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sambhar

Sambhar is a must in any South Indian family and interestingly every family has its own recipe of sambhar. It’s such a versatile dish that it goes well with idli, dosa, vada or plain boiled rice. Sambhar is not just tasty, it is also nutritious since it contains both lentil and vegetables.

Recipe of sambhar

1 cup toor dal (split pigeon peas/ arhar dal)

1 medium onion- chopped

1 medium tomato- chopped

4-5 French beans- chopped

A small chunk of bottle gourd (lauki/ ghiya/ doodhi) - chopped

2-3 florets of gobhi (cauliflower) - chopped

2 tsp sambhar powder

1/4 cup juice of tamarind (imli)

Small piece of gur (jaggery)

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Seasoning (tadka)

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

3-4 dry red chillies

5-6 curry leaves

1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

Coriander leaves- chopped

1. Place dal and vegetables in a pressure cooker with enough water and turmeric powder. Cook till 3 whistles. When pressure drops, open the lid and mash dal with the back of a ladle (karchhi).

2. Add tamarind juice, sambar powder, salt and gur. Bring to boil on a low heat. Simmer for 5 minutes.

3. For seasoning, heat ghee in a small pan and add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and dry red chillies. When they splutter, add hing and curry leaves. Add this seasoning to the dal and cover the lid so that the flavors are trapped. Garnish sambhar with coriander leaves. Enjoy hot with idli, dosa or vada.

Note- to extract the juice of tamarind, take a lemon sized ball of tamarind and soak it in water. Then boil this water. Extract juice of imli by mashing it well and straining it.

Sooji halwa

Sooji halwa is a dessert enjoyed in Indian homes since ages. In many temples, it is offered as prasad. Sooji ka halwa is also made by mothers to comfort their child or when the child craves something sweet but that does not mean it is not enjoyed by adults.

Recipe of sooji halwa

1 cup sooji (rava/ semolina)

4 cups water

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)

5-6 almond- blanched and slivered

2 tsp raisins

2 tsp cashew nuts- broken

1. Heat ghee in a karahi (heavy bottomed vessel) and add sooji. Turn the heat to medium and roast suji till it turns golden brown, stirring constantly.

2. While sooji is being roasted, take water and sugar in a sauce pan and put it on the stove. Turn on the heat and when the water begins to boil and the sugar dissolves completely, turn off the heat. This sugar containing water or syrup is now called chashni.

3. Now, that your suji has turned brown, add this syrup or chashni to it. Lower heat and mix well.

4. Stir continuously till all water gets absorbed. Turn off the heat, add raisins and cover the karahi.

5. Let it stand for 5 minutes, covered.

6. Transfer the halva to a serving bowl and decorate with almond slices and cashew nuts. 

Sooji ka halwa is also called sheera in some parts of India and if you add few saffron threads to the halwa, it can also be called rava kesari. It is also offered as prasad in Gurudwaras. 

White matar (peas)

White matar along with kulcha is a famous Indian street food which is popularly known as chhole kulche. It’s more popular in Northern states of India.

Recipe of White matar

1 cup safed matar (white watane/ dry white peas/ matara)

3 tomatoes- chopped

2 onions- chopped

3-4 green chillies- chopped

1 inch piece ginger- chopped

1 tsp amla powder (dried Indian gooseberry powder)

1 tsp lemon juice

Salt to taste

A blob of butter- melted

1. Soak white matar overnight. Drain and place in a pressure cooker with enough water and salt. Let 1 whistle come, then turn the heat to medium and cook for about 15 minutes. Let the pressure drop, and then open the lid of the cooker.

2. Mix all the above ingredients and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with toasted kulchas.

Matar kulcha

Pude

Today is Vat Savitri Vraksh day. Hindu women in some of the Northern states of India celebrate this day by performing pooja of Vat (Bargad) tree. Today my mom made pude or gulgule. As she was frying them, I was ready with my camera for the photo shoot. I asked for the recipe and she gave it to me in detail which I am sharing with you.

Recipe of pude

250 grams atta (whole wheat flour)

250 ml water

250 grams gur (jaggery)

4-5 pods of green cardamom- opened and seeds separated

1 tsp saunf (fennel)

Oil to deep fry

1. Soak gur in water for 1 hour.

2. Add all the ingredients except oil to the gur water. Mix well. Adjust the water to get pakora (fritters) batter like consistency. Beat well.

3. Heat oil in a karahi (heavy bottomed vessel). When the oil is sufficiently hot, turn the heat to medium. Drop the batter by hand or by tablespoonfuls. When 1 side is cooked, turn over and fry from other side also. Fry till they get reddish brown. Drain on an absorbent paper.

Gulgule

Sabudana kheer

Sabudana kheer or sabudana payasam is mainly eaten in fasts including those of Ekadashi and Navratras. It takes a short time to cook after soaking and tastes absolutely divine.

Recipe of sabudana kheer (payasam)

3/4 cup sabudana (sago)

1 liter milk

1/2 cup sugar

3-4 strands saffron (optional)

A big pinch elaichi (green cardamom) powder

Nuts like almonds, raisins and cashew nuts

1. Soak sabudana for 2 hours in just enough water so that sago is submerged.

2. Soak saffron in a little milk. Soak almonds.

3. Heat milk in a pan and let it bring to boil. Add sago and lower heat. Cook stirring continuously as sabudana has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan. When the sabudana turns transparent, that means it is cooked.

4. Add sugar and cook stirring for 2-3 minutes. Cook till you get the desired consistency of the kheer. Turn off the heat.

5. Add saffron, elaichi powder, slivered almonds, raisins and broken cashew nuts. Serve hot or cold as per your liking.

Gajar ka achar

Carrot is something I enjoy immensely be it in sabzi, halwa, salad or pickle form. My mom always prepares gajar ka achaar for me whenever she gets a chance. In fact this is her recipe which I like a lot.

Recipe of gajar ka achar

1/2 kilogram gajar (carrot)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp saunf (fennel) powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp rai (small mustard seeds) - grounded

4 tbsp mustard oil

1. Peel and wash carrots. Let all the water drain and leave them for drying naturally in air.

2. Cut them in 1 1/2 inch pieces and then divide these pieces lengthwise.

3. Mix salt, red chilli powder, fennel powder and ground rai. Mix these spices with carrot pieces.

4. In a small pan, heat mustard oil to smoking point i.e. till vapors start coming out of it. Turn off heat. Allow it to cool for 1 minute and then add turmeric powder.

5. Pour this oil over carrots and mix well.

6. Fill them in an airtight glass jar and keep aside for few days.

In summers, it takes about 2 days and in winters, it takes about 4-5 days for it to be ok to consume.

Healthy Bytes- Carrot is a treasure of nutrients. It is high in dietary fiber, vitamins A, C, K. Gaajar contain maximum amount of carotene which body converts to vitamin A and hence it is very good for your eyesight.

Kuttu aur lauki ki tikki

This is mainly a fasting food which can be eaten in the fasts of Ekadashi and Navratras.  Well, at least that’s what my mom does. You can also deep fry these tikkis. You can also take boiled, peeled and mashed potatoes to knead the dough in place of lauki. If you are taking potatoes, then also there is no need to add water to knead. Only kuttu atta can also be taken in place of kuttu and singhadi mixed.

Recipe of kuttu lauki tikki

1 medium lauki (ghiya/ bottle gourd/ doodhi) - grated

Kuttu atta (buckwheat flour/ kottu) and singhadi atta- mixed in equal proportion

3-4 green chillies- chopped finely

Salt to taste

Oil to shallow fry

1. Take a bowl and place grated lauki and green chillies. Add mixed kuttu and singhadi atta and salt to it. Add enough atta (flour) so as to knead it into pliable dough. There is no need to add any water to knead the dough.

2. Take balls out of the dough. Flatten them between your palms to give them thin round shape i.e. tikkis. Make them as thick or thin as you are able to do and as you want. Just remember, the thicker they are the most uncooked they will remain at the centre when you cook them.

3. Heat a non- stick tawa (griddle) and smear it with oil with the help of a spatula.

4. Place these tikkis on the tawa and turn the heat to medium. Cook them till underside is cooked. Turn over and cook from the other side also pressing in between with the spatula. Cook brushing with oil. Cook till both sides are cooked and turn reddish brown. Serve hot.

bhindi ki subzi

This is a simple, moderately spiced dish of okra. Some people like bhindi, some don’t but I think this dish is worth giving a try. What I have found is that bhindi is liked by most kids so bhindi ki sabzi can be prepared quickly in the morning for lunch box.

Recipe of bhindi masala

500 grams bhindi (okra/ ladies’ fingers)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

3/4 tsp saunf (fennel) powder

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)

1 tbsp oil

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)

1. Wash bhindi and let the excess water drain. Pat dry on a kitchen towel. Remove caps and tips of okra.

2. Cut bhindi lengthwise and cut horizontally into 1 1/2 inch pieces.

3. Heat oil in a pan or a karahi (heavy bottomed vessel) and add carom seeds. When they change color, add hing.

4. Add bhindi. Add salt, turmeric, coriander, red chilli and fennel powders. Mix well. Lower heat and cover the lid of the pan.

5. Cook on low heat till bhindi turns tender but hold its shape. Turn off heat and add amchoor. Serve hot with rotis or parathas.

You can also cut bhindi in round pieces and prepare bhindi masala or bhindi ki sabzi.

Bhindi ki sabzi

Potato sandwich

Toasted aloo sandwich is a delicious and easy breakfast option as well as any time snack. They are also a good option for Tiffin. They are also liked by kids.

Recipe of aloo sandwich

3 boiled potatoes- peeled and mashed

Salt to taste

2 green chillies- chopped

1 onion- chopped

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp garam masala powder

1 tbsp oil

5-6 curry leaves (optional)

Chopped coriander leaves

Bread slices

Aloo masala

1. Heat oil in a pan (wok) and add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. When they splutter, add hing.

2. Add onion, curry leaves and green chillies and sauté till onion become transparent.

3. Add potato. Add turmeric powder and salt. Roast the potatoes. While roasting, keep removing the scrapings from the pan. Add garam masala, amchoor and coriander leaves and mix well.

4. Take a bread slice and place just enough potato mixture so as to cover the bread. Place another slice over it. Make sandwich either in an electrical or gas top sandwich toaster. Similarly make other sandwiches. 

Aloo mangodi sabzi

 This potato and wadis made of split green gram dish is popular among Marwaris. They also make the mangodis alone as a curry.  Women in Marwari community make these moong dal mangodi at home by grinding the dal and sun drying it. Wadis or badis are sun dried ground lentil dumplings. Readymade mangodi is available at grocery stores. This is a healthy dish since you get vegetable and lentil in the same curry.

Recipe of aloo mangodi sabzi

1/2 cup mangodi (moong dal wadis)

2 potatoes- peeled and cubed

2 tomatoes- pureed

1 onion

1 inch piece ginger

3-4 cloves garlic (optional)

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

½ tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

3 tsp ghee (clarified butter)

1. Heat 1 tsp ghee in a pressure cooker and fry mangodis till reddish brown. Take them out.

2. Mince together onion, ginger and garlic in a blender.

3. Heat 2 tsp ghee in the same pressure cooker and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add hing. Add onion paste and sauté till brown. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder. Fry for few seconds.

4. Add tomato puree and fry till oil begins to separate.

5. Add mangodis, potatoes and salt. Add enough water and close the lid of the cooker.

6. Let 1 whistle come, then turn the heat to medium and let it cook for 20 minutes.

7. When the pressure drops, open the lid of the cooker. Transfer it to serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves. Enjoy hot with rotis or parathas.

Aloo mangodi subzi