Instant Khaman Dhokla

After several unsuccessful attempts at making dhokla, I finally managed to find a recipe that gave me fantastic results. The recipe I followed was Daagh’s and it can be found here.

Ingredients:

For the dhokla batter:

1 cup chickpea flour/ besan

1 Tbsp semolina/ rava/ sooji

1 cup water (I used a little more than ¾ cup but a little less than 1 cup)

Juice of a lemon

1 Tbsp oil

2 green chillies, chopped finely

2 tsp sugar

A pinch of turmeric

Salt

1 tsp Eno fruit salt

For the tempering/sugar solution:

2 Tbsp oil

1-2 tsp mustard seeds

A pinch of asafoetida

2 green chillies, finely chopped

4-5 curry leaves, chopped

2 tsp sugar

Juice of a lemon

For garnishing:

2-3 Tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Method:

Combine the chickpea flour, semolina, lemon juice, oil, green chillies, sugar, turmeric powder and salt in a bowl. Add enough water to make a smooth and lump-free batter.

Just before steam cooking the batter, add the Eno fruit salt and mix.

Steam the batter for 15-20 minutes. (I greased one of the stainless steel containers that came with my pressure cooker and steamed the batter in my cooker without using the weight.)

While the batter’s cooking, get the sugar solution ready. Heat the oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds and asafoetida and let the seeds pop. Add the curry leaves and chopped green chillies and turn off the heat. Then add the lemon juice and sugar and mix.

Once the dhokla is ready (a toothpick inserted should come out clean when it’s done), poke a few holes all over the surface of it and pour the sugar solution all over the steamed cake while it is still warm. Cool for a bit, cut into wedges and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with some green chutney and tamarind-date chutney.

Cottage Cheese Salad

Every now and then, H makes an excellent salad using cottage cheese. The salad is not only healthy and tasty, but also quite filling- unlike most salads I’ve eaten. Adding cottage cheese to what is otherwise an ordinary salad turns it into a tasty and substantial meal. There is no dressing used here except for a good squirt of a juicy lime. The cheese helps bring the salad together. This is a very versatile salad and lends itself to many variations, so feel free to use whatever vegetables you have available.

Here’s what went into my salad-
Ingredients:
(Serves 2-3)
Green bell pepper, thinly sliced
Red bell pepper, thinly sliced
Onion, thinly sliced
Cucumber, diced
Cherry tomatoes, halved
3-4 green chillies, minced
3 cups salad mix
1 ½ cups Cottage cheese (I used low-fat)
½ cup cooked Rosematta rice (optional- I only used this because I had some leftover from the previous day)
Juice of 1-2 limes (about 4 Tbsp)
1 Tbsp honey
Salt
Pepper

Method:
Place the chopped vegetables and the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well. Add the cottage cheese only when ready to serve and fold into the rest of the salad. Serve cold.

Potato And Onion Frittata

Flipping through the pages of Everyday Food: Great Food Fast on a weekend morning trying to decide what to make, I came across this recipe. I only had potatoes and onions; so this was perfect for me. But this is one recipe where you can be really creative and use whatever ingredients you want depending on what’s in season or what you have on hand. I tweaked the original recipe a bit to suit my taste.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped up
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 potato, peeled, thinly sliced and chopped
½ cup of scallions (I only had the green parts so that’s what I used)
A small sprig of rosemary, finely chopped
4 eggs, beaten
¼ cup milk
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
Salt
Pepper

Method:
In a medium nonstick broiler-proof skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and rosemary followed by the onions, salt and pepper. Cook till the onions soften. Add the potato pieces and cook, mixing everything occasionally, until the potatoes are done.

Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.

Pour the egg mixture into the cooked vegetables (spread it as evenly as possible first) in the skillet. Cook on low heat until the frittata is almost set but the top is still slightly runny. Then place the skillet under the broiler; broil until the frittata is set and the top is lightly golden.

Run a rubber spatula around the edges to loosen the frittata from the skillet, and then slide it out onto a plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

Pan-Fried Tofu With Peanut Dipping Sauce

This is a recipe from Laavanya’s Cookery Corner that I have made many, many times since I first came across it nearly 2 years back. I’m not too crazy about tofu but I do buy it very often. I would usually make a tofu scramble, a stir-fry with vegetables or a smoothie depending on the kind of tofu I’d purchased. Ever since Laavanya posted this recipe, I have been making this regularly and this is now my favorite way to eat tofu.

For preparing the tofu, first drain the water out of the tub. Next, wrap the tofu up in a clean kitchen towel or a few paper towels. Place the wrapped tofu in a colander and put a weight (I used my pressure cooker) on top of the tofu. Let this sit for at least 30 minutes, or until the paper towels are soaked through. This makes the tofu easier to cut; it is less watery, and more receptive to absorbing the flavors added in the next step.

Pan-fried tofu
Ingredients:
15.5 oz firm tofu (I used Soga’s twin-pack)
Red chilli powder
Garlic powder (optional)
Salt
2-3 Tbsp oil for pan-frying

Method:
Cut the tofu into relatively thick strips (see picture for size). Heat oil in a large pan. When the oil is hot, place the tofu pieces in the pan.

Sprinkle salt and red chilli powder all over the pieces and shallow fry. Cook till golden brown on the bottom (takes about 4-5 minutes). Flip over, sprinkle salt and chilli powder on the other side, and cook similarly.

Serve with peanut dipping sauce.

Peanut Dipping Sauce
For the sauce, I have only listed the ingredients I used. I do not have exact measurements since I was just adding the ingredients till it tasted right. I did not use many of the ingredients mentioned in the original recipe and the sauce still tasted great. You can find Laavanya’s version of the sauce here.

Here’s what went into my dipping sauce-
Creamy peanut butter
Soy sauce
Honey
Garlic powder
Red pepper flakes
Lemon juice
Hot water to thin out the sauce
Sesame seeds

Mix all the ingredients well. Add hot water as required to get a thick sauce-like consistency.

I’ve also put the tofu and peanut sauce together to form a nice dish that goes well with white rice. For this, I just thinned out the sauce a bit, added the tofu pieces and mixed everything together. I let that simmer for a couple of minutes to allow the tofu pieces to get nicely coated with the peanut sauce.

Peppery Chickpeas

I’ve been frequenting my local library a lot during the weekends. Lately, I have been browsing through their collection of books by Indian authors/books set in India. I managed to finish 4 books in the last 3 months, which is more than I’d read in the last 2 years!

Here are a few books I’ve enjoyed recently. You might like them too.
Monsoon Diary: A Memoir with Recipes by Shoba Narayan
A Breath of Fresh Air by Amulya Malladi
The Mango Season by Amulya Malladi
Song of the Cuckoo Bird by Amulya Malladi
Serving Crazy with Curry by Amulya Malladi (Of all of Malladi’s books, this was my least favorite.)
I’m currently halfway through Rupa Bajwa’s The Sari Shop. Anita Rau Badami’s Tamarind Woman is next on my list to read.

I think I just might have rediscovered the joy of reading! I did not make any New Year’s resolutions, but if had made one, it would be this- to read more.

During a recent visit to the library a few days back I picked up, among other books, a couple of cookbooks too.

This recipe for peppery chickpeas is something I came across in Maya Kaimal’s Savoring the Spice Coast of India: Fresh Flavors from Kerala. It is a very simple recipe that can be prepared in a jiffy especially if you are like me, and always have a couple of cans of chickpeas on hand.

Ingredients:
(For almost 2 servings)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 onion, finely chopped
¾ tsp pepper, coarsely ground
¼ tsp cumin seeds, roasted & powdered
½ tsp coriander powder
A pinch of chilli powder
A handful of coriander leaves, chopped
Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Salt

For seasoning:
1 Tbsp oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds

Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin and mustard seeds. Add the onions and sauté till lightly brown.

Add the spice powders (pepper, coriander cumin, chilli) and cook.

Stir in the chickpeas and cover and cook for a couple of minutes for the spices to coat the chickpeas and for the flavors to come together.

Take the pan off the heat, stir in the lemon juice. Garnish with chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves.

This is my entry for JFI: Chickpeas. I’m also sending this across for the seventh edition of My Legume Love Affair.

A couple of other legume-centric dishes on this blog-
Chickpea Tikkis
Beans with Cheese and Basil
Edamame and Black Beans Thoran
Tomatillo Dal
Moth Beans Curry
Spicy Cannellini Bean Soup
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Peppery Chickpeas

I’ve been frequenting my local library a lot during the weekends. Lately, I have been browsing through their collection of books by Indian authors/books set in India. I managed to finish 4 books in the last 3 months, which is more than I’d read in the last 2 years!

Here are a few books I’ve enjoyed recently. You might like them too.
Monsoon Diary: A Memoir with Recipes by Shoba Narayan
A Breath of Fresh Air by Amulya Malladi
The Mango Season by Amulya Malladi
Song of the Cuckoo Bird by Amulya Malladi
Serving Crazy with Curry by Amulya Malladi (Of all of Malladi’s books, this was my least favorite.)
I’m currently halfway through Rupa Bajwa’s The Sari Shop. Anita Rau Badami’s Tamarind Woman is next on my list to read.

I think I just might have rediscovered the joy of reading! I did not make any New Year’s resolutions, but if had made one, it would be this- to read more.

During a recent visit to the library a few days back I picked up, among other books, a couple of cookbooks too.

This recipe for peppery chickpeas is something I came across in Maya Kaimal’s Savoring the Spice Coast of India: Fresh Flavors from Kerala. It is a very simple recipe that can be prepared in a jiffy especially if you are like me, and always have a couple of cans of chickpeas on hand.

Ingredients:
(For almost 2 servings)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 onion, finely chopped
¾ tsp pepper, coarsely ground
¼ tsp cumin seeds, roasted & powdered
½ tsp coriander powder
A pinch of chilli powder
A handful of coriander leaves, chopped
Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Salt

For seasoning:
1 Tbsp oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds

Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin and mustard seeds. Add the onions and sauté till lightly brown.

Add the spice powders (pepper, coriander cumin, chilli) and cook.

Stir in the chickpeas and cover and cook for a couple of minutes for the spices to coat the chickpeas and for the flavors to come together.

Take the pan off the heat, stir in the lemon juice. Garnish with chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves.

This is my entry for JFI: Chickpeas. I’m also sending this across for the seventh edition of My Legume Love Affair.

A couple of other legume-centric dishes on this blog-
Chickpea Tikkis
Beans with Cheese and Basil
Edamame and Black Beans Thoran
Tomatillo Dal
Moth Beans Curry
Spicy Cannellini Bean Soup
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Adai

Adai is a protein-packed nutritious dish that is prepared by grinding together a combination of rice and different lentils. The batter is one that requires no fermentation and the adai can be prepared instantly as long as the rice and dals are soaked for sufficiently long enough (6-8 hours). I would recommend soaking the rice-dal mix for a minimum of two hours at least. The proportions of the dals and rice vary each time I make adai.

This is how I prepare it sometimes.

Ingredients:
½ cup raw rice
½ cup toor dal
½ cup urad dal
½ cup chana dal
4-5 red chillies
Asafoetida
A small piece of ginger
8-10 curry leaves
Salt to taste
Oil for making adai

Method:
Soak the rice and dals overnight (or for at least 2-4 hours) along with the red chillies. Drain most of the water off and grind together with the curry leaves and ginger to get a coarse thick batter. Add a pinch of asafoetida and salt to taste.

Heat a non-stick griddle or a cast-iron pan. Pour a ladleful of the batter in the center of the pan. Spread it out in a circular motion using the back of the ladle. Make the adai thick or thin depending on your preference. I like mine thin and crispy.

Drizzle some oil around the edges of the adai and also a little in the center. Cook till it turns golden brown on the bottom, then flip over and cook the other side.

Serve hot with avial or jaggery on the side. I had mine with some tomato chutney and jaggery.
This goes to Sunshinemom for FIC- Brown.

I just came across this event being hosted by Sangeeth and realized that adai is the perfect example of a diabetic friendly meal.

Lentils, which make up a major portion of this dish, are good for everybody, not just for people with diabetes. They’re rich in complex carbohydrates and protein, and high in dietary fiber, as a result of which they are digested slowly resulting in a steady and gradual rise in blood sugar levels (low glycemic index). This keeps one feeling fuller for longer. Lentils are also a rich natural source of B vitamins and minerals. Besides, its cholesterol-lowering properties helps reduce the risk of heart disease in diabetics. In short, it is a good idea for diabetics to have lentils in some form or the other with every meal.

Adai

Adai is a protein-packed nutritious dish that is prepared by grinding together a combination of rice and different lentils. The batter is one that requires no fermentation and the adai can be prepared instantly as long as the rice and dals are soaked for sufficiently long enough (6-8 hours). I would recommend soaking the rice-dal mix for a minimum of two hours at least. The proportions of the dals and rice vary each time I make adai.

This is how I prepare it sometimes.

Ingredients:
½ cup raw rice
½ cup toor dal
½ cup urad dal
½ cup chana dal
4-5 red chillies
Asafoetida
A small piece of ginger
8-10 curry leaves
Salt to taste
Oil for making adai

Method:
Soak the rice and dals overnight (or for at least 2-4 hours) along with the red chillies. Drain most of the water off and grind together with the curry leaves and ginger to get a coarse thick batter. Add a pinch of asafoetida and salt to taste.

Heat a non-stick griddle or a cast-iron pan. Pour a ladleful of the batter in the center of the pan. Spread it out in a circular motion using the back of the ladle. Make the adai thick or thin depending on your preference. I like mine thin and crispy.

Drizzle some oil around the edges of the adai and also a little in the center. Cook till it turns golden brown on the bottom, then flip over and cook the other side.

Serve hot with avial or jaggery on the side. I had mine with some tomato chutney and jaggery.
This goes to Sunshinemom for FIC- Brown.

I just came across this event being hosted by Sangeeth and realized that adai is the perfect example of a diabetic friendly meal.

Lentils, which make up a major portion of this dish, are good for everybody, not just for people with diabetes. They’re rich in complex carbohydrates and protein, and high in dietary fiber, as a result of which they are digested slowly resulting in a steady and gradual rise in blood sugar levels (low glycemic index). This keeps one feeling fuller for longer. Lentils are also a rich natural source of B vitamins and minerals. Besides, its cholesterol-lowering properties helps reduce the risk of heart disease in diabetics. In short, it is a good idea for diabetics to have lentils in some form or the other with every meal.

Spinach Molagootal

Hi all!
I’m back after being out of circulation for a couple of weeks. We had a wonderful (albeit a little hot and insanely hectic) time in India and before we knew it, an entire month had gone by in the blink of an eye! Since our return, lethargy coupled with zero motivation has been making it hard for me to post anything at all. I have been busy in the kitchen though.

A few days back, I made a molagootal following a recipe that I first came across on a blog a few years back, and it has since become one of my favorites. Sadly though, the blog has been silent for too long now.
I did not make too many changes to the original recipe.

Spinach Molagootal (adapted from Saffron Hut’s blog)
Ingredients:
2 cups frozen spinach
¼ tsp turmeric powder
Salt

1 tsp oil
2 tsp urad dal
1 tsp cumin
3-4 red chillies

¾ cup toor dal, cooked
3 Tbsp coconut

For seasoning:
1 Tbsp oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp urad dal
A pinch of asafoetida
4-5 curry leaves
1-2 red chillies

Method:
Cook the frozen spinach along with turmeric and salt in ½ cup water. Blend to get a coarse paste. (I used my immersion blender.)

Heat oil in a small pan and roast the urad dal, red chillies and cumin seeds. Grind to a fine paste with the coconut.

Combine the spinach puree/paste, ground coconut-spice mixture and the cooked dal. Add a little bit of water. Cook and bring to a boil.

Heat the rest of the oil in the pan. Add all the ingredients for the seasoning. Pour the tempered oil over the molagootal.

Serve hot with rice.

This is being sent to Sra who is hosting the fourth edition of My Legume Love Affair.

Chickpea Tikkis

Here’s an appetizer that packs a protein punch that will keep you full until dinner. A couple of these along with some salad would also nicely serve as dinner itself.
I almost always have a few different kinds of canned beans on hand. There’s so much you can do with them!

This recipe was inspired by these two recipes.

Ingredients:
(For 10-12 small tikkis)
1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained well
½ small onion, chopped into chunks
3-4 green chillis, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp bread crumbs
1 egg
Salt to taste

To coat the tikkis -
2 Tbsp plain bread crumbs
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
Oil (for shallow-frying the tikkis)

Method:
Pulse the ingredients together a couple of times to form a coarse mixture that’s still chunky. If it becomes too sticky, add some more flour and bread crumbs.

Portion out 10-12 small balls of the mixture. Flatten each ball as much as possible on the palm of your hand without causing the tikkis to crumble. A thicker one takes longer to cook and gives you a tikki that is cooked well on the outside but is not completely done on the inside

Coat both sides with the cheese and crumbs mixture.

In a large skillet, using as little oil as possible (2-3 Tbsp), shallow-fry the tikkis. Cook each side for about 3-4 minutes on medium heat until golden brown.
Serve hot with some tomato ketchup or enjoy it with your favorite chutney. We had these with some mango chutney along with hot cups of tea.