Gujarati Thali

This healthy and tasty Gujarati meal has been completely inspired from Tarla Dalal ji's recipes. A year back or so, all that I knew was, any Indian cuisine apart from the four southern states, will be termed as "North" Indian cuisine!! I really feel silly about myself to have been thinking that way but now I am happy that I am exploring and getting to know more about various Indian cuisines. So this weekend I planned for a Gujarati dinner. On going through various Gujarati dishes, I came to know how unique it is and the best part is that it consists of a lot of healthy ingredients. Millets are incorporated in the dishes in innovative ways to make them very tasty! I am very happy to share with you all this special Gujarati dinner that I prepared.

Menu:

• Dhokla (Steamed snack)
• Lapsi (Broken wheat dessert)
• Dapka Kadhi (Steamed pakoda gravy)
• Tindoranu Shaak (Mixed stuffed vegetables)
• Dhebra (Spiced wheat and millet snack)
• Bajri no rotlo (Millet flat bread)
• Ram Khichdi (Mixed vegetables in dal chaawal/rice)
• Masala Chaas (Spiced buttermilk)

Eating Healthy can be absolutely tasty too! See you all soon with different and interesting recipes!

Masala Chaas

I first tasted chaas in Rajdhani restaurant and simply loved it! It is an excellent summer chiller and also a good accompaniment during heavy meals as it helps in good digestion. It is a very simple recipe and tastes best when served chilled!

INGREDIENTS:

• Whisked curds - 2 cups
• Cumin seeds powder - 1 Tsp
• Ginger-green chilli paste - 1/2 Tsp
• Salt - To taste
• Black salt - 1/2 Tsp (optional)
• Oit - 1 Tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/4 Tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 Tsp
• Chopped coriander leaves - for garnishing

METHOD:

1. Combine all ingredients except oil, cumin seeds and asafoetida and mix well. Black salt is optional. I did not add as I do not like the flavor much
2. If you feel the mixture is too thick, add half a cup of water
3. Temper the mixture with cumin seeds and asafoetida
4. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves
5. Serve chilled

Ram Khichdi (Mixed vegetables moong dal khichdi)

While hunting for recipes for my Gujarati meal in Tarla Dalal ji's site, I came across this yummy khichdi which is very easy to make. This is a traditional Gujarati khichdi from the land of Kathiyavad. It is infact a complete meal by itself as it is loaded with different vegetables and tastes best with a simple kadhi or even a pappad.

INGREDIENTS:

• Yellow moong dal - 1/2 cup
• Uncooked rice - 1/2 cup
• Ghee - 1 Tbsp
• Cloves - 2
• Cinnamon stick - 1'' piece
• Bay leaf - 1
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 Tsp
• Mixed vegetables, chopped (cauliflower, beans, carrot, peas, potato) - 1 cup
• Onions - 1/2 cup, finely chopped
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 Tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 Tsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 Tsp
• Salt - as needed

METHOD:

1. Clean, wash and soak moong dal and rice together in enough water for 15 minutes. Drain and keep aside
2. Heat ghee/oil in a pressure cooker and add the cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf
3. When the cumin seeds start to sizzle, add the onions and saute till they become translucent
4. Add the chopped vegetables, turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala and saute in medium flame for 4 minutes
5. Add rice, moong dal, salt and saute for a few minutes on a medium flame
6. Add 4 cups of water, mix well and pressure cook for 4 whistles
7. Serve hot with kadhi and pappad

Bajri no Rotlo (Millet flat bread)

Bajri no rotlo is a traditional Gujarati dish which is a millet roti or flat bread. Millets come with a wide range of health benefits and it is very good for weight watchers and diabetic people. This is the first time I have tasted bajra roti and I liked it a lot. I made it along with kadhi and Tindora (Kovakkai) subji but the traditional way of serving bajri no rotlo is with a spoonful of ghee and jaggery (Yumm :P )

INGREDIENTS:

• Bajra flour (Millet flour) - 3 cups
• Water - 1 and 1/2 cups
• Salt - 1/2 Tsp
• Oil - very little for pan frying

METHOD:

1. Mix the flour, salt and water and knead it well into a soft dough
2. Allow it to rest for 20 minutes
3. Divide the dough into small balls and roll them into thick rotis
4. If the dough sticks to your working area, place a cling flim and roll out the rotis over it
5. Pan fry the rotis on both sides with very little oil
6. Serve hot

Accompaniments options:

• Ghee and Jaggery
• Tindora nu shaak
• Kadhi

Dhebra

Dhebra is a traditional Gujarati snack, which is a spiced millet flat bread. Dhebras are either deep fried like pakodas or they are rolled into small tikkis and pan fried. I have tried the second variation here. Dhebras can be made in huge batches and taken as a travel snack and can be had as such or with any pickle of your choice.

• INGREDIENTS:
• Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
• Bajra flour (millet flour) - 1/3 cup
• Sour Curd - 1/2 cup
• Jaggery - 1 Tbsp
• Ginger-garlic paste - 2 Tsp
• Cumin seeds powder - 1/2 Tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 Tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1/4 Tsp
• Salt - as needed
• Kasoori Methi - 2 Tbsp (even finely chopped fresh fenugreek/methi leaves can be added)
• Oil - 2 Tbsp
• Oil - for pan fry

METHOD:

1. Combine sour curd and jaggery and mix very well to avoid any lumps
2. Add in all the spices and mix well. Keep aside
3. Add 2 Tbsp of oil to the flour and mix well till oil is well incorporated into the flour
4. Pour in the spiced curd mixture and make a soft dough without adding water
5. Knead well and drizzle few drops of oil over the dough. Cover and allow it to rest for 20 minutes
6. Divide them into small balls and roll into small thick rotis/tikkis
7. Pan fry them on both sides with very little oil
8. Enjoy the flavorful dhebras as such or with any pickle of your choice! 

Tindora nu shaak (Stuffed Tindora/Kovakkai)

Tindora/Kovakkai is a common veggie at home but what we have been doing usually is to just make it like a dry curry along with onion and tomato. Tindora nu shaak is a Gujarati recipe and it is made by filling each and every tindora with mixed spices. It has a special aroma to it and is a great accompaniment with any rice or roti. Usually tindoras take a long time to get cooked but this recipe follows a pressure cook method which makes it very easy and fast for the tindoras to get cooked.

INGREDIENTS:

• Tindora/Kovakkai - 15
• Oil - 3 Tbsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 Tsp

For Stuffing:

• Grated coconut - 5 Tbsp
• Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup, finely chopped
• Coriander-cumin powder - 5 Tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 Tsp
• Ginger-green chilli paste - 2 Tsp
• Sugar - 1 Tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp
• Salt - as needed
• Gram flour/besan - 2 Tsp

METHOD:

1. Slit the tindoras through their centre upto 3/4th of their length
2. Mix together all the ingredients mentioned under "For Stuffing"
3. Stuff the tindoras with the mixed spices. If there is any more stuffing left over, just add it over all the tindoras and mix well
4. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add asafoetida and saute for a few seconds
5. Add the stuffed tindoras, very little water and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles

Dapka Kadhi (Steamed Pakoda Kadhi)

A Gujarati meal is incomplete without Kadhi. There are different kinds of alterations that can be done to this humble recipe and when I planned for a Gujarati Thali, I decided to go for a pakoda kadhi. But I didn't want to deep fry the pakodas so when I came across the steamed kadhi recipe in Tarla Dalal ji's site, I bookmarked it and tried it. I do feel that deep frying them would have enhanced the taste but still the steamed version too tasted very nice!

INGREDIENTS:

For Pakoda:

• Yellow moong dal - 1/4 cup, soaked
• Grated Raddish - 1/4 cup
• Ginger-green chilli paste - 1/2 Tsp
• Besan (Yellow gram flour) - 2 Tsp
• Salt - to taste

For Kadhi:

• Yogurt - 1 cup
• Besan - 2 Tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 Tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 Tsp
• Ginger-green chilli paste - 1 Tsp
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Oil - 1 Tbsp
• Salt - to taste

METHOD:

To make pakodas:

1. Soak moong dal in enough water for 15-20 minutes
2. Drain out all the water and grind it into a coarse paste, without adding any water
3. Grate the raddish and squeeze out all the water from raddish
4. Mix raddish along with ground dal and add ginger-green chilli paste, besan, salt and mix well
5. Make small balls and keep aside

To make Kadhi:

1. Whisk curds. Add besan and mix very well so that no lumps are left behind
2. Add turmeric powder, ginger-green chilli paste and mix well
3. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and when it sizzles, add asafoetida
4. Pour in the curds mixture, salt and 2 cups of water and give it a good stir
5. When it starts to boil, reduce the flame and start adding the pakodas carefully one by one. In case the pakodas crumble, add more besan to it and then add to the kadhi (You could also deep fry them or microwave for 2 minutes before adding it to the kadhi)
6. Allow it to boil for 5-10 minutes until the pakodas are cooked (If you are deep frying them, then they can be added at the end after kadhi boils)
7. Garnish with coriander and serve hot

Kadhi goes well with:

• Khichdi
• Methi Pulao
• Bajra Roti

Lapsi (Broken wheat dessert)

Lapsi is a Gujarati dessert made with broken wheat. Broken wheat can take a long time to cook but here I have done the dessert in a pressure cooker, thus making it very simple and easy to prepare. There are different varieties in which lapsi is made. Usually it requires a lot of ghee and sugar but I chose to use lesser amount of ghee and sugar when I came across the pressure cooker version of lapsi in Tarla Dalal ji's site.

INGREDIENTS:

• Broken wheat - 1/2 cup
• Sugar - 1/2 cup
• Ghee - 3 Tbsp
• Raisins - 1 Tbsp
• Cashew nuts - 1 Tsp
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 Tsp

METHOD:

1. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker
2. Add broken wheat and saute it for 5 minutes on a medium flame
3. Add cashew nuts, raisins and mix well. Cook for about a minute
4. Add sugar, one and a half cups of hot water and pressure cook for 4 whistles on high fame
5. Serve hot, garnished with cardamom powder

Instant Dhokla

Dhokla is one of the most famous snack of Gujarati cuisine. It is a steamed snack which is very flavorful and also healthy. Traditionally the dhokla batter is made through a long fermentation process. But here is a simple instant method to make dhokla and when you have surprise guest at home, you can surprise them back with this instant dhokla along with green chutney and a hot cup of tea! 

INGREDIENTS:

• Gram flour (besan) - 1 and 1/2 cups
• Semolina (Rava/sooji) - 2 Tbsp
• Water - 1 and 1/4 cups
• Oil - 1 Tbsp
• Baking soda - 1/4 Tsp
• Eno fruit salt - 1 and 1/4 Tsp
• Salt - 1 Tsp
• Sugar - 2 Tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 Tsp
• Ginger-green chilli paste - 1 Tsp
• Lemon juice - 2 Tsp

For Tempering:

• Oil - 1 Tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp
• Green chillis - 2-3 slit across the length
• Lemon juice - 1 Tbsp
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Sugar - 2 Tbsp
• Coriander leaves - 2 Tbsp, finely chopped

METHOD:

1. Sift gram flour. Mix gram flour, semolina, water, oil, salt, sugar, turmeric, ginger-green chilli paste into a smooth batter of thin pouring consistency. Beat well
2. Add eno fruit salt and baking soda in the centre of the batter and sprinkle few drops of lemon juice over it. Once it starts to bubble, gently fold in the batter. Make sure NOT to over mix it
3. Pour the batter immediately into a greased steamer or dish. Steam it for 10 minutes. If you are using a pressure cooker, make sure not to put on the weights or whistle
4. Remove from fire and allow it to rest for 5 minutes
5. For tempering, mix oil, chillis, mustard seeds, sugar, water and lemon juice and heat it for a minute or two. Pour it over the dhokla and wait for 20 minutes for the dhoklas to become soft
6. Cut into pieces, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with green chutney!

Eggless carrot wheat flakes cake

My quench for healthy yet tasty dishes never seizes! So when I came across carrot bran cake in Madhuram's eggless cooking, I bookmarked it immediately and tried it recently with some little variations. I have used Kellogg's All bran wheat flakes in this recipe but you could very well use any bran flakes/oat bran etc. Carrots add to the sweetness of the cake and hence this recipe calls in for a considerably lesser amount of sugar and also it has no butter! But absolutely no compromise to the taste :)

INGREDIENTS:

• Whole wheat flour - 1/2 cup **
• Maida - 1/4 cup **
• Brown sugar - 1/4 cup (White granulated sugar can also be used)
• Bran flakes - 3/4 cup, crushed coarsely with hands
• Carrot - 1/2 cup, grated
• Buttermilk - 1 cup
• Cinnamon powder - 1/2 Tsp
• Baking powder - 1/2 Tsp
• Baking soda - 1/2 Tsp
• Salt - a pinch
• Orange zest - from 1/2 orange
• Raisins - 1/4 cup
• Walnuts - 1/4 cup, chopped (optional)
• Oil - 1/8 cup

METHOD:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 C for 10 minutes. Line muffin trays with cupcake liners or dust a cake pan and keep aside
2. Mix all the dry ingredients together - flour, sugar, bran flakes, carrot, cinnamon powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, raisins, orange zest
3. Make a dent in between and pour in the oil and buttermilk and gently fold in. DO NOT over mix
4. Fold in the walnuts, if using
5. Fill the batter in the muffin molds or cake pan
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes. If you have used muffin molds then they take lesser time to bake than in cake pans. So keep a watch on your cake after 17 minutes
7. Cool completely and store
8. This cake tastes the best when it is completely cooled. I baked it on a Sunday and took it for my evening snack the next day and it tasted too good

Enjoy the yummy cake absolutely guilt free! Eating healthy can be tasty too!! 

** Note - This can be skipped and instead 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour can be used in the recipe to make it even more healthier! Or if you do not like too much of wheat, then only 3/4 cup of maida can be used. Absolutely your choice :)

Southern Spice Lunch - The four state wonders!

If it was a grand north Indian lunch last week, this week it is a southern spice lunch with the specialties of the four southern states of India! Being born in Bangaluru, brought up in Chennai and having Telugu as my mother tongue, the southern flavors are what I have grown up with and I am extremely happy to present a special southern spice lunch menu this weekend! Eat well, Stay well.. Have a happy weekend :)

Southern Spice Lunch Menu:

• Elaneer Payasam (Kerala)
• Guthi Vankaya (Stuffed brinjal - Andhra)
• Poricha Kuzhambu (Tamil Nadu)
• Mysore Rasam (Karnataka) - Recipe coming soon

Along with:

• Quick appam (I wanted to have a starter but not any deep fried one. So made instant paniyaram with idli batter in paniyaram pan with very little oil)
• Nellikai Thokku (Recipe coming soon)
• Rice and Curd

North Indian grand lunch menu

A yummy and grand Sunday lunch!

This is the first time I am preparing a huge platter like this. But was extremely happy when everyone at home enjoyed it thoroughly  Happy happy weekend!! Do try out these dishes and share your feedback with me

North Indian Grand Lunch Menu:

• Pineapple Sheera
• Capsicum Tomato Curry
• Mixed veg in coconut gravy
• Jeera Pulao
• Dahi Balla
• Roti
• Curd Rice
• Maanga Ingi Pickle

Elaneer Payasam | Tender coconut payasam (No cooking required)

I would call this an absolutely refreshing summer treat! I have tasted elaneer payasam at a restaurant during thier special onam sadhya but that had jaggery in it and I personally did not like the combination. But later one day dad told me that he tasted a different version of elaneer payasam at a hotel during his official meetings and that he liked it very much. So after some recipe hunting, I found this absolutely easy elaneer payasam that requires no cooking!! Doesn't that sound interesting! Yes, it is such a simple recipe and can be made in a jiffy. Enjoy this in summer and keep cool :)

INGREDIENTS

• Tender coconut water - 1 and 1/2 cups
• Tender coconut flesh - 1 cup
• Sweetened condensed milk - 2-3 Tbsp
• Coconut milk - 1 cup
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 Tsp
• Raisins, Almonds. cashew nuts - for garnish (Optional)

METHOD

1. Grind the tender coconut flesh
2. Mix the ground tender coconut flesh, tender coconut water, condensed milk, coconut milk and mix very well
3. Add cardamom powder and garnish with some nuts if required (I did not add any nuts)
4. Refrigerate it for atleast an hour and serve chilled!

Murungakaai Poricha Kuzhambu

At home we usually make only the traditional arachu vitta sambhar and don't even keep stock of any sambhar powder. But for the sake of my experiments on different types of sambhars, mom made sambhar powder and this Murungakaai (Drumstick) Poricha kuzhambu was my first attempt with it and it turned out to be a success and all of us at home loved the taste and the flavour of drumstick just enchanced the kuzhambu even more! I came across the recipe of poricha kootu/kuzhambu in many blogs and this is an inspiration from two or three such recipes! Apart from drumstick, many other veggies like carrot, capsicum, white pumpkin etc can be added too but here I have used only drumstick.

INGREDIENTS

• Drumstick - 2
• Tomatoes - 2, Chopped
• Moong Dal - 1/2 cup
• Sambhar powder - 2 Tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/2 Tsp
• Salt - as needed

To grind:

• Grated coconut - 3/4th cup
• Rice flour - 1/2 Tsp

To temper:

• Mustard - 2 Tsp
• Urad Dal - 2 Tsp
• Cumin seeds - 2 Tsp
• Curry leaves - 6-8
• Finely chopped onions(preferably small onions) - 2 Tbsp
• Hing (Asafoetida) - 1/4 Tsp
• Oil - 2 Tsp

METHOD

1. Wask and soak moong dal for 15-20 minutes
2. Grind coconut and rice flour with very little water and keep aside
3. Boil drumstick and keep aside
4. Boil moong dal with tomato, turmeric, sambhar powder (You could also pressure cook it for 2 whistles)
5. Add salt and the boiled drumsticks to the cooked dal
6. Add the ground coconut + rice flour paste to the cooked dal and give it a boil
7. Remove from fire and season it with the items under "To Temper". I used shallots (onions), finely chopped them as they give a special flavor
8. Serve hot with rice and some curry or roasted pappad

Guthi Vankaya Koora (Andhra style stuffed brinjal)

There are so many different varieties of stuffed brinjal and this recipe is a typical Andhra style stuffed brinjal or Guthi Vankaya inspired from gayatrivantillu.com. The aromatic coriander and coconut spicy and tangy stuffing make this brinjal curry absolutely lip smacking!

INGREDIENTS

• Small brinjal/eggplant - 10
• Tamarind paste - 1/2 Tsp mixed with 1/4 cup of water (Tamarind extract of a small lemon sized tamarind can also be used)
• Oil - 2 Tbsp
• Chopped coriander leaves - for garnish

For Stuffing:

• Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
• Green chillis - 4
• Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
• Cumin seeds - 1 Tsp
• Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
• Ghee - 1 Tsp
• Salt - as needed

For Tempering:

• Curry leaves - 10
• Asafoetida - 1/2 Tsp

METHOD:

1. Grind all the ingredients under "For Stuffing" using very little water (about 1-2 Tbsp)
2. Slit the brinjals upto 3/4th of their length and stuff it with the ground mixture. If there is some stuffing remaining, keep it aside as it can be added later
3. Head oil and add curry leaves and hing (asafoetida). Saute for a few seconds and add carefully the stuffed brinjals and cook on a medium flame for 2-3 minutes
4. Cover with a lid and cook further for 10 more minutes
5. Make sure to keep the flame very low so that the brinjals do not get burnt
6. Add the tamarind water and remaining stuffing. Allow it to boil and cook again for 10-12 minutes with the lid covered
7. Remove the lid and cook for 5 more minutes till the water is reduced and brinjals are roasted well
8. Garnish with fresh and finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice and sambhar

Capsicum Tomato Curry

This curry turned out to be a very tasty side dish for roti. It has a whole lot of spices included in it which makes it so flavorful.

INGREDIENTS

• Capsicum - 2 big
• Onion - 1 big
• Tomatoes - 2 medium sized and ripe
• Red chilli powder - 1 Tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 Tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 Tsp
• Kasoori methi - 1/2 Tsp
• Roasted sesame powder - 1 and 1/2 Tsp
• Roasted peanut powder - 1 and half Tsp
• Salt - as needed
• Curry leaves - 4 to 5
• Oil - 1 Tbsp
• Coriander leaves - for garnish

METHOD:

1. Heat oil, add onions, curry leaves and fry them till they are transparent
2. Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt and mix well
3. Add capsicum, tomatoes and fry for 6 to 7 minutes
4. Add half a cup of water, cover the kadai with a lid and cook for 10 minutes on a medium flame
5. Now add the roasted sesame and peanuts powder, kasoori methi and mix well. Cook without the lid for 5 more minutes
6. Turn off the heat and garnish with coriander leaves
7. Serve hot with roti

Jeera Pulao

One pot meals are always my favourite and the best part is they are so easy and can be made in a jiffy! Of all the one pot meals, jeera pulao is the easiest. Enjoy it with any special gravy or a simple dal :)

INGREDIENTS:

• Basmathi rice - 1 cup
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 Tsp (even shah jeera could be used)
• Cardamom - 1
• Cinnamon - 1 small
• Bay leaf - 1
• Ghee - 1 Tbsp
• Oil - 1 Tbsp
• Salt - as needed

METHOD:

1. Wash and soak rice for half an hour
2. In a pressure cooker, heat oil and ghee. Add cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf and fry for half a minute
3. Add jeera/shah jeera and fry for just a few seconds and immediately add the drained rice and saute for a while **
4. Add water, salt and pressure cook for 1 whistle. Simmer for 5 minutes and switch off the flame (I added 1 and a quarter cup of water for 1 cup of basmathi rice)
5. Fluff it up with a fork and serve it hot with any gravy or dal

I made mixed vegetables in coconut gravy for this pulao :)

NOTE:

** Make sure not to allow the jeera to splutter as it will give a bitter taste to the pulao

Mixed vegetables in coconut gravy

While I had planned to make jeera pulao for lunch, I was looking for some unique side dish to it different from the usual paneer gravies or daals and that's when I came across this recipe in Tarla Dalal ji's website. It turned out to be very tasty and it can be had with any mild pulaos or roti or just with plain rice too. Lets dig in right away to the recipe!

INGREDIENTS:

• Mixed vegetables (Carrots, beans, green peas, potato, capsicum, red pumpkin etc.) - 2 cups, chopped and boiled
• Coconut milk - 3/4th cup
• Oil - 2 Tbsp
• Onions - 1/2 cup, finely chopped
• Tomatoes - 3/4th cup, finely chopped
• Curry leaves - 4
• Salt - to taste

To grind into a smooth paste:

• Red chilli - 4
• Peanuts (raw or roasted) - 1 Tbsp
• Dhania/Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
• Jeera - 1 Tsp
• Grated coconut - 2 Tsp
• Cloves - 2
• Cinnamon - 2 small sticks
• Ginger-garlic paste - 2 Tsp
• Roasted chana dal (Pottu kadalai) - 1 Tbsp

METHOD:

1. Grind the ingredients under "To grind into smooth paste" with little water
2. Heat oil in a kadai, add onions and saute for 2 minutes
3. Add the ground paste, curry leaves and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. To avoid it from getting burnt, add 2 Tbsp of water and cook
4. Add tomatoes, 2 tbsp water, mix well and cook for a few more minutes
5. Add the boiled vegetables, salt, coconut milk, 1/4 cup water and cook for 5 minutes**

Serve hot!

NOTE: 

**This gravy tastes best when served hot. So you can make all the preparations till step 4 and just 5 minutes before serving, add the boiled vegetables, salt and coconut milk + water and cook for 5 minutes.

Pineapple Sheera | Pineapple Pal Kesari

Pineapple kesari is a common dessert that is served in south Indian weddings especially for breakfast or evening tiffin. This pineapple sheera has a unique flavor to it as it is pal kesari/milk kesari with pineapple flavour! It also requires lesser sugar compared to the regular kesari but make sure that you chose ripe pineapple that is not sour. 

INGREDIENTS

• Pineapple puree - 1 cup
• Milk - 1 cup
• Rava/Semolina - 1 cup
• Sugar - 3/4th - 1 cup (can be increased according to your taste)
• Ghee - 2 Tbsp
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 Tsp
• Yellow color - 1/4 Tsp

For garnish:

• Cashew nuts - 4 to 5 (each split into two)
• Raisins - 1 Tsp

METHOD:

1. Add a Tbsp of sugar to the pineapple puree and cook it on a medium flame for a few minutes stirring continuously. Keep aside
2. Heat 1 Tbsp of ghee in a heavy bottomed kadai and add rava to it. Roast it for 5 minutes till a good aroma arises
3. Add milk, 2 cups of water, stirring continuously to avoid any lumps. Cook for 3 minutes
4. Once the rava starts absorbing the milk, add sugar, mix well and cook further for a minute or two
5. Add the puree and color. Mix very well and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining ghee
6. In the end add cardamom powder and remove from heat after a minute
7. Garnish with roasted cashew nuts and raisins

Now the yummy pineapple sheera is ready to serve!!

Whole-wheat brownies (No egg, No Butter)

Yes, you read the title right.. A delicious brownie made of whole wheat flour and absolutely no oil or butter but absolutely soft, yummy and chocolaty!! This is yet another discovery from youtube during my search for guilt-free chocolaty indulgence (I'm drooling :P )

INGREDIENTS:

• Whole wheat flour - 3/4th cup
• Light brown sugar - 3/4th cup (white sugar could also be used)
• Cocoa powder - 3 Tbsp 
• Dark chocolate - 85 g
• Baking powder - 1 Tsp
• Cinnamon powder - 1/4th Tsp
• Salt - a small pinch
• Vanilla essence - 1/4 Tsp
• Chocolate essence - 1/4 Tsp (Optional)
• Buttermilk - 1 cup
• Walnuts - 1/4 cup, roughly chopped (Optional)

METHOD:

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix all dry ingredients together - flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon powder, salt. Keep aside
2. Melt the grated chocolate in a double boiler**
3. Make a dent in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour in the buttermilk and melted chocolate. Gently fold in the mixture. DO NOT over mix
4. Add the essences and mix very gently
5. Fold in the walnuts, if using (I did not add walnuts)
6. Pour the batter into a dusted cake tray (preferably square shaped)
7. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 20 minutes
8. Cool on a wired rack for 5 to 10 minutes
9. Cut them into squares and serve warm as such or with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream (Warm brownies and a scoop of vanilla ice-cream!! best romantic couple!!) . After they are completely cooled, store in air-tight container and they could also be re-heated later if required

Eating healthy, can be tasty too!

NOTE:

** Chocolate can be melted using double boiler method. Boil water in a broad pan and place a bowl with the chocolate on top of the pan with boiling water. Keep stirring and remove from fire when the chocolate starts to melt. Chocolates can also be melted in microwave. Heat them in microwave high for 30 seconds.