Traditional Gujarati Khichdi

In continuation of my gujurati meal experiment, I tried the gujju khichdi which turned out really well (if I must admit so myself)

Ingredients
2 cup moong dal
1 cup basmati or plain rice
3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
7-8 whole black pepper-corns
1 cup onions - finely chopped
1 cup potatoes - finely diced
3 tsp turmeric powder
2 green chillies - chopped
2 tbsp cumin seeds (jeera)
salt - to taste (about 1 1/2-2 tbsp)
lemon juice - to taste (about 2 tbsp)


Take the rice and moong dal and wash them under running water for a couple of times. Then take a pressure cooker, add add 3 tbsp ghee and add the cumin seeds, black pepper-corns, onions, and green chillies. Saute for 2 mins, then add the diced potatoes and the rice and moong dal mixture. Add in the turmeric powder and saute again so everything is mixed well. Now add the required amount of water(I generally use the ratio of 1 cup to 2 cups of water to make it nice and gooyee), cover with the lid and cok it for 4-5 whistles.

Serve the Khichdi and Kadi hot with pickle or with a papad! Enjoy the taste of a traditional gujarati meal:)

Kadi

We rediscovered that we absolutely love kadhi when we had it as part of the thali at Rajdhani, a rajastani thali place. I decided to try my hand at some of the dishes that they prepared that this is the first of the lot!

Ingredients
2 cups curd
2 cups water
1 tbsp besan
2 tbsp Kadhi masala (Badshah)
finely chopped coriander leaves
salt

Mix all the ingredients with the kadhi masala and stir well. Now cook on low flame, stirring in between. Let is boil till it thickens a bit and is cooked completely. Garnish with coriander leaves.

I am told that you can also add fried bhindi, drumsticks, pakora etc to enhance the flavor but have not tried it yet!

Vegetarian Kheema(Soya curry)

Ingredients:

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Soya granules 1cup
Tomatoes 2 to 3 meduim size
Onion 1 medium size
Ginger & Garlic paste 1tsp each
Turmeric powder 1tsp
Chilli powder 2 tsp
Salt a/c to taste
Dhaniya or Coriander powder 1 tsp
Garam masala 1/2 tsp (optional)
Fresh cilantro 1/2 cup
Lime juice 1/2 tsp (optional if not adding garam masala)
Oil for cooking

Method:
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1. Wash and soak granules in warm water for 1/2 hr
   
2. Menawhile, cut tomatoes into thin slices or make puree and keep aside
   
3. Cut onions into thin slices
   
4. Take a wide pan, heat oil and add onions and fry till light brown in color
   
5. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for 1 min
   
6. Add turmeric powder and fry for few seconds, add soya granules by squeezing all water from it into the pan and mix well.
   
7. Fry for 2 minutes. Add all other masalas including salt and mix well (if needed very little water ) and allow to cook with closed lid on medium heat for 5 minutes.
   
8. Now add tomatoes and mix well. Again allow to cook for 5 more minutes or untill tomatoes are cooked completely. (Here if you are adding tomato puree, then add it after 5th step.
   
9. Finally add cilantro and lime juice and mix well and sim for 2 minutes.
   
10. Remove from heat and serve with hot chapathis or plain rice.
    

Simple Sabudana Upma

I had tried making this dish so many times but was totally unsuccessful until the day Veena made it in from of me in my kitchen and proved that this was an extremely easy dish to make!

Here goes :

Ingredients
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2 cups of Sabudana
6 to 7 green chillies (make a cut in th middle of each one or else into small pieces)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 medium sized potatoes, cut into small cubes
2 tsp lime juice

2tsp groundnut powder
2 to 3 tsp of oil
salt (as required)

Method
--------------

1. Wash Sabudana 2 to 3 times.Fill water upto its Sabuddana level or little less and soak for over night.

2. Heat the oil in a wok, add cumin seeds and fry for few seconds, then add green chillies and fry for a minute or two.

3. Now add potatoes and fry until it is cooked

4. Then add sabudana and salt.

5. Mix all the ingredients well on medium heat.Once mixed well add lime juice or peanut powder .Mix well and keep on low heat for a minute.

Palak Corn

Ingredients :
Palak (Spinach) roughly chopped
Tomato 1 medium size chopped into cubes
Corn (I used frozen corn)
Onion 1 medium size chopped
Green chillies 1 ( depends on how spicy you want your curry to be)
Milk 2 table spoon
Ginger paste
Garlic paste
Corriander Powder 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Sugar (a pinch)
Hing one pinch
Amchor powder


Heat one table spoon oil in the pressure cooker. When it is hot add green chillies, ginger and garlic paste, tomatoes, coriander powder and then add the palak/spinach.Cook for one whistle till the spinach leaves wilt.
Blend it to a paste after it cools down.

Now again take a pan heat a little oil and sputter jeera, hing, onions, haldi, red chilli powder, saute for a minute then add the corn. Saute for another few minutes, then add the palak paste. Add pinch of amchoor, sugar and milk.

Cover the curry and let it simmer for about 5 mins in low heat. Serve hot with chapattis or phulkas!

Butternut and Garlic Soup with Salsa

This recipe is dedicated to two of my closest friends who introduced me to two new things:
One the book shop KinuKoniya at Dubai Mall where I managed to find this wonderful recipe book called low fat Mediterranean Vegetarian recipes from where I got this recipe and Two for introducing me to the vegetable, Butternut, which I may not have tried otherwise…
The love/taste for Butternut recipes dates back to our South Africa Trip in December 2008 with Bindhu and Ravi. Being a vegetarian I was a bit paranoid about finding good veggie food….but thanks to Bindhu and Ravi I was introduced to a variety of dishes made with Butternut...Infact I practically lived on Butternut during my trip :-) …………………

…………….And then last week finding this recipe book was just perfect. I simply couldn’t wait to try the recipes and finally on Saturday night I decided to make the Butternut soup recipe detailed below…..The recipe is as………………….

Ingredients: (For 2)
1 Medium Size Butternut
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 medium sized onion
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ cube Maggie veg stock
1 tsp mixed herbs
1 tsp or 4-5 peppercorns
Salt to taste

For Salsa:
1 Red Bell Pepper
2 Medium sized Tomatoes
1 Red Chilli
1 tsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Peel the butternut skin, deseed and dice into 1 inch pieces.
2. In a tray add butternut with 2 pods of chopped garlic and drizzle olive oil. To save time you can also place the bell pepper and tomatoes on one the side of the tray with a drizzle of olive oil. Now roast the veggies in the oven for about 20-25 minutes.
3. While veggies are being roasted, chop the onions lengthwise. Place a pan on the gas and pour some olive oil. Add coriander seeds and onions and sauté until onions are soft or slightly brown in colour.
4. Once the veggies are roasted remove the garlic and butternut and add to the sauted onions. Also add enough water (I used about 2 cups) along with maggie vegetable stock cube, mixed herbs and peppercorns and bring to a boil. (Cook the same for about 5 to 10 min) Once the Butternut starts boiling switch off the gas and allow the mixture to cool.
5. In the interim, start preparing the salsa by de-skinning the roasted bell pepper and tomatoes and chopping them roughly. Add the same to a mixer or blender along with red chillies, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Blend the salsa mixture and keep aside.
6. Once the butternut mixture is cool, blend into a smooth soup consistency.
7. At the time of serving the soup add a spoonful of the salsa mixture and serve.

Note: Remember to add salt after tasting the soup as the Maggie cubes already contain salt.

Taste and definitely post your feedback!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!