Bathua ka Paratha

Another recipe with leftovers !! By now most of you would be aware that I tend to add the remaining veggies to make a paratha, so this one is no exception :) ...

Read on for the quick recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins


Ingredients -

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup bathua or chenopodium leaves 
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 2 pinch cumin powder
• 3 tsp oil/white butter 
• salt to taste

Preparation - Blanch the bathua leaves and keep aside to drain excess water.

Add the blanched leaves, crushed garlic flakes, flour, salt, chili powder, cumin powder and 1 tsp oil/butter to the food processor. Blitz it while adding a few teaspoons of water at a time.

When all of it just comes together, take the mixture onto a floured working surface. Knead it into a smooth dough. Rub a little oil all over it and cover with a moist cloth or a bowl. Keep aside for 15-20 mins.

Divide the dough into 3-4 equal portions. Roll out each portion into a circle of about 2-3 mm thick.

Cooking - Heat a non-stick tawa. Put the paratha over it, apply the oil/butter and cook on either side for 2 mins.

Serve hot with some pickle and more white butter (makhan) if you are in the mood for some indulgence.

Top 5 Dessert picks for Valentine's Day !!

Valentine's day might be a fortnight away but the cacophony leading up to this day has started to affect our equilibrium. 'Plan a V-day getaway', 'Treat your loved one to a lavish spread', 'Gift a diamond to your special one' and so on. Makes me wonder if all that marketing hoopla has actually taken the romance out of the day. There is so much pressure to impress, outperform the others and make a statement that people tend to forget that love can happen even over a shared cup of coffee ( or even Chai for tea addicts like me ).

I always prefer to enjoy a special dinner at home on the day. And I ask my husband to help with cooking the non-veg dish as that is what he knows best. A special dessert follows and yes we do exchange gifts if we have had the time to buy some.

Here are some desserts that I would love to make on V-day ( No red strawberries for me ) -

1. Chocolate-Gajar Halwa-Gulkand Truffles

Though time consuming, these pop-in-the-mouth lovelies are worth the effort. A fusion recipe, it combines the best of Western and Indian desserts.

2. Chocolate Kheer

No Valentine's day celebration is complete without chocolates. So, why no incorporate some into another luscious Indian desserts and voila you end up with a double whammy !!


3. Paan and Gulkand Kheer

Another delicious Indian dessert with a quirky twist !! The delicate flavours of the Paan and Gulkand make it utterly irresistible .


4. Shahi Tukda

This royal dessert is perfect for the special day.  Give it a lovely twist by using a cookie cutter to cut out heart shapes from the bread !!

5. Tiramisu

A classic Italian dessert that spells comfort . Add some whipped cream and strawberries to make it even more special !!


Stay tuned as there is more to come .....

Chicken Bharta

Chicken Bharta is one of those easy recipes that taste great even though you do not put too many spices in it. Though it gets a little time consuming as one has to boil the chicken first, carefully shred it once cooled and finally cook it with the spices, tomatoes and egg yolks, the wonderful melt in the mouth texture is worth all that effort. As the meat has been cooked on the bones, it has that wonderful flavour that most boneless chicken recipes lack.

And the best part is that it yields a delicious 'Shorba' or chicken soup as a by-product ( or atleast the stock that you get while boiling the chicken makes the task of preparing a 'Shorba' very easy ). Will get to that recipe soon enough. But first read on the recipe that has been a blockbuster hit with everyone in my house  -

Preparation Time - 40 mins

Ingredients -

For boiling the chicken -

• 200 gm chicken (on the bones)
• 1 small onion (peeled and cut into 4 halves)
• 3-4 garlic flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 4-5 black pepper corns
• pinch of turmeric
• salt to taste

For the final dish -

• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• 1/2 tsp GG paste
• 1/4 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp chicken curry/tandoori chicken masala
• 2 pinch garam masala powder
• 1 medium tomato (finely chopped)
• 2 tbsp yogurt
• 1 tbsp kasuri methi
• 1 boiled egg
• 1 tbsp fresh cream(optional)
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Wash and cook the chicken pieces in a pressure cooker along the the onion, garlic, bay leaf, cinnamon, pepper, turmeric, salt and 2 1/2 cups water.

Allow steam to escape before opening the lid. Strain and keep the stock aside. This can be later made into a shorba.

Carefully shred the chicken into thin long strips. Though it takes time, this step is what gives the wonderfully layered texture to the bharta.

Separate the egg yolk from the white portion.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok.

Add the onions and fry till they start to turn slightly red on the edges. Add the GG paste and stir fry for 2 mins.

Add all the powdered masalas along with 2 tsp water at this stage. Fry for a minute before adding the tomato. Cover with a lid for 1 minute to soften the tomatoes. Fry for another 1-2 minutes before adding the beaten yogurt.

Rub the kasuri methi between palms to warm it up before adding to the chicken.

Finally, when the oil starts to separate from the masala, add the shredded chicken and fry for for 2-3 minutes before adding a little of the stock. Adjust the salt and cover it with a lid. Allow to cook for 5-6 minutes.

Add the mashed egg yolk and cook for 2 minutes before adding the cream and taking it off the flame.

Garnish with the egg white and some cilantro. Serve hot with naan or rotis.

Shalgam Ki Subzi (Turnip Stir Fry)

It is difficult to find 'shalgam' or turnip in Odisha. Alteast ten to fifteen years back, I had never seen the vegetable being sold in the local markets. So, every time I came across this vegetable in Hyderabad or Bangalore, I would think about trying it out. But since I was not too sure about how it needs to be cooked, I kept postponing it till my vegetable lady egged me on to buy some. 'Didi, you can make it like Ol-kopi, they are similar in taste', she told me. And it turned out to be true. At first I had tried a spicier version just like I do it for Kholrabi  (Ol Kopi or Ganthi kobi). The leftover bits went into the 'Sarson ka saag'. The second time I bought the vegetable, I made a simpler version that works well for chapatis.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients - 

• 2 medium sized turnips ( peeled and cut into 3-4 mm thick pieces )
• 1/2 of a small onion
• 1/2 tsp GG paste
• 1 dry red chili
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 pinch garam masala
• 1 large tomato (finely chopped)
• 3 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• cilantro for garnishing (optional)

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the broken red chili and cumin seeds. Once it gets spluttering, add the chopped onion and allow it to turn translucent.

Add the GG paste and fry for 2 mins. Add the tomatoes along with all the powdered spices. Stir fry for couple of minutes till the tomatoes turn mushy and the oil starts to leave.

Add the turnip pieces, mix in and turn up the flame for 2 mins. Add about 1/4 cup water along with the salt. Cook with lid covered for 5-6 mins or till the turnip becomes soft.

Remove from flame and garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot with rotis !!

Check out a spicer version ( Masaledar Shalgam ) here !! ( Prepared it in the same way as I cooked the Kholrabi but did not post a separate recipe )

ASUS is the way to Go !!

It is the morning hour rush. I have to reply to those mails from the sponsors while responding to the multiple queries from the readers. And there are yesterday's posts which need to be shared on multiple social networking sites. All this needs to be done while I prepare breakfast for family and pack a lunchbox for my husband. Talk about multi-tasking. It can be hectic being a lifestyle blogger. But worry not when there is something as versatile and sleek as the ASUS Eeebook X205TS at hand.

Next I find myself stuck in the traffic while driving my kid to school. It is time to catch up with friends and extended family while waiting for the lights to go green. "Hey Rhea Aunty got a new puppy !! Can we too buy one Mama ?", exclaims my 4 year old as he looks a picture that my cousin has shared on FB. I quickly make up an excuse about how his father is allergic to all that fur and close the screen. But not before I have 'Liked' her latest share. People do get offended if they perceive that they are being ignored on a social site. I quickly play a new nursery rhyme that I had downloaded yesterday. It takes care of my restless kid while I drive the remaining distance to his school.

I am back home and now it is time to get down to work. There is a 'Green tea infused Kiwi delight' to be prepared for today's food post. And the latest variant of a 'Ready-to-Eat' brand that needs to be reviewed. As I work on the dessert, I am careful to click the step by step pictures using my ASUS Eeebook. Most readers these days like to get a feel of how the dish shaped up.

Once done, I get back to my desk and switch on my ASUS All In One PC ET2040. There is some heavy duty writing and photo editing to be done for today's posts. The work is done in an hour and my posts are up. I take a fifteen minute break to rustle up some quick pasta with veggies for my lunch. I reach out for my ASUS EeeBook. Even this needs to be shared on my FB page so that my readers get some inspiration to eat healthy. Once lunch gets done, I rush off to pick my kid from school. I do not forget to take my ASUS Eeebook along in case I can manage some spare time.

Kid needs a quick snack once he gets back from school. So, I offer him a sandwich along with some milkshake. The next two hours are his play time and I accompany him to the play area where he can mingle along with other kids and get some fresh air too. Needless to say, the ASUS Eeebook keeps me company while my kid runs around. I quickly surf the net to check out trending food stories and plan out what I need to cook/review for the next day. Another couple of emails are taken care of.

Dinner is being prepared while kid is immersed in his homework. Along from his books, I have made it a habit to teach him through online videos which are colorful and at times interactive. In the meanwhile, husband returns home and it is time for some family bonding. Once dinner is over and the kid is put to bed, he too catches up with his friends using the ASUS Eeebook while I work on the ASUS All In One PC on a new story before we retire to bed.

This post is written for ASUS Eeebook X205AT and ASUS All In One PC ET2040 .

Stupid are the ways of Cupid

Candlelight dinners are passe. Hanging precariously from balconies (a la Romeo) is increasingly out of question what with all the high rises that we live in. These days people are resorting to flash mobs and elaborate set-ups to pop that million dollar question to a loved one.

But mushy romance is not dead. For people like me keep thinking of doing crazy stuff now and then. My story is told in flashback mode, so hold on to your seat belts as I take you back in time.

Countdown begins. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Swoosh.

Year 2009. The pristine white beaches of Goa are witness to many a love stories. And the friendly natives go out of their way to help couple find love in this paradise. It was one such couple whose name was recommended to me by a friend who spent her honeymoon in Goa. But since it was a plan that was a little difficult to execute by myself, I had to rope in a couple of friends too.

A Valentine's day trip to Goa was planned. Once the tickets and hotel reservations had been taken care of, we went about working on the details. And as our plans were very much dependent on the high tide, prayers were sent up to heaven every now and then. Though our to-be hosts had assured us about the punctuality of tide, still I had my fingers crossed.

We reached Goa on Saturday morning and checked into the cottage of our friendly couple. Situated next to the beach, it was the perfect setting for a Valentine's day dinner date. After I had given specific instructions to the couple about the menu that I wanted for V-day dinner, all of us set out to explore the place on our bikes (hired ones to be specific). It was late afternoon by the time we returned. As my then-boyfriend took a siesta ( As a rule, we stop looking into the watch during vacations ), we ventured out to the beach.

The private beach made the task easier for me. A small section of the beach was marked, the trees on which the lights (concealed ones) were to be put were identified and our host volunteered to take care of the music. We planned to split up into two groups on the evening of the big day as everyone wanted the two of us the savor the special moment. I returned to the cottage as our friends and hosts set about with the execution of the surprise. I did not want to be absent for too long in case he got suspicious. From that moment onward, time seemed to pass in a fast-forward mode for me. Everything leading up to that evening remains a hazy memory. Even the flowers and gift that he had got for me did not quite register until later.

The moment finally came. It was a little after sunset and the last golden rays of the sun were kissing the still warm sand. Our hosts had laid out a small table beneath the swaying palm trees. As we walked on the wet sand, the waves gently licked our feet. I noticed that the waves were inching closer to the marked spot and felt my heart beating faster. In another fifteen minutes, it had turned dark and our host switched on the lights and the music started to play. He looked surprised as I suggested that we go and sit down on the table.

As we sipped the delicious cocktail served by our hosts, the waters of the high tide miraculously exposed the heart that had been concealed by the sand. Made with a whole lot of sea shells, it had a red box (also in the shape of a heart) in the center. He smiled as he walked up to it and picked it up. "Open it", I said. It revealed a piece of paper with the words "Will you marry me ?". He looked taken as I asked him if it had stumped him. He took time to reply but finally hugged me and whispered a 'Yes' into my ear. He later told me that among all the surprises that I had sprang on him with my take on gender equality , this one had impressed him the most.

Fast forward. February 14, 2010. Exactly an year later, we got married.


This post is written for Closeup Cupid Games .

Shahi Paneer ( A Truly Royal treat for the taste-buds)

I had not prepared any Panner dish for quite sometime as my husband had got bored with it. So, when I got some from the supermarket last week, I wanted to try out something different from the usual spicy gravies that usually make. After browsing through lots of recipes, I zeroed in on this simple recipe of 'Shahi Paneer' as it looks quite easy and less time consuming. I have avoided tomatoes as I wanted that white look and hence used some extra curd to get that tang into the gravy. But feel free to choose whichever you like.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 30-40 mins

Ingredients -

• 250 gm Malai Paneer
• 1/2 cup thick yogurt
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp kashmiri chili powder
• 1/4 tsp garam masala power
• 1/4 turmeric
• 1 tbsp makhan (white butter)/oil
• a pinch of saffron
• 3 tbsp warm milk
• 2 tsp sugar
• salt to taste

For the gravy -

• 1 medium onion
• 3-4 garlic flakes
• 1 inch long ginger
• 5-6 cashews
• 4-5 almonds
• 3 cloves
• 3 green cardamom
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 2 pinch cumin (jeera)
• 2 pinch shah jeera

Preparation - Soak the saffron in warm milk for 20 mins.

Boil 2 cups water in a small saucepan and add all the ingredients listed  under 'For the gravy' . Let it boil for 10 mins (else you can use a pressure cooker and cook all the ingredients for 2 whistles on a medium flame).

Allow to cool down before straining the water (do not throw). Grind the cooked ingredients into a smooth paste. Keep aside.

Cooking - Heat the white butter / oil in a wok. Add the paste that we have prepared in the previous step. Cook for 5-6 minutes till the oil starts to separate.

Add the coriander powder, chili powder, garam masala and turmeric at this point. Stir fry for 2 mins.

[Note - If you plan to use any tomato puree, add it at this point and cook for 4-5 mins]

Add the yogurt (whisked to break any lumps), strained water, sugar and salt to taste. Boil for 10 mins on a low flame (be careful as it tends to stick to the bottom).

Add the saffron milk and the paneer cubes. Simmer for 2 mins before removing from the flame.

Serve hot with naan or any other Indian bread. Also goes well with white or any mildly flavored rice.

Bathua ka Raita

Simple, flavorsome and easy to make. It is best way to use up any leftover greens after making the 'saag'. Bathua ka raita can be served as a dip and as a simple side dish for those chappatis/parathas, It goes well even with rice, dal and a dry subzi.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup bathua saag (roughly chopped)
• 2/3 cup yogurt
• 1-2 garlic flakes (optional)
• 1/4 tsp roasted cumin-chilli powder
• salt to taste

Preparation - Boil 2 cups water in a saucepan. Add the bathau and let it boil for 1-2 mins. Immediately drain off the water and transfer the greens into a bowl of ice cold water. Remove from the water after 5 mins and put in a colander to drain off excess water.

Transfer it to a blender jar and give it a buzz. Scrape down the sides and add the remaining ingredients to the blender jar itself. Add 2-3 tbsp water and buzz for 3 seconds. Adjust consistency if required.

Pour it into small bowls and serve as a dip/side.

Note - Chill for 10-15 mins for a better flavor. Use up on the same day as it tends to lose flavor is refrigerated overnight..

To make roasted cumin chilli powder, dry roast 2 tsp cumin and 2 dry chilis. Allow to cool down before grinding into a fine powder. Use as required and store the rest in an airtight jar.

Inspirational Talks for the Litterbugs Amongst Us

Remember those days. One came back from school, threw the school bag in one corner, the shoes would be sent flying in different directions with one landing on the TV stand while the other lodged itself underneath the sofa. And the socks ? Must have shoved them under the carpet or under some cushion or maybe into the flower vase. The same story was repeated with the toys which wound up in each nook and corner of the house once one was done playing with them.

However, everything was back in order the next day even though one did not have to lift as much as a finger. Before one attributes this miracle to the higher powers, I, the Great Indian Litterbug must give due credit to the one superpower that I possess, the Great Indian Mother ( Now don't they keep quoting "Mere pass Maa hai" which translates into ' I have my Mother' in those Bollywood blockbusters ). Programmed to clean up every mess and if required, even own up to the messy act in the first place, she makes sure that I can get ahead in life without having to shoulder any responsibility.

Whether is it threatening the parents of my classmate (who nose I incidentally broke), fighting with my geography teacher for extra marks ( I did mark the capital of Namibia on the map...just that it was a centimeter off), rebuffing my numerous girlfriends (who had anyways got too clingy for comfort) and even heckling my wife (and her parents), she has the multitasking abilities that can put even a Lumia/Galaxy/iPhone 6 to shame.

Secure in this knowledge, I step out of the house into the outside world. I can happily continue with my ways while someone else takes care of setting things right. 'What if it is beyond the reach of her powers?',  some skeptical folks may question. Worry not, for the mother of all mothers, our very own Mother India aka 'Bharat Mata' is there to take care of matters through her appointed servants (I do pay tax, don't I ?). These are the people who pick up the wrappers, bottles, cans, etc from the streets/parks after I am done with the obligatory duty of feeding myself. They even clean up the beautiful red graffiti that I have put on the walls with my paan-staking effort (nobody appreciates art these days, do they ?). If you happen to remain skeptical, let me inform you that they are even running a campaign called the 'Swacch Bharat' to clean up after me (and the millions of others like me). But what I cannot understand is why they chose someone like Amitabh Ji to be the face of the campaign. Wouldn't it have been better if they had appointed his wife instead ? After all, cleaning up after her son is part of the legacy that a mother-in-law passes on to her daughter-in-law.


This post is written for The Great Indian Litterbug, which is an initiative by The Times of India and is brought to us by IndiChange.

Kolotho Dalma (Coastal Odisha Special)

In Coastal Odisha, if you happen to cook any lentil with vegetables, you end up with a dish that is suffixed with a 'dalma'. So, when I decided to add some veggies to my regular horsegram dal recipe (a western odisha version and my personal favorite), I had to peddle it as 'dalma' to please my husband who is rather fond of this particular category. While there are different versions of the recipe favored by different households, I have used the recipe provided by my mother in law who prefers to ditch the 'ambula' or dried mango / tamarind in favor of an overload of country tomatoes.

It is a very healthy and delicious recipe that provides a good dose of protein and fiber in one go. A word of gentle caution though. Since it is a winter recipe that is used to keep the body warm in the chilly weather, it is best to avoid consuming the lentil frequently during the summer months. However, one can continue to drink the water that is obtained by soaking the lentils overnight as it is perceived to be a cure for kidney and gall bladder stones.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20-25 mins

Ingredients -

• 2/3 cup kolotho/horse gram (lightly roasted & broken)
• 1/4 cup baigana/eggplant (cubed)
• 1/4 cup saru/taro (cut into roundels)
• 1/4 cup pumpkin (cubed)
• 1/4 cup green papaya (cubed)
• 1 drumstick ( cut into 2 inch pieces )
• 1 small potato (cubed)
• 2-3 big ripe tomatoes (roughly chopped)
• 1/2 tsp pancha phutana (mix of fenugreek, cumin, mustard, nigella & fennel seeds)
• 4-5 garlic flakes
• 3-4 dry red chilis
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 3 tsp rice bran oil
• 1/3 turmeric
• salt to taste

Cooking - Wash and cook the kolotho in a pressure cooker with 2 cups water, salt and turmeric. Allow for 2-3 whistles. Remove from flame and allow steam to escape.

Open the lid and add the vegetables (except tomatoes) before closing it once again. Cook for 1 whistle on high flame. Remove from flame and keep aside till steam escapes.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan. Add the chopped tomatoes, sprinkle a little salt and cook till they become mushy. Add the tomatoes to the contents of the pressure cooker. Put the cooker back on the flame. Adjust the consistency of the dalma by adding some hot water if required.

Heat the remaining oil in a tempering pan. Add the pancha phutana, broken red chilis and curry leaves. Allow it to splutter before pouring it over the dalma.

Serve hot with some white rice and a light stir fry.

Click here for other recipes with horse gram.

Two Step Chicken Curry (An easy chicken recipe)

Sometimes we are too tired to cook up a decent meal and yet are in no mood to order anything from outside. A piping hot chicken curry with some white rice/roti can save the day for the non-veg lovers amongst us. This curry is one of the easiest and tastiest ones that I have ever made. I have christened it as 'Two-step chicken curry' partly due to lack of any imagination and partly because it is a lazy curry that can be made in two steps.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20-25 mins

Ingredients -

• 500 gm chicken pieces
• 1 medium sized onion (roughly chopped)
• 1 small tomato (roughly chopped)
• 12-14 garlic flakes
• 1 1/2 inch ginger (chopped into small pieces)
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)
• 2 inch long cinnamon stick
• 3 nos green cardamom
• 2/3 tsp cumin seeds
• 4-5 dry red chillis ( low to medium heat Kashmiri or Byadgi chilli )
• 3 tsp oil
• 1/3 tsp turmeric
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp vinegar

Preparation - De-seed the dry chillis and soak them with vinegar and 2-3 tbsp hot water for 2 hours. Drain off the liquid and grind the chilies with 6-7 garlic flakes.

Grind the onion, ginger, 6-7 garlic flakes, tomato, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin seeds and coriander leaves into a fine paste.

Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly and marinate them with the above paste, salt and turmeric. Allow to rest for 30 mins.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the chicken along with the marinade liquid (if any). Stir on high flame for 2-3 mins. Then reduce the flame and allow it to cook (without lid) till the  chicken is almost done (95 % cooked). 

Finally add the chili-garlic paste and stir fry on high for 1 min. Then add 2/3 - 1 cup boiling water, cover with a lid and allow to boil for 2 mins before switching off.

Serve hot with rotis/white rice/jeera rice.