Broccoli stuffed Paratha.

Broccoli is one of my daughters favorite vegetables so I use them to make soups, add them in salads, pasta or they taste good even when steamed and sautéed with little butter. So I thought of trying something different and came up with this yummy parathas. They taste great and are very healthy.

Ingredients:

For stuffing

2 ½ cups finely chopped or shredded broccoli.

3 tbsp Gram flour or besan

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp cumin powder

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

Salt to taste

For paratha dough

3 cups of wheat flour

1 ½ tbsp of oil

1 tsp of salt

Water to make dough

Method:

To make paratha dough, in large bowl mix wheat flour, salt and oil then slowly add water as required to make stiff dough. Cover and let it rest for few min.

To make stuffing, heat oil in a pan, add ginger garlic paste and sauté for few seconds, now add cumin powder, coriander powder and sauté for few more seconds on very low heat or the spices will burn quickly.

Then add broccoli, turmeric powder and chili powder and sauté for a min. cover with lid and cook for a min. (broccoli cooks very quickly)

Now add lemon juice, salt and mix well.

Then add gram flour/ besan and sauté for few seconds, cover with lid and cook for 2 mins. Once the mixture is cooked completely remove from heat and keep aside to cool down.

Divide paratha dough in 7 to 8 equal parts and also divide the stuffing in 7 to 8 equal parts. Now apply some oil to your hand and take one part of dough make a small ball of the dough  and press it with your palms to make a flat round sheet. Now add the stuffing in the center of the sheet and cover from all the sides to make a ball. Make sure the stuffing does not come out from any side.  Now roll it with a rolling pin, sprinkle some flour while rolling on both the sides to avoid sticking.

Heat a pan and roast this paratha from both the sides.Apply little butter or ghee while roasting

to give extra flavor. Repeat the same process

to make the remaining parathas.

Serve hot with tamarind chutney and yogurt.

Enjoy!  

Instant pedha

Peda or pedha is traditionally made with Khoa and is served as Prasad during devotional purpose. Khoa or khoya is the main ingredient to make this yummy dessert and is flavored with cardamom and Pistachios and sometimes also saffron. During festive season it is very difficult to get khoa so here is a good alternative to make this peda in a very simple way without using khoa.

Ingredients:

2 cups Milk Powder

½ cup Melted ghee

1 can condensed milk (14 oz can)

Few chopped pistachios for decoration

1 tsp cardamom powder

Method:

In a microwave safe bowl Mix together Ghee and milk powder, add condensed milk and mix again, make sure no lumps remain.

Microwave this mixture on high for 1 min. remove and stir well. Now repeat this same process for 3 more min and make sure You mix well each time afer every min.

Once the mixture is cooked for 4 mins Let the mixture cool down for few min. add cardamom powder and mix well then divide it in 30 equal parts. Now roll them between your palms and press gently to give nice shape. Decorate each peda with chopped pistachios. These pedhas Can be Stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days.

Enjoy!

*try to make them 1 day before as they taste better next day.

Roasted bell pepper and rice soup

This yummy and creamy soup tastes delicious, is healthy has low calories and kids enjoy this soup a lot. It is very easy to make and with rice in it makes this soup a complete meal.

Ingredients:

1 yellow bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 orange bell pepper

1 cup cooked rice

6-8 shallots

2 garlic cloves

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

½ cup milk

½ cup mix cheese

½ tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp sugar

Salt to taste

Method:

Preheat oven at 400⁰ F

Cut bell pepper in half and remove the seeds. Place them in a baking dish (skin side up) also add garlic and shallots to the baking dish and roast for 20 to 25 min.

Once the peppers, shallots and garlic are roasted place the peppers in plastic bag or a container and cover it tightly which will help to remove the skin easily.

Now blend together peppers, shallots, garlic and rice to a smooth paste. Add little water if required.

Heat oil and add cumin powder, pepper puree and chicken stock and mix well. Then add chili powder salt, butter and bring to boil. Now lower the heat and add milk, Simmer for 2 min.

Serve hot, topped with mix cheese.

Enjoy!

Vegetable Couscous

Couscous is granular semolina it’s among the healthiest grain based product. Numerous different names and pronunciations for couscous exist around the world. Cooked couscous is served in variety of different ways, sometimes with vegetables or meat stew or even as a dessert made with milk, dry fruits and cream.

Ingredients:

1 packet couscous

½ cup chopped red, orange and yellow bell pepper

1 chopped onion

1 medium eggplant chopped

1 zucchini chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp chili powder

1 tbsp lime juice

Salt to taste

Method:

Cook couscous according to the instruction given on packet.

Heat oil in a pan, add onions and sauté till they are translucent. Now add eggplant and cook for a min. then add bell pepper and zucchini and cook for another 2- 3 min.

Add chili powder, lime juice and salt and mix well

Now add cooked couscous and mix till it’s covered with all spices.

Serve as a snack or as a complete meal for a weekend brunch.

Enjoy!

Rice Cutlets

Left over rice, what to do with it??? I usually temper rice with mustard seeds, onion and green chilies and it tastes delicious, but instead this time I tried to do something different. These cutlets taste great with a hot cup of tea. It requires very few ingredients which u can always find in your pantry.

Ingredients

1 cup cooked rice

2 tbsp chickpea flour (Besan)

1 boiled potato (mashed)

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp cumin powder

1 tsp chili powder

2 green chilies finely chopped

1 tsp lemon juice

½ cup finely chopped coriander

Salt to taste

4 tbsp oil for shallow frying

Method:

In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients, except oil.  Then divide in small equal parts.

Roll them between your palms and press down to make cutlets.

Heat oil in pan, and on a low heat, shallow fry on both the sides, till it turns golden brown in color.

Serve these crispy cutlets with ketchup.

Enjoy!

Egg curry

This is one of my favorite dishes. Whenever you run out of vegetables, this curry is a great option. If you don’t eat egg use boiled baby potatoes instead. It tastes delicious, quick and easy to make.

Ingredients:

6 boiled eggs

1 medium onion chopped

½ cup dry coconut

3-4 pods of garlic

½ tbsp grated ginger

2 green chilies

½ tsp mustard seeds

½ tsp asafetida 

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp red chili powder

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp oil

1½ cups water

Salt to taste

Method:

Heat a pan and dry roast together coconut, onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies till they turn light brown in colour. Let it cool completely. Then grind to a smooth paste. (Add little water if required to make paste)

Heat oil in pan add mustard seeds and let them crackle, and then add asafetida and grinded paste. sauté till the oil stars to separate.

Then add turmeric and chili powder, sauté till another min. add little water to avoid spices from burning. Mix in lime juice, salt, sugar and water. Once the curry starts to boil add boiled eggs cut into halves. Cover with a lid and cook for another 5 to 8 min ona very low heat.

Serve hot with chapatti.

Enjoy!  

Narali Bhaat

In Maharashtra Rakhi pornima is also celebrated as Narali pornima. On this day an offering of coconut (naral in Marathi) is made to the sea as a mark of respect to lord varuna, God of the sea.  In Maharashtra a typical coconut and rice dish is made called Narali bhaat  which is a very popular dish. It is little complicated to make this dish but my mom has a very easy recipe for same which I m going to share with you. So the ingredients are.

2 cups rice

6 cups Water to cook rice

1 cup fresh coconut

¾ cup jaggery /brown sugar

3 tbsp butter or ghee

1 small stick of cinnamon

3-4 cloves

4 green cardamoms

1 bay leaf

½ tsp salt

½ cup dry fruits

Pinch of saffron

Method:

Wash rice and keep aside. Boil water add little salt and cook rice till its 80% done (to check the rice press one grain of rice and it should be soft.) drain and keep aside

In a pan heat ghee, then add green cardamoms, cloves, bay leaf,cinnamon, dry fruits and saute for a min. add coconut and jaggery or brown sugar and saute till coconut is cooked and the mixture is little thickend.

Add cooked rice and mix well. Cover the lid and let the rice cook compeletly on very low heat.

Add pinch of saffron in 1 tbsp warm water and pour this water over rice, mix well and cover the lid. Remove from heat an let it rest for few min before serving.

Garnish with dryfruits and serve hot.

Enjoy!