Category: Cuisine

Jowar Bhakri- Sorghum flat bread

Post author By Anagha
Post date September 19, 2014
3 Comments on Jowar Bhakri- Sorghum flat bread

Jowar Bhakri (ज्वारीची भाकरी)

Whenever I talk to any non-indians about Indian breads, most of them only know naan. Although I like Naan, there are so many different breads that are part of the Indian cuisine that the rest of the world is unaware of. I hope to do a series of posts on various Indian Breads.

My most favorite Indian bread is actually a flat bread.

What is Jowar(Sorghum)?

Jowar is a grain cultivated through out India. It is considered a cheap alternative to wheat. It is a very healthy grain with a lot of fibre and rich nutrients that are supposedly beneficial to fight against diseases like cancer, diabetes. The list of health benefits is pretty long.

Jowar bhakri is very common in many parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka, especially it is an integral part of the Farmers’ diet.In the villages Bhakri is made typically on a wooden stove. The smoky flavor you get with that is unmatchable.

I love to eat bhakri right off the stove, with a pinch of salt, onion and green chili, I feel that it is the best food on the planet. In fact, if I am asked on my death bed what I would like to eat, it would be bhakri.

I typically make Bhakri with spicy chicken and some greens.

Today’s post is dedicated to ‘Jowar Bhakri’

Ingredients are very simple, Jowar flour & water. How much simpler can it get. The trick is in making these beauties. Although I did not cook at all before I got married, this is one thing I made sure I learnt how to make. I thought it will be easier to explain it through videos rather than just the pictures or words.

So here is my attempt to capture Jowar Bhakri Recipe.

Ingredients

2 cups of Jowar flour

about 1 cup of water

Method:

Step 2:

Make a dough with the flour. Make sure you knead it a bit to ensure that it is smooth. It will be almost the consistency of mashed potatoes.

Step 3:

Make a flat bread patting with you hands. Use flour to ensure that the bread does not stick to the board or your hands

Step 4:

Heat the pan on med-high heat and ensure it is hot before you start to roast the bread on it.

Step 5:

Put the flattened bread on the pan. Make sure you put the flour side up. Spread some water on it. This helps remove the excess flour.

Step 6:

As soon as the water sort of dries up and the first side sort of turns opaque, flip over to roast the second side.

Step 7:

Roast the second side till you see nice brown spots on it.

Step Final:

Once the second side is roasted well, take the pan of the stove and roast the first side directly on the flame.

Step 8:

Enjoy with your favorite curry ‘Chicken Savji’. I made this typical Maharashtrian dinner tonight.

Tags fat-free, gluten-free, healthy, sorghum, whole grain

Burmese Noodles

Burmese khow suey

Burmese Chicken Khow-Suey

In the Indian subcontinent to the left of India are countries like Thailand, Burma, China & Laos.

I am fascinated to see how the food changes as you get closer to the border. You can start seeing the influence of different cuisines as you get close to the border, the ingredients peep in various forms. Momos in Sikkim start telling you that you are close to the China border.

Today’s dish is a classic example- Curry from India, Noodles from China and Coconut milk from Thailand combine to make this wonderful dish Burmese Khow suey.

Lovely combination of Indian, Thai and Chinese cuisines, you can tell where Burma is located with this combination.

It is a great one pot dish. All the components can be made ahead and can be put together very quickly, all you need to do is cook the noodles.

Ingredients:

Part A: Chicken

2-3 chicken breast ( cut in small pieces)

2 tbsp yogurt

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp salt

Mix all the ingredients and marinate the chicken for 20 mins

Part B: Tomato sauce

1 tomato in big pieces

1 onion chopped in big pieces

2 garlic cloves

1/2 inch ginger

1 green chili

Grind these together to make into a fine.

Part C: Coconut sauce

1/4 cup Chana dal ( pressure cooked)

1 can of coconut milk

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp salt

Grind both of these together, add to a sauce pan and cook for 20 mins on a slow flame.

Part D: Chicken curry

Marinated chicken

1 tsp oil

1 tbsp Garam masala ( you can also use any other meat masala)

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

Heat oil in a pan. Add marinated chicken and cook for a few mins.

Add the tomato sauce ( Part B) to the chicken

Add spices and cook till the tomato sauce is dried up.

Part E: Noodles

Boil egg noodles.

Part F: Toppings:

Chopped cilantro

Chopped Mint

Fried onion

Chopped roasted peanut powder

Smoked chili oil ( I make it at home, it is so yummy)

Cut lime wedges.

How to eat:

Put noodles in the bowl
Add chicken
Pour coconut sauce
Add toppings of your choice & Enjoy

Healthy foods Indian

Moringa (Drumstick) leaves stir fry

Post author By Anagha
Post date September 17, 2014
1 Comment on Moringa (Drumstick) leaves stir fry

Moringa Leaves stir fry

Ingredients:

1 bunch of Moringa

2 large cloves of garlic

1/4 cup peanuts, roasted & coarse powdered

1/2 tsp red chili powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 pinch of asafoetida

salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add turmeric and asafoetida. Add chopped garlic and saute for a min. Dont let the garlic burn.

Add moringa leaves, salt. Stir to mix well. Cover with a lid.

If the leaves are dry, add a splash of water.

Once the leaves are cooked add peanut powder & red chili powder. It is ready to eat.

Tags health food, Miracle food, Moringa leaves

Indian Pickles & Chutneys

Stuffed spicy green chilies

Post author By Anagha
Post date September 4, 2014
No Comments on Stuffed spicy green chilies

I come from a place where we eat spicy food. I can not have a meal without a green chili and I am always looking for recipes that use fresh green chilies. This is one of my favorite recipes. Those days when your subji just does not come out tasty or you need something to perk up your leftovers or you need an accompaniment to your curd rice, this stuffed mirchi comes to the rescue.

I make it with these thin thai chilies. In summer we get beautiful produce in the farmer’s market and this is one of the recipes that allows you to enjoy the fresh bounty. These are somewhere between thai chilies and serrano, and they do pack a good amount of heat. This dish is somewhere between subji and pickle. If you are a chili/ spice lover and if you want to bring some heat to the table, this is a perfect dish for you. you will love them!

Stuffed Green chilies…spicy yet you can not stop eating it.

Ingredients:

Dry coconut- ½ cup
Coriander seeds- 2 tbsp
Methi seeds- 0.5 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
Ginger-garlic paste( I grate it)-1 tsp combined
Lime juice to taste
Sugar – 1 tsp( to taste)
Salt

Method:

Dry roast the first three ingredients coriander seeds, mustard seeds, methi seeds on a low flame. Make sure you add the methi seeds at the end so they dont burn. If the methi seeds are over roasted they will be very bitter.

Dry roast coconut until golden brown, take it out on a plate and let it cool.

Grind the roasted spices along with the coconut into a fine mix.

Mix in the rest of the ingredients to the ground spices. Add Salt , sugar and lime juice as per your taste.

Wash and dry the green chilies. Make a slit and fill it up with the spice mixture.

If the chilies are spicy you will need these to balance the spiciness of the chilies. I always make extra masala since everyone loves the masala. I like to eat it with ‘curd rice’.

Add about a tsp oil( for 15-20 chillies) in a pan and heat till warm. Layer the chilies gently and cover with lid, cook on low flame. You do not want the chilies to burn , and they should cook. After 5-7 min turn them over gently with a pair of tongs. After another 3-4 min, add the extra masala and add a tsp of water. Cook for another 3-5 mins.

Tags flavorful, green chilies, pickle, spicy

Main Dish Mexican

Chicken enchilada

I am sure that my daughter was born in a hispanic or latin family in her previous birth. Anytime I ask her what she would like for dinner, the answer is either fajita, quesadilla, chili but her favorite is enchilada. So today’s recipe is enchilada.

I feel key to a good enchilada is the sauce, if you get the sauce right you got 70% dish right. I learnt to make this sauce from Iris ( pronounced as ‘ee-ra-is’), she comes from the Jalisco province of Mexico and this is how her mom makes the sauce.

Chicken Fajita Enchilada

Ingredients:

Filling:

1 lb chicken, I make it with minced chicken or the rotisserie chicken and both taste good

1/2 Green bell pepper cut in short strips

1/2 Red bell pepper cut in short strips

1/2 onion sliced

2 tbsp homemade mexcian seasoning

oil

2 cups of shredded mexican style cheese

Sauce:

2 Roma tomatoes

8-10 Tomatillos

1 jalapeno

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 onion cut in big chunks

1-2 dried red chili , you can use chipotle, guajillo or ancho chili

2-3 tbsp cilantro

6-8 tortillas

Method:

Step 1:

Make the sauce

Preheat the oven 400F.

Clean the tomatillos. Arrange tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, onion, jalapeno in a baking dish. Sprinkle with oil and salt. Bake it in the oven till you see the tops of the vegetables browning. I like mine a little smoky so I leave them in till they get black spots. If you like your salsa smoky, add the dried guajillo chili to the roasting vegetables for the last 5 mins.

If you are not planning to roast the dried chili with the vegetables. soak it in warm water for 15-20 mins( longer is ok).

Grind the roasted vegetables with a cup of water( you can also use chicken stock) With chopped cilantro, soaked dried guajillo chili and salt.

Step 2:

Prepare the filling

If you are using the rotisserie chicken, de-skin & de-bone the chicken, you should be left with cooked shredded chicken.

In a pan heat some oil. Add sliced onions and saute until nicely browned ( I like mine almost caramelized).

Once the onion are done, add the shredded chicken and sliced bell peppers.

Cook for a few mins, add ‘Fajita seasoning ( see note)’. Cook until all the flavors come together. Add chopped cilantro and take it off the heat.

Once the meat mixture is cooled to room temperature, mix in 1 of the the shredded cheese and keep the mixture aside.

Step 3:

Assembly

Take a baking dish. Cover the dish with a thin layer of the sauce to prevent the tortilla from sticking to the dish. Take a plate and pour the rest of the sauce in that plate.

Dip the tortilla in the sauce, flip over to coat both sides.

Spoon heapful of the chicken & cheese mixture on the center.

Roll it up and arrange the roll on the baking dish.

Finish arranging the rest of the tortillas in the baking dish.

Cover this with the remaining cup of shredded cheese.

Bake it in a 350F oven till everything heats through and the cheese melts ( about 25-35 mins). If you think that the cheese is melting but the enchilada is n heating through, you can cover the dish with an aluminum foil while baking, take it off during the last 7-10 mins for the cheese to get golden brown.

Serve it with a dollop of ‘fresh crema’!

Notes:

Vegetarian option: You can make a vegetarian version very easily. I make mine with sliced portobello mushroom, zucchini, carrots. My mom is a pure vegetarian and she loves it.

Spice mix: I make my own Mexican seasoning which I use in all mexican dishes like fajita, taco, enchilada and even chili.

Tags chicken, tomatillo

Kashmiri Vegetable curries/daal

Kashmiri Baingan(Eggplant)

Post author By Anagha
Post date August 28, 2014
No Comments on Kashmiri Baingan(Eggplant)

Kashmir- the jewel crown of India, not only is it famous for its beautiful landscape and people but its cuisine is also delectable. Kashmir cuisine has two distinct areas, one influenced by the Pandit community and the other by the Muslim community. You can see influence of Persian cuisine is dishes like ‘Khubani ka halwa, Pomegranate chutney. The recipes use ingredients like the flower extract, dried spices, dried fruit and milk products.

The Pandit cuisine recipes show minimal use of onion and garlic. This eggplant recipe reflects so. I got this recipe from a man whom I met on one of the trips to India. He was very happy that I was interested in learning about Kashmiri cuisine and happily shared a couple of recipes with me.

Kashmiri Baingan

Ingredients:

2-3 long eggplants

salt

a pinch of sugar

oil

Spices:

2 tbsp tamarind pulp ( mixed with some water)

1/4 tsp hing mixed with 1 tbsp of water

1/2 tsp dry ginger powder

1/2 tsp fennel powder

1/4 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder

1 pinch of kasuri methi

Chopped cilantro for garnish

Method:

Slice the eggplant in thick slices and apply salt and both sides. Let rest for 20 min and then dab it dry with a kitchen towel.

Saute the eggplant in a pan with little oil. The traditional version calls for frying the eggplants but I decide to shallow fry them. Take the eggplants out on a plate.

In the same pan heat some oil. Add the red chili powder and turmeric powder.

Saute and then add the tamarind pulp mixed with water to the pan.

When it comes to a boil, add the rest of the dry spices like dry ginger, fennel powder, sugar & salt.

Cook for a min and then add the cooked eggplant slices. Mix well and cover to cook for 1-2 mins.

Add the kasoori methi and mix well.

Garnish with cilantro to serve.

Note: I forgot to add garam masala today. A pinch of garam masala taste good in this dish

Tags dry ginger, fennel, jain, vegetarian

Andhra Rice

Tamarind Rice ( Puliyodharai)

Post author By Anagha
Post date May 28, 2014
No Comments on Tamarind Rice ( Puliyodharai)

I love authentic, traditional recipes. Agreed that sometimes they can be very involved and time consuming but I feel the taste after all that effort is unbelievable. Some of the old methods of cooking or prep work may look tedious, but those also have a great way of bringing people together. Imagine making raviolis together, or making papad in summer, or making pickles together, when you are working together teh work does not seem boring. So i love collecting recipes that are authentic, passed down from generation to generation, this is my way of preserving my culture and heritage, hoping to pass it to the future generation.

Today’s recipe is something I learnt from my friend Usha, who had leant it from her Ammamma( grandma).

Tamarind rice is very popular in Andhra Pradesh as well as Tamilnadu. This version I feel has both Andhra and Tamil influence on it. It is a typical brahmin recipe, and is used as Naivadyam on many auspicious ceremonies. I had eaten this the very first time in the famous Tirupati temple, so anytime I make it invokes the same feelings.

Although the recipe may look complicated it is not, it is complex. I will try to simplify the instructions as much as possible.

Tamarind Rice

There are four steps to the recipe.

Step 1:

Make a tamarind chutney – This chutney is pretty much jam like consistency.

Part A ( tempering 1)

2 tbsp oil

2 tsp mustard seeds

6 red chilies

Few curry leaves

Part B (Wet ingredients)

1 handful dry tamarind, cleaned and soaked in 2 cups of hot water

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp jaggery ( gud), you can substitute dark brown sugar as well.

Extract the tamarind pulp and discard any seeds or hard shells. Mix jaggery and turmeric in it.

Part C ( Dry powder)

1/2 cup coriander seeds

6 dry red chilies ( or more if you like it spicy)

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp cumin(jeera) seeds

1 tsp fenugreek( methi) seeds

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp chana daal

1 tbsp urid daal ( skinless)

Few curry leaves

1/2 tsp asafoetida( hing)

Dry roast the these and grind it in a coffee grinder( or a blender) to make a fine powder. Make sure you add fenugreek seeds and hing towards the end else it will burn and give bitter taste

To make chutney:

Heat the oil for tempering, add the red chilies until they are nicely browned. Add the remaining things and saute till the mustard seeds splutter( Part A). Now add the tamarind-jaggery mixture( Part B). Cook this on a low flame until you get a nice jam like consistency. Add the dry masala powder ( Part C) and mix well. Keep it aside.

Step 2:

1 .5 cups of rice

1 tsp oil

1/2 tsp turmeric

Cook rice with salt and set aside to cool. Once cooled add a tsp oil and turmeric and mix well.

Step 3: Make tempering 2

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil

1 handful ( or two) peanuts

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp urid daal

1 tbsp chana daal

1/2 tsp asafoetida

A few curry leaves

Roast/fry the peanut in oil on a low-medium heat. Add mustard seeds, urid and chana daal and saute well. Now add curry leaves.

Step 4: Mix it together

Mix the cooked rice with a few tbsp of the prepared Tamarind chutney. Typically 4-5 tbsp chutney is enough for 1 cup raw rice cooked.

Add Tempering 2. Mix well.

Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired.

You are done. Enjoy the authentic Pulliodarai

Notes:

This tamarind chutney lasts a while even outside and if you refrigerate it, it can last upto a couple of months.

Tags andhra, Indian, rice, spicy, tamararind, vegan

Indian Snack

Spiced puffed lotus seeds…chatpate mahane

Post author By Anagha
Post date May 27, 2014
No Comments on Spiced puffed lotus seeds…chatpate mahane

Making healthy and nutritional snacks without compromising the taste is always challenging to me. This recipe fits the bill very well.
Makhane are popped ‘lotus seeds’, considered to have many medicinal properries as per the ancient Chinese medicine science. It is loaded with potassium, calcium and iron, it is a great alternative for popcorn.
The aroma of the tiny yet divine ghee or coconut oil in this recipe is very tempting and smoked paprika for sure adds a nice flavor.

Spiced lotus seeds

It is a very simple recipe, slowly dry roasting is the key to get a lot of crunch without a lot of fat

Recipe-
2 cups makhane( popped lotus seeds)
1/2 tsp ghee( clarified butter) or coconut oil

Spices-
1/2 tsp Smoked paprika
1/4 tsp Turmeric (leave it out if making for Vrat)
3/4 tsp Chaat masala( it is a mixture of rock salt, cumin powder, pink salt & some black pepper..all ground to a fine powder)
1/4 tsp Black pepper powder
1/4 tsp Amchoor( dried mango powder)

Dry roast the makhane on low flame till they start getting crisp. Add the ghee( or coconut oil) and coat the makhane well. Add all the spices and toss well.

For those who are curious, here is the nutritional information for the dry puffed lotus seeds.

Tags healthy snack, Indian, iron, lotus seeds, vegan

Breakfast Fusion

Savory waffles.. traditional buttermilk waffles with an Indian twist

Post author By Anagha
Post date May 21, 2014
1 Comment on Savory waffles.. traditional buttermilk waffles with an Indian twist

When I came to this country one of the many thing that I found interesting is the choices for breakfast. All the option available are on the sweet side. Pancakes, cereal, donut, pastry, oatmeal, cereal bars and the list goes on. When we started making healthier food choices, the goal was to incorporate whole grains and clean foods in the diet. One such ingredient is ‘Oats’, however all the options in the market are sweet in taste. So I decide to put an Indian twist to a traditional oats waffle recipe where oats are a main ingredient.

Savory Oats Waffles

Ingredients

Dry ingredients
2.5 cups of rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
salt to taste

Wet ingredients at room temp:
2 cups thick buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tbsp melted butter or oil

Adders
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 tsp chopped cilantro
1 green chili chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds crushed

1 tbsp grated coconut ( optional)
turmeric

Procedure:
Dry roast the oats and grind them once cooled.

Mix the toasted oat flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl.

Whisk the eggs and melted butter together in another bowl, then add the buttermilk.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until combined.

Add all the adders like onion, chili etc. You can add any vegetable of your choice.

Rest the batter for 5 minutes, this is important so the buttermilk and baking powder can talk to each other.

Pour the waffle batter into the hot iron. Close the iron top and cook until the waffle is golden on both sides.

Note:

I mix the dry ingredients and keep them on hand, which makes it very easy to make it in the morning

I also have made a large batch and the waffles freeze very well.

Tags buttermilk, desi tadka, from scratch, oats, waflles

Breakfast Fusion

Biryani Frittata

As a family we are trying to eat healthy. A big part of eating healthy depends on eating a good lunch and hence I have been working on some ideas for lunch. It has to be wholesome, easy to carry and pack , tasty and should taste good even when it gets cold. Yesterday I made a ‘frittata‘ for the lunch box. This dish is not an innovation but I really enjoyed it due to the Indian twist. Kids loved it as well.

Biryani is a classic indian dish made with some kind of meat ( most commonly chicken or lamb) and seasoned flavorful rice. I love making chicken biryani and pack it for lunch many times. I did not have time to marinate and make chicken biryani for lunch so I decided to put a Biryani Twist on the frittata.