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Showing posts with label breakfast recipe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breakfast recipe. Show all posts

Monday, June 13, 2016

Oats Chia Pudding

"Did you start taking Amla juice ?"

"Hey what about those yoga classes you were planning to join ?"

"Did you buy that wheat grass powder ? "

"You on started drinking Women's Horlicks . Do you find any difference in your energy levels ?"

"Are you using Olive oil for everyday cooking ?"

Women chatter. Having done with kids and husbands, the female conversation inadvertently steers towards the topic of eating and staying healthy. Most of us are fighting an everyday battle in terms of balancing taste with nutrition. And since we tends to relegate our own needs in favor of those of our spouse or the kids, the results are all too visible. Weight gain and dipping energy levels are some of the most common issues faced by women post their thirties. But ask anyone of them if they are doing anything about it, and the most common response would be " I do not find the time. "

While it is very much true that the household work load distribution ratio in India is very much skewered, there are some simple changes that can be brought about in one's lifestyle. Start with eating the right kind of breakfast. Usually I find women eating breakfast all too late or eating too much of carbs or fat and rarely any fruit. Hence, this is one area where we can definitely improve upon.

And an overnight Oats Chia seeds pudding with a serving  of fruit is definitely one step up the hierarchy of good health. Oats, Chia seeds, milk, yogurt, almonds and fruit make it the most complete and balanced kind of meal that can replenish the depleting sugar levels and keep one going for hours. Plus it is ridiculously easy to put together and can be have had out of jar even as you go about the house pulling out socks and books from the unlikeliest of places.

Read on for the super easy recipe -





























Preparation Time - 5 mins

Ingredients -


  • 3/4 cup oats 
  • 2 tsp chia seeds
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tbsp yogurt
  • 2 pinch nutmeg (optional but recommended
  • 2-3 drops vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp chopped almonds
  • 1 serving of fruit ( apple/banana/strawberry/mango or anything one likes )
  • 1 tsp sugar or 1 tsp honey


Preparation - Take a jar or a small glass. Pour in 3/4 cup milk, yogurt, almonds, nutmeg and most of sugar/honey. Mix well and the add the oats. Let it sit for 10 mins.

Mix the remaining milk with vanilla extract, a few drops of honey and the chia seeds. Pout it over the soaked oats. Close it and pop it into the fridge. Leave overnight.

Let it stand at room temperature for about 30 mins to 1 hour in the morning before consumption. Top it with chopped fruits of your choice ( you would be having some left after adding them to the kid's cornflakes or making a fruit chaat for husband's lunchbox) and eat.































Note - Soak about 25-30 almonds overnight. Drain and wash them under running water. Peel and chop up into small pieces. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge and add 2 tsp to your Oats-Chia pudding everyday. The overnight soaking process stimulates the production of enzymes in the almonds and hence one gets the maximum benefit of consuming them.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Garlic French Toast

Most of the times I am in a tearing hurry during the breakfast hours. Getting my son ready for school and packing his tiffin-box takes top priority closely followed by supervising all the cleaning stuff done by the maid. And in the midst of all this madness, I also try to get lunch ready, run the washing machine and finish writing my blog posts. Little wonder that a lazy breakfast while catching up on the morning news becomes a luxury. I blindly gobble up the stuff along my second cup of tea (without sugar hopefully) for the day. But on the days when the workload is less, I prefer to make something nice for myself. This recipe is one of those rare indulgences.

Read on -




















Preparation Time - 10 mins

Ingredients -


  • 2 slices of bread (cut diagonally)
  • 1 egg + 1 egg white
  • 4 tbsp milk
  • 2-3 garlic cloves
  • 2 pinch paprika (optional)
  • 2-3 tsp grated Amul cheese (optional)
  • 1 tsp fried oregano
  • salt to taste
  • butter for frying the bread



Preparation - Take the eggs in a mixing bowl along with the milk and salt. Grate the garlic into it. Whisk together.

Cooking - Heat the butter in a pan. Dip the bread triangles into the batter and place on the pan.

Flip over once the bottom side is cooked. Sprinkle some cheese over the top along with a bit of oregano (rub it between your palms first). The heat should be sufficient to melt the cheese. Remove from the pan once closed.

Repeat for the remaining slices. Enjoy with a cup of coffee.




















Note - Always use bread slices that are on the thicker side. This way it will absorb sufficient batter.

Monday, September 1, 2014

Potato Sandwich ( With Honey-Mustard-Mayo sauce)

An easy sandwich thrown together in a jiffy when I am not in the mood to cook. That is how I would describe this. Some boiled potato sitting in the fridge was the starting point. Seasoning it with salt and pepper and layering with some onion and tomato slices, I realized that it was missing that oomph thing. Raided the fridge once again and came up with a bottle of mayo, mustard sauce and a Tabasco sauce. Did not want any tomato ketchup as I was anyways using fresh tomatoes. Decided to go ahead with a mayonnaise-mustard sauce combo but decided to sweeten things a bit as it tasted a bit too tart. Added a spoonful of honey which beautifully balanced the flavours of the sauce. Giving in to my cravings, add some cheese to the sandwich and I had the ultimate comfort food at hand.

Read on for the recipe -


















Preparation Time - 10 mins ( as I had the boiled potatoes at hand )

Ingredients -

  • 3 slices of sandwich bread
  • 1/2 grated boiled potato
  • a few slices of onion
  • a few slices of tomato
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp mustard sauce
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 3 tbsp grated cheese
  • freshly ground pepper
  • salt to taste


Preparation - Lightly toast the bread slices.

Mix the mayo, mustard sauce and honey in a bowl.

Season the grated potato with some salt and pepper.

Take one bread slice. Cover it with the mayo-mustard-honey sauce and then layer the potato over it. Cover it with another slice. Place the onion and tomato slices over it. Sprinkle grated cheese, salt and pepper. Close with the last slice. Gently press and cut diagonally with a sharp knife.

Serve immediately ( or cover tightly with a foil wrap and put in the kids lunch box ).



Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Mooli ka Parantha ( Radish Paratha )

This North Indian specialty hardly needs an introduction. Flavorsome mooli paranthas accompanied with an achar are mostly consumed in the winter months.

While most folks usually cook the grated mooli with a whole lot of masalas before using it as a filling, I prefer to incorporate it directly into the dough. It is healthier and definitely lower in calories. Adding a little yogurt in this case also helps to mellow down the pungency of the radish (but do remember to squeeze out all the water before you add yogurt else the dough will turn soggy). Read on for the easy recipe -





Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -


  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup grated mooli (radish)
  • a fistful od finely shredded radish leaves (optional)
  • 1 tbsp hung curd
  • 1/3 tsp chili powder (or finely chopped green chilis)
  • a pinch of turmeric
  • a pinch of roasted cumin powder
  • a pinch of garam masala
  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
  • salt to taste
  • ghee/oil for cooking the paranthas



Preparation - Add salt to the grated radish and keep aside for 30 mins. Then squeeze out all the water from the radish.

Take in a mixing bowl and add the rest of the ingredients except for the ghee. Mix everything into a dough. If it happens to be too sticky/wet , dust some more flour.

Divide the dough into 4-5 portions and shape each into a thick disc.

Dust a working surface with flour and roll out the disc into a thick circle.

Cooking - Heat a pan/tawa. Put the rolled out circle on it.

Wait for 20-30 seconds before flipping it over. Drizzle ghee from the sides and press down lightly with a spatula. Flip it over once again and add some more ghee on the sides.

Cook on both sides on a medium flame till small brown spots appear. Remove from pan/tawa and keep aside.

Repeat for the remaining discs.

Serve hot with pickle.


Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Overnight Oats and Sago (No cooking required)

How many times have you skipped eating breakfast at home just because felt lazy to cook someting in the mornings ? Quite a few of us would have done so. But in most cases it makes us hungry and we end up gorging on something unhealthy by noon. Which is a double whammy when you are trying to lose weight !!

Overnight oats is just what the doctor prescribed for such days. Easy breezy recipe that requires no cooking. One just needs to take the trouble of measuring out the oats into a bowl and covering it with milk before popping it into the fridge for the night.

I decided to add some sago to the oats as I am very fond of soaked sago. It is quite popular in Odisha to soak the sago and then eat it milk, yogurt, sugar/jaggery, fruits or sweetened boondi on fasting 'vrat' days.But I sometimes have it on regular days too. Read on for more info on this interesting dish -

















Preparation time - 5 mins

Ingredients -

  • 2/3 cup rolled/instant oats
  • 1/3 cup fine sago (subudana)
  • 1 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup yogurt
  • 1 small banana/ half of an apple/ 1 kiwi
  • few dried cranberries
  • 7-8 almonds
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp honey


Preparation - Take the oats and sago in a bowl. Add sugar and 1 cup milk to the same bowl. It should be sufficient to cover the oats and sago. Keep it in the fridge for the night.

Also soak the almonds separately in a cup of water. Peel and chop them in the morning.

Take out the bowl in the morning. Add the cut fruit of you choice along with the yogurt, cranberries and almonds.

Drizzle with honey.

Dig in.

















Note - One can omit the sago if one doe not like/prefer it.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Vegetable Daliya ( Vegetables with cracked wheat )

A very simple and nutritious daliya recipe that I made for my son. Apart from the regular vegetables, one can also add some sweet corn/baby corn and colorful peppers to give the dish a visual lift. I have kept the spice level low as it is intended for toddlers but one can add more for that extra zing.

Read on for the recipe -



















Preparation Time - 25 mins

Ingredients -



  • 1 cup daliya or cracked wheat ( used Patanjali brand )
  • 1 1/2 cup assorted vegetables ( carrot, cauliflower, french beans, peppers, sweet corn, beetroot, potato )
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 small tomato
  • 1/5 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/6 tsp coriander powder
  • a pinch of cumin powder
  • a pinch of turmeric
  • a pinch of cumin seeds
  • 2 1/2 tsp ghee (Patanjali brand)
  • 1 tsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • coriander for garnishing



Preparation - Heat a frying pan. Add 1 tsp ghee followed by the daliya. Roast for 5-6 minutes on medium heat.
Remove and keep aside.

Chop the onion and tomato into small pieces.

All the vegetables should also be chopped into tiny pieces if they are to be pan cooked. Bigger sizes are Ok for pressure cooking.

Cooking - Take the roasted daliya in a cooker. Add 4  cups warm water and salt to taste. Close lid and cook for 3-4 whistles. Remove from flame and keep aside till steam escapes.

Heat  the oil and 1/2 tsp of ghee in a wok. Add the cumin seeds and allow to pop.

Add and fry till translucent.

Add the vegetables along with salt, turmeric, chilli powder, cumin power and coriander powder. Mix well and fry for a few minutes till vegetables are cooked through. (Sprinkle some water and cover with a lid for faster cooking)

Finally add the tomatoes and allow them to soften a bit. Now add the cooked daliya and mix thoroughly. Cook for a few minutes more so that the flavors are properly assimilated into the daliya. Remove from flame and keep covered for 4-5 minutes.

Sprinkle remaining ghee and coriander leaves. Serve hot.


















 Note - One can add some more hot water during the last stages of cooking to thin the consistency further. This is especially good for younger kids ( less than 1.5 years of age ) as they tend to swallow rather than chew down their food. One should also pressure cook the vegetables before combining with the cooked daliya for such toddlers.

Friday, May 2, 2014

Khoya Paratha

If there is one food hotspot of India that gets featured over and over on television, its the -'Paranthe wali gali' in Delhi. Ofcourse the 'Khao Gali' in Mumbai comes close. Or maybe its a tie between the two for the Numero Uno position. I guess it just depends on how many times an individual has caught it on television. But coming back to the 'Paranthe Wali gali', the last time I caught it on TV inspired me to try out atleast a dozen of the varities described. Some really sounded exotic like this 'Khoya parantha'.







Preparation Time - 12-15 mins

Ingredients -


  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat atta
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened khoya
  • 1/4 cup chopped raisins and cashews
  • 2-3 tsp sugar
  • salt to taste
  • milk for kneading the dough (optional)
  • 3-4 tsp oil or ghee for frying the Paranthas


Preparation - Take the dough on a kneading plate/ wide vessel. Sprinkle salt and mix in.

Add milk little by little and make a smooth and soft dough. Apply little oil or cling film over the dough and keep aside.

Cooking - Heat a frying pan. Add 1/2 tsp oil/ghee. Add the raisins and cashews and fry for 10-15 seconds.

Next add the crumbled khoya and fry till it turns light brown in color. Sprinkle sugar and cook on low flame till sugar melts in. Switch off flame and keep aside.



















Pinch small balls out of the dough and roll into small circles. Place a little of the khoya mixture over one circle and apply little water around its circumference. Put another circle over it and press lightly to close the ends.

Heat a flat tawa and place the parantha over it. Drizzle ghee/oil and cook on medium flame till little brown spots appear. Flip over to the other side and add some more ghee/oil. Cook till brown spots appear and then remove from tawa.

Repeat for the remaining paranthas.

Serve as it is or with some sweet / savoury side dish. ( This is usually accompanied by 'kele ki chutney' in Paranthe Wali Gali. Will post the recipe soon. )



















Note - Any leftover khoya mixture can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for upto a month (as per my experience). No need to warm it before using. It reverts to its original texture as it gets cooked with the paranthas.


Saturday, April 19, 2014

Gobi and Chenna Paratha

When the kids start school, one invariably runs out of options for the tiffin/lunchbox sooner or later. With time being a constraint and junk not a healthy option, a variety of parathas/upmas and sandwiches are the best alternatives available to working mothers. This is one such 'Paratha' that is filled with the goodness of cauliflower and chenna(panner). Best part is that it takes very less time to make and can also be made in the microwave (Just brush on some oil on the rolled out paratha and place it in the microwave for 2 mins) .

Read on for the easy recipe-






Preparation Time - 15-20 mins

Ingredients -

  • Whole wheat flour ( 1 1/2 cups)
  • chenna ( 1/3 cup )
  • cauliflower florets (1/2 cup)
  • onion ( 1 small, chopped )
  • coriander leaves ( 1 tbs, chopped )
  • cumin powder ( 1/5 tsp )
  • red chilli powder ( 1/5 tsp )
  • salt to taste
  • oil/ghee ( 2 tsp )
  • warm ghee ( 1/2 tsp ).


Preparation - Boil water in a saucepan. Add salt and a little turmeric. Add cauliflower florets and boil for 3-4 mins. Drain and transfer to a bowl containing cold water. Allow to stand for 2 -3 mins. Darin excess water. Buzz in a hand blender/food processor for 1 minute along with the chenna to get a coarse mix.

Take the flour in a plate. Rub in the warm ghee.

Add the chopped onion, chenna, cauliflower paste, cumin powder, red chilli powder, coriander and salt. Mix well. Add water little by little to get a stiff dough as the chenna and cauliflower also have quite a bit of moisture. Cover with moist cloth and keep aside for 15 mins.

Make 4-5 balls out of the dough. Roll out the balls into parathas/circles.

Cooking- Heat a non-stick tawa. Put one paratha, add little ghee/oil and cook for 1-2 minutes. Flip and add some more oil/ghee. Cook till done.

Repeat for the other parathas as well.



















Note - Skip the chenna or replace with some grated silken tofu for a vegan version.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Lobiya Usal (Black Eyed Beans curry)

Have been experimenting with 'Lobiya'/'Chawli' or Black eyed beans in recent times. This Maharashtrian Usal recipe was one of them which proved to be a big hit with the family. Had it with some bread (did not have pav in stock).

Read on for the recipe:


















Preparation Time - 40 mins

Ingredients-

1 cup black eyed beans
1 medium + 1 small sized onion
3-4 garlic cloves
1/2 inch ginger
2 tbsp freshly grated coconut
1 tbsp desiccated coconut (optional)
1/3 tsp fennel seeds
1/3 tsp coriander seeds
1 medium sized tomato
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (Use more if you like, it is a spicy curry)
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 Kashmiri red chilli
3 tsp oil
salt to taste


Preparation - Wash and soak the black eyed beans overnight.

Cut the medium sized onion into thin long pieces. Roughly chop the small one.

Cooking - Transfer the beans to a pressure cooker with 1 1/2 cups water with salt and turmeric. Cook for 2 whistles on high and then on a medium flame for 5-6 mins.

Allow steam to escape before opening lid. Check if the beans are soft and can be easily crushed between the thumb and forefinger. If not, cook for another whistle.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok. Add the broken red chilli followed by the roughly chopped onion, ginger and garlic. Fry on medium flame for 3 minutes. Add coriander and fennel seeds. Fry for 1-2 minutes. Then add the coconut and fry till it turns brown. Remove and keep aside to cool. Grind into a smooth paste.

Heat the remaining oil in a wok. Add the onion pieces and fry till light  brown. Add the masala paste and fry for 3-4 mins.

Add the chopped tomato along with the masala powders and salt. Cook till the tomato is mushy.

Add the boiled beans along with 1 1/2 cup water. Cook with lid covered for 7-8 mins. If it is still watery, cook uncovered on high flame for 2 minutes to get desired consistency.

Serve hot with a dash of lime and some coriander leaves. (I served it with toasted bread.)



















Note - I used only about 1 tsp of fresh coconut but since it is a Maharashtrian dish the coconut is an integral part of it. It adds another dimension ( somewhat like sweetness but not exactly ) to this recipe. With more coconut and more onions in the masala paste, the gravy also tends to be richer.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Oats Uttapam

Another oats recipe from my kitchen. While I have been constantly raving about how to incorporate oats in one's breakfast, I do not like the almost insipid oats porridge (what even flavor it may be) on an everyday basis. So I try and add to the regular breakfast items like dosa, upma, pongal or even khichdi. The latest victim of my experimentation has been the 'Uttapam'.

I have given it another twist my topping it with cherry tomatoes, cheese and some Italian seasoning. Read on for the recipe:
















Preparation Time - 10 mins

Ingredients - 1 cup regular uttapam batter, 1 cup quick cooking oats, 1 medium sized onion, 6-8 cherry tomatoes, 6-8 pear tomatoes, grated cheese, chilli flakes, mixed herbs seasoning, 3 tsp oil, salt to taste.

Preparation - Mix the oats into the regular batter and keep aside for 5-6 mins.

Chop the onions into small pieces. Cut the tomatoes into two.

Cooking - Heat a non-stick frying pan. Season with a few drops of oil ( or use an oil spray instead ).

Pour 1/3 of the batter onto the pan and do not spread it too much. ( The batter does spread on its own. But if you think that its too thick, just spread it a bit more. )

Put the onions and tomatoes over it. Sprinkle chilli flakes, seasoning and a little bit of salt. Layer on the grated cheese.

Cover with a lid and let it cook through.

Flip over and cook on the other side for 1 minute. Remove from pan.

Serve hot with coconut chutney / ketchup.


Monday, January 27, 2014

Oats Pongal

My son's liking for this simple and wholesome rice dish has turned me into a faithful fan (read follower). Easy to make and quite comforting, I have been cooking it regularly in the last weeks. With my current obsession with oats, i felt tempted to add some to the regular pongal. Turned out to be quite nice. Also, adding oats greatly increases the soluble fiber content of this dish which helps reduce the bad cholesterol (LDL) and keeps one's heart healthy . Read on for the recipe:

















Preparation Time - 15 mins


Ingredients - 1/2 cup rice, 1/2 cup yellow moong dal, 1/2 cup quick oats, 8-9 cashews, 1 tsp peppercorn, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 pinch carom seeds, 1/2 inch ginger (cut into juliennes), 3-4 tsp ghee, salt to taste, 41/2 cups water.

Cooking - Heat 2 tsp ghee in a pressure cooker. Add the cashew and lightly fry them. remove and keep aside.

Add cumin, carom seeds, peppercorn and ginger. Wash and add the rice and moong dal. Fry for 2-3 minutes or till a fragrance comes.

Add the hot water, fried cashews (keep aside a few for the garnish) and salt. Close lid and cook for 2-3 whistles.

Allow steam to escape before opening. Put on the stove again. Add another 1/2 to 1 cup of hot water (only if required) and the quick cooking oats. Cook for 3 minutes.

Sprinkle the remaining ghee and stir in.

Garnish with a few cashews and serve hot.





Sunday, January 19, 2014

Chuda Dahi (Beaten rice flakes with yogurt)

If there is one Odiya dish that will never make it to a cookbook (m keeping fingers crossed here), it is the very humble 'chuda dahi' or 'chuda chakta'. A mix of beaten rice (soaked), yogurt, ripe bananas, grated coconut (optional) ad sugar, it has been the staple breakfast option for many generations...that is till now. This inelegant dish is hardly a treat for the eyes which I believe is the only reason behind its failure to capture the nation's imagination. These days most people are being drawn to low calorie breakfast cereals and oats without even realizing that this wholesome dish is one of the healthiest breakfasts that one can have.

Beaten rice is commonly known as Poha or Chivda in India. It is a rich source of complex carbohydrates and high on the fiber content too. It is rich in iron and eleven essential vitamins too. Incidentally, this is one carb that has the amazing ability to soak up water/liquid three times of its volume thus elevating it to the status of a bulking agent (Good news for all those weight-watchers).

Five reasons why i simply love this dish :
1. It does not require cooking. Five minutes handiwork and lo....I can dig in.
2. It packs in carbohydrates, calcium (yogurt/milk) and some fruit (banana...and I do add apple sometimes) goodness too. Nutrition experts advice people to include one portion from each of the above in one's breakfast. So, its a complete breakfast in every way.
3. It is inexpensive.
4. Replace sugar with jaggery, or cut it out completely, either way it works for diabetics/weight-watchers. Ditto for the coconut. Skip if your cholesterol levels are on the higher side. For those with lactose intolerance/vegan folks , skip yogurt/milk (Add some soy milk/badam milk instead if you find it too dry).
5. It is free from preservatives. (now that is my latest obsession and the reason why I have chucked out the Read-To-Eat stuff from my kitchen cabinet)
6. It keeps me feeling full for a long time afterwards ( bless the complex carbohydrates/fiber in beaten rice ).

Read on for the recipe (Ha..ha, please excuse my calling it so):


















Preparation Time - 5 minutes

Ingredients - 1 cup beaten rice (use red one if you wish), 1 cup yogurt, 1-2 ripe bananas, 1-2 tbs fresh grated coconut, 1 tsp sugar/powdered jaggery, 1-2 tsp milk powder ( optional..but i love it).


















Preparation - Wash and soak the beaten rice. The soaking will again depend on the thickness of the flakes. ( Some varieties like Nylon chuda as not really suitable for this recipe, I prefer thick ones )

Drain all water and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add in the bananas, sugar/jaggery and milk powder. Mash everything and mix thoroughly.

Add the yogurt (some prefer milk instead...take your pick) and grated coconut and mix again.

Serve immediately . (The bananas may lead to blackening/discoloration if left to sit for sometime however it still remains fit for consumption)



Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Sprouts Sandwich

It is still the January and I am going good job of sticking to my New Year resolutions. I have been eating healthy (Read sprouts, oats, poha, whole grains) for the last two weeks. Hence I substituted my regular potato filling with a mix of potato and sprouts ( you do need to add a bit of potato to hold those runaway sprouts together ).

Sprouts are categorized in the superfood category as they are loaded with enzymes (upto 100 more than what you get in fruits and vegetables). Enzyme help to improve the process of breaking down the ingested food so that the body can do a better job of assimilating it. The sprouting process is known to drastically improve the quality of available proteins and increase the fiber and vitamin content (especially those of vitamin A, B-complex, C and E).

Though beneficial for all, sprouts are a must have for women who are trying to conceive/pregnant. For older women nearing menopause, they help regulate hot flashes and hormone levels.




Preparation Time - 10 mins

Ingredients - 4 slices of bread, 1/2 cup sprouts (I used green moong but mixed lentils is also OK), 1 boiled and mashed potato, 1 small onion (chopped), 1/5 tsp cumin powder, a pinch of turmeric, 1/5 tsp chilli powder, 1 tbsp chopped coriander, 1 tsp oil, 2 tbsp thick/hung curd, 1 tsp tamarind-jaggery chutney (can use Imli Pichkoo instead), 1 tsp ketchup, salt to taste.

Preparation - Add salt to the curd and beat lightly. (One can also add some mint/coriander chutney to enhance the flavor)

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the chopped onions and fry for 1 minute.

Add the mashed potato along with cumin powder, turmeric and chilli powder. Fry for 1 minute. Add the sprouts along with salt. Cook covered till the sprouts are cooked (takes 3-4 mins).

Add ketchup, chopped coriander and remove from flame.

















Heat a flat pan. Toast the bread slices for 1 minute (30 secs on each side). Remove from the pan and place on a plate.

















Spread the curd on the both bread slices. Drizzle with the tamarind-jaggery chutney.



















Take and spread about 2 tbsp of the sprouts mixture on one slice.

















Place the other slice over it. Cut into two triangular pieces.

Repeat with the other two pieces.

Serve immediately with ketchup/mint chutney.



Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Oats Khara Bhath

Khara Bhath or 'Masala Upma' is very popular South Indian breakfast. It is easy to make and good to eat. I used to make it and carry it for office lunch/breakfast at least twice or thrice in a week. As i used to put in lots of veggies and quite less oil, it packed a low calorie but nutritious meal. While it tastes great when hot, it is still good to eat after a few hours ( Read COLD ).

But as I have turned into a great fan of whole grains these days, I could not resist adding by favorite whole grain...Aka..OATS to this recipe. Combining semolina with oats in the ratio of 1:1 makes this dish even more wholesome and appealing to weight watchers / health conscious folks. Read on for the recipe:

















Preparation Time : 25 mins

Ingredients: 1 cup semolina, 1 cup oats, 1 medium sized onion, 1 green chilli, 1 sprig curry leaves, 1/4 cup green peas, 1 small tomato, 1/5 tsp garam masala powder powder, 1/5 tsp coriander powder, 1/4 tsp red chilli powder,  a pinch of turmeric, 1/2 tsp kasuri methi, 1/5 tsp mustard-cumin seeds, 2 tsp ghee/oil, salt to taste, a dash of lemon/pinch of amchur (optional).

Preparation - Chop the onion and tomato into small pieces. Keep aside.
Make 2-3 small slits in the green chilli.

Cooking - Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add the semolina and oats to the pan. Roast for 6-7 minutes till the semolina gives off a light fragrance. Remove and keep aside.

Add the remaining oil to the same wok. Add curry leaves, green chilli and the mustard-cumin seeds.

Once the seeds almost stop spluttering, add the onion and fry till translucent.

Add the green peas and chopped tomato ( use can also use veggies like carrots and beans ). Stir fry for 3-4 minutes.

Add all the powdered masalas and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add 3 1/2 cups of boiling water along with salt. Add the roasted semolina-oats mix into the boiling water, mix well and cook on medium flame till all water is absorbed.

Add the lemon juice/amchur.

Serve hot with a coconut chutney.

Note : One can also add a fistful of cashews/peanuts to this recipe. But I have avoided the same as it was intended to be low in calories.




Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Bread Upma

Sandwiched, toasted, dipped in egg/batter and fried, slathered with jam. Does that bring on a sense of 'deja vu'? Yeah we are talking about the very unpretentious bread. Available in varieties like sweet. milk, sandwich, fruit, whole wheat, multi-grain, it is the Holy Grail breakfast for most of us.

Today we will be adding to this repertoire with another easy-breezy bread recipe . And this is one great way of masking that stale bread lying unused in the fridge ( The bread has to be in edible condition....Crumbly is OK Fungus is a strict No-No ). Read on for the recipe:

















Preparation Time - 10 mins or less

Ingredients - 4 pieces bread, 1 small onion, 1 green chilli, 2 tsp oil, a pinch of mustard seeds, a pinch of cumin seeds, 1/5 tsp red chilli powder, pinch of turmeric, salt to taste.

For garnishing - 1 tbs chopped coriander leaves, 2 tbs freshly grated coconut(optional), 1 tsp lime juice.

Preparation - Cut the onion into thin long pieces. Cut the green chilli into small pieces.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the cumin and mustard seeds. Allow to splutter. Add the chopped onion and fry for 30-40 seconds. Add the green chilli .

Dip the bread slices in water for 1-2 seconds, take it out and squeeze out all the water.

Crumble the soaked bread and add it to the wok. Add salt, turmeric and red chilli powder. Fry for 3-4 minutes. Add the chopped coriander, grated coconut and lime juice. Mix well.

Serve hot .




Sunday, August 25, 2013

Soya masala Dosa

Masala dosa happens to be one of our staple breakfast items. We usually end up trying out variations to the regular potato masala like the panner stuffed dosa, egg bhurji stuffed dosa, upma stuffed dosa (MLA). This time we decided to stuff it with soya kheema ( mashed soya nuggets ). This not only reduces the starch/carbs content which makes it a healthier option for diabetics, but the increased protein content makes it more filling. Here is the recipe:



















Preparation time: 15-20 mins

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cup boiled soya nuggets, 1 medium sized potatoes ( boiled and peeled ), 1 tsp grated garlic, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 medium sized onion ( finely chopped ), mustard and cumin seeds for tempering, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 1/5 tsp turmeric, 2-3 tsp chopped coriander leaves, 3-4 tbs green peas, 3-4 tsp oil, dosa batter for 3-4 dosas, salt to taste.

Cooking: Heat 3-4 tsp oil in a wok. Add mustard-cumin seeds when the oil starts smoking. Follow with chopped onion and the grated ginger and garlic. Fry for 4-5 mins till the raw smell goes away.

Add green peas and fry for 2 minutes.

Add the boiled soya nuggets and fry for 3-4 minutes.

Add the mashed potato along with chilli powder, salt and turmeric. Fry for 2-3 mins. Add the chopped coriander. Fry for 1 minute. Remove from heat and keep aside.

Heat a tawa. Season it with 2-3 drops of oil. Wipe off excess oil with a paper towel / soft cloth. Sprinkle a little water to check if the tawa lets out a slight sizzle. At this stage take a ladle full of the batter and spread over the tawa with a circular motion.

Spread the soya-potato batter at the center of the dosa.



















Fold it from both sides.

Serve hot with chutney or sambar.




      

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Corn Khichdi ( makai khichdi )
















Preparation time - 10-15 mins

Ingredients - Sweet corn kernals ( 1 cup ), milk ( 2/3 cup ), cumin seeds ( 1/5 tsp ), mustard seeds ( 1/5 tsp ), a pinch of asafoetida, pinch of turmeric, dry red chilli ( 1 no ), curry leaves ( 3-4 nos ), salt to taste, lemon juice ( 1/2 tsp ), a bit of butter, cooking oil ( 1/2 tsp ), coriander leaves for garnish.

Preparation - Take 2/3rd of the corn in a grinder cup and grind for 1-2 secs to get a coarse mix.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a pan. when it smokes, add red chilli, cumin and mustard seeds. once the seeds start spluttering, add curry leaves and asafoetida.

Add all the corn after a couple of seconds. Sprinkle salt and turmeric. Stir for a minute.

Pour in the milk and cover with a lid. Allow to cook for 6-7 mins till the corn is done.

Serve hot with a dash of lemon juice, a little butter and some freshly chopped coriander.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Coffee and orange flavoured French Crepes















Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins
Cost of Preparation: 30-35 Rupees

Ingredients: Whole wheat flour ( 1/2 cup ), egg ( 1 no. ), milk ( 3/4 th cup ), cooking butter ( 3 tsp ), sugar ( 2 tsp ), salt ( a pinch ), baking powder ( 1/5 tsp ), grated orange rind ( 1/4 tsp ), coffee powder ( 1/4 tsp ), orange marmalade ( 2-3 tbs ).

Preparation: Break the egg in a bowl. Beat well. Add the milk, sugar, coffee powder, grated orange rind and salt. Beat for 2 mins.

Sift the flour with the baking powder. Add to the beaten egg and milk. Melt 2 tsp of butter and add to it. Beat for 4-5 mins.

Cooking: Heat a small frying pan to a low temperature. Add a few drops of oil/butter. Rub with a cloth to spread uniformly without leaving excess greasiness.

Take 2 tbs of the batter and tilt the pan to spread uniformly.

Cook for 40-45 secs on either side and remove from pan.

Spread a thick/thin layer ( as per taste ) of orange marmalade all over the pancakes
and twist into a tight roll. Cut up into bite sized pieces and serve immediately.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Masala Dosa

















Cooking Time Required: 30 mins

Ingredients:
For the dosa batter: Rice ( 2 cups ), urad dal ( split and dehusked, 1 cup ), methi ( 1 tsp ), salt to taste.

For the Alu masala:

  • Boiled Potatoes ( 3 large )
  • onion ( 1 large )
  • green peas ( 1/2 cup)
  • garlic flakes ( 7-8 nos )
  • ginger ( 1 inch )
  • garam masala powder ( 1/3 tsp ),
  • kasuri methi ( 1 tsp )
  • chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp )
  • chopped coriander leaves ( 2 tbs )
  • 2 tsp oil
  • salt to taste


Garnishing -


  • 1/2 cup grated carrot
  • 1/2 cup grated coconut
  • 4 tsp chopped cilantro
  • oil/butter for cooking the dosa



Preparation: Soak the rice and urad dal for 5-6 hours. Add the fenugreek seeds and
grind into a smooth paste without adding too much water. Leave overnight.

Chop the onion into small pieces. Peel the potatoes and mash them.

The garlic and ginger needs to be crushed into a not so fine paste.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a pan. Add crushed garlic, ginger and half of the chopped onion. Fry till onion turns translucent. Add green peas and sprinkle a little salt. Fry till the peas are half-cooked.

Add the powdered masalas. Fry for 1 min. Add the potato along with salt to taste. Stir and mix throughly. Cook for another 5 mins. Add kasuri methi and chopped coriander leaves.


















Heat a dosa tawa. Sprinkle a little oil. Rub with a cloth to spread the oil and absorb any excess.

Take 3/4th cup of batter and spread into a thin layer. Drizzle a few drops of oil on
all sides. Add the potato and vegetable mixture in the middle. Sprinkle a little
chopped onion, carrot, coconut and coriander. Allow the dosa to cook till light brown .

















Fold the dosa and close it. Serve hot.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Atta Chakuli with Oats

Atta chakuli or pancakes made with wheat flour are a popular breakfast recipe in Odisha. Varying from savory and spicy to the sweet ones flavored with fennel, they are easy to prepare and quite filling too.


















Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of preparation: 30-40 rupees

Ingredients: Whole wheat flour ( 1 cup ), oats flour ( 1 cup ), curry leaves ( 1 sprig , optional ), onion ( 1 small ), green chilli ( 2 nos ), salt, oil ( 1 tsp per chakuli if cooked on a non-stick tawa).

Preparation: Mix the whole wheat flour, oats flour, salt along with sufficient water into a smooth paste ( consistency should be same as that of dosa batter ).

Chop the onion and garlic into small pieces.

Cooking: Heat the dosa tawa. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of oil. Add a pinch of pancha-phutana followed by the green chillis, onions and curry leaves.

Stir fry for 40-50 secs. Pour half of the wheat-oats batter into the pan and rotate the pan to spread it. Sprinkle a few drops on oil on the sides.

Cook on both sides for about 3-4 minutes each.

Serve hot .























Note: For People who like it sweet, skip the onion, green chilli, curry leaves and pancha-phutana . Instead add milk and sugar while making the batter for atta chakuli. Cook the chakuli using a little ghee instead of oil.

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