Cabbage and green onion paratha/kobi na paratha

I heard that best cooks can make delicious, finger licking food from very few ingredients or whatever is given to them. Well, well I am definitely not one of those cooks...But sometimes some recipes happened to be like that. The more simple, fewer ingredients is the key to those recipes. Believe me with very few ingredients, this is the perfect recipe for those lazy weekend brunch. Just serve these parathas with ghee/butter on top and chilled dahi/yogurt on hot summer days or hot cup of tea/coffee on cold winter days.

Besides being simple recipe, this is full of nutrition. Remember that cabbage diet craze.....well, this is one more way to sneak in that super food in your kid's plate.....and adults too who don't like it.

Ingredients
shredded cabbage
shredded/chopped green onions
green chillies as per taste
freshly ground black pepper powder
carrom seeds/ajwain
finely chopped cilantro
whole wheat flour
salt as per taste
oil to cook parathas

Take one big bowl and add all the ingredients except salt and oil. Mix all everything well with your hands and then add the salt as per taste. Now start kneading the dough by adding water little by little. Make the dough of medium consistency.

Divide the dough in equal portions. Roll each portions into circular parathas using flour for dusting as needed.

Cook these parathas on hot tava/griddle with oil.

Serve hot with ghee/butter on top.

Notes:-

Be careful when you add water into dough while kneading, because cabbage tends to leave water when mixed with salt. So add water little by little as needed.

Once the dough is ready,  divide the dough equal portions and start rolling immediately....otherwise dough will be too loose to manage.

Don't add any other spices like turmeric, red chili powder etc. Just give it a try with these ingredients only. Believe me with this recipe, the little goes long way!

Enjoy!

Weeknight Dinner Series: vegetable grilled cheese sandwich

I'm sure you all must be thinking that there is no need to post recipe on food blog for grilled cheese sandwich! But sometimes some minor changes here and there in the recipe, and you get a whole new dish. Normally I pair this sandwich with any kind of soup. This is also totally forgiving and very versatile recipe. I make few different type of versions of this sandwich.

Version 1
shredded cabbage
shredded carrot
green chili as per taste(optional)
freshly crushed black pepper powder(optional)
salt as per taste
butter
shredded cheese
bread slices

Mix all the vegetables, green chili, salt, pepper powder, and cheese in one bowl. Put 1 or 2 tablespoon of vegetable mixture on bread slice. Put another bread slice on top of it. Now apply butter on both slices(outside!...yes that's the secret for perfect grilled sandwich). Grill it on the tava or sandwich maker.

Version 2
boiled and mashed potatoes
green peas
paneer
green chili paste(optional)
chaat masala(optional)
salt as per taste
butter
shredded cheese
bread slices

Repeat the same procedure as above!

Version 3

Grilled Fajita vegetables
black beans
garlic powder
taco seasoning
salt as per taste
shredded cheese
butter
bread slices

For fajita vegetables, normally I use onion, belle pepper, zucchini and carrot. You can use any vegetable of your choice.
This is kind of Mexican grilled cheese sandwich.

This recipe is perfect for busy weeknight, kids breakfast/snack, weekend brunch.

Do try it out and let me know your comments!

Weeknight Dinner Series: Mixed vegetable soup(creamy)

I don't  want to start this post with excuses for my sabbatical leaves.....rather with a promise to update this blog regularly! Let's hope that I can keep my promise;-) !! After all promises are meant to be....kept?!

Now a days to cook fresh dinner every night is a big challenge for me.....If I can do it for all weeknights, then it's a big accomplishment(yeah it is!). One of the savior during weeknights recipes are normally one pot meals  but then the healthy mom inside me feels guilty of not cooking something nutritious. At that time this soup recipe comes to my help.

This is totally forgiving and very versatile recipe. Just by changing one or two veggies, you can get totally new soup every time. My DD is like me only(well she should be right!), she doesn't like all the vegetables. Tomato is her favorite, so by adding more tomatoes compare to other veggies, I can feed her ANY vegetable I want....isn't it amazing?

Here are some of the versions, I have tried so far....

Mixed vegetable soup 1

Tomato 2 big or 4 small
cauliflower half head
bottle gourd 1 cup cubes
zucchini 1/2 cup cut

Mixed vegetable soup 2

beetroot 2
tomato 2 big o 4 small
carrot 1 big
mushroom 1/2 cup

Mixed vegetable soup 3

beetroot 2
tomato 2 big
carrot 1 big
onion 1
garlic 3-4 cloves

For all the version, boil all the vegetables in the pressure cooker with very small amount of water and salt as per taste. Once vegetables are boiled, blend the mixture. Pass the soup through big strainer to remove seeds of tomatoes and all. This step is totally optional.

boil the soup on gas top for few minutes before serving.

Serve hot with butter, freshly crushed black pepper and croutons(optional).

Sometimes while boiling on gas top, I add some microwaved corn. It gives crunchy texture to the soup and a whole new taste.

If you want you can add some fresh lemon juice and few chopped herbs like cilantro or basil for a new version of the soup.

You can pair this soup with almost anything like pasta, pizza, pulav, upma, sandwiches etc and you get a hearty meal to eat.

Do try out all these variations and let me know your comments!

Methi Dal Dhokli and back after a longggggggg break

I cannot believe that it has been almost 2 years.....uffff I know this cannot be called break but may be sabbatical leaves. Anyways due to new entry in our family and some health issues, I have been away from blogging for long time. Now I have decided to keep this blog alive again. Let's see how far I can go with this plan....

Coming to the today's recipe, I wanted to start this new beginning with another healthy and traditional Gujarati recipe. This is different version of dal dhokali. When I was looking online for the recipe, I got surprised because this dish is made in a totally different way in my home....one more reason to blog this recipe. I just love this dish because it has protein, carbs, greensand lots of flavous......yeah everything in just one dish.

Ingredients

For Dough

one and half cup whole wheat flour

salt as per taste

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp dhania jeera powder

1 tsp sesame seeds

1 tsp carom seeds

2 tsp oil

water as needed

For Dal

1 cup finely chopped fenugreek leaves

1 cup boiled and mashed tuvar dal

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp dhania jeera powder

pinch of asafoetida

2-3 tsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 garlic pods minced

1 tsp ginger paste

1 green chili

2 kokum (optional)

3-4 curry leaves

1 tsp amchur powder (or lemon juice)

jaggery as per taste

salt as per taste

2 cup water(or as per desired consistency)

To Garnish

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

Take one bowl and mix all the ingredients for the dough except water. Add water slowly and knead the dough. Dough for the dhokli should be not too soft because flour is not used for dusting while rolling the dhokalis.

Take one medium sized pot and heat oil in it. When oil is heated, add mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, add garlic,ginger,curry leaves and asafoetida. After few seconds add fenugreek leaves and stir well. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Then add tuvar dal and water. Now add all the spices,salt and jaggery, amchur powder. let it boil for couple of minutes.

Divide the dough into equal parts. Roll each part into thin rotis and cut into diamond shape. When dal and methi mixture start boiling, add dhokalis in it. Keep stirring inbetween, so dhokalis do not stick with each other. Let the dal dhokali simmer for 10-15 minutes or until all dhokali are well cooked. Garnish with chopped cilantro

Serve hot with steamed rice, pickle and onions.

Notes:-

This dish is very good for diabetic people with proper substituion of jaggery.

Jaggery is optional but it gives special gujarati taste and removes the pungent taste of fenugreek leaves.

This dish tastes best when eaten right away otherwise prepare the dal mixture and add the dhokali just before serving.

To indulge once in a while, serve this along with desi ghee on top....tastes superb!

PS

I will add the picture asap

Momos~nepali dumplings

Momos....I have never ever heard a word like this before couple of years. One of my friends is from Nepal and I had momos first time at their place. I really like these dumplings from very first time and they are healthy too. Momos are basically steamed dumplings which has vegetarian or non vegetarian filling. It is a lot easier to make momos here because the cover for filling is available ready made.

Ingredients

For cover

won ton wraps (1 pack)

For filling

3/4 cup cabbage (grated)

3/4 cup carrot (grated)

2 medium onions (finely chopped)

3-4 green chilli (finely chopped)

1 tbsp ginger (grated)

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tbsp garam masala or momo masala

1 tbsp ghee

salt as per taste

Take one big mixing bowl. Add all the vegetables, chilli and ginger. Then add all the spices and ghee. At last add salt and then mix well.

Take some water in one bowl. Dip your first finger in the water and apply water on the edges on won ton wrap. Place spoonful of filling in the centre and then fold to make triangular shape. Seal the edges properly with your fingers.Repeat these procedure with all the wraps.

Put around 2-3 glass of water in the steamer and arrange the momos in steaming plate. Steam momos for around 20-25 minutes on medium flame.

Serve hot with spicy chilli sauce or tomato chutney.

Notes:-

You can add any other vegetables of your choice also.

If you don't have steamer then you can steam momos in idli moulds also.

One of the sign that momos are steamed properly is the cover become transparent.

Beetroot kofta curry

I don't like beet much. I just use it in salad sometimes, otherwise I don't have any idea of where to use this so nutritious vegetable in my diet. I saw this recipe online somewhere a while ago. I wanted to try that recipe as soon as possible, but I was hesitant. At last after gathering courage to try, I bought beetroot before few days. But believe me, the result was awesome. So, here you go.......

Ingredients

For Kofta

1-1/2 beet (parboiled)

2 carrots

1 tbspn gram flour/besan

1 medium/2 small potatoes (boiled and mashed)

1 tsp garam masala

3-4 green chilly (chopped finely)

2 garlic cloves (minced)

oil 

salt

For gravy

3-4 tomatoes

2 onion

1 tbsp ginger-green chilly paste

2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilly powder

1 tsp coriander cumin seed powder

2 tsp oil

2 tbsp fresh cream

chopped cilantro for garnishing

salt

For Kofta

Grate the parboiled beetroot and carrot. Mix all the ingredients of kofta well except oil and salt. Heat the flat griddle or tava. When you are ready to cook the kofta, then only add the salt. Take spoonful of kofta mixture in your palm and make rounds. Then slightly flatten them by your palm. Apply some oil on the tava and put all the koftas one by one on it. When one side is golden brown, then flip them and again use some oil.

For Gravy

Grind onion and tomato to smooth paste. Take one saucepan and heat oil in it. When oil is heated, add ginger chilly paste. Then add onion-tomato paste. Cook till oil separates from the gravy. Add all the dry powders, salt and cream. Add water as per the needed consistency. Simmer for 5-8 minutes. 

For serving, put koftas in a bowl and pour the gravy on it. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy!!!

Notes:-

To get more crunchy and crispy taste, you can deep fry the koftas also.

If there is too much water in the kofta mixture, then you can add more gram flour/besan.

Make sure that you add kofta in the gravy before serving only, because these koftas are really fragile.

And last but not the least, First time I got some awards....ta da da!!! Thank you very much Chandani for passing me these awards. They are posted on the sidebar.

This Friends award states that-These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement(? big word, lol). Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

I would like to pass this beautiful award to mansi, purva,  sunshinemom, poornima, deesha, madhavi, nags and DK.

Prune Walnut Bread

Whenever I have 4-5 days break between my exams, I think that I have still plenty of time to cover the whole course for couple of days. Then on the third or fourth day, I realize then it's too late now. Once I feel the pressure, only then I utilize my time efficiently for last couple of days.

Now you will think what all these have to do with Prune bread??!! Well, same thing happens with me regarding event submission on blogosphere. I saw the BBD (aka Bread Baking Day) event hosted by Mansi and decided to bake something. I got time at last to bake this bread before couple of days and post the recipe today only!!

Coming to the recipe, I saw several prune bread recipes online and did some modifications as per my taste. Prune has a really good amount of vitamin A, dietary fiber and potassium. Go here and get some more information about prunes. 

Ingredients

1 cup roughly chopped pitted prunes

2/3 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup prune juice

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoon butter

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/3 cup apple sauce

3/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325 degree F

Take one saucepan with water and put on the stove with medium heat. When water starts boiling, add prune juice. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Then add prune and butter. Stir couple of times and let it cool till luke warm.

Take one bowl and combine apple sauce with sugar in it. beat till light fluffy mixture forms. Then add both flours, baking soda, baking powder and vanilla extract. Add prune mixture and walnuts. Stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Transfer the mixture into 9x5 inch loaf pan and level the mixture with spatula.

Bake for around 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Let it cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes and then remove.

Notes:-

I used half WW pastry flour and APF. You can use only APF also.

Similarly instead of apple sauce, you can use 1 egg also.

I hope Mansi would like this quick prune walnut bread. Sending this off to her for BBD event.

Mixed fruit and veg salad

I am not great fan of salad. Though I like this one. Sometimes when I don't want to cook anything for lunch, this salad is really helpful. There is not specific type of recipe. You can add any other type of fruits or vegetables which you like.

Ingredients

1/2 cup sprouted mung (whole green gram)

2 tomatoes

1 cucumber

1 apple

1/2 cup grapes

1/2 cup shredded carrot

4-5 red reddish

For dressing

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tbsp chat masala

1/2 tsp black pepper (fresh grounded)

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

salt as per taste

Take one serving bowl of salad and put it in refrigerator for half an hour.

Take one bowl with olive oil. Add all the ingredients of dressing. Mix them well and keep in the refrigerator

Chop all the fruits and vegetables in small cubes. Put them in chilled serving bowl and mix them well. Pour the dressing over it and again mix well.

Serve chilled salad and enjoy!!

Daldhokali (whole wheat dumplings in lentil soup)

Daldhokali... we gujjus are famous for our love for this dish. It is also one of my favourite dish. Daldhokali is basically made from tuvar dal(split pigeon peas) and dumplings of whole wheat flour. Sometimes the dhokali(dumplings) are stuffed either with potatoes or different spices. My mother use to make different type of daldhokali. Though it is very time consuming, it is worth to try.

Ingredients

For Dhokali dough

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3 tbsp oil

1 tsp til (sesame seeds)

1 tsp ajwaiin (carrom seeds)

red chili powder

turmeric powder

coriander-cumin seed powder

salt as per taste

water to knead the dough

For Dal

3/4 cup tuvar dal

1 to 2 tbsp jaggery/sugar

1 tsp aamchur powder (optional)

1 tsp lemon juice

2-3 pieces of dried kokum

1 to 2 tbsp peanuts

1 to 2 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 to 2 tsp coriander powder

salt as per taste

2 tbsp coriander(chopped)

For tempering

3-4 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

pinch of asafoetida

For Dal

Wash the dal with water for couple of times. Pressure cook the tuvar dal with water for 3-4 whistles. Make a smooth puree of boiled dal with blender. Add water before blending, to get the consistency like soup. Take one big pot with boiled and pureed dal and put on the stove on medium flame. Add jaggery(sugar),lemon juice, peanuts, kokum, aamchur powder, salt and all the spices. Mix all of them well in the dal and let it boil for 4-5 minutes.

Take one small sauce pan for tempering with 3-4 tbsp of oil. First add mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, add fenugreek seeds. At the end add asafoetida and cumin seeds. Add the tempering in the boiling dal.

For Dhokali

Knead the dough with all spices and salt. Dough should be little tight than usually we make for chapatis. Keep the dough cover for half an hour.

Grease your palm with oil. Take one part of the dough and roll it into a cylindrical shape. Now take a pinch of dough by your thumb and first finger. Press it with your thumb on flat surface. Repeat this procedure with all the dough. (This part is really time consuming but believe me it is worth trying!!)

Add the dhokali in batches in boiling dal. Make sure you stirr in between while adding dhokalis. They should not stick with each other in the dal, so dal must be boiling. Pressure cook the dal dhokali in cooker for 2 whistles only. Else you can cook them in pot until the dhokalis are thoroughly cooked.

Garnish with corinader and serve hot with rice.

Notes

If you don't want to spend so much time then divide the dough into 6-8 equal parts. Roll one portion on flat surface into circle of 150 mm dia. Cut it with knife into diamond shapes and add them into boiling dal. Repeat the procedure with remaining dough.

Make the dhokalis first and then make dal. At the end add dhokalis in the dal.

Veggie Hummus Wrap

Hummus is the dip made from chick peas/garbanzo beans and it is famous dip of middle eastern cuisine. I love hummus and falafel both. I came up with kind of fusion of both recipe together. Hope you all also like this fusion....

Ingredients

For Hummus

1 can garbanzo beans

1-2 tbsp sour cream/curd

2 tbsp tahini sauce (I used the store bought)

2-3 garlic cloves minced

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

salt as per taste

parsley (finely chopped)

cayenne pepper powder

For Wrap

1 packet whole wheat pita pockets

2 tomatoes (finely chopped)

1/2 cup cucumber (finely chopped)

1/2 cup green or red belle pepper

1 cup lattes (chopped)

2 tsp mayonnaise

2 tbsp tahini

2 tbsp curd

hot red chili sauce

For Hummus

Wash garbanzo beans under running water. Make smooth puree of all the ingredients except parsley. Do not add any water or if needed add just 2-3 tbsp only. Take one bowl or serving dish and take out hummus. Make one hole in the centre and put parsley in it. Drizzle the hummus with some olive oil and sprinkle some cayenne pepper.

For Wrap

Take one bowl with tahini sauce, mayonnaise and curd. Mix all them well to make smooth sauce, which has white color.

Open the pita pocket and Spread hummus all around it. Add some chopped tomato,cucumber,bell pepper and lettuce. Add spoonful of white sauce on it. If you want to have spice wrap then add some hot red chili sauce as per taste.

Notes:-

These wraps can be made very quickly, so it is one of the weekday comfort meal.

You can serve only hummus with any chips as an appetizer also.

In Hummus except garbanzo beans, other ingredients can be varied in proportion as per your taste. If you like roasted garlic then you can add roasted garlic. If you like tahini sauce more, add it more as per your taste.