil or only ghee, but we prefer mixing both)

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp (i added green chilli and red chilli powder both, as we like it little spicy)

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)

Lime juice - on top (optional but gives a nice tangy taste)

Corriander leaves - to garnish (optional)

Recipe:

Wash the sabudana well in cold water 2-3 times and then soak it in water overnight. The water level should be just a little above the sabudana.

Heat oil + ghee in a pan, and add cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add the green chillies and then boiled potato and fry till the potatoes are little golden brown.

Now, marinate the sabudana well with peanut powder, sugar, salt, red chilli powder, and turmeric powder. Add peanut powder little by little, just enough to coat the sabudanas well.

Now add this to the pan and fry well till the sabudana gets cooked. It should take about 4-5 minutes. Make sure to keep stirring, so it doesn't get sticky or stick to the pan.

I normally cook uncovered, that way it doesn't become sticky. 

You will know when it's cooked when it starts changing colour. Also taste for salt and add more if required.

Serve hot and garnish with corriander leaves if you want and put some lemon juice on top.

Isn't it absolutely tempting?

Happy Cooking!!! :)

Appe from Readymade Idli Batter

Appe as it is called in Maharashtrian or Konkani language, this is a popular breakfast recipe is South India known as Paddu. They are made of various ingredients - Sometimes with rice, sometimes adding Poha, and at times only with lentils (majorly Urad daal). 

These days, we get readymade Dosa/Idli batter in the market. I have sourced one amazing south indian guy who makes this fresh and sells it near to our home. So, one packet of this in fridge and i can make varied breakfast of idli, dosa, uttapas and at times Appe. My aunt gifted me this special "Appe Tava" that is required to make these. It is a non-stick tava, so naturally makes for a healthy breakfast with less oil. You can make it with no oil too, but i prefer brushing a little oil, just to get a nice brown colour and also to make sure the batter doesn't stick to the tava (as the batter varies from place to place).

Ingredients:

Idli batter - as required 

French beans - a few (chopped finely)

Onions - Half for about 1/4 kg batter (chopped finely)

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - to taste

Water - little

Corriander leaves - 1/2 cup chopped

Oil - to brush the tava

You can also add pepper for a different taste and replace/add vegetables of your choice like cauliflower, carrots or even peas.

Recipe:

In the appe tava, brush little oil and place it on the stove.

Mix turmeric powder, salt, beans, onions, corriander leaves with the dosa batter and add little water if the batter is too thick. Don't make it too thin like a dosa batter. It should just have the consistency to pour easily.

Once the tava is hot, put small amounts in each mould (about a spoonful), cover the tava with a lid and let it steam-cook till the outer sides become brown. 

Now turn over the appe's, so the other side is cooked. This time don't cover the tava.

Serve hot along with coconut chutney or tastes great with any chutney :)

Happy Cooking!!! :)

Bread Poha

I love making leftover recipes. That's when creativity is best put to use, and it's fun when hubby enjoys the final product not knowing what's gone inside as ingredients ;) Like making parathas of leftover daal, or adding palak to it and giving tadka to make it daal palak, or mixing leftover aloo sabzi with a new fresh vegetable, or making tadka rice with leftover rice!!! It's always a new better dish that comes out of the leftover than throwing it away. Just the same, when you are done with eating bread as toast, with omelettes, in sandwiches and it becomes 3-4 day old or is excess lying in the refrigerator, this recipe comes as a best option.

Some people even call it bread upma and add vegetables (carrots, beans, corn etc) as used in the regular Upma. Some add potatoes (as used in poha) but i always make it with only onions and tomatoes. There are even different ways of cutting/chopping the bread. At times, i remove the sides or i use them and chop the bread in small pieces, and sometimes i absolutely chop it like a loose powder (always by hand). The choice is yours.

So this makes for a perfect breakfast recipe or a tiffin recipe. You can have it as it is or alongwith some chutney or pickle or even dahi(curd). I prefer having it as it is with my morning cup of coffee.

Ingredients:

Bread slices - 6 to 8

Onion - 1 (finely chopped)

Tomato - 1(finely chopped) Addition of more tomatoes will make the dish soggy, so stick to less tomatoes as possible.

Green chilli - 1 big finely chopped

Oil - 2 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp (adjust according to taste)

Corriander  powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - 2 tsp

Curry leaves - a few (optional)

Corriander leaves - chopped (to garnish)

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Lemon juice - on top (optional)

Recipe:

Chop the bread pieces or crush them roughly with hand.

Heat oil in a kadhai/pan. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add asafoetida and cumin seeds. Then add the curry leaves and onions.

Fry onions till transluscent. Don't over fry and burn them. Then add the green chillies and saute for about a minute.

Add in the tomatoes and cook uncovered till the tomatoes turn soft (not like a paste, but just soft). Keep stirring in between. Add some salt, so that it cooks faster.

Then add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and corriander powder.

Saute till all the spices mix well with the onions and tomatoes. Now add in the bread, and mix it all well. I normally keep mixing and cook for about 3-4 minutes uncovered, but you can cover it too (though there might be a chance of the dish becoming soggy, but if you like it that way and are in a hurry, cover for about 2 minutes or so).

Adjust salt. Mix it corriander leaves and sprinkle some lemon juice on top (just before serving) for that tangy flavour.

Delicious and quick breakfast recipe is ready :)

Happy Cooking :)

Chole Tikki

And here i write my 50th post : Blogging has surely given me lots of learning and knowledge and with all the love and support i am getting from friends,viewers and followers, i hope to continue this a long way! "Miles to go before i sleep" :)

I wanted to cook something special for my 50th post, but i couldn't help posting this one as Election ( and especially Narendra Modi) fever is ON everywhere in India! The newspaper is filled with all ( and only !!) articles about Lok Sabha Elections! Though am glad that people ( especially common man, and youth are voting to see a change in the Government ), i couldn't help but salute the PR agency of Narendra Modi who have left no stone unturned but to make us eat, sleep, dream Narendra Modi. I especially loved the hilarious "Modi Sarkaar" quotes that has been doing the rounds on social media, especially Facebook and whats-app. To quote a few favourite ones,

So, just when i picked up my Thursday morning newspaper ( which was the Voting Day in Delhi ), i saw Narendra Modi on the front page of the newspaper, and couldn't help make a quote myself for the breakfast i had cooked -
"Chole ke bina tikki hai bekaar, ab ki baar Modi Sarkaar" and i laughed out so loud myself, that i thought i had to share it with you all ! So here's bringing Chole Tikki for you...

Chole tikki, Aloo tikki, aloo chaat are the terms i learnt when i shifted to Delhi. In Mumbai, we get Ragda pattice which is made with yellow peas ( white Chana/Vatana) whereas Chole is made with chickpeas.
Now this one is again one of my Leftover Recipes, where i had Chole in the refrigerator from the earlier night ( and for some reason, me and hubby like some dishes like chole, rajma or some gravy dishes more from the earlier nights than when cooked fresh!! ). And yes, i had Boiled potatoes too! I normally boil potatoes and store in fridge. Comes in handy when you want to make a quick snack!
This is normally served with the green chutney ( corriander-mint ) and the brown chutney ( tamarind-dates) , but since i am always in a hurry in the mornings to make the tiffins, i skipped this bit. Despite that, it tasted delicious!

So Chole-tikki adorned Hubby's breakfast tiffin and no doubt, he relished it :))

Ingredients :

Potatoes : 3 medium

Corriander powder - 1 tsp

Cumin powder - 1 tsp ( you can also use cumin seeds or even ajwain to add a different taste)

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Amchur powder - 1 tsp (This made up for the tamarind-date chutney that i didn't make)

Besan/Cornflour - 1 n half tbsp ( I used besan )

Rock salt ( sendha namak ) - to taste

Oil - for frying

Other :

Cooked Chole - 1 cup

Chopped onions - 1/4 cup

Chopped tomatoes - 1/4 cup

Sev - As required

Lemon juice/ Chaat masala / Red chilli powder ( Optional ) - As required for garnishing

Corriander leaves - For garnish.

Recipe :

Boil, Peel and mash the potatoes well.

Mix in all the spice powders.

Add Salt.

Now add the Besan.

Mix everything well and make medium sized ( or as desirable ) patties of the potato mixture.

Heat oil in a pan. 

Shallow fry the Patties till crisp and golden brown.

Now add the Chole on top.

Add chopped onions and tomatoes.

Add the chutneys if you have or add sev (Baarik sev as we call it , tastes great with this )

Add Chaat masala, red chilli power and/or lemon juice if you want.

Garnish with Corriander leaves.

Relish it for breakfast with green tea, and yes, Don't forget to say , "Ab Saas-bahu khaayenge Chole-tikki aur achaar, Ab ki Baar Modi Sarkaar ) !!! ( From one of my friend Aniket Badame ).

Alternatively, you can also make these tikkis as a snack, and serve it along with chutney. Or sandwich them between breads with a layer of ketchup. Be as creative as you can ! 

Happy Cooking :)

Eggless Banana Walnut Muffins

Breakfast Blues : Every evening, i always have to sit and think what to pack in tiffin for breakfast the next day to give hubby dearest at work. The regular recipes of Upma, Poha, Idli, Dosa etc takes a toll sometimes. Yes, egg is always an option ! I would like to mention about this friend of mine who is called "Anda Iyer"... seems, eggs are his life! He can't do without them ! But it's interesting to see his egg-recipes in the forum, always a different one, and the tempting pictures too :)

With "Anda Iyer " Rajiv :)

So, it was one of those days when i had Bananas at hand, but no eggs and no butter. I decided to make some Banana muffins without egg, and they turned out superrrr soft and spongy. I had made the Yogurt Cake earlier with oil,( http://cookininpajamas.blogspot.in/2013/12/yogurt-cake.html ) but i had added an egg then. This time i tried making these with only oil. I did use Olive oil, but you can use regular vegetable oil too. Olive oil of course gives it a good aroma and a rich taste ! This one is a simple-easy to make muffins recipe! Packed in tiffin for breakfast, hubby loved them with a mug of coffee :)

You can otherwise store them in an air tight container in refrigerator for about 2-3 days. Warm in a microwave just before eating. They taste as fresh as ever :))

Ingredients :

Maida ( All purpose flour ) - 3/4 cup

Powdered sugar - 1/2 cup ( Put little less if you don't like it too sweet, adjust according to taste )

Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Walnuts - 1/4 cup

Olive oil - 1/4 cup ( or any other vegetable oil )

Bananas - 2 ( medium size)

Recipe :

Mash the bananas in a bowl with hand or a fork to make it into a paste.

Now add the oil and mix well.

Add the sugar and vanilla extract, Mix it all well and keep aside.

Chop the walnuts.

Sieve the Flour, Baking powder and baking soda together twice.

Now Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture and mix it all well. Don't beat/whisk...Just mix everything together with a spatula.

Add 1/2 of the chopped walnuts into the batter and mix again.

Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius. Line a muffin tray with muffin liners or else grease it with oil and dust with flour. 

Fill the batter till 1/2 or 3/4th into the mould ( Don't fill it to the full, as it will raise and the shape will get distorted ). 

Now Bake the muffins for about 30 minutes or till upper portion gets brown. I baked for 5 minutes more to get that fine brown colour. Check after 25 minutes with inserting a toothpick. If it comes out clean, means its done!

Let them cool on a rack for about 15-20 minutes. Then remove and let them cool completely.

These Tempting muffins are ready.... Have one right there!!!:)

If you have butter at hand, then you can try this recipe which i had made a few days back...This one is easy too, and you can replace the cashews with walnuts or any nuts of your choice but i would say, the walnuts are the USP of these muffins !!!

Banana Cashew Muffins :

Ingredients :

Bananas - 4 ( of medium size )

Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp

Maida ( All purpose flour ) - 1 n half cup

Melted Butter - 1/3 cup

Baking soda - 1 tsp

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Cashews - a few ( 1/4 cup )

Salt - a pinch

Recipe :

Chop the cashews.

Mash Bananas with a fork or with hand and keep aside.

Sieve the flour, baking soda and baking powder together twice.

Take butter in a bowl and add sugar and whisk till it turns creamy.

Now add the mashed bananas and vanilla essence.

Slowly add the flour mixture and mix well.

Add about 1/2 of the chopped cashews into the batter.

Preheat oven to 190 degree Celsius. Line a muffin tray with muffin liners or grease with oil/butter and dust with Maida ( All purpose flour )

Now fill the muffin moulds with batter, fill it only to half or 3/4th.

Bake for abut 20 minutes or till the toothpick inserted comes out clean. If not, bake for more time and check every 5 minutes.

Happy Baking :)

Linking this recipe to :

http://www.amummytoo.co.uk/2014/06/recipeoftheweek-21-27-june/

Paneer Mushroom Sandwich

In my last blog article of Mushroom Capsicum fry, I had mentioned all the benefits and details about Mushrooms. I anyways had mushrooms in the fridge and decided to make a filling from it to make sandwiches for my hubby's tiffin. I needed a fast- quick recipe and i saw one on Jyotsna-Pant's Blog. Though she has made the sandwich in a toaster, i decided to make it my way on the tawa ( just to save time too )...
So, just a few variations here and there from her recipe, here is how the sandwiches turned out...

They taste heavenly and they are full of proteins, vitamins and minerals ( addition of paneer helps ). Makes a great evening snack too.

Ingredients : ( For 4 sandwiches )

Paneer - 100 gms

Mushrooms - 4 large

Bread - 8 slices ( makes 4 sandwiches ) I always use brown bread, but you can make it with white or multigrain bread too.)

Onion - 1 small

Garlic - 3 cloves

Green chilli - 1 ( we love spicy, adjust according to taste )

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Butter - to apply on the bread

Oil ( Olive oil ) - 1 tsp

Oregano - to  taste

Sweet basil - few leaves ( chopped finely ) - I have this plant in my kitchen garden, hence used it. This is optional.

And yes... Pepper - to taste
Cheese -  a little ( optional )

You can even add corriander leaves and/or cumin seeds for a different taste.

Recipe :

Wash the mushrooms and towel dry them ( see the earlier article of Mushroom Capsicum Fry to see how to clean the mushrooms )

Cut the mushrooms into small pieces.

Chop the onion, garlic and green chilli finely.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add the onions and saute for a minute till onions are translucent. Add garlic and saute for a minute more.

Mash the paneer and add to the pan.

Add the mushroom and put it on high flame. Don't cook for a long time after adding mushroom. And the high flame is must, as it will help in making the mixture dry. 

Now add the salt, green chilli, red chilli powder and pepper.

Cook for 1 more minute on high flame. Remove from flame and let it cool.
The filling looks like this :

Now heat tava and put some butter on it. Keep it on high flame and toast the bread slices on it, so they are brown. You can even toast the slices in a toaster, but make sure they are moist and soft and not dry and hard toast.

Now put the filling inside the slices, add the cheese (optional) and again put the sandwich on the tawa and press it slightly ( and gently) from top on both sides.

Your healthy sandwich is ready :)

Happy Cooking :))

Upma : Dabba Recipe

Recipe for Beginners : For those who haven't entered the kitchen, this recipe is a saviour when you are put in the situation ! Upma is a common breakfast dish in south India. Less oil, less time, less preparation !!!! It tastes great just as it is, or you can even serve it with pickle ( especially lime) or even with corriander or coconut chutney. Some even add sev or bhujia to it, just to add the taste ! Upma is a hot favourite as it can be eaten even as a snack, it surely fills you for long hours.

Fire in the Kitchen : Indian cooking = Onions !!! Onion adds taste to every dish we make :) Every curry, sabzi or daal does require onion as an ingredient. With the rising onion prices in India, poor cooks/chefs/mothers have to think of alternative recipes that can be cooked without onions. Onion is also an important ingredient in breakfast recipes including upma. I always made upma with onions and tomatoes, and sometimes adding 1 or 2 vegetable for nutritional benefits. Now that i have to pack breakfast tiffin everyday for my husband, i have to think of alternate recipes too without using onions! Managing monthly budget is hell of a task!!!!!!! So, here's Upma( cooked without onions ), a hot cup of coffee ( served in my favourite mug) and Newspaper.... A Lovely Morning is here :)

Ingredients :

Rava ( Suji ) - 1 cup ( dry roasted. You can even dry roast in bulk and store in air tight container and use as and when required )

Green chillies - 2/3 ( chopped finely )

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Ginger - 1 inch piece (grated or chopped finely )

Peanuts - 2 tbsp ( roast and remove skin)

Carrot - 1 ( peeled and grated )

Green peas - 1/2 cup

Salt - to taste

Ghee- 1 tbsp

Water - 2 cups

Coconut - 1 tsp ( grated ) Optional. To garnish

Corriander leaves - 1/2 cup ( this adds freshness and aroma to the dish ) to garnish

You can even add curry leaves, cumin seeds, split urad daal or split chana daal if u wish.

Recipe :

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the green chillies. (If adding curry leaves, and the daal, add now and saute till brown ). Saute for 30 secs and then add the peanuts.

Saute for a minute.

Add green peas and grated carrots and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Now add the water to the pan and let it come to a boil on high flame.

Reduce the flame to minimum and slowly add rava. Stir so that no lumps are found.

Keep stirring till the mixture thickens.

Garnish with grated coconut and corriander leaves. Always serve hot.. It doesn't taste great when cold.

Happy Cooking :)