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Showing posts with label superfood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label superfood. Show all posts

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Eggless Turmeric Coconut Cake ( A Christmas Collaboration )

This year saw the humble turmeric grab the spotlight on an international stage ! The 'haldi-wala doodh' reinvented itself as the gourmet showstopper aka the 'turmeric latte' . Long relegated to the kitchen shelves of every Indian household, the western world is warming up to the superfood status of this miraculous spice. The fact that it possesses a beautiful burnished hue is a major factor behind it's appeal.

When scouting for Christmas recipes, this wonder ingredient was on mind all the time. I wanted to incorporate the beautiful hue and aroma of turmeric in my cake but in a manner which is very different from the Sfoof, a Lebanese tea cake. This cake draws it's inspiration from the 'Enduri pitha', a steamed dish from Odisha which is remi to the Konkani 'Patholi'. It is infused with the sweet aroma of turmeric leaves, cardamom, and coconut. Interestingly, coconut cakes are an important part of the Christmas celebrations in tropical countries like Sri Lanka and even Australia.

While I wanted to use a few drops of freshly squeezed turmeric juice to lend that golden color to my cake, I couldn't find some on my last trip to the local vegetable market. Had to settle for the powdered one. But the flavor turned out to be very different from anything that I have ever tried. Overall, the cake was extremely rich, moist, dense and something that will reminds one of the tropical climes. Read on for the recipe -

[ Don't forget to scroll down to check out a true blue Christmas pudding by my dear friend Parinaaz ]


















Preparation Time -

Ingredients -

  • 3 cups Maida / all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Sugar 
  • 1 cup Ghee 
  • 2 cups Yogurt
  • 3-4 tbsp condensed milk
  • 1 cup freshly grated coconut
  • 3 tsp Baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Baking soda
  • 1 tbsp freshly squeezed turmeric juice (or 1/2 tsp turmeric powder)
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground white pepper
  • Turmeric leaves to line the baking tray (optional but recommended)
  • a pinch of salt
  • a few spoonful of freshly squeezed coconut milk to thin the batter if required


Preparation - Sift all the dry ingredients together.

Add the solid ghee and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk for a few minutes. Then add condensed milk, and curd one by one to the mixing bowl. Whisk till everything forms a homogeneous mixture.

Fold in the dry ingredients taking care to whisk in the same direction.  Finally, fold in the grated coconut.

Line the baking tray with the turmeric leaves. Apply a thin layer of ghee on the leaves. Pour the batter into the baking tray.

Baking - Pre-heat the oven at 180 C for 10 mins.

Place the tray in the oven. Bake at 180 C for 40-50 mins or till a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. (the baking time will change depending on the size of the tray)

Remove from the oven and let it cool down.

Invert onto a cooling rack and remove the turmeric leaves. Once it is completely cool, cut it into pieces and serve.

Store the rest in an airtight container.
























Check out this fabulous Christmas pudding from A Dollop Of That !! -


















Christmas Pudding with brandy sauce !!


Thursday, July 21, 2016

Sweet Quinoa Pulao ( Inspired by the aromatic 'Kanika' from Odisha )

In the Coastal pasts of Odisha, it is almost 'du rigueur' to prepare arua-dalma-khatta on the festival days. When one is abstaining from onion and garlic, it makes sense to prepare a combination that is light and well as tasty. But having grown up in Western Odisha, I am more inclined towards having a sweet pulao (kanika) / khechudi and alu-dum on such days. Much of our taste preferences are acquired during our growing years and hence we often balk at the thought of trying out new ingredients or combinations. That was pretty much the case with me before I started blogging and turned really adventurous with food. So it was no surprise to me when this combination was initially met with raised eyebrows at my in-laws home but they too loved it after trying it for the very first time ! However it is another story that they would pick the dalma-khatta combination if they have a choice.

So, on last Sankranti, I thought of preparing the a sweet pulao and aludum (without onion-garlic) for lunch. Just as I opened the cupboard to take out the rice, I glanced at the half used packet of quinoa that had been lying used for sometime. Since the cooking methods is rather similar, I decided to swap the rice with quinoa to give my meal a healthy twist.

So, here is the recipe of 'Sweet Quinoa Pulao' or 'Quinoa Kanika' -


















Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 cups water
  • 4-5 pepperorns
  • 2-3 green cardamom
  • 2 inch cinnamon
  • 1 petal of mace
  • 1-2 bay leaves
  • 2 tsp sugar ( adjust as per taste )
  • 1 tsp ghee
  • pinch of turmeric
  • salt to taste
  • 3 tsp chopped cashews
  • 3 tsp raisins

Preparation - Wash the quinoa under running water. Let it soak for 30 mins. Drain.

Cooking - Heat the ghee in a deep saucepan. Add the whole spices and wait till they turn fragrant.

Drop in the cashews and raisins. Fry for 20 seconds .

Add the rinsed and drained quinoa to the saucepan. Roast it for 5 mins to give it brownish shade and also to ensure that it's typical smell goes off. Now add 2 cups water and let it cook uncovered . Once it is almost 80 percent done, add the sugar and salt.

Once the water is absorbed, fluff it up .

Serve warm with the aludum or just it itself.

















Note - It is important to wash the quinoa with plenty of water so that the bitterness goes off.


Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Broccoli Butter Masala ( Navratri Special )

When it comes to 'sattvik' or 'niramish' fare, i.e., cooking without using any onion or garlic, many of us have a mental blockade. "Will it taste good ?" or even "there can be no substitute for fish/chicken/or any other meat of your choice", are some of the common nags that I have come across. But over a period of time I have explored the sattvik fare from various regions of India and most of it has turned out to be delicious. For example, let us take the Monday/Thursday meals cooked in most households in Odisha. Rice, dal with veggies, minimal spices and a ghee tadka, a sweet-sour chutney kind of thing, stir fried veggies and greens (either stir fried or cooked with moong dal). Simple and, nourishing yet delicious enough to qualify for an everyday meal. People who prefer rotis over rice can opt for a simple 'vrat ke alu' or 'kachey kele ki subzi' with rotis or parathas made with Rajgire ka atta.

Having tackled the first question, let us move on to the second one. But what is one supposed to serve if guests drop in ? Well, there are 'no onion no garlic' versions of most curries like the Navratan korma, matar paneer and butter masala (and it is also available on my blog) along with delicious sattvik 'no onion no garlic' biryanis that one can choose from.

The 'Broccoli Butter Masala' is just an addition to this list and the fruit of my efforts to marry Indian cooking with exotic ingredients. Read on for the recipe -


















Preparation Time - 25 mins

Ingredients -


  • 2 cups broccoli florets
  • 2 medium sized tomatoes
  • 10 cashews
  • 15 raisins
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tsp fresh cream
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
  • a pinch of garam masala
  • 2 pinch turmeric
  • 1 tsp butter
  • 2 tsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tsp kasuri methi
  • few whole spices ( 1 green cardamom, 2-3 cloves, 1" cinnamon, 1 bay leaf, 6-7 peppercorns )


Preparation - Boil sufficient water in a saucepan.Once it gets to a bubbling boil, add the broccoli florets and let it cook for a minute or two.

Remove and immediately dunk in cold water. Drain the water after 5 mins. This helps bring out the gorgeous green hue of the broccoli.

Soak the cashew and raisins in 1/2 cup warm water for 20 mins. Grind into a smooth paste.

Puree the tomatoes.

Make a paste out of the coriander powder, garam masala, red chili power and turmeric along with a little (2-3 tsp) water.

Cooking - Heat the oil and butter in a wok. Add the masala paste and fry for 2 mins.

Add the tomato puree and fry till oil starts to separate.

Add the cashew and raisins paste and cook for 3 mins.

Finally add the milk and 1/4 cup water along with the blanched broccoli florets. Sprinkle Kasuri methi on top.

Bring to a boil on low heat and let it simmer for a while till the broccoli turns soft and the gravy coats the florets evenly.

Add the cream. give it a mix and remove from flame.

Serve hot with puris or a simple pulao.










Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Bok Choy Dal (Bok Choy cooked with yellow lentils)

"When is something classified as foreign ?". That is a question that has been on my mind for the last few days. Why are we hesitant or scared to accept something that has been branded 'foreign' ? Is it because we are unaware of its characteristics/benefits or is it because we think that it might end up corrupting our indigenous ways. But haven't many of these so called foreign things, become a part of our life over a period of time. So when does foreign stop being foreign ? I think that happens when it has been accepted and assimilated ( with a tweak ofcourse ) into our culture in such a way that it becomes difficult to filter it out.

For example, take the Bok Choy. It is chinese cabbage and lot of folks are not aware of it or prefer to cook it in a style that is more appealing to the Chinese or the Europeans. No wonder folks are hesitant to put it on their regular menu. But it is one wonder vegetable which is nutrient dense while being low in fat. Enough reason to consume it regularly. That inspired me to cook it in the way most greens are cooked in Odisha, i.e., with split moong dal. And it turned out to be delicious. I can also vouch that my son who will grow up eating this yummy dish will not consider Bok Choy as a foreign vegetable.

Read on for the recipe -

















Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

Ingredients -


  • 2 heads of Bok choy
  • 1 cup split moong dal
  • 7-8 garlic flakes
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 1/2 tsp oil
  • 2 dry red chilis
  • salt to taste



Preparation - Remove the outermost leaves and cut off the end/stem (not too much but abt 1 cm ).

Wash with loads of water to rinse off any dirt and insects. Drain and then chop into small bits.
Crush the garlic flakes.

Dry roast the moong dal till it gives off a mild fragrance.

Cooking - Wash and cook the dal with 1 1/2 - 2 cup water for 1 whistle. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Heat the oil in a pan. Once hot, throw in the mustard seeds and broken red chili.

Then add the garlic and allow it to brown slightly.

Now add the chopped bok choy, stir fry on high for 2 mins and then pour the cooked dal over it.

Let it simmer for 5-6 mins or till the bok choy is cooked yet firm.

Serve hot with rice or rotis ,

Monday, September 21, 2015

Bok Choy Stir Fry ( A low calorie delight !!)

Why Bok Choy when there are so many varieties of indigenous greens available to us ?? Well, for those who are quite determined to lose that extra flab, it is almost like a god-send vegetable. It falls into that hugely celebrated and much touted category of 'negative calorie' foods, i.e., those wonder foods that actually make your body expend more calories digesting them that what is ingested by means of consuming them.

Bok Choy or Chinese cabbage is one such food that is miraculously low on calories and fat while being fiber and protein dense. Plus, it contains almost all the essential vitamins and minerals. It does have that undercurrent of bitterness but that kind of adds to its taste. And garlic is one ingredient that works wonders with it. I personally love it with some multi-grain rotis and half a cup of plain yogurt for lunch. Read on for this simple stir fry recipe ( done in typical Odia style ) -


















Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -


  • 2 heads of Bok choy
  • 1/2 of a small onion
  • 7-8 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 1/2 tsp oil
  • 2 dry red chilis
  • salt to taste



Preparation - Remove the outermost leaves and cut off the end/stem (not too much but abt 1 cm ).

Wash with loads of water to rinse off any dirt and insects. Drain and then chop into small bits.

Cut the onion into small pieces and finely chop garlic.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a pan. Once hot, throw in the mustard seeds and broken red chili.

Then add the garlic and allow it to brown slightly.

The onion goes in next. And once it turns translucent, add the chopped bok choy.

Season with salt and cook on medium flame till it is cooked yet retains a crunch (the whites).

Remove and serve hot as a side dish with roti/rice.


Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Palak Paneer ( Cheese in Spinach gravy )

Palak or spinach is one of the most nutrient dense foods available to us in abundance and at an economical rate. Along with a high water content and soluble fibre content, it is loaded with vitamin K, vitamin A, magnesium, folate, manganese, iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B2, potassium, and vitamin B6. It’s a very good source of protein, phosphorus, vitamin E, zinc and copper. Also it’s a good source of selenium, niacin, and Omega-3 fatty acids.

But since it is loaded with pesticides and fertilizers ( common problem with most leafy vegetables as they grow so near to the soil ), one should prefer the organic version whenever possible. I myself buy the 'Gopalan' brand that is stocked by Bigbasket.com.

I try to keep on incorporating it my diet and often come up with new combinations. But today i am sharing a popular and all time favorite recipe 'Palak Paneer'. Read on :



















Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients - 350 gm paneer, 1 bunch of spinach ( 2 1/2 - 3 cups ), 2 medium sized onion, 1 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste, 1-2 green chillli, 1/2 teaspoon jeera-lanka powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 2 tsp Fortune Rice Bran oil, butter, salt to taste, turmeric.

Preparation - Cut the paneer into cubes.

Remove the stems from the spinach and chop roughly. Cut the onions into large pieces.


Cooking - Heat water in a pan. Add salt and turmeric and bring to a boil.

Add paneer cubes and boil for 5-6 minutes. Drain water and keep aside.


















































Boil fresh water in another pan. Add the spinach leaves and boil for 1-2 minutes. Drain the water and wash in cold water. Keep aside to drain off all the water.

Heat oil in a wok. Add half of the chopped onions and fry to translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the green chilli and spinach leaves with salt to taste. Fry for 3-4 minutes.

Transfer to a blender cup, allow to cool down a bit and grind into a smooth paste.


Add some butter to the same wok. Add the remaining onions and fry till translucent. Add the green paste prepared earlier with jeera-lanka powder and cook for 2-3 minutes.















Add paneer cubes and cook for 2-3 minutes.


















Serve hot with pulao rice/basmati rice/rotis.



Monday, January 17, 2011

Malpua


















Cooking Time Required: 20-25 mins

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Whole wheat flour
  • 1 overripe banana 
  • 1/2 cup condensed milk 
  • 2 tsp cream 
  • 1 tsp fennel (pana mahuri)
  • oil for frying
  • pinch of baking powder
  • 1/2 cup sugar ( as per taste  )
  • milk required to get desired consistency


Preparation: Add milk, condensed milk and baking powder to the flour. Make a semi-thick paste. Allow to stand for 15 mins.

Mash the banana and add to the flour paste along with the paana mahuri.

Cooking: Heat oil in a deep wok for frying. Put spoonfuls of batter into the oil. Fry on both sides till cooked.

[Or pan fry them just as I do to reduce the number of calories consumed. They are not crispy at the edges but taste equally delicious. ]

Heat 1 cup of water. Add the sugar . Bring to a boil and allow to simmer till it turns into a light sugar syrup( do not make it very thick ).

Remove the fried malpuas from the wok and add to the sugar syrup. Soak for 10 mins.

Serve hot.

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