Nutty Capsicum Rice

Delicious Capsicum rice with nutty flavours.This easy to prepare recipe comes handy during busy morning hours.Combined with a vegetable raita,this sure will be a hit in your menu.With the goodness of flaxseeds and nuts,this healthy varierty- rice is a must try.

Ingredients:
Capsicum - 1 nos chopped medium size (you can chose any colour or combine all  the  3 colours)
Rice 1 cup( I prefer raw rice,you can experiment with basmati rice too)
Onions 1 no finely chopped
Oil as needed
Curry leaves few
Urad dal 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Peanuts roasted 2 tsp
Cashews roasted as needed
Coconut shredded 1 tsp
Salt to taste

For the powder
Red chillies 4 nos
Urad dal 1 tsp
Chana dal 1 tsp
Coriander seeds 1.5 tsp
Flax seeds 0.5 tsp
Peanuts 0.5 tsp
White Sesame 0.5 tsp
Cinnamon 1 small piece (optional)


Method:

In a kadai dry roast(refer under For the powder:) urad dal,chana dal,dhania,flax seeds,peanuts,sesame and red chillies.If needed you can add a piece of cinnamon.After cooling the mixture grind to a coarse powder (not too powdery).

Boil rice and keep separate.Make sure the grains are separate and rice is not mushy.You can chose any variety.
In the same kadai,add oil ,urad dal followed by onions and capsicum.Do not fry too much.Onions and capsicum can remain bit crunchy.Add turmeric powder,fried peanuts,fried cashews and salt.Add curry leaves and give a toss.
Now lower the heat and add in the rice.
Add the powder grinded as needed per rice qty and taste.
Add a  teaspoon of gingelly oil or ghee and gently mix till well mixed.

Top it off with more nuts ,shredded coconut as per taste and serve it hot with carrot//bhoondi/cucumber raita.

Tip:You can store the powder in air tight container and use when required.Comes handy during busy cooking hours.

Nankhatai

Diwali fever is on.Wanted to try these yummy Nankhatais for sometime now.Got the perfect occasion and reason for it.Bake,Share with your friends & family and have a prosperous Diwali.

No baking powder/soda used.So way more healthier with the goodness of atta.

Ingredients
Maida 1 cup
Wholewheat 1 cup
Besan 1/2 cup
Sugar 1 2/3 cup powdered or even less of you prefer it less sweet.Do measure after powdering sugar.
Ghee 1 cup would suffice to make a good non sticky dough.Add more to roll balls.
Cardamon powder 1 tsp
Badam powdered as you prefer

Method
Mix the dry flours with sugar .Slowly add half of ghee and make bread crumb resembling textured dough. Now add more so that the dough comes together as a big ball.Make sure not to add too much ghee else the biscuits turn crumbly.

Now refrigerate the dough in a aluminium foil for 10 mins.

Now,take the dough .Make small balls and flatten to make Nankhatais.Now again refrigerate it for 10 mins.Meanwhile preheat oven at 190 degree Celsius.Place the biscuits in the baking tray greased with ghee.Make a cross cut on top and decorate as you wish.Bake for 18 to 20 mins or a little more till the base of the biscuits is slightly browned.For the last few mins reduce the temperature a little less to prevent cookies being burnt.

Take out the biscuits  and allow to cool.Once cooled it hardens and your soft melt in mouth Nankhatais are ready to go :)

Pearl Millet Spaghetti

Missing the Maggi noodles already. Well who doesn't ? :( Ok now.Make up your minds and get ready for a yummy treat and this time it's fun Spaghetti.But wait..It isn't the usual Maida based one,I have here used Pearl Millet & Whole wheat Spaghetti. Yes you heard it right ! Ever since the organic fever is on in the markets,this pack of organic kambu & whole wheat Spaghetti caught my attention in the supermarket.
Finally I dished out this Chatpata Masala Spaghetti with no market sold masala packets,but full of homemade spices and veggies.
Lets move on to this recipe fully loaded with health & nutritional benefits.

Ingredients:
1 cup Pearl Millet organic Spaghetti.
Veggies of your choice ( I used carrots,beans,cabbage, sprouts,cauliflower)
Garlic 2 minced finely
Onions chopped finely
Tomatoes 1 no cubed
Turmeric powder,Chat Masala,Red chilli powder,Coriander powder,Garam masala - Take a tsp of each & mix and keep aside.
Green chillies 1 no as per taste.
Lemon juice as per taste
Salt to taste.

Method.
1.Boil  five times the water ratio to that of the spaghetti quantity roughly with a pinch of salt.
2.Add the spaghetti and boil for 8 mins.Drain the noodles and keep aside to cool.
3.In a kadai,add a tsp of oil & saute garlic followed by onions and green chillies.Add salt to taste.
4.Add the veggies one by one and add water & cook.Don't make it too soft .Let the veggies retain the crunchiness.
5.Once the water is absorbed, add the spice powder mix,diced tomatoes and give a quick stir.
6.Add the noodles and mix well.Check salt.
Top it off with a dash of lemon juice.

Serve it hot sprinkled with red chilli powder & lemon juice for added flavours.

Paneer Capsicum Calzone

Craving for pizza flavoured baked goodies?You can very well try them and bake them in healthy way rather than indulging in store bought ones.

The calzone meaning pizza pockets can be made healthy using half and half whole wheat and all purpose flour.

Ingredients

For the outer cover
All purpose flour 1 1/2 cup
Active dry yeast 1.5 tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil 2 tsp
Water to adjust.

For filling
Panner cubes diced into smaller piece
Capsicum- coloura of your choice- diced small
Onions finely chopped
Garlic few finely chopped
Sweet corn 1/4 cup
Pizza sauce as per taste
Lemon juice 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oregano,black pepper & chilli flakes.
Mozzarella cheese as needed


Preparation:

Take the flour in a wide bowl and add in the salt and sieve it once.

In another bowl,take yeast and add sugar and 1/4 cup water to it and allow the yeast to prove.Check for bubble formation within few seconds in the yeast solution.If not discard the solution and start afresh with a new pack of yeast.

Now mix this yeast solution into the flour and start kneading with oil.The dough should be sticky initially.Do not add more water.Start kneading for 7 to 8 mins.Once gluten formation is done,the stickiness will be gone and the dough will be more manageable.Apply oil all over dough and keep it aside in a warm place to rise.

Check after 1 to 1.5 hra.The dough would have risen well.Now knead it again for few mins after knocking down the air bubbles in the dough.Take equal sized balls out of it.


For the filling.
In a kadai,add oil and saute garlic cloves ans onions.Add salt and add in the capsicums, sweet corn.Let them cook for few  seconds.Add in the panner pieces and check for seasonings.Finally add the pizza sauce as per taste .Squeeze in lemon juice
and switch off to cool.

How to make calzones:
Now roll the ball sized dough into a disc shape.Place in the filling and spread Cheese over it.Close the disc into a semi circle and fork the edges. Drizzle milk all over the surface to get the nice golden brown colouring.

Your calzones or pizza pockets are ready to bake.

Preheat oven to 180 degree for 10 mins and keep the prepared calzones covered in a muslin cloth and allow it to rise for few more mins till the oven is preheated.

To note: If your calzones do not rise properly,then allow them to rest for few more hrs before starting the filling.

Bake them for 20 to 25 mins till the top surface is lightly browned.

Serve them hot and relish with a cup of coffee :)

Pumpkin & Carrot Puri

Goodness of pumpkin with the sweetness of carrot gives this recipe a new taste that kids would surely relish.Elders too can opt it as a healthy alternative to regular puris.

Pack it as a snack or serve for breakfast with mint or coriander chutney or ketchup.

Ingredients:
Atta 1 cup
Boiled and pureed pumpkin& carrot mixture 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Chilli powder to taste
Chat masala a pinch
Oil as needed to fry

Method:
Combine all the above ingredients and knead the puri dough.Add water if required only.The dough should not be too soft like for rotis.

You can add any other spice powders as per liking to avoid the smell of pumpkin if your child figures out :)

The mentioned spice powders will give subtle flavours and the health factor is also high due to addition of veggies.

Fry in hot oil and serve Puris hot.

Capsicum Chana Delight

The combination of Capsicum and Chana is quiet interesting and the aromas and taste mix match each other and provides a nutritive delight to our taste buds.Try this delicious side dish as a great accompliment to rotis/naan/pulav or rice.

Ingredients:

Chana soaked overnight and boiled 1 cup     Capsicum(red or yellow or green) chopped into cubes, 1/2 cup .
Tomatoes 3 to 4 pureed,along with green chillies,few cloves of garlic,coriander seeds a tsp,pepper a tsp & few pieces of boiled Chana.
Onions 2 nos finely chopped
Jeera 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil & ghee as needed
Red chilli powder as per Taste
Garam masala a tsp
Coriander leaves few
Lemon juice a tsp

Method:

1.Grind the mentioned items and keep aside
2.In a kadai,splutter Jeera in ghee or oil and saute with onions.
3.Once onions are cooked,add in the red capsicum and give a gentle toss.
4.Add in salt,red chilli powder.
5.Pour in the tomato puree and let it simmer for few mins.
6.Add in the boiled Chana and little water and let the gravy boil till the tomatoes raw smell goes and a thick consistency is achieved.
7.Top it off with garam masala and coriander leaves.
8.Squeeze a tsp of lemon juice before switching off the flame and serve it hot.

Less oil,healthy add on to your daily menu.Check it out and share your reviews.

Penne Pasta Tomato Delight

Quick,Easy and Filling recipe that has goodness of vegetables and Durum-Wheat Pasta.You can experiment with a variety of Pasta shapes but this is my personal favorite. You can add any veggies of your choice and even spinach puree and treat your senses with this yummy recipe.I have added flaxseeds for that extra dash of health.

Ingredients:

• Penne Pasta 1 cup boiled as per instructions on the pack
• Thinly sliced onions
• Thinly sliced carrots
• Thinly sliced capsicum(use all 3 colored capsicum for extra colors)
• Boiled sweet corn 1/4 cup
• Garlic pods 1 to 2
• Oregano 1 tsp
• Salt,Pepper to taste
• Few flaxseeds
• Red chilli flakes 1 tsp
• Pasta sauce 1/4 cup or more as your taste preference.
• Mozzarella/Any Cheese of your choice shredded

Note: I used readymade Delmonte Pasta sauce.You can prepare your own if time permits and preserve for future use.

Pasta sauce:

Chop some tomatoes

Puree some tomatoes

Heat oil,add garlic followed by the tomatoes and pureed ones,add oregano, chilli flakes,pepper and salt.Let it boil nicely till raw smell vanishes.Mix few drops of tomato ketchep and preserve for use.

Method:

• Boil Pasta as per pack instructions and drain the water completely.Set aside.Do not overcook else it doesn't taste good.
• In a pan,heat olive oil.Saute garlic and onions.Follow it by carrots,capsicums and boiled sweet corn.The vegetables can be maintained crunchy.
• Add in oregano, salt,pepper ,flaxseeds and chilli flakes.
• Add in the Pasta and mix well.
• Switch off the flame.Now add in the Pasta sauce and give a nice stir.
• Top it off with cheese shredding and enjoy with ketchup.

Beetroot Millet Pakodas/Fritters

These colourful crispy fritters is a delicious twist to the normal pakodas made with leftover rice.Here I have uplifted the health quotient(I know its a fried snack..But sshhhh! once a while is OK I say :)) by adding my leftover beetroot curry & foxtail millet rice.You can try with any of your leftover veggie and I'm sure kids would relish it and ask for more.

Ingredients:

• Leftover rice 1 cup. I used foxtail millet rice.
• Beetroot Curry/Poriyal leftover 
• Onions 1/4 cup
• Fried cashewnuts few
• Green chillies according to taste
• Rice flour 3 to 4 tsp
• Salt to adjust
• Lemon juice 
• Chilli powder to taste
• Coriander and Pudhina leaves few

Method:

Mix all the ingredients well and add rice flour to get a binding consistency. Make sure you are able to make small balls.

Deep fry in hot oil.Serve with chutney or ketchup.

Hot and crunchy on the outside,soft and flavourful on the inside ,these Pakodas are a good way to use leftover rice and veggies.

The mint flavor and colour of beetroot gives a visual treat apart from delighting your taste buds.

Dates Flavoured Millet Cookies

Millet cookies - Yes you heard it right.No Maida .No whole wheat.These are healthy munch-ons with the goodness of dates.

Ingredients:
Millet Flour 1 1/2 cup
Corn flakes 2 tsp -I used organic ones
Palm sugar 1/4 cup
Melted Butter or oil little more than 1/4 cup
Dates Syrup 2 tsp
Baking powder a pinch
Vanilla flavour a tsp
Milk for kneading

Method
1. Sieve the Millet Flour with baking powder.
2.Powder the palm sugar with cornflakes.
3.Mix the above with Oil or butter, Vanilla essence and dates syrup in a wide bowl.
4.Start kneading and add few tsp of milk if you find the dough too try.You need not make a round ball from it,just make sure you are able to make small round cookies that held firm and do not break if you shape it.
5.Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius.Bake these goodies at 180 degree for 15 mins and 160 degrees for last 5 to 10 mins.Check by looking at the base of the cookies,should be slightly brown.
6.Once you remove the cookies from the oven, they will be soft.Let them allow to cool and you will get melt in mouth crisp cookies.

With no added Maida,the goodness of these Dates Flavoured Millet Cookies will delight your taste buds.

Note:

• At any time you can adjust the sweetness of your cookies.
• Make sure the mixture do not crumble when you try to shape them.If so add more milk or oil to hold it together.

Eggless Butterless Jam 'N' Fruit Muffin

Yummy Strawberry Jam stuffed in tangy Orange-Banana muffins.Yeah that was a hit baked goodie at my place and our recent favorite. Try this yummilicious muffins and give the goodness of fruit and yummy jammy twist to it.I'm sure kiddos would heartily enjoy this recipe.And yes this is absolutely Eggless and Butterless.You can't just stop with one,I promise!

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour /maida
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup oil(refined or olive oil)
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 small ripe bananas mashed
• Finely chopped almonds-Feel free to use any nuts of your choice.
• Strawberry jam for filling

I have here used Maida which normally finds a second preference in my household.Planning to use Wholewheat for the same recipe next time.Since I ran out of atta,I have here used APF.But you can always give a try using half-half ratio of atta & APF.

Method.

• Sieve APF,baking powder, baking soda,salt and sugar.Give a mix and keep it aside.
• Now to the flour mixture,add orange juice,oil,almonds and banana pureed or mashed.Gently fold the batter and mix and make sure no lumps are there.
• The mixture will be scoopy type and should not be a runny one.
• Once done pour a small scoop of batter in muffin moulds.Drop a dollop of strawberry or your fav jam and cover it with another small scoop of cake mixture.
• Continue this with all the moulds .Make sure the moulds are filled 3/4 level and bake it at 200 degree Celsius for 25 to 30/mins in a pre-heated oven.

Note:The temperature slightly varies with each oven.Mine were baked at 25 mins sharp.If needed reduce the temperature at last 5 mins and continue to bake.

Spongy texture of these jam filled orange-banana will leave you craving for more.Be careful weight-watchers :)

Tangy Chana/Chickpea Cutlet

Normally cutlets involve using potatoes to get the right consistency to shape them.Other day when there were lot of boiled chickpea in my kitchen that was left over from Chana masala,thought of making quick Chana cutlets to pack for my kiddos snack box.Also I had a dry powder made from oats,flaxseeds and peanuts.There it was..My amazing tiny cutlets coated with healthy mixture rather than usual breadcrumbs and was rather more happy when I saw my little ones snack box returning home empty !

Ingredients:

• Boiled Chana/Chickpea - 1 cup
• Onions very finely chopped
• Red chilli powder to taste
• Turmeric powder to taste
• A dash of Amchur or  dry mango powder
• Salt to taste
• Finely chopped Nuts of your preference
• Coriander Finley chopped
• Maize flour or Yellow Corn flour to bind them.
• Lemon juice 1/2 tsp

For the coating:

Dry roasted oats,flaxseeds and a tsp of peanuts.

NOTE:

Lemon juice and Amchur powder gives nice tangy flavor to the cutlets.You can vary them accordingly.

Maize flour is a very healthy substitute to white corn flour or maida or even rice flour and can be used as appropriate as a binding agent.

Method

• Mash the boiled kabuli Chana well .Make sure there is not much water in it else consistency will be mushy.
• Add all the ingredients one by one and mix well.
• Add maize flour to get the right consistency to shape the cutlets.
• Slight wet the cutlets with water in your hands and roll them in the dry roasted powder.
• Shallow fry in ghee or oil and serve it with ketchup or green chutney.

Tangy Chana cutlets is a rich source of protein and with added benefits of maize,its a nutritious delight for kids snacks.

Quick Dal Puri (Kids snack ideas)

Oh the long summer vacation has come to a close.Back to hurry burry busy schedule of packing snacks and lunch for kid.

So here is a kid friendly snack box recipe for kids.Healthy as well as filling.Elders too can savor this recipe.Pooris with a health quotient !

Ingredients:

Moong Dal soaked in warm water for 1 hr. 1/4 cup

Atta 1 cup

Salt

Turmeric powder

Chilli powder

Jeera powder

Garam masala

Water to knead the dough

All spice powders are as per taste 

Method:

Grind the soaked Dal to a paste consistency using water and mix all the ingredients and prepare poori dough.

Make sure the dough is not so loose.Alternatively you can add mashed boiled tuvar or moong dal and knead the dough as well.

Using cookie cutters make any desired shape and fry the poori is in medium hot oil.

Serve with chutney or tomato ketchup.The poori is as such tasteful without any side dish because of the flavors added.

Stir Fry Vegetable Wraps

Stir fry veggie wraps with an Italian flavor is a very healthy option for dinner .Very less in calories it fulfills your dinner hunger pangs. You can even munch on the same as an evening snack.With Italian seasoning flavors this is an all-time favorite with my family.With the inclusion of your choice of veggies you can modify the recipe as you like.

Here I have taken Carrots,Beans,BabyCorn,Capsicum and Onions.

Ingredients:

Veggies of your choice cut into thin strips
Garlic 2 pods cut into slices
Onions cut into thin slices
Pepper powder
Oregano and Basil seasonings
Red chilli flakes or powder
Salt to taste
Olive oil
Ketchup optional


Method

1. In a pan drizzle olive oil and add in garlic and onions and give a fry.
2. Now add in the veggies one by one and add salt and close the lid
3.Once the vegetables are slightly tender and not so much over cooked add in all the seasonings and give a stir fry in high flame for few mins.
4.Ensure the crunchiness of vegetables are retained and does not look mushy.
5.You can add a dollop of ketchup for added flavour.

Roll it up with rotis or serve as an evening snack.

Mango N Strawberry Popsicles

Yes the Mango fever is on.To beat the summer heat wanted to try out a Popsicle recipe with the new Popsicle mould I recently picked up from my native.
The combination of mango and strawberries gives an interesting ice-creamy twist to this popsicle.You can very well try the same using small paper cups and enjoy a delicious cool summer recipe that drives you crazy.My Lil one is so fascinated by the colors of the Popsicle mould that he eagerly waits near the fridge to choose his colour and savor the Popsicles:)

Ingredients

Ripe Mango 1 no 

Milk 1/2 half cup

Condensed milk 

Sugar-optional

Cardamom powder

Strawberry fruit or Strawberry flavor

Method

1.Take the pulp of fully ripe mango.Add in the mixer along with milk Add 3tsp of condensed milk. Add more or sugar as per your taste preference.

2.Add a pinch of cardamom powder

3.Mix in 2 to 3 strawberries or you can use a tsp of strawberry flavor syrup.

Give it a grind in mixie.

4.Adjust the consistency using milk.

5.Pour into the moulds and freeze it for min 6 to 8 hrs.

6.After freezing,slightly wash the moulds in running tap water and slowly demould the same.

P.S:Addition of condensed milk gives a smooth texture to the mixture.

Yummilicious mango strawberry Popsicles are ready!

Raw Mango 'N' Coconut Rice

My craving for mangoes is very less in general but this time since there were so many raw mangoes stocked up in my kitchen,wanted to give the usual mango rice with a twist.Planning to prepare a sweet n savoury mango pickle in somedays soon though.

This Mango rice version has a nice tangy flavor with a spicy and coconuty twist..

Do give it a try in this summer and give your palate a tangy treat.

Ingredients:

1 small sour raw mango grated
Green chillies 6 to 7
Red chilli powder as per taste
Turmeric powder pinch
Salt to taste
Coconut finely shredded 1/4 cup
Jaggery 2 to 3 tsp powdered.
Boiled raw rice or basmati rice 1 cup
Fried cashew nuts to garnish.

To temper:

Mustard seeds
Urad deal split
Bengalgram dal split
Asafoetida

Curry leaves and coriander leaves to garnish.

Method:

Step 1: Take half of grated mango and grind together with green chillies.

Step 2: In a kadai splutter mustard seeds followed by dal and hing and curry leaves.

Step 3:Add in some split green chillies.Add the paste of raw mango and green chillies and fry for few mins.

Step 4: Mix in the rest of grated mango and temper the red chilli powder and turmeric powder.Add salt and check for spiciness and accordingly adjust to balance the sour taste of mangoes.

Step 5: Once the mango is sauteed and comes like a ball texture add in some jaggery and mix till it melts.Switch off the gas and add in the shredded coconut,curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Step 6: Add the boiled raw rice or basmati rice add mix well till the flavors blend.Adjust salt and garnish with fried cashews.

Hot Tangy Spicy Mango Rice with a coconut flavor will definitely be a winner in your household. Serve it with nice crispy potato sabzi or chips.