Ragi Idli

This recipe is contributed by Sarika, a loving mom of two whose fun loving attitude is contagious and radiates positivity to everyone she meets.

Ingredients:
Ragi grains - 2 cup (You can also use 1.5 cups of Ragi Flour )
 Urad dal - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1 tsp
Oil - to grease the Idli tray/ to make Dosas 

Eno 1 tsp

Method:
Soak Urad dal and Ragi grains separately for minimum 3 hours or overnight.
Grind the Urad dal separately till it become fluffy.

Next grind the ragi seperately (if using ragi grains).
Mix the urad dal batter and ragi batter together with required salt.

If you are using ragi flour, grind the urad dal to a smooth batter and mix in the ragi flour to this. Add little water and mix to get a idli batter consistency.

Whichever method you follow, let the batter ferment overnight or until it doubles in volume or add Eno to the batter for instant fermentation.

 After it ferments, you can make idlis or dosa immediately. You can also store the batter in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Tibetan Momos

Poonam is a teacher and an artist who makes as delicious food as she makes beautiful paintings. Her passion lies in her uncanny knack of getting both her passion right to a T. Good food and awesome paintings are what you find at her place. 

Ingredients

Dough: 2cup whole wheat flour, 1 cup self-raising flour 1/2 tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt knead stiff dough using cold water, cover and let it rest for 30 min.

Filling:

2 cups cabbage, finely shredded 1/2 large red onion, finely diced 1 small carrot, grated 1 tbsp ginger, minced 4-5 green beans finely chopped Half cup tofu crumbled Salt - pepper to taste

Method

Heat a pan add 2 tsp olive oil add all veggies and cover let it steam cook on low medium heat. don't overcook, remove in a dish and let it cool. Roll out thin small size puries, keep little filling in between and fold in any shape.I did potli and half moon shape.

Steam for 10- 12 min .U can use Idli stand for steaming if you don't have a steamer, server with hot and sweet sauce.

 

Chole

This recipe is contributed by Sarika, a loving mom of two whose fun loving attitude is contagious and radiates positivity to everyone she meets.

Ingredients:

Kabuli Channas/Garbanzo Beans – 2 c
Water – 8 cups
Tea bags – 2
Black Cardamom – 1
Bay Leaf – 1
Cinnamon Stick – 1″ pc
Salt – to taste
Oil – 1.5 tbsp
Hing/Asafoetida – 1/8 tsp
Crushed Tomatoes – 14.5 oz can/400 gms
Channa/Chole Masala – 1 tbsp
Anardana – 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder – 1/2 tsp
Chaat Masala – 1/2 tsp
Amchur/Dry Mango Powder – 1/2 tsp
Onions & Green Chillies – for garnishing

Method:

1. Soak the Channas overnight.
2. Transfer the Channas and the Water it has been soaking in into the pressure cooker.
3. Add in Cinnamon Stick, Bay Leaf, Black Cardamom, Teabags & Salt. Mix
4. Close pressure cooker and allow it to whistle thrice, lower heat and cook for another 20 min.
5. Once done, allow the pressure to go down and then open.
6. Separate the water and the Channas, do not discard the water.
7. In a pan, heat Oil on medium heat.
8. Once hot, add in the Asafoetida and right after that add in the Crushed Tomatoes.
9. Cook till the Tomatoes separate from the Oil.
10. Add in the Channa Masala, Chaat Masala, Red Chilli Powder, Dry Mango Powder & Anardana Powder.
11. Mix well.
12. Add in the Channas/Chole and mix again.
13. Add in the Water that had been set aside, little at a time.
14. Mix occasionally and cover and allow the channas to cook.
15. Repeat the process till the water is all consumed and the consistency of the gravy looks good.
16. Garnish with Onions and Green Chillies.
17. Serve hot with Puris, Bhaturas, Bread, Chapati, Parathas or Naan.

Strawberry Delight

This recipe is contributed by Aparna Bhave Tawde, an avid cook and mom.

This recipe is quick and delicious and also looks colorful and has jello like consistency. 

Ingredients

Strawberry Jello -2 packets

1 can evaporated milk

Some strawberries for decorative purposes

Whipping cream for decorative purposes

Method

1. Mix strawberry jello (2 small packs)as per pack instructions but cool in fridge for only half hour to 45 min until its cool but not set. 
2. In a large bowl, whip 1 can of cold evaporated milk for 5 min 
3. Add the cool jello and whip again till it doubles in size this takes about 5-8 min . 
4. Put back in fridge till set. 
5. This takes probably 3 hrs. 
6. Before serving top it with sliced strawberries and whipping cream.

 

Nolumbu Addai

This dish is contributed by Dr Kripa Narayan. 

Nolumbu Addai is an important part of the Karadai Nombu festival for the people in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. On this day a woman prays for the well-being and long life of her husband in remembrance of the Satyavan-Savithri katha. Both sweet and salt adai are made on the ocassion and the recipes for these are below.

Ingredients 

1 cup Rice flour

1 cup Jaggery

2 tsp finely chopped fresh coconut 

Cardamom powder- made from 2-3 cardamoms

1 tsp Red Moong Dal whole Channa dal 

Method: 

1. Soak red moong dal whole,channa dal   each 1tsp over night. 
2. Dry roast the rice flour in pan till light brown and keep aside. 
3. Dissolve jaggery in some water, then strain it to remove the stones and dirt. 
4. Mix water and jaggery to make 2.5 cup of mixture. 
5. Boil this water-jaggery mixture to elaichi/cardamom powder,soaked dals and scraped coconut pieces. 
6. Finally reduce heat and add the rice flour,stirring continuously till it becomes solid.let it cool. 
7. Oil the idly plates 
8. Knead the dough.take lime sized ball,press it in the idly depression evenly,put a hole in the center, steam it for 15 to 20 minutes. 
9. Remove it  and leave to cool.

Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna

 Poonam is a teacher and an artist who makes as delicious food as she makes beautiful paintings. Her passion lies in her uncanny knack of getting both her passion right to a T. Good food and awesome paintings are what you find at her place.

Ingredients :

 1 (12 oz.) pkg. lasagna noodles
1 (10 or 12 oz.) pkg. frozen spinach, thawed
2 med. onions
8 or 12 oz. crushed tomatoes
12 oz. Mozzarella cheese
8 to 12 oz. Romano cheese
2 tbsp. olive oil
12 or 16 oz. mushrooms
1 green pepper
Salt & pepper to taste
12 oz. sharp cheese

Method :
Bring large pan of water to boil and add the oil. Add noodles one at a time. Return to boil, turn heat down to medium for slow boil and cook until done. When cooked, drain and fill the pan with cold water and set aside.

Grate all the cheeses. Finely chop onion, peppers and mushrooms. In large frying pan, heat a little oil and cook onions until translucent. Add peppers and continue cooking for 2 or 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until most of juice is gone. Add thawed spinach and stir thoroughly. Add salt, pepper and herbs to taste. Oregano and thyme are good, but you can add your favorites. Add tomatoes and heat thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a rectangular casserole dish, arrange sauce, noodles and cheeses as follows: layer of sauce, layer of cheese, layer of noodles. Repeat layering until all ingredients are used -- saving some cheese for top. Cook in oven until top starts to brown -- about 30 minutes.

Spicy Tofu Wrap

Poonam is a teacher and an artist who makes as delicious food as she makes beautiful paintings. Her passion lies in her uncanny knack of getting both her passion right to a T. Good food and awesome paintings are what you find at her place. 

Ingredients :

1. one medium onion finely chopped
2. 1tsp ginger minced
3. 2 clove garlic minced
4. 2 green chilies finely chopped
5. 8oz firm tofu ,crumbled
6.8oz can water chestnuts, drained and chopped          
7. 3 tb sp soy sauce
8. sweet chili sauce
9. 1 head iceberg lettuce
10. 1 large carrot grated
11. half cup peanut coarsely grounded
12. half cup chopped green onion

Method :
To make filling. Heat oil in a large skillet, over medium heat. Add onion, ginger,clove and cook for 5 min. Add tofu ,chestnut and cook for 5 min.Add green chilies, salt,soy sauce ,salt and sweet chili sauce. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Place lettuce leaves on platter .Wrap tofu mixture in lettuce leaf and garnish with carrot,green onion and crushed peanuts.
Shouldbe wrapped at time of eating not before .

Bhagara Baigan

             

Contributed By Dr Kripa Narayan

About Bhagara Baigan:

This popular Hyderabadi?Andhra  recipe, has the tiny eggplants slit and stuffed with spiced sesame and coconut mixture cooked in a tangy tamarind gravy. For all those vegetarian lovers ,this goes well the Hyderabadi Biriyani.

Ingredients (for stuffing)

Stuffing

• 400 gms small purple Brinjal or eggplant (slit length wise into 4 parts leaving the base intact)
• (¼ cup) 50 gms chanadal
• (2/3 cup) 100 gms ground nuts
• (1/3 cup) 50 gms sesame seeds
• (1 cup) 120 gms grated coconut
• (1/3 cup) 20 gms coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. Jeera
• ½ tsp Fenugreek Seeds (methi)
• 8 red chillies
• Salt (according to your taste)
• 50 ml oil

 

Steps

• Roast all ingredients separately until a nice aroma arises.
• Grind ingredients together.
• Stuff the Brinjals with the masala.
• Fry Brinjals on low heat until they are soft.

Ingredients (for gravy)

Gravy

•  1 tsp mustard
• Few curry leaves
• 1 lime sized ball  of a tamarind, make juice from that
• ¾ cup chopped onion
•  1 ½ tsp ginger garlic paste 
•  Pinch of turmeric
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tsp Coriander powder
• Salt (according to your taste)
•  ½ tsp jaggery
• Fresh Dhaniya/Coriander leaves

Steps for gravy

• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard.  
• Add curry leaves & fry them. 
• Add ginger paste, garlic ginger paste, chopped onions. 
• Fry until golden brown.
• Add tamarind juice & all 3 powders. 
• Mix the remaining ground masala. 
• Boil water until the oil is separated or gravy consistency is reached. 
• Add fried Brinjals/eggplant and let them simmer on low heat. 
• Turning the Brinjals until they are cooked. 
• Garnish with coriander.