Palak and Doodhi Pakodas

Palak and Dudhi are not very popular for snack but can be made into delicious, crunchy pakodas that are hard to put down.

Sharing the link on how to make them. Hope you enjoy them as much as my family does.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKfFUC8IJ1w

Paneer Tikkas

The Diwali festivities begin today with Dhanteras. All of us will have many visitors dropping in over the next few days. Along with the traditional tray of mithai and dry fruits,a savoury snack is always welcome. Paneer tikka can be got ready in just a few minutes. Here is how you can delight your guest with this yummy snack.

Ingredients:

250 grams Paneer/ Cottage cheese cut into cubes or fingers

1 tbsp gram flour/ besan

1tsp red chillie powder

1tsp amchur powder

½ tsp jeera powder

¼ tsp kala namak 

¼  tsp  slightly crushed ajwain (optional)

Salt & red color powder

¼ tsp Chaat masala or tandoori masala (optional)

I small onion peeled and cut into fine rings (optional)

Method:

Mix all the dry spices in a bowl and empty out on a plate or thali. Heat oil in a kadai. Roll the paneer cubes   in the mixture & gently drop into hot oil one by one. Deep fry for a minute or two till golden brown. Drain out excess oil and remove paneer pieces on a tissue. Arrange paneer tikkas in a flat serving dish and serve hot with  chutney or ketchup or onion rings.

A few days ago, I was at Chinmaya Vibhooti, attending a Pranayama Camp. The food served at the ashram was saatvik and vegetarian. No onion, garlic and minimal oil and spices. Inspite of that everything tasted delicious, completely busting the myth that masalas and oil make food more tasty. Whether it was veg pulav, tamatar bhaaji, dal, sambar or stuffed brinjals or the morning upma served with laddoos made from rotis, each dish was Superb! All of this reinforced my belief that food cooked with love and a passion for service always turns out superb!

Yummy Cheesy Cabbage Parathas.

All of us experience days when you are not in the mood to cook an elaborate meal, we look for ways to rustle up a quick meal that's tasty, filling and healthy. Cabbage and cheese parathas are perfect for such occasions. Something easy and tasty and a great way of using cabbage which adds a little bite to the texture.

Ingredients

225 gm  cabbage grated

100gm soft cheese , crumbled

2tbs , coriander leaves, finely chopped

2 green chillies, finely chopped.

Salt to taste.

All I do is put  diced pieces of cabbage and cottage cheese along with the  coriander and green chillies in a food processor, pulse for a  minute or two. Upturn in a bowl. When ready to actually make parathas, sprinkle salt to season, stuff in the whole wheat round and roll out like a thick roti. Cook on non-stick tawa till both sides are evenly done. Add a little butter for the last flip over which will bring crispness to the paratha. You can even serve with a blob of butter, any pickle or a bowl of yogurt and roasted papad.

Love this variation  for parathas as it is easy, no boiling, cooking  or squeezing of filling  required as in making parathas out of potatoes, radish, or cauliflower.  Besides even the seasoning is simple – salt and chillies.

Enjoy!