Dahi Bhendi (Okra in Yoghurt)

The name to me does not sound very appetizing, that will quickly change when you taste this dish. This is a dish that my mother learnt from my dad's mom and has come to be my favorite. Make this recipe couple hours ahead of time, chill and enjoy as a vegetable or raita.

Tastes better with chappati than rice, yummiest eaten alone ;)

Dahi Bhendi
1 lb Bhendi cut into BIG pieces (Bhindi is Okra and can be found in frozen section - chopped)
5-6 slit green chillies
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
2 cups of dahi, beaten
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
2 - 3 ts[ groundnut powder, optional


Clean and cut the Bhendi in big pieces. You want them to remain intact.
Heat oil, add and mustard seeds , wait till they finish spluttering.
Add green chillies and cilantro and let them brown.
Now add the bhendi and cook on medium flame (not to cover the vessel) until the bhendi is brown.
remove the chillies. Add salt, sugar and turn off the heat.
Move the bhendi to a serving bowl, mix groundnut powder and dahi. Refridgerate....

Enjoy!!!

Baked Vegetable

This recipe is a favorite in my family. I considered it a feast when Mom made it and my husband loves it too. My sister Geetu reminded me of this old time favorite and thus I would like to share it with you to...

Ingredients

Make this sauce ahead of time and this will decrease the cooking time.

2 tbsp Butter (or ghee)
3 tbsps maida
1/4 gallon milk
Salt to taste
Pepper to Taste
Couple pinches of garlic powder add a lot of flavor.
Add a cup of fontina / mozzarella if you want it to be rich....

put Butter / Ghee in pan. Add maida, and roast it on low heat till it givesout a cooked aroma (do not let it become brown) . Gradually add lukewarm milk and stir continuously to avoid lumps.
let it boil on medium flame until it thickens. Add salt+pepper+chilli flakes , garlic powder to your taste. Set to cool.


Microwave frozen mix vegetable bag for 2 minutes. The vegetables should thaw but not completely cook
Put them in a flat vessel, add white sauce
Top with Tomato Slices and Grated Cheese of your choice.
Preheat oven to 450 and then cook it for 20min-25min

Enjoy with Toasted hot bread!!

Quick and Easy Peas Bhaji

I would like to share a recipe that my good friend Nis shared with us gals...that turned out fantastic and it literally took 5 minutes. Its easy to make and adds a lot of flavor to the meal...

Recipe:
I packet frozen shelled peas
Oil 1/2 tbsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Dhania Powder - 2 tsp
Chilli Powder 1/4 tsp
turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
3-4 cloves of garlic
Salt to taste...

Thaw the Peas. Heat oil, add jeera. when browned, add garlic...let it brown a little, add dry masalas, saute. Then add the peas and some salt. Saute for 4-5 minutes and enjoy!!!
Thanks!
Radhika

Aloo - Surti Papdi Vegetable

Tanvi, comes to me many times and ask "Ah doing, Mamma". I guess its her way of asking me what I am upto. I found asking myself the same question...with respect to this Blog. I started off with ideas to feed kids...but as I continue my experimentation to modify recipes and make them kid friendly, I end up thinking "Oh this is a great recipe for adults too". And so I think my quest is to find easy recipes that are kid friendly and one can make even with a busy lifestyle...This intent is more convincing to me and helps a wider audience if you will.....

With that thought in mind, try this Aloo - Surti Papdi Vegetable I made one day, when I was experimenting. I loved the flavor the Papdi imparts to the gravy....

Recipe:
Potatoes 3-4 peeled and cubed
Surti Papdi Whole about 3 cups (Frozen)
Tomatoes 3 chopped fine
Oil 1 tbsp
Jeera 1 tsp
Hing 2 pinches
Dhania Powder - 1.5 tsp
Salt 1.5 tsp or as needed
Haldi - 1/8 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1/4 - 1/2 tsp depending on spice level.
2 cups water

Heat Oil, add jeera, hing and saute tomatoes in a pressure pan until cooked. Add chilli powder, haldi (turmeric) and dhania powder..saute, add potatoes , surti papdi , water and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Top with Coriander leaves and serve hot with Roti / Rice.
This vegetable stores when refridgerated for next day!

Enjoy!!

Cabbage Dhal

I usually have cabbage stocked in my fridge. It lasts long, and each time I buy one, cannot finish it all at once. Having a lot of friends from the states south to mine (Maharashtra), I increasingly find my cooking influenced by their cooking techniques and even recipes. I love that many recipes in Marathi food / cuisine is very similar to Andhra food....so I have most of the ingredients handy, and I can find easy twists to my usual recipes :)

Try this Cabbage Dhal, it is a quick way to incorporate Vegetable and Dhal in one recipe....serve hot with Rice / Roti....

Recipe:

1/2 cup toor daal
1/2 cup masoor daal
3 cups finely chopped cabbage
hing - 2 pinches
kadipatta leaves 10
1/8 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp urad daal
2-3 pinches turmeric
2 tsp oil
1tsp salt
1 tsp sambar masala

Pressure cook both daals together until fully cooked. Mash and keep aside.
Heat oil, add mustard seeds, whenthey crackle, add urad daal. When the Urad Daal browns, add hing, kadipatta. Wash chopped cabbage and put it in seasoning. Cook with a lid, until cabbage is fully cooked. When cabbage is fully cooked, add turmeric, sambar masala, stir. Add salt. Then add mashed daal and let this come to a boil. The daal should not be very liquidy...

Serve hot with Rice / Rotis...For kids, top with some ghee.... Enjoy!

Chicken Patties - a good snack...

Chicken.... I love it! I use the Blogs and various internet sites to try out a new chicken recipe each and every time... We are offering it to our child as it is a good source of protein...a little goes a long way. I have created this recipe to make a snack or a finger food for my little one... I hope you enjoy it and as always ,send me any feedback / ideas.

Chicken Patties
1-2 Chicken Breasts / thighs
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp salt
1.5 cup water
Garam Masala to Taste
Picnch of turmeric
2-3 tsp chopped cilantro
bread crumbs
Oil to fry

Thaw the chicken breasts / thighs. Put in pressure cooker with water, ginger, garlic, salt. Give 2 - whistles. Take it out and shred the chiken. Mix with cilantro, garam masala, a pinch of turmeric. Taste...add salt if necessary. Coat with breadcrumbs...fry and enjoy!! serve with ranch dressing / ketchup.

For the adult version, add chopped / grated onion, capsicum....its yummy! serve with ketchup

Green Moong Dosa

This recipe is quite popular with my friends in Andhra. I found it apt to feed children and would like to share it with you all.

Recipe:
1 cup split moong (with the green skin)
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
chopped white onion, cilantro (optional)

Soak moong for couple hours and then to a smooth paste with ginger and salt. Then make dosas sprinking onion and cilantro....serve with ghee / yoghurt.

This recipe makes for a healthy snack, that is packed in protein and can be enjoyed by elders too. The elders would love some chutney with it.....

Squash Roti

I am not very fond of red squash dishes. I have found however that it is used in a couple ways which enhances its flavors. One of them is to make a dough with it and make a roti out of it...Turn out very good. Red Squash/ pumpkin is a very healthy vegetable and this preperation will make it easy for all to eat.

Ingredients:
2 cups wheat flour
3/4 cup rice flour
1/4 cup besan (optional if you child cannot digest it)
1/4 tsp hing
1 tsp jeera
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp chilli powder (vary to your level of spice)
1/4 tsp coriander
1 cup beaten yoghurt
1.5 tsp salt
1 cup red pumpkin puree. ( You can buy frozen puree in a grocery store. else cook and grind)

Make a dough with all the ingerdients. Roll out like a chappati and cook well with ghee...IT is ver yummy...
Enjoy with dahi / raita / pickle.

Veggie Pasta Kids Love.....

Its a challenge to get kids to eat all veggies. This recipe incorporates a lot of vegetables that are cooked in the oven, giving them that yummy taste and then mixed with a pasta of your choice....
I use red / yellow Bell Peppers to add color variation, which kids love...

Colorful Pasta.
Cut 1 carrot, 1 zucchini, 1 floret of brocolli, 1 red / orange / yellow Bell Pepper, 1 onion in sizable vertical pieces. Mix them with olive oil, salt and oregano. Set them in 1 layer on a baking tray and bake for 30-40 minutes, tossing them around as needed.\

Boil a Pasta of your choice on the side. When the veggies are cooked ot your level of consistency, toss them with the Pasta.
You can also serve with a White PAsta Sauce...if you feel this preperation is dry...

My family and I love it, hope you will too...

Kobi Bhaat (Cabbage Rice)

As a concept, it seems wierd to put cabbage in rice, but this variation of a Marathi recipe is ideal for kids and adults. Its easy to make, quick and can be enjoyed with a raita / kadhi / buttermilk.

Kobi Bhaat:
1 cup basmati rice
1.5 cup grated cabbage - big grates work better than the fine ones.
Oil 2 tsp
Ghee 1 tsp
Jeera Powder - 1 tsp (preferably fresh)
Grated Ginger - 1 tsp
3 slit green chillies - optional, if you want it a little spicy.

Procedure.
Grate Cabbage and Ginger
Wash Rice and set aside to drani for 15-20 minutes.
Heat Oil, Add Green Chillies and the cabbage and ginger.
Saute the mixture on medium for a minute or so.
Add Rice and saute further, until the rice is well roasted.
Add jeera powder.
Add 2.5 cups warm water, salt and ghee and let the rice cook on a medium flame.
Let the rice cook open until 75% done and then cover with a lid.
Top with coriander leaves when done.

Enjoy with Raita / KAdhi / Buttermilk.

Thanks,
Radhika

Mug Daal with ButterMilk

Many children like yogurt and buttermilk. I always make this Daal for my girl, as she likes buttermilk and all its variations. When I found out, she likes Kadhi....I used a variation of Mug Daal Recipe to make it taste it KAdhi. That way she gets the protein and the calcium.

Mug Daal with ButterMilk
Mug Daal 1/2 Cup
ButterMilk (home made or diluted from yogurt) - 5 cups
Garlic - 2
Oil - 2 tsp
Jeera - 1/4 tsp
Hing - couple pinches
kadipatta - 5-6 leaves
Salt - 1.5 tsp
Red Chilli Powder ( as needed)
Cilantro for garnish

Procedure:
Cook Mung Daal with a couple pinches of turmeric until properly cooked (3-4 whistles in cooker). MAsh Daal.
Put Daal in a vessel, add buttermilk, crushed garlic (I leave big crushed pieces so the flavor in in Daal butI can remove the pieces), salt and let it come to a boil.
Season this with oil, jeera, hing, kadipatta.
You can add red chilli powder in the seasoning depending on spice tolerance.

Garnish wih Cilantro for a little color variation.

Please let me know what you think of this recipe.
Thanks,
Radhika

Rice Kheer

As a child, I waited all year for my Mom to make Rice Kheer. Traditionally Rice Kheer is only made in 'Pitru Paksha', a time where you remember all the loved ones that are no longer with us. My mother follows the tradition and so, I do not recall eating this Kheer in a happy setting.
As I grew up, I realised I wanted to make it as and when. The issue was the process. My mom soaks, dries and then lightly grinds the rice to make Kheer out of it. Being a working mom, I do not have the enthusiasm to follow this complicated procedure. So I tried making the kheer with coarse IDLI RAVA. It tasted just as good and Coarse Idli Rava is easy to find. You can subsitute Idli Rava with normal Rava to make Rava Kheer...which is just as yummy....

Rice Kheer:
Coarse Idli Rava - 1/2 cup or Normal Rava - 1/2 cup
Milk - 5 cups
Ghee - 2 tbsps
Sugar - 1 cup...You can add more or less depending on your taste
Chopped Cashews - a handful
Raisins - handful
Nutmeg Powder - few dashes
Kesar - 15 strands


Procedure:
Keep Milk to warm on a burner, use milk with high fat content.
In a seperate vessel, heat ghee and when its hot, roast Rava / Idli Rava for a couple minutes.
Add the milk to this vessel, and let the milk boil. When the milk and Rava mixture is at a pint that the Rava is cooked and milk is thickened, add sugar. You can add the nuts and remaining ingredients now.
boil until the dry fruits are soaked well. Shut off the heat below the vessel and let cool.

Personally I like when the kheer is cold and thick in consistency. It gives a porridge like consistency that even my girl enjoys. I make this kheer ahead of time and she can enjoy it as a snacks for a few days !

Please let me know what you think ....
Radhika