February 2020 – TamarindtoAmchur

Bread Chutney Pizza

I do not know any place that makes bread pizza except India. True lovers of original pizza or Italians will absolutely hate this idea but ,we are known to adopt a recipe and make changes as per our taste. So if you have roadside pizzas in India and then have a true Italian Pizza you will have an awakening 🙂 During our everyday chat about “What for dinner” R says he wants bread pizza . I had to make since he is never very specific about what he wants.

See that green goodness ? Hari chutney is life for a mumbaikar

Need-

Bread slice – white / brown
Pizza sauce
Onions -1- sliced
Capsicum – 1 sliced
Tomato – 1 sliced
American Corn – 1 cup
Cheese mix
Green chutney ( coriander + mint+salt + green chilli + lemon juice+garlic)
Dried basil + parsley
Butter

Process –

Take the bread and spread butter on both side.
Spread the sauce on one side and top with the vegetables , dried parsley and basil.
Top with cheese. Take a flat pan and place the filled bread
Close for 5 minutes till the cheese melts.
Remove and drop few dollops of green chutney and serve.
You can top with sev as well.

Cabbage Paratha

Roti / Flatbread

Cabbage is not a vegetable that is loved by many but when prepared in a manner where it incorporates other flavours it is definitely to be enjoyed. Cabbage creates gas hence adding ginger /garlic /carom seeds/hing is necessary. R hates cabbage. So when it is camouflaged he relishes it. But this time I made sure he also eats the cabbage sabzi. So it was everything cabbage for dinner.

Parathas and pickles or chutney is the best combination.

Need –

Cabbage – chopped – 1 small
Wheat flour + Ragi/Bajra flour – 1 1/2 cup
Green chilli – 2 chopped
Coriander – handful – chopped
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
Rock Salt
Carom seeds – 1 tbsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Water
Oil/ Ghee

Process –

Chop and wash the cabbage .
In a bowl take the wheat flour mix. Add everything except water.
Mix well and the add water slowly to kneed.
Close and keep aside for 15 minutes. Kneed again
Make small balls and flatten them like rotis using flour dusting.
They usually tend to be a bit thick. Heat a pan and cook on both sides by applying oil or ghee.
Serve with either chutney or pickle or curd.

Veg Chowmein and Zucchini Manchurian

North & South Indian

Veg chowmein is a favourite at home and the best combo is either veg munchurian or Gobhi 65 (cauliflower). Off late husband loves zucchini chips and I was not in a mood to take extra efforts to make veg Manchurian. So instead of chips I attempted to make it as a muchurian and it turned out pretty well.

Pan fried Zucchini instead of fried or baked.

Need –

Plain Noodles – 1/2 packet
Julienned – carrot , cabbage , onion (use spring onions if you have) , red +green capsicum ,ginger , garlic
Oil
Green chilli sauce – 1 tsp + 1 tsp
Ketchup – 1 tsp + 1 tsp
Soy sauce – 1 tsp + 1 tsp
Salt
Zucchini -1 – diced
Maida(White flour)/Corn starch + 1 tbsp
Diced – onion , capsicum .
Chopped ginger , garlic
Water
Pepper
Sesame seeds – 1tsp + 1 tsp

Process –

For the chowmein , boil the noodles.
In a thin pan , take oil and sesame , saute the onion garlic and ginger. When it turns translucent add the vegetables and fry at high fire for 2 minutes.
Reduce the heat and add the noodles, salt and mix. Add 1 tsp of all sauce and pepper.
Chowmein is ready. Add extra sauce if required
For Zucchini Manchurian , add maida and salt to diced zucchini.
In a pan add oil and pan fry the zucchini. When done remove it.
In the same pan sauté the diced vegetable and chopped ginger, garlic, sesame seeds. Add the sauce , pepper. Add water to the remaining maida from coating and mix it without lumps.
Add that to the vegetable mix , salt and add the zucchini to it.
Give a good mix and serve with the chowmein

Beetroot Chole

Dal / Gravy

Beetroot chole is not a regular chore dish. While it may be common for everyone to try , I made this purely because I did not want to waste the beetroot water and add a good colour by missing the tea water. Adding beetroot pieces instead of potatoes is also interesting. While the west is now catching up on chickpea under “vegan” category apart from hummus, Indians adopted this well.

Need –

Chickpea – 5 cups – washed and soaked overnight
Onion – 1 – big
Tomatoes – 3
Ginger – 2 inch
Garlic – 2 cloves
Bay leaf – 2
Jeera – 2 tsp
Green chilli – 1
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Hing – 1 tsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Chole masala – 2 tsp
Amchur – 1 tsp
Tamarind paste – 1 tsp
Anardhana (dry pomegranate powder)- 1/2 tsp
Water + beetroot water (from steamed beetroot)
Salt
Coriander – handful

Process –

Soak the chickpea overnight. You can pressure cook it separately with water, salt , hing and keep or do it one pot style like I do.
Coarsely crush the onion , garlic and 1 inch ginger else grate all 3.
In a pan take oil , add bay leaf , jeera and split the green chilli. Add the onions , ginger garlic. When the raw smell goes, add the chopped tomatoes. When it becomes mushy and integrated with the onions add turmeric, red chilli powder , hing, garam masala , anardhana, 1 tsp chole powder , tamarind paste , salt. You can skip anardhana if using beetroot or its water
When oil starts leaving the sides add the chole and the water reserved from steaming the beetroot. Add beetroot pieces now if you like. (add water carefully if you are adding already cooked chickpea) . Here the chole is not yet cooked.
Pressure cook for 5 whistles till chickpea can be mashed by hand.
Open and add the remaining chole powder , amchur ,coriander and julienned ginger .

Beetroot Roti

Roti / Flatbread

Beetroot is an excellent source of fibre and for blood pressure and blood flow. Beetroot cutlets are famous (recipe to come soon some day). Some day while going through some recipe ideas , I read about beetroot pancakes and wanted to try that. Days passed and the beetroot was dying hence had to use it. So it was a ‘beetroot’ packed dinner of beetroot roti and beetroot chole. Chole recipe to follow.

I also added ragi to make it softer and healthier.

Need –

Beetroot – 2 – small
Water
Wheat flour – 1 cup – small
Ragi flour / Finger millet flour – 1 cup – small
Salt
Carom seeds/carom seeds – 1 tbsp
Curd – 1 tbsp
Ghee

Process –

Peel and cut beetroot into 4. Pressure cook with water for 3-4 whistles till well cooked.
When cool , grind and make a paste.
In a bowl , take the paste and add rest of the items except water and ghee. Crush the carom seeds in-between the palms.
Mix and add water little by little to kneed into dough. Use the water from boiled beetroot to kneed if you are making a different side dish.
Close and keep aside for 20 minutes
Kneed again and roll into small ball ,Flaten them by using a rolling pin
Heat a flat pan and cook them on both sides by flipping only once till brown spots appear on both sides.. Apply ghee and serve

Pumpkin Soup

North & South Indian

There are days when soup and salad is required to feel light. They are useful the days you don’t feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen. This is a no nonsense , no glamorous home made soup by your’s truly. When I have pumpkin in hand , its usually either sambar or sabri for roti. But this soup took birth with whatever I had and came to my mind.

Just plain roasted pumpkin ground into soup

Need –

Pumpkin – Peeled and diced
Salt
Pepper
Red Chilli – 1 (depending on the pumpkin size)
Garlic – 2 cloves
Coconut milk or powder.
Oil
Cinnamon powder – 1 tsp
Mint Leaves
Milk – 1/2 cup

Process –

Peel and chop the pumpkin. Add salt , peeled garlic ,cinnamon powder, red chilli and oil to it
Toss and bake for 10 – 15 minutes at 180 degrees.
When done , cool and puree it .
In a pan pour the puree , add the coconut powder and milk. Skip milk if adding coconut milk. Simmer and bring to boil. Adjust salt and pepper.
Add chopped mint leaves and serve. Mint adds a refreshing flavour .
Add coriander leaves as well or you can roast them a bit towards the end with the pumpkin.
If you have neither coconut powder or milk, just add plain grated coconut while grinding.

Lauki (Bottle Gourd) Dal

Dal / Gravy

Dal is a staple food of India. It varies in taste and method of preparation through the country but lentils form a basic item. Lauki also known as Ghia or dhoodi is a vegtable full of water. It does not have a unique taste go is good to make halwa as well. I usually make dhoodi kootu (kootu is a South Indian dish make with lentils and coconut and buttermilk sometimes). Dal , rice and pickle is one heavenly combination.

Just a cup of dal is comforting even without rice or any accompaniments.

Need –

Bottle Gourd – 1/2 – chopped
Yellow moong – 1 cup
Kalonji /Nigella seeds – 1 tsp
Jeera -1 tsp
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp or substitute with sambar powder
Red Chilli – 1 tsp
Salt
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Hing
Coriander – handful
Lemon juice – 1 tsp
Water

Process –

Peel and remove the white flesh from the gourd and chop it.
Pressure cook yellow moong with turmeric and water for 3 whistles. Also pressure cook the lauki
In a pan heat ghee. Temper jeera and kalongi. Add hing
Add the chilli powder and immediately add the laud and the cooked dal.
Add salt and water to adjust the consistency. When it starts to froth add the garam masala and coriander.
When done switch off and add the lemon juice.

Sabudhana Kichdi

Grains

Sabudhana is tapioca pearls. Tapioca is also called cassava. Sabudhana is a favourite of Indians and mostly consumed when people fast. When one fasts (specially during Navaratri), you are allowed to consume only certain items and abstain from a whole lot of food items you normally consume. Sabudhana is starchy hence helps you keep full and when combined with peanuts and potato you get the energy throughout the day. Using rock salt is recommended during this time as it helps maintain the body balance.

Husband finds beer a best combo for this while traditionally its always had with curd.

Need –

Sabudhana / Tapioca pearls – 1/2 kg
Potato – 1 large – chopped
Peanuts – 1 cup – roasted
Jeera – 1 tbsp
Ghee – 2 tbsp
Green Chilli – 2 – chopped
Amchur – 1 tsp (avoid during fasting)
Lemon Juice – 2 tsp
Coriander – chopped – handful
Curry leaves – 6
Rock Salt /sendha namak

Process –

Wash and soak the sabudhana for minimum 2 hours . When done it can smash it in your fingers. Drain in a colander till all the water is drained and you can see the pearls separately.
In a pan take 1 tbp of ghee , temper jeera ,torn curry leaves and add chilli. Add the diced potatoes and amchur. Sprinkle water to cook, cover till potatoes are cooked and browned. Alternatively , cook the potatoes in microwave for 2 min to quicken the process.
Meanwhile , roast the peanuts and grind them coarsely so you get the bites. I leave the skin on. You can choose to grind the chillies along.
When the potatoes are done , add half peanuts and the sabudhana , salt and give it a good mix. Keep stirring twice or thrice in between
The pearls will become translucent when throughly cooked. Add the remaining peanuts , coriander and lemon juice and give a good mix.
Serve with curd.

Baked Bhindi Crisps

Snack

For me Bhindi is all love. while the West is slowly picking on it, SEA goes all blast at it. I even know few people who eat raw okra.

If you have fresh bhindi in hand its a perfect starter for an unexpected eventful evening. Cut and throw them with some spices and its ready

Need –

Bhindi/Okra – 1/2 Kg
Red chilli dry – 3
Besan/Chickpea flour – 2 tbsp
Peanuts – 1 Tbsp
Amchur – 1 tsp
Sesame seeds – 1 tsp
Salt
Oil

Process –

Wash the bhindi and dry them completely. I would wash and dry them overnight. Else use a clean kitchen cloth and wipe them dry
Cut in juliennes or like finger chips. Water makes it more slimy so keep them dry
Dry roast the dry chilli , peanut and sesame seeds. Cool and powder.
Mix the bhindi with besan. Add the powder . Sprinkle water to bind the mix.
Add a tablespoon of oil and bake at 180 degree for 15-18 minutes.
Once done add salt and amchur and give it a toss.

Bajra Besan Cheela

Roti / Flatbread

Cheela is a Gujrathi dish which a vegetarian omelet as the world calls it. It a quick , yummy and full of protein dish. Cheela doesn’t always suit everyone as chickpea flour has a tendency to be gaseous. So to reduce it and to make it more nutritious is the addition of bajra+ ragi flour. It usually consists of only tomatoes and onion in the batter.

Addition of vegetables to make it healthier and fuller. It deserves to be served with hari chutney

Need –

Besan (Chickpea flour) + Bajra (pearl millet) – 1 cup
Onion – chopped – 1
Cabbage – chopped – handful
Tomato – chopped – 1
Coriander – handful
Green chilli – chopped – 1
Chat masala/ Amchur – 1 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Rock Salt
Water / curd
Oil

Process –

In a bowl add the chopped vegetable , add the salt , chilli powder and chat masala.
After 5 minutes when it leaves water , add the besan and bajra , coriander and green chilli.
Add water and curd to get to a poring batter consistency
In a pan, pour a ladle and spread thin. Add oil around and cook
Flip and cook the other side till brown spots appear.
Serve with a chutney made or coriander + mint + garlic + salt and 1 dry red chilli.