Cereal chivda
Cereal chivda or corn flakes chivda is a healthy alternative to deep fried namkeen available in the market. At times we all want to munch on crispy, crunchy, salty snacks but are afraid of putting on weight or their adverse effects on health. So, this is my kind of guilt free snacking. Try it!
Recipe of healthy cereal chivda
150 gms murmura (kurmura/ mamra/ puffed rice/ moodhi)
50 gms bhuna chana (roasted chickpeas)
50 gms peanuts (moongphali)
Few curry leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp salt or to taste
75 gms corn flakes or rice flakes (unflavored)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp oil
1. Heat oil in a big kadhai/wok. Add mustard seeds and when they pop, add curry leaves and cook till they crisp out.
2. Add peanuts and bhuna chana. Roast till they change color but don’t burn them.
3. Add salt, turmeric and red chilli powders. Cook for few seconds.
4. Add murmura and corn flakes. Mix them really well and on medium heat, keep mixing them for 2-3 minutes till murmura turns crisp. Turn off the heat.
5. Let the cereal chivda cool down completely before storing it in an airtight container.
Note- You can use Kellogg’s corn flakes or rice flakes or any other unflavored variety.
Earlier I also blogged about poha chivda, another guilt free snack. You can also check it out.
Aloo bonda
Aloo bonda is a famous Indian deep fried savory snack. It’s crispy on outside and soft inside. Aloo bonda or potato bonda is liked by adults and kids alike. In South India, this snack is called aloo bonda and in Mumbai, it is known as batata vada.
Recipe of aloo bonda
4 (potatoes) aloo - boiled, peeled and mashed
1 1/2 cups besan (gram flour/ chickpea flour)
1 tbsp oil + for deep frying
2 onions- chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 green chillies- chopped
Salt to taste
Few curry leaves
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
Coriander leaves- chopped
1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they pop, add green chillies, curry leaves and onion. Fry till onion turns translucent.
2. Add aloo, turmeric powder and salt.
3. Cook for 2 minutes and add coriander leaves. Mix and turn off the heat. Remove in a bowl and let it cool.
4. Make lemon sized balls out of the potato mixture.
5. Now for the batter, mix besan, red chilli powder and salt. Add water, mixing with other hand to get smooth, lump free batter of dropping consistency.
6. Heat oil in a kadhai/wok. Dip the aloo balls in the batter and deep fry in the oil. Fry till golden brown.
7. Drain on an absorbent paper and serve alu bonda hot with tomato ketchup or some chutney.
Paneer bhurji
If you have a chunk of paneer with you, paneer bhurji can be prepared really fast. Not much chopping, prep time or cooking time and you have a delicious side with rotis. Paneer is packed with proteins and Calcium so it’s ideal for growing children. Bhurji is one of the easiest dishes made with paneer.
Recipe of paneer bhurji
250 gms paneer (cottage cheese) - crumbled or grated
1 onion- chopped
1 tomato- chopped
1 green chilli- slit
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
Chopped coriander leaves- for garnish
1. Heat oil in a pan and add onion and green chilli. Sauté till onion turns pink.
2. Add tomato. Add all the spices and salt. Cook till tomato turns mushy.
3. Add paneer and cook mixing for 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat and garnish paneer bhurjee with coriander leaves.
Nan khatai (biscuits)
Nan khatai is a traditional Indian and Pakistani no egg biscuit or cookie. When I first tried them, they looked like chocolate biscuits due to over heating of oven. I got the exact formula after trying 2-3 times. These nan khatai vanish within no time. They just melt in the mouth.
Recipe of nan khatai/ biscuits
1 cup maida (all purpose flour/ refined flour)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp baking powder/ baking soda
4-5 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
½ tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
1. This is summer season so ghee remains in a semi- melted state. I took it as it is. In a bowl mix ghee and powdered sugar. Beat it well till it becomes lighter in color and fluffy.
2. Sieve together maida and baking powder and mix cardamom powder. Add ghee-sugar mixture to maida. Knead it into soft dough. Let it rest for a while.
3. Line a baking tray with cookie sheet. (I used aluminium foil as cookie sheet was not available and greased it with few drops of ghee.
4. Make small round balls from the dough and flatten them between your palms. Place these on a baking tray keeping a distance between them.
5. Preheat the oven at 170 degrees. Bake nan khatai at 170 degrees for 20 minutes or so. They will turn slightly brownish both from the upper side and at the bottom. Let them cool completely before digging your teeth in these scrumptious nankhatai.
namak pare
Sometimes I like to enjoy my evening tea with homemade namak pare or mathri. Namak pare or namak para is a traditional Indian savory snack which is also loved by kids. When you get tired of ready made namkeens, you tend to remember how your mother or grand mother used to make these goodies at home with which you stuff yourself while playing. Once you get the hang of it, namak pare is not difficult to make at home.
Recipe of namak pare
2 cups maida (all purpose flour/ refined flour)
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil + for deep frying
1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1. Mix maida, ajwain, salt and baking soda in a bowl. Add 2 tbsp oil and mix with your hands. Rub between your fingers so that maida is well coated with oil.
2. Using warm water, knead all purpose flour into a stiff dough. Let the dough rest for 1/2 an hour.
3. Take a ball out of the dough and roll out on a lightly oiled surface into 1/2 inch thick round.
4. Cut into 1/2 inch strips lengthwise and then 1/2 inch across to get diamond shaped pieces. Do the same with rest of the dough.
5. Heat sufficient oil in a kadhai/wok or a frying pan and deep fry these namak pare on medium heat. Fry till golden from both sides. Also fry in batches.
6. Store namak pare after they completely cool down, in an airtight container. They stay fresh for weeks.
Note- fry namak pare on medium heat and not high heat and dough should be stiff otherwise they will not be crisp.
Ragda patties
Ragda patties are a famous chaat item of Mumbai. It is known as aloo tikki ki chaat in Northern India. In one of my earlier blog posts, I have given the recipe of preparing aloo tikki or patties and now have given its link below. You can also put chopped onion and green coriander leaves over the ragda patties.
Recipe of ragda patties (pattice)
Ingredients of ragda
1 cup safed matar (dry white peas/ white watana)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
Salt to taste
Recipe of aloo tikki (patties)
Rest of the ingredients
1 tsp chaat masala
Green chutney
Sweet tamarind (imli) chutney
Beaten curd
1. To prepare ragda, wash and soak white peas overnight or for at least 6 hours. Drain.
2. Place soaked white matar along with water, salt, turmeric powder and hing. Pressure cook peas till soft. Mash them a little. Keep ragda warm.
3. Prepare aloo tikki or patties as given.
4. Place pattice in a plate and place warm ragda over it.
5. Spoon green chutney, sweet tamarind chutney and curd over the ragda pattice. Sprinkle chaat masala over it. Serve ragda patties hot and immediately.
poha chivda
Poha chivda or chivda or chidwa is a snack made in many parts of India but it’s very popular in Maharashtra. You need a thin variety of poha for this healthy snack. It’s an anytime snack or namkeen. You can also have it as a tea time munchie without bothering about the calories as it is not fried and does not use too much oil. You can store the chivda in an airtight container as it remains fresh for about a month.
Recipe of poha chivda/ chidwa
6 cups thin poha (beaten rice/ flattened rice)
2 tsp mustard seeds
4 tbsp peanuts
4 tbsp dalia (roasted chana dal)
3 tbsp oil
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
7-8 curry leaves
Green chillies (finely chopped) or red chilli powder
1. Put poha in a microwave safe bowl and microwave it for 2 minutes uncovered, stirring after 1 minute. Check if the poha has become crisp, if not cook for 1 more minute.
2. In a mortar using pestle, grind the salt into thin powder.
3. Heat oil in a kadhai/wok. Add mustard seeds. When they pop, add green chillies and curry leaves. Cook for a minute.
4. Add peanuts and dalia. When they turn somewhat brown, add turmeric powder and salt.
5. Add poha and mix quickly. Keep mixing it for 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat.
6. Cool the chivda and store in an airtight container.
Homemade pizza
Everyone in my family prefers homemade pizza over readymade pizza. Not only it’s economical but far healthier and you can control how much cheese or butter goes in it. It doesn’t take much long to prepare pizza at home if you have ingredients at hand.
Recipe of homemade pizza
Makes 2 pizzas
2 ready made pizza bases
Tomato sauce
1/2 cup tomato puree
4 garlic flakes- chopped finely
3 tomatoes- chopped finely
1 tsp oil
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper- to taste
Topping
1 onion- chopped
1 tomato- pulp removed and chopped
1 capsicum (bell pepper) - deseeded and chopped
A few slices of jalapenos
200 gms mozzarella cheese (pizza cheese) - grated
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1. To prepare the tomato sauce, heat oil in a pan and add garlic. Stir for a few seconds and add all the ingredients for sauce. Bring it to a boil. Lower heat and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook till sauce thickens and can be spread without being runny. Turn off the heat.
2. Spread olive oil or melted butter over each pizza base covering the edges.
3. Spread tomato sauce over pizza base.
4. Sprinkle some grated cheese over each base.
5. Sprinkle the vegetable topping.
6. Sprinkle left over cheese. Drizzle some olive oil.
7. Bake at 180 degree C OR 350 Degree F for 15 minutes or until golden and crisp. Serve pizza hot.
sooji kheer
Sooji kheer or suji ki kheer is an almost instant dessert. Today after lunch, I was craving something sweet so within no time, I prepared sooji ki kheer and polished it off as quickly. This kheer can also be called as ‘Rava Payasam’. Sooji ki kheer is also good for infants as it is very light to digest.
Recipe of sooji ki kheer
1 liter milk
3/4 cup sooji (rava/ semolina/ suji)
1/2 cup sugar
A big pinch cardamom (elaichi) powder
Few threads of saffron
Chopped and toasted nuts like cashew nuts, raisins etc.
1. Dry roast sooji in a heavy bottomed pan (kadhai) over medium heat till light brown. Soak the saffron threads in 1 tablespoon milk.
2. Bring the milk to boil. Add sooji little by little, constantly stirring with other hand so that no lumps are formed.
3. Cook over high heat till the mixture begins to thicken. Add sugar and cardamom powder and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add saffron and mix well.
4. Garnish with nuts and serve hot or cold.
Paneer paratha
Paneer paratha is something which is relished by adults and kids alike. It’s a good breakfast option. You can enjoy paneer paratha with some curry or all by itself. It tastes absolutely great and liked especially by paneer lovers.
Recipe of paneer paratha
Filling
100 grams paneer- grated or finely crumbled
3 green chillies- finely chopped
Coriander leaves (cilantro) - finely chopped
1/4 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste
Dough
2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
1/2 tsp salt
1. In a bowl, mix atta with salt. Add water slowly to knead it into smooth, pliable dough. Cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for 1/2 an hour.
2. Mix well all the ingredients of the filling except salt.
3. Take lemon sized ball (peda) from the dough and roll out into a 3 inch round. Grease this round lightly by an oiled spatula.
4. Place 2 tsp paneer filling in the center and add salt to it. Mix. Gather the edges of the round and reshape into a ball. Flatten the ball between your palms.
5. Roll out, dusting with dry flour as needed, into a 6-7 inch round.
6. Heat a griddle (tava) and shallow fry this parantha from both sides applying oil. Cook till golden brown from both sides with brown- black specks in it. Similarly make other paneer parathas. Serve hot paneer paratha with curd or pickle of your choice.
