Oats Porridge (A Healthy Breakfast)

Boil low-fat/skimmed milk and pour it in the quick cooking oats. Cover and keep aside for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, add milk if required. Add sugar and mix well (I didn't add any sugar). Top it with fruits or nuts as desired. I have added orange, pear, banana and apple. Start the day with a healthy breakfast. :)

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Pindi Chole Bhature

Whenever we roam out in the city for shopping, it's somehow lunch time. No matter how early we endeavour to reach home it ends up being 1 o' clock. And that really leaves me no time to cook up a meal. We often order delicious dishes of Punjabi, Mughlai and South Indian cuisines. If we want Punjabi dishes, chole bhature is a must (naturally) in our lunch. I love the puffy nature of the bhature and the side dish is simply spicy.

For Bhature:
Ingredients:
Maida/APF - 2 cups
Rava/semolina (fine) - 2 tbsp.
Sour curd - 1/4 cup
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil
Sugar - 1/2 tsp.

Method:
In a bowl, mix maida, rava, baking soda, salt and sugar. Add sour curd and mix. Add required water and knead it into a stiff dough. Pour little oil on the top. Cover and keep aside at least for 2 hours or upto 4 hours (Cover the dough with a damp cloth during summer).
Heat the oil to deep fry in medium-low flame. Divide the dough into equal-sized balls. Take one ball and roll into it a smooth one without any cracks. Flatten the balls into circles or in oval shape. Once the oil is hot, slowly slide the circle and press lightly with the slotted spoon. This forces the bhatura to puff up. Turn and cook on other side. Don't fry for a very long time. Remove and place them on an absorbent paper. Continue the process with the remaining balls. Serve hot with chole.

Pindi chole is always prepared first before preparing the bhature.

For pindi chole:
Ingredients:
White chickpeas - 1 cup
Onions - 3 (chopped)
Garlic - 2 (grated)
Ginger - 1/2 inch (grated)
Green chillies - 2 (slit)
Tomato puree - 1 cup
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp.
Roasted and powdered cumin - 1 tsp.
Coriander powder - 1 tsp.
Anardana/Pomegranarte seeds (powdered) - 2 tsp.
Tea leaves - 2 tsp.
Green chillies - 2 (slit)
Salt (to taste)
Oil

To garnish:
Onion rings
Coriander leaves
Lemon slice

Method:
Soak the chickpeas overnight. Drain the soaked water and add fresh water to the chickpeas. Tie the tea leaves in a muslin cloth and add it to the chickpeas. Then add a little bit of salt. Pressure cook or cook the chickpeas separately till they are tender. I used to cook separately as the tea leaves stain the chickpeas well.
Heat the oil in a kadai and add cumin seeds. When they splutter, add the onion pieces and saute till they turn translucent. Add ginger, garlic and green chillies and saute for 2 minutes. Add tomato puree and saute till it releases oil.
Add red chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder and saute for a few seconds.
Meanwhile, mash 25% of the chickpeas and add all the chickpeas along with water (if any). After 2 to 4 minutes add the powdered pomegrante seeds. Cook till the gravy thickens or dries. Check for salt and add if required. Add garam masala and garnish with onion rings, coriander leaves and lemon slices.
Enjoy with Bhature.

Sent Punjabi Kadhi off to "Flavours Of Punjab" event hosted by Pari and started by Nayna.

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Crouton and Corn Bhel

Ingredients:
Bread slices - 4 to 5
Crispy Puris/Papri/Paapdi - 5
Sev - 1/2 cup

For bhel:
Potato (medium) - 1 (boiled and chopped)
Corn - 1 1/2 cups (boiled)
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Tomato - 1 (chopped without seeds)
Ginger-green chilli paste - 1 tbsp.
Chaat masala - 1 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Coriander leaves - few (chopped)
Dates and tamarind chutney - 6 tbsp.
Cumin powder - 1 tsp.
Lemon juice - from half a lemon.

For garnishing:
Onions - few (finely chopped)
Tomatoes - few (finely chopped without seeds)
Coriander leaves - few (chopped)
Sev - a little

Method:
Remove the crust from bread slices and chop them into pieces. Deep fry in oil till golden color. Keep aside.
Break the crispy puris/papris into pieces.
Mix all ingredients in bhel.
While serving, mix sev, croutons and papris. Sprinkle few tomatoes, onions, coriander leaves and sev on top of bhel.
Serve immediately.

Sent off to Pari's "Only Chaat" event.

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Punjabi Kadhi

Punjabi kadhi is one of the versions of the kadhi which is a popular north Indian dish containing besan. It's usually served with roti or rice. The pakoras taste quite juicy...mmm!!...in the kadhi. Now onto the recipe!

Ingredients:
For pakoras:
Besan/Gram flour/Chickpea flour - 1.5 cup
Fenugreek leaves - 1 cup
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Green chilli - 1 (deseeded & chopped)
Ginger (grated) - 1.5 tsp.
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Baking soda - a pinch
Coriander leaves - 1/3 cup (finely chopped)
Salt (to taste)
Oil (for deep frying)

Method:
Add besan in a bowl. Mix red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt & baking soda.
Add the onion pieces by crushing with hands (so that it gets separated), ginger, coriander leaves and green chilli. Mix well.
Now take 7-10 leaves of fenugreek and tear them. Add it to the besan mixture. Continue the same process with the other leaves. Add water little by little till it becomes a very thick batter.
Pour oil in a deep kadai and heat it. Drop the mixture carefully with the help of a spoon. Deep fry till golden color. Remove and place them on an absorbent paper and keep aside. Continue the remaining in batches.

For Kadhi:
Ingredients:
Sour thick curd - 2 cups
Besan/gramflour - 1/2 cup
Water - 4 cups
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp.
Onion - 1 (sliced)
Dry red chilli - 3
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp. (crushed)
Ajwain - 1/2 tsp.
Ginger - 1.5 tsp. (grated)
Oil
Salt (to taste)
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp.
Coriander leaves - few

Method:
In a big bowl, add curd and whisk well. Now add besan and again mix well. Pour 4 cups of water, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and cumin powder and whisk (buttermilk mixture).
Heat oil in a thick-bottomed kadai and add cumin seeds, ajwain, dry red chillies and coriander seeds and saute till they splutter. Add ginger & onions and saute till onions become translucent.
Now reduce the heat and slowly pour the buttermilk mixture.
Then increase the heat and start to stir continuously. Stirring is done to avoid the curdling. Bring it to a boil by stirring. Now simmer and add the salt. Simmer for at least 25 to 30 minutes and stir occasionally. Once the kadhi is ready, i.e., when it becomes thick, add the pakoras, garam masala and coriander leaves. Again bring to a boil and remove from heat.
Enjoy with hot rice. Slurp!!

I'm letting two of my recipes to fly off to Chacko's "Best 30 Recipes of 2010". There are 4 judges who'll decide the judgement of 30 'best' recipes. They also have added a 'weightage of marks'. Click on the link to find out if you're puzzled. "Our Favourite Meal" and "Sprouted Green Gram Paniyaram" appear in Chacko's commentary section.

Sent Punjabi Kadhi off to "Flavours Of Punjab" event hosted by Pari and started by Nayna.

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Potato and Capsicum Curry

Ingredients:
Potatoes - 4 (medium)
Capsicum/Green bell pepper (big) - 1 (diced)
Tomatoes - 2 (chopped)
Garlic (big) - 2 cloves (peeled and crushed)
Green chillies - 1 or 2 (deseeded and chopped finely)
Onions - 2 (finely chopped)
My Mom's Sambar powder - 1 tsp.
Coriander powder - 1 tsp.
Cumin/Jeera powder - 1/2 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil - 2 tsp.
Butter - 1 tsp.
Saunf/Fennel seeds - 1 tsp.
Garam Masala -1/2 tsp.
Coriander leaves - few (chopped)

Method:
Boil potatoes and peel the skin.
Heat oil in a pan and add fennel seeds. Add onion pieces, garlic and green chillies. Saute till the onion turns translucent. Add capsicum and saute for 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and saute till mushy.
Add boiled potatoes and mash them. Add Sambar powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt to taste and mix well.
Add 1 to 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil. Let it cook in medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in between.
Finally add coriander leaves, butter and garam masala. Stir.
Remove and enjoy with pooris or rotis.

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Methi Leaves Rasam (T&T) - Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes

This rasam is very healthy and unique as it contains methi. I didn't chop the fenugreek leaves for I was afraid that my fussy kids would not drink them. However, when I made enough amount of this rasam for lunch, the cauldron (not exactly, I actually meant the sauce pan and I'm just using this word for exaggeration) was simply empty, empty, EMPTY!!! Not even a single drop was left and the vessel was perfectly clean. I had prepared the rasam not only for lunch but also for dinner :'-(. Thanks, Priya.

Original recipe here

Ingredients:
Methi/fenugreek leaves - 1 cup
Tomato - 1 (crushed)
Garlic - 2 cloves (crushed)
Home-made rasam powder (recipe below) - as required
Lemon juice - from a lemon
Dal water - 1 cup (1/2 cup boiled dal + 1/2 cup dal water)
Water - 2 to 3 cups or as required
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Whole dry red chillies - 2
Asafoetida - a pinch
Coriander leaves - chopped few
Salt (to taste)
Oil

Method:
In a bowl add dal water, crushed tomato, crushed garlic, water, salt (to taste) and rasam powder.
Heat oil and add mustard and cumin seeds. When the seeds splutter, add red chillies and asafoetida. Fry for a few seconds. Add the fenugreek leaves and saute till they are tender. Now add the dal water mixture and let it cook till it forms foam on top of the rasam.
Simmer for 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and coriander leaves. Remove from heat.
Serve immediately with hot rice.

Home Made rasam powder
Original recipe here

Ingredients:
Toor/Arhar dal - 1 tsp.
Coriander seeds - 1.5 tsp.
Channa dal - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Black peppercorns - 1/2 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds - 4
Dry red chillies  - 2
Curry leaves - 5
Turmeric powder - a pinch

Method:
Dry roast all the ingredients separately except turmeric powder. Cool and powder them. Mix the turmeric powder. Use the powder with the rasams.

Sent off to "T&T-Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes" hosted by PJ; event owned by Lakshmi.

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