What a week it was, hectic! Middle of the quarter means that I go to work early, come back late and look for short cuts in the kitchen and on a day like this what more can I ask for when Charit says he is making Pitas for dinner, I know I am blessed!

I had a veggie filling while the boys ordered Chicken tikka for their pitas  “All is well” ringing in my mind.

Honestly, the last thing I wanted to do was take pictures of the tempting Pita before gobbling it up. As always we got the wheat Pitas from the supermarket and this was easy, simple, healthy (cut the mayonnaise and cheese out) You can play with the stuffing- sprouts, cheese, hummus, something spicy like paneer tikka…can go on.

Ingredients

Hung Curd- 500 gms

Finely Chopped Vegetables (carrots, spring onions, tomatoes, capsicum, Cucumber, Coriander, Lettuce Leaf, cabbage and any vegetable of your choice)

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Paste

Falafal (recipe here)

Mix the chopped veggies with hung curd and add salt and pepper as per your taste. You can add mayonnaise also to it.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Heat pitas in the oven until they are warm.  Place warm pitas on individual plates. Now place the hot falafels and hung curd veggies mix inside the Pita pockets

To prevent the Pitas from getting soggy, assemble the pita just before you eat it.

Yummy delight is ready!

Moon Daal Vadi & Alu Sabzi

Moong Dal Vadis are very popular in north India, Mom used to make the Vadis at home, but Moms are  Moms and here is to both my Mom & Mom in Law- you guys are awesome! Happy Mother’s Day to both of you!

Charit picked these Vadis up, they are his favorite and there is no way I was going wrong with this one on a Sunday!

Ingredients-

Moong Daal Vadiya – 100 – 125 grams

Potatoes- 2- chopped medium size

2 tbsp ghee/ oil as preferred

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 Onions- Chopped/puree (Preferable Puree)

Ginger paste- 1 tsp; 6 – 7 garlic cloves paste,

1 medium size tomatoes Chopped/puree (Preferable Puree)

Chili powder to taste

1 tsp garam masala;  2-3 tsp coriander powder;

Salt to taste

Curd- 1 tbsp

Chopped Corriander

Method-

In a pan take a Tbsp oil, heat it and fry the vadis until they are golden brown. This is must or else might not stay crisp once pressure cooked.

To make the tadka, heat the ghee or oil in a heavy pan until hot, and add cumin seeds- once they crackle add the pureed onions and sauté them until they are golden brown and fried properly, this will take about 10-15 minutes. Now add the garlic and ginger paste and fry for another five to ten minutes. You can add a tbsp water if the gravy starts sticking to the pan at any point.

Now add the pureed tomatoes and stir for about fifteen minutes until the tomato is soft and cooked.  Also add – the chili powder, coriander powder,  & garam masala when you are adding the tomato puree. Stir and let it cook for approximately 15 minutes. Now add the beaten curd followed by salt.  Add little water for the gravy, bring this to boil . Next, transfer this to a pressure cooker and add the moong vadi and chopped potatoes. Bring it to boil and cook it until whistle 4-5 times. Add the cream and garnish with chopped coriander.

There you are!  Serve with hot Chapattis, Parathas, Rice  or any bread of your choice.

My father in law is an excellent cook …Charit is the same and hopefully Arnav also has it in his genes. The best thing about his cooking style is- he keeps it simple, easy and outcome is delicious. I can’t count the number of times I have come back from work and binged on delicious snacks he keeps ready for me. My mother in law also has this thing; anything that’s cooked when I am at work- she will make it a point to keep some of it aside before hand and when I am back- she will serve it. I am lucky!

Papa made these wonderful Alu Kachodis on Holi- we had a feast! The sad part was I had to go to work after having these, sad…Nevertheless here is the recipe, straight from him!

Ingredients : (Makes – 20-24 Kachoris)

Boiled Potatoes- 6-7 Medium size

Salt as per taste

Green Chillies- Finely chopped

Fennel/Saunf- 1.5 tsp

1 tsp Cumin seeds (Jeera)

3 tsp coriander seeds (saboot dhania) – semi crushed

Oil for frying and dough

500 gms All purpose flour (maida)

Water For the dough

Method:

For the filling-

Add cumin seeds (jeera) & crushed coriander seeds, salt, saunf/fennel seeds and green chillies to boiled potatoes. Mix and mash well.

Mix maida, salt (or as per taste-just for the dough) and 4 tablespoon oil to form stiff dough. Beat the dough on the kitchen platform to make it stretchable and smoother. This should be made 2 hours prior to making Kachoris.

Preparation-

Make small balls out of dough and the stuffing separately.

Take a small piece of dough, press it nicely and flatten it on the palms, such that the dough is thinner towards the circumference, put  the stuffing mixture (gathered into a ball) and wrap it back carefully into a ball of maida. When you wrap it twist the dough nicely in the center. Packing back is similar to doing a stuffed Paratha, just that this is smaller and you have to be more dexterous with your hands. Take extra care to leave no open ends while wrapping it back.

Flatten it again with the palm of your hands. The Stuffing is equally distributed now.

When you put them in oil, it is ok to let the oil be medium hot- as soon as you put the kachoris- immediately increase the heat- that helps make the dough rise and the Kachoris are crispy.

After a bit, decrease the heat and let them fry until they are crisp and golden brown.

Take a wooden spatula to move around the kachoris when frying them.

Serve it with Dhania (coriander) chutney and enjoy! :-)

Sometimes I don’t want to make or have Chapatti, Arnav & Charit don’t want to have Daal Chawal, we want to have something different and yet don’t want to dine out or order- we want to keep it light. What do you do then? Experiment- make it an “easy experiment”. So we threw these vegetables with the rice and just adding lemon juice to it made difference to this one- try it and you will be pleasantly surprised!

Ingredients

Rice- 1 Bowl- Cook and keep aside.

Onions- 2 small- sliced long

Tomatoes- 2 small sliced long

Boiled Corn- 1 Bowl

Capsicum- Red Yellow & Green- sliced into long strips

Boiled Peas – ½ Bowl

Sliced Green Chilies- 1-2 – optional

Lemon juice- 3 tsp

Salt as per taste

Cumin seeds & Mustard Seeds- 1 tsp each

Cream- 1 Tbsp- optional

Oil- 1 Tbsp

Chopped coriander

Method-

In a sauce pan, heat oil, now add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Once the cumin & mustard seeds crackle, add the chopped onions.  Let them fry until they are is golden brown, now add the chopped tomatoes and stir on regular intervals.  Add the chopped capsicum. Once the capsicum is cooked, add corn & peas and tbsp cream too at this stage but it is completely up to you- can be skipped.

Now add cooked rice, salt, stir. Now add lemon juice and coriander.  Something different yet tangy and tasty is ready!

Once done take if off the heat.  Serve it with plain curd or raita.

Mangode! Remind me of the evenings that I spend in Indore with family, snacking on the terrace and talking random stuff with Jayant Da, Charit & his parents. The more you eat these mangodas the more random the conversation…don’t ask me the link between the two. Just goes in our family

We made them at home yesterday and they came out so well! Some days are just perfect Thanks for the recipe Renu Kaki, undoubtedly you are one of the best cooks in the family!

This one is very simple and quick to make, a snack that will please everyone!

Here it goes-

2 bowls chilke wali moong daal (Split Green Gram)

1 bowl chana daal (Bengal Gram)

Half bowl urad daal (Split Black Grams)

Cumin Seeds- 1-2 tsp

Turmeric Powder

Corriander Seeds 1 Tbsp- slightly crushed- hammer in a sealed bag

Salt & Red Chilli as per taste

Chopped Corriander

Ginger Paste & finely chopped green chillies

Method -

Wash & soak the lentils for 4-5 hours. Strain the water after 5 hours.

Grind with very little water (lesser the water- more crisp the fritters) Keep it slightly coarse- not too fine, else mangode or the fritters will not be very crispy. Add cumin seeds, crushed coriander seeds (a bit) salt, ginger paste, green chillies,  red chilli powder, turmeric powder.

Once the batter is ready, heat oil in deep pan, take a spoonful  of mixture and slide into the hot oil. Fry on medium flame till dark in colour and crisp .Serve hot with Coriander Chutney and enjoy!

Ingredients-

Baby potatoes (you can use small potatoes as well)- 18 to 20

Oil to deep frying

Mustard Oil- 2 Tbsp

Cumin seeds- 2 teaspoon

Clove Powder or 3-4 cloves

Cardamom- 3-4

Asafoetida- a pinch

Ginger Paste-   2 tsp

Whisked Curd – 2 Cups

Kashmiri red chilli powder – 3 tsp or as per taste

Cumin powder –  1-2 teaspoon

Coriander powder- 1 tablespoon

Fennel seed (saunf) powder- 1 tablespoon

Turmeric powder- 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Garam masala powder  1 teaspoon

Fresh coriander leaves – chopped

Method-

Peel, wash and prick potatoes all over with the help of a fork. Now soak them in salted water for twenty minutes. Drain and wipe dry. Heat sufficient oil for deep frying in a saucepan and deep-fry the potatoes on medium heat till they are golden brown. Drain on paper towels and keep aside.

Heat mustard oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom seeds and asafoetida and cook on medium heat till the cumin seeds crackle and change colour. Add ginger paste and sauté for a minute. Add a little water and stir. Add whisked curd. Now add red chilli powder, garam masala, fennel seed powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and a little water and stir. Let it cook for 5 minutes. Add fried potatoes and stir to mix well. Add little water and cover with a lid and cook for another 10 minutes. Add more water if required and salt (salt towards end). Take off the cover, simmer for five minutes or till the potatoes absorb the gravy. Remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Chapatis (Indian bread) or Naan (Tandoor-roasted Indian bread)

Cracker Snack

We had this amazing snack at our friend’s place- quick to prepare and loved by kids and adults, what more can one ask for! Thanks for this recipe Priya We tried it at home and they were yummy & so easy to make.

Here is how it goes-

Ingredients-

Britannia Cream Crackers (1 packet- 10 – 12 biscuits)

Hung Curd- 2 tbsp

Mayo- 1 tbsp

Mustard sauce- ½ tbsp

Steamed Corn- ~ 2 tbsp

Finely chopped capsicum- half the amount of corn

Method

Take hung curd, add mayo, mustard sauce. Whip it nicely so that if forms a smooth uniform mix. Now add corn and chopped capsicum. Mix it well and spread over the biscuits just before you’d want to serve them. Now- sit back munch on and enjoy everybody relish it!

Usal Served with Chapatti and Sev

,

Usal is a sprout based fiery dish. It can be dry or made with gravy. Amazingly flavorful, one can have it with Poha, Chapattis, Rice or Pooris.

One of the best things to eat in Indore is ‘Usal Pohe’ and it has been a long time since I had it ….so when my husband kept on mentioning how he enjoyed Usal Poha on one of his recent trips to Indore…I ended up craving for ‘usal’ No worries, there is always a work around- I tried making it at home- with gravy. We enjoyed it with Chapattis this time & next time it is going to be Usal Poha!

Easy and quick to make, here is what it takes-

Ingredients:

Sprouts: 250 ms

Cottage Cheese- 150 gms- cut into cubes

2-3 medium sized onions finely chopped

2 tomatoes finely chopped.

Ginger Garlic paste- 2 tsp

Coriander Seeds- 3 tsp- Crushed

Chili powder- as per taste, though this dish can use more of it

Garam Masala- 1.5 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil- 2 Tbsp (This dish uses more oil- you can use lesser if you prefer that)

Cumin seeds (Zeera) 1 tsp

Chopped Coriander

Method

Pressure cook the sprout beans until cooked (3 whistles approx.)

In a sauce pan, add oil, add the cumin seeds, once they splutter, add the onions, fry them until they turn transparent and now add the ginger garlic paste. Fry on slow for 5-10 minutes until the onions are golden brown. Now add the finely chopped tomatoes and the spices. Fry for another 7-8 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked not add the steamed sprouts with the broth/stock and additional water for gravy. Add the Paneer cubes.

Let this simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve with hot Chapattis or Poori or Poha! If you have sev at home, Usal and sev go very well together.

Enjoy!

Baked Macaroni

Baked Macaroni

This one definitely is not for the calorie conscious, but once in a while it is good to indulge! Like we did recently

Here is how the recipe for baked macaroni goes:

Ingredients-

1  package macaroni (~250 gms)

Butter- 4 Tbsp

All Purpose Flour (Maida)- 4 Tbsp

1 – 1.5 cup milk

1 cup cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Method

Preheat oven to 250°C – ~ 450°F.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add macaroni in it drain & rinse according to package directions; set aside.

Now melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour mixed with salt and pepper, using a whisk to stir until well blended. Pour milk and cream in gradually; stirring constantly. Boil it for 3-5 minutes (stirring constantly). Reduce heat and cook 10 minutes as you stir it.

Add shredded cheese gradually and let it simmer an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Take it off heat. Add macaroni to this. Now transfer macaroni to a buttered baking dish.

Bake for 20 minutes until the top is golden brown. Serve with Garlic Sticks or Buttered toast.

You can add olive oil with butter.

If you like garlic flavor or veggies, you can heat additional butter in a separate saucepan and add garlic paste, fry it and add veggies to this and cook them. You can add this to the cooked pasta and sauce in the baking dish.

Pizza is ready!

Let me start by wishing everyone a very Happy Independence Day! I had a very nice time attending the Flag Hoisting ceremony at my son’s school. It is amazing to see these young kids render the National Song so melodiously and remember our freedom fighters. Love you guys!

Now over to the Pizza….back in the times, Mom used to make Pizzas for me and Bro, she still does….:-) and those pizzas were our special treat. We’d be so excited about a ‘Pizza Party’. She’d make the sauce at home and the pizza base too. I am not half as good as her…so  I get the base from the super market and well sauce…..and well with a lot of cheese and some seasoning, sauce is optional.

We make the pizza in a very simple way, it comes out so delicious, try it and you’d go for it again and again!

Ingredients & Method

Pizza Base (Thin Crust)

Onion, Capsicums, Tomatoes – finely chopped. Mix these in a bowl and add salt as per taste.

Garlic finely chopped (optional) add to the above mixture.

Pizza Seasoning- Oregano

Mozzarella or Processed Cheese

Ghee (Clarified Butter)- 1-2 tsp per pizza

Spread some ghee on the pizza base. Now spread the mixed vegetables evenly over this. Grate the cheese generously

Heat the oven to 225 C and place the pizzas for twenty minutes. Done!

Tips:

You can have additional topping of your choice- you can zucchini, chicken tikka, chicken sausages, paneer cubes (cottage cheese)  or pepperoni.

If you don’t have pizza base at home, you can also use Bread- Brown Bread or any other bread of your choice….comes out equally delicious.

And the most important thing- the man in your house can make this simple pizza himself, ask him to do it for you, in my case, I don’t have to ask, my man makes them perfect!