Delicious Idli Upma !

I happened to have this delicious dish at a friend's place yesterday afternoon. It was something new I came across and so delicious that I got the recipe and tried it out today. Sharing the same with you all. So if you want to give your regular idlis a new twist do try this new recipe !!

Ingredients  

4 to 6 idlis (made the previous day)

1 small onion finely chopped

1/2 tsp udad dal

1/2 tsp mustard seeds 

1 tsp chopped Kerala green chillies or regular chillies

8 to 10 curry leaves

2 tblsps oil

Method

Crumble idlis with the hand to pulp. Heat oil In a kadai. When hot, add udad dal and mustard seeds. Allow them to splutter, next add the chillies and curry leaves, lower the flame and add onion. Saute on low flame for a couple of minutes till onion is translucent. Add crumbled idlis, a pinch of salt and mix well. Cover the kadai and steam for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve in a glass bowl. You can garnish with chopped coriander leaves if you choose. This tastes good even when had cold.

Refreshing Mango Salad !

Was at a friend's place this afternoon playing bridge and along with a couple of hot snacks and tea, she served a very refreshing chilled Mango Salad, which was yummy and just perfect for the muggy weather we are experiencing in Mumbai. Mango salad is most simple to make and needs just a few ingredients. Here's how you can make it. 

Ingredients

1 large Badami Mango (Ripe but firm)

A  couple of tsps of fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp red chillie powder

1/4 tsp salt or to taste

10 to 15 mint leaves.

Procedure

Peel the mango and cut it into vertical strips like you would chop potatoes for french fries. Place the slices in a bowl. Sprinkle chillie powder, salt, lemon juice and finely chopped mint leaves. Mix well and arrange mango pieces nicely in a salad dish and chill for about 30 minutes. Serve  chilled with other snacks or a meal, or just by itself as a light filler in between meals. 

You may also ad a dash of pepper powder if you like.

Kiwi Quotient !!!

Over the weekend, I was invited to "Kiwi Quotient" an event hosted by Sofitel Hotel in association with New Zealand and Zespri Kiwi Fruit for food bloggers and food lovers. The event showcased the versatility of Kiwi in culinary creations and the distinctiveness of the new variety "Sun Gold Kiwi" which is yellow, sweeter and more juicy!

Not being a regular eater or an ardent fan of Kiwi fruit, I was not aware of it's multiple health benefits. It is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, improves digestion and a good source of folic acid. Diabetics too can enjoy it.

Chefs Indrajit and Prakash of Sofitel demonstrated for us in a Bar setting, how we could make some quick, simple and unique creations... Kiwi Bruschetta- a very unusual, but delicious version of Bruschetta; Kiwi Tam - a yummy and nutritious salad; an exotic cocktail- Kiwi Mania and a non alcoholic beverage - Kiwi Cooler!

Since I am a vegetarian, I tried both the vegetarian creations and gave them a thumbs up - the Bruschetta and Kiwi Cooler. Here's how you can make them too.

Kiwi Bruschetta 
Ingredients                                            

20 gms (4) French Baguette slices

50 gms Avacado

50 gms Kiwi Fruit

5 gms green chillies

10ml Lemon Juice

5 gms salt

30 gms Racket lettuce

10gms Parmesan cheese

5 gms coriander leaves

For garnish, Gojo berries or any other berries or cherry tomatoes.

Method:    

Cut the kiwi and avacado in small pieces and keep aside in a bowl

Chop the coriander, green chillies and mix with avacado and kiwi 

Add in salt and lemon juice

Slice the baguette and lightly toast them. Drizzle with olive oil.

Spoon out the mixture on the toasted baguette slice and garnish with a few berries.

KIWI COOLER                                                                           

Ingredients:

60 ml Fresh Kiwi Pulp

10  to 12  Fresh Mint leaves

30 ml Sour Mix ( 2 parts lime 1 part sugar)

Dash of Soda

Method:

Gently muddle mint leaves and add all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker.

Add ice cubes and shake it well. 

Pour it in a HI- Ball glass

Garnish with Fresh cut slice of kiwi and mint sprig.

The sour mix and mint leaves bring out the flavour  & refreshing appeal of this drink.

I also realised that since Kiwi has a very mild taste and flavour, adding stronger flavours like lemon, garlic , cheese accentuate the taste of the different  creations! 

Beat the heat with Cold Cucumber soup ...

The summer heat coupled with all of us indulging on the lovely Alphonso mangoes, results in many of us having upset stomachs due to excessive body heat. An excellent thing to have in such situations is Cold Cucumber Soup.

Here's how you can make it in minutes.

                                                                   

Ingredients

4 cups buttermilk

1 medium sized cucumber

1/2 tsp  mustard seeds

1 tbsp oil

a few coriander leaves finely chopped

salt to taste

Put buttermilk in a pan. Peel the cucumber, slit into halves vertically and scoop out the seeds. Grate the cucumber shell on a grater and add to the buttermilk. Next add salt and mix well. In a small Tadka kadai heat oil. Put mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. Then pour the hot oil and mustard seeds on the buttermilk. Mix well and chill in the fridge for some time. Serve chilled garnished with coriander leaves. 

A very refreshing appetizer!

5 tips to make your regular meals more nutritious!

This weekend has started on an exciting note. Finding my name in the winners list of Times Foodista  for April '14 contest,  was a pleasant surprise. Participating in this month's contest too, I am sharing a few tips to cook quick healthy meals. Do try them out and share your comments.

Tip 1 : Boil yellow moong dal for 2 meals and blend it. Put  half of the blended dal in a bowl  and garnish  it with dry spices, red chilly powder, coriander or dhania powder, amchur or mango powder along with 2 tblsp of hot pure ghee. This dal goes really well with rotis. you can store the other  half of dal in the fridge and next day, heat it with one grated tomato, 1 tsp ginger green chili paste, salt and coriander leaves. Bring it to boil for a minute or two and give the mixture a tadka of hing, jeera, curry leaves. Makes a good meal when teamed with rice and pickle.

Tip 2 : Chop some cauliflower, beans, carrots and add some green peas. Boil these with a little water and salt to taste, till cooked. Drain out the water and add, pepper and lemon juice/salad dressing. You appetizer cum salad is ready to eat.

Tip 3 : Heat 1 tspn of pure ghee/butter in a pan and add 4 tblsp of dalia/broken wheat. Saute for a minute or  two. Add a pinch of salt and 2 cups of water to this. Cook for a few minutes till it gets thick/pulpy. This dalia makes an excellent, nutritious porridge when had with milk/yogurt.

Tip 4 : Vegetarians can add few soya chunks/granules to regular vegetables/curries while cooking. Also diluted soya milk can be added to chapati/paratha dough while kneading, to add to the nutritional value.

Tip 5 : Use left over vegetable or dal to make yummy parathas. Dal can be kneaded with dough and rolled out  into chapatis and dry vegetable can be mashed and used as a stuffing for parathas.

So try out these tips and add to the nutrition value of your regular meals.

Delicious Rawa Dhokla !!

I am sharing today the recipe for Rawa Dhokla, a quick and easy to make delicious tea time snack or side dish with a vegetarian meal. Hope you enjoy it as much as my family and friends do.

Ingredients  

1 cup Rawa (Sooji)   

1 cup yogurt (dahi) 

2-3 tbps oil     

1 pinch turmeric powder    
1 tsp chili ginger paste

1 small sachet of Eno's salt

1 pinch red chili powder

salt to taste

For Tempering         
1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp sesame seeds       
6 to 8 curry leaves                                                             

2 green chilies (chopped)

For Garnishing

2 tbps grated coconut

A few coriander leaves finely chopped

Procedure 

Put the Rawa in a large bowl. Add yogurt and some water to the rawa and mix well to bring it to a semi thick consistency (like mayonnaise). To the batter add  salt, turmeric powder, ginger chili paste, and  one tbsp. oil and mix. Grease a thali with a little oil. Just before pouring the batter into the thali add the small sachet of eno salt and mix it thoroughly. Now place the thali with the Dhokla batter in an Idli maker or steamer over boiling water. Please note the water should be boiling when you place the thali in that vessel. Cover and steam for approx 20-25 mins and your dhokla should be ready. To check prick the dhokla in one place with a knife. If it comes out smooth without anything sticking on it, the dhokla is done.

Remove the thali and keep aside. After a few minutes make diagonal pieces of dhokla with a knife. Sprinkle a bit of chilli powder over it. For tempering take a small Phodni kadai and heat one tbsp. oil. Oil when hot, add mustard seeds, after it starts popping add sesame seeds, then add finely sliced chilies and curry leaves. Once the sesame seeds have turned brownish take the kadai off the gas and add a bit of water and then spread this over the dhoklas evenly. Using a spatula take the pieces of Dhokla from the thali and place onto a serving dish. Then garnish with freshly grated coconut and finely chopped coriander leaves. You can serve the dhoklas with coriander-mint chutney or coconut chutney.

Variation

Instead of taking one bowl of rawa, you can take ¾ cup of rawa and top it up with gram flour. So there you go! Tasty and light Rawa dhokla all ready to eat.

Do leave your comments below and let me know.

Li'l Masterchefs in your Home !!

It's Holiday time with kids and their friends at home,  trying to be happily busy with various activities and constantly looking for something to munch. It's always a challenge  giving kids snacking choices that are healthy,  yet tasty and easy to put together.

Today,  kids really enjoy customising snacks to their individual taste. So here's how you can help them by keeping some basics ready in the fridge. 

1 Bowl of boiled Kabuli Chana/Green Moong

1 small bowl of boiled, peeled and chopped potatoes

1 small bowl of finely chopped onion and raw mango

1 bowl of finely chopped tomatoes

Mint and coriander chutney

Date and tamarind  chutney

1-2 packets of roasted Khakras

1 Packet Flat puris ( Sev Puri)

Fine Bhel Sev

Chopped Tomato

1 Bowl of Grated cheese 

1 Bowl blended Yogurt

Depending on the mood and how hungry the kids are, they can use the Khakras or puris as the base, put toppings of their choice, add chutneys to taste and garnish with Sev and grated cheese.