Gujarati Methi Thepla

Methi thepla -spicy flat breads made with wheat flour and fresh methi(fenugreek).Delicious served with pickles.These are commonly served for breakfast in gujarati homes. Also ideal for picnics and lunch boxes smeared with a little jam or pickle and rolled up.

Ingredients:

Makes about 20

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup besan (chick pea flour)flour

1/4 cup bajra ( millet)flour

1 teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon chilli powder

1.25 teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh chopped green methi (fenugreek)

1 table spoon sunflower oil for dough

½ cup sunflower oil for roasting the theplas.
Water for making dough

Method:

1. Mix flour, spices and 1 tablespoon oil and make pliable dough with water.

2. Cover and leave aside for 30 mins.

3. Knead the dough and divide dough into small balls

4. Using a rolling pin roll out each ball into a 6 inch diameter circle about 2mm thick.

5. Place the thepla on a tava, do not add oil at this stage.when bubbles start to form flip the thepla over.

6. Sparingly smear the thepla with 1/2 teaspoon oil and flip back again.

7.Smear the 2nd side with oil and flip back.

8.Thepla shouls be soft and not crispy.When brown spots appear thepla is ready.

Repeat for rest of dough.

Serve thepla with tea and fried chillies,mango pickle, lesun chutney and mango murrbo.

NB Optional -To make the thepla more spicy you can add 1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste, 1-2 finely chopped chillies, 1/2 teaspoon ajwain and also 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds.

You may like:

Masala chai

Puri

Pudla

Submitting this post to:

Spice your life-Kids Wholesome breakfast event.

Fooddelicious my culinary journey-combo event

Health nut challenge 4 -Bitter better health event.
Announcing breakfastclub event-theme asian breakfast.
Event hosted by Fuss free flavours and fingers and toes

Sweet corn bhajiyas

Sweet corn bhajiyas-A simple and easy savory snack made with store cupboard ingredients such as sweet corn and semolina, fast and simple to make .Simply delicious servedon arainy day accompanied with with ketchup or chilli sauce.

Ingredients:

8oz tinned sweet corn kernals (pre cooked)

7 oz semolina

1 oz rice flour

4-6 green chillies de seeded and finely chopped

2 teaspoons fresh ginger paste

1/2 teaspoon garlic (optional)

2 tablespoons spring onions finely chopped(optional)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

4 oz natural yoghurt

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh corriander

Sunflower oil for deep frying

Method:

1.Drain the sweetcorn and pulse it so its coarsely chopped

2.Transfer to a bowl and add all the above ingredients.

3.Make a batter of dropping consistency.

4.Heat the oil and when hot drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil.

5.Fry on medium heat till golden brown.

6.Drain on kitchen paper and repeat procedure for rest of batter.

7.Serve with chutney of your choice.

You may like:

Crispy potato bhajiyas

Rice bhajiyas

Coriander green chutney

Yoghurt-coconut chutney

DK Challenge January 2010-Nanaimo Bars

This is my first time participating in the Daring Bakers challenge.The recipe for this month was Gluten free graham crackers and Nanaimo Bars.

This is a three layer dessert consisting of a biscuit base bottom with coconut and nuts , followed by a butter cream flavoured with custard powder layer and the top most layer of chocolate.

The challenge was hosted by Celiac Teen and sources for the recipes can be found from 101 cookbooks and here.

I found the recipe fairly complex as all the stages were made from scratch, also obtaining the ingredients proved somewhat difficult ,however as they say "where there is a will there is away". I found a good health food store that were very accommodating in helping me find the ingredients I needed.

I accidently whizzed the nuts longer than required so rather than being roughly chopped they were slightly more powdered. Although this did not compromise on the taste it resulted in the base having a rather smooth texture and lacked the crunch. I found that chilling between the layers was a must as my first attempt resulted in the hot melted chocolate running into the butter cream mixture. A very chocolatey dessert, smooth rich and a little will go a long way.Overall it was a nice dessert although a little on the sweeter side .

Submitting to:

Flavours of USA and Canada event by simply.food

 

Tindora Fry- Ivy gourd

Tindora fry (Ivy gourd) - Tender tindora thinly sliced and stir fried with garlic and spices. A delicious vegetable side dish, which makes a lovely accompaniment to be served with dhals and roti.

Ingredients:

2 cups Tindora washed and sliced lengthwise.
1 clove garlic finely minced
1 medium tomato finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh coriander finely chopped
1 teaspoon chilli powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon mustard seeds.
2 tablespoons sunflower oil.

Method:

1. In a pan heat the oil when hot add mustard seeds.
2. Add the garlic and sauté, add the tomatoes and sauté till soft.
3. Add the salt, chilli powder, turmeric ,cumin and coriander powders.
4. Add the sliced tindora and stir fry till they are tender but still retain some crunch.
5.Transfer to serving dish and garnish with chopped coriander.

Serve with Naan bread ,dhal and rice.

You may like:

Green french bean sabji

Chunky Vegetable Soup.

Chunky vegetable soup-A heart warming soup made with a medley of winter vegetables, simple and uncomplicated but healthy and nutritious. Ideal to serve for lunch with hot crusty bread rolls and a generous dollop of garlic butter.

Ingredients:

1 cup potato diced
½ cup carrots diced
½ cup peas
1 onion finely diced
½ cup turnips finely diced
8 medium tomatoes diced
4 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper powder
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon cream to garnish.

Method:

1. In a microwaveable bowl put the potatoes, carrots, peas, turnips with 1 cup water and cook till vegetables are tender 7-8 minutes approx.
2. Blend the tomatoes in blender to form a puree, strain to remove skin and seeds.
3. In a large pan add olive oil when hot sauté onions till translucent.
4. Add the microwaved vegetables and sauté for 2-3 more minutes.
5. Add the tomato puree and 3 more cups of water .Bring the soup to boil and simmer for 5 minutes.With the back of the ladle mash up few of the vegtables to make soup slighter thicker in consistency. (At this stage you can puree the soup in a blender to make it smooth for kids or leave it chunky as it is)
6. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the Tabasco sauce. Adjust seasoning as required
7. Pour into serving bowl and drizzle over a swirl of cream.

Serve with hot crusty bread and a generous dollop of garlic butter.

This recipe has been submitted to:

Veg Inspirations-Healthy Inspirations events -Soup

Mexican wedding cookies.

Mexican wedding cookies-These cookies are delicious and light with a crunchy texture, they have been Indianised from the original version by the addition of saffron and nutmeg.The original version of the recipe can be found here .

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup mixed nuts roughly chopped (cashew,almond and pistachio)
1/2 cup milk chocolate roughly chopped
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pinch salt

1/2 teaspoon saffron

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon confectioners sugar for dusting.

Method:

1. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy, add the vanilla extract.

2. Warm the milk in the microwave and add the saffron. Add the milk to the butter mixture.Mix throughly.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, chopped nuts, chopped chocolate, nutmeg and salt. Mix well.
4.Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture to make a dough.
5.Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill 1 to 2 hours, or until firm.
6.Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (180 degrees C).
7. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Place dough balls in cake cases on a baking sheet. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until the cookies are firm to the touch. Cool 1 minute on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack.
8.Dust the cookies with the confectioners sugar.

You may like: Eggless Almond vanilla cookies.

This post has been submitted to :

Cilantro-cooking with patience-Global Kadai event Indianised Mexican wedding cookies

Rice bhajiyas

Rice bhajiyas- A savory dish made from pre boiled rice and chickpea flour(besan) and yoghurt .Flavoured with spring onions, ginger and a blend of spices.These bhjiyas are perfect on rainy day as a tea time treat. Served hot with coriander chutney.

Ingredients:

1 bowl precooked rice

6 oz besan (chick pea flour)

2 teaspoons fresh ginger paste

3 spring onions finely chopped

4 green chillies finely chopped

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1/2 bowl natural yoghurt

1 teaspoon eno salts

1 tablespoon fresh chopped corriander

1 tablespoon oil

oil for frying.

Method:

1.Mix all the ingredients except the oil for frying and make a stiff dropping consistency mixture.

2.Heat the oil and when hot, drop balls of the mixture into the hot oil.

3.Deep fry on medium heat till golden brown.

4.Drain on kitchen paper.

Serve with green chutney or chilli sauce.

You may like:

Crispy potato bhajiyas.

This recipe has been submitted to:

Anitas Kitchen -APS Rice event.

Garden salad with Italian herb dressing.

Garden salad with Italian herb dressing-A vibrant and colourful garden salad with a rainbow of colours delicately flavoured with a sweet and spicy Italian herb dressing. Healthy and nutritious.

Ingredients:

For Salad:

6-8 leaves from an iceberg lettuce (Washed and dried)
2 carrots peeled washed and grated
2 tomatoes cut in rings
3 bellpeppers - red/green/yellow diced
½ cup fresh pomegranate seeds
4 inch cucumber thinly sliced
2 spring onions thinly sliced.
1 celery stick washed and diced


Salad dressing

2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 table spoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest.
1/2 teaspoon garlic puree
1/2 teaspoon paprika (sweet red pepper powder)
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon white pepper powder
1 teaspoon oregano ( Italian spice)

Method:

Dressing:

Place all the ingredients listed for dressing in a jar with lid.Close the lid and shake. Keep in fridge till required.

Salad:

1. Pile the lettuce leaves one of top of other and roll up. Shread
2. Separate the shreaded lettuce and place on serving platter.
3.Top with grated carrots.
4. Mix together the 3 coloured peppers with the celery and spring onions and sprinkle on top of the grated carrots.

5. Arrange the cucumber and tomato rings on top .
6. Last sprinkle with pomegranate .
7. Cover and place in fridge.
8. Before serving pour over the dressing and serve immediately

You may like Tomato and onion salad

This post has been submitted to:

Cook like a bong-Salad carnival event

Dil se-Show me your salad event

Seduce your tastebuds-No cook event

Apple and Sesame fillo pastry parcels.

Apple and Sesame Fillo pastry parcels.-Baked to perfection, golden brown crispy fillo pastry filled with blend of piquant apples and sesame seeds. Delicately sweetened with brown sugar and gently flavoured with a hint of cinnamon. A scrumptious, fresh and healthy dessert.

Ingredients:

Makes 6 parcels

2 crisp eating apples
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
4 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon spice
2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing pastry.
18 sheets fillo pastry (approx 24cmx24 cm each sheet)
1 teaspoon confectioners sugar for dusting.


Method:




1. Peel and core the apples and dice into small pieces.
2. In a bowl add the apples, sesame seeds brown sugar and cinnamon.
3. Toss till apples are coated with sesame seed and sugar mixture. Keep aside
4. Pre heat oven to 180 degrees centigrade.
5. Each parcel will need 3 sheets of fillo pastry. (Keep remainder covered with damp cloth otherwise it will dry out.)
6. Brush each fillo pastry square with melted butter and arrange three on top of one another to form a twelve pointed star.
7. Place 1/6th of the apple mixture in the centre of the pastry.
8. Gather up the pastry sides and twist to form a parcel.
9. Repeat for remaining pastry.
10. Place the 6 parcels on a baking sheet and bake for 15 mins until golden brown.
11. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly for 3-4 minutes.
12. Transfer to serving dish and dust with confectioner’s sugar (icing sugar)

Serve with vanilla ice cream .




You may like:
Chinese spring rolls

This post has been submitted to:
Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes-Cooking with Sesame seeds event.

Submitting to :
C.E.D.D. ~ Apples event by Raven guested hosted by simply.food.

Falafel

Falafel-A Lebanese -middle eastern dish. Pitta pockets are lined with houmous, filled with this deepfried spiced balls made from chickpeas, blackeyes beans and pulses.Topped with a crunchy salad and chutneys, it is a mouth watering dish .

Ingredient:

For Falafel:

1 small bowl masoor dhal
1 small bowl moong dhal(without husk)
1 small bowl pre cooked black eyed beans
1 small bowl pre cooked kabuli chana (white chick peas)
2 teaspoons ginger paste
6 green chillies finely minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon sugar
Sun flower oil for deep frying

For salad:

Finely shredded lettuce
2 inch piece cucumber finely diced
Red,green,yellow peppers finely diced
2 spring onions finely chopped
1 tomato de seeded and finely diced.

For serving:

Tamarind and green chutney
4 pitta breads
Houmous.

Method:

1.Soak the masoor dhal and the moong dhal at night.
2.Next morning drain all the water out and grind the dhals to a fine consistency.

3.Grind the chana and blackeyed beans .
4. Mix together the dhals and the chana /beans mixture.

5. Add ginger,chillies,salt, sugar and lemon juice, bicarnonate of soda and mix throughly.Keep aside for 1 hour.(Do not add extra water mixture needs to be stiff and dropping consistency)

6.Heat the oil .
7.Using a spoon drop small walnut sized balls of the mixture into the hot oil.
8.Fry on medium heat until golden brown.
9.Drain on kitchen paper.

To serve:

1.Warm the pitta breads and slit open.
2.Spread houmous in side and fill with the falafel balls .
3.Top with salad and chutneys.

Falafels are ready to eat.

You may like:
Houmous
Green chutney
Tamarind chutney

This post has been submitted to MLLA 19th event.(My legume love affair)
Simple indian food- an easy cooking blog
The well seasoned cook

Lesun chutney (garlic chutney)

Lesun chutney (garlic chutney)-Made using just few simple ingredients this chutney is very versatile .It can be eaten as an accompaniment to bajre(millet) roti ,parathas, puris or wheat rotis .It can be used to flavour curries, soups or even used as a sandwich spread.

Ingredients:

2 medium bulbs garlic.( approx 24 cloves of garlic)

4 tablespoons chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon salt.

3 tablespoons sunflower oil.

Method:

1. Peel the two garlic bulbs and puree them to a fine paste in a blender.

2. Add to the pureed garlic chilli powder, salt and the oil and blend again.

3.The chutney should be dropping consistency but can be made thicker or thinner by adding less or more oil. (Oil acts as a preservative)

4. Once throughly blended the chutney can be transferred to a sterilised jar and kept in the fridge for up to three months.

You may like:

Amli -tamarind chutney

Green coriander chutney

Award

Thankyou Rachana from VEGGI FARE for bestowing me with this lovely Award. It's an honour to receive it. However it does come with some conditions and they are that I have to divulge 7 things about myself , and then nominate and pass the award to 7 other blogger friends.

So here goes:

1. My passion for cooking started at a tender age of 10 and its grown since then.

2. I am a vegetarian and love all kinds of food, especially savory dishes.

3. One thing I cant live with out........masala chai.
4. My favourite dish that I am cook for family and friends is chilli paneer.

5. I dislike okras although will eat them under exceptional circumstances.

6. My new years resolution is to take photographic classes to learn how to take good photos.

7.My motto "Be happy be content with what you have" and you will never be dissapointed in life.
I pass this award to

VEGGIE PARADISE

EASY VEGGIE

Sailaja kitchen

Sankeerthanam

Ruchikacooks

Vazhayila

Authentic Food Delights

Although I have been blogging for sometime ,I am pretty new to this "foodie" blogging community so please If any one else visiting here would like the award feel free to accept it also.

Thanks once again to Rachana for making simply.food feel so welcome.These are for you thankyou. :)

.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More Awards- Many many thanks for passing these awards to me. simply.food is honoured that there are so many foodie friends who who think that this blog is deserving of such recognition..

Thanks Aruna- VEGGIE PARADISE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks Sailaja-Sailaja Kitchen


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks SE-Denu Foods

@ se The tag that came with this blog is same as answered above so not answering again.


Thanks-SailajaKitchen.

Eggless Strawberry muffins.

Eggless Strawberry muffins- A lovely coffee time treat of soft light melt in the mouth spongy muffins. Virtually fat free and healthy with a lovely tangy flavour from the fresh strawberries.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups all purpose flour(maida)
Sugar 3/4 cup
Salt 1/4 teaspoon
1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda
1/4 teaspoon Baking powder
Apple sauce 1/2 cup ( substiture for 1 egg)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup milk( approx)
18 strawberries

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade.

1.Slice 6 strawberries in halves and reserve (12 halves)
2.Cut remaining strawberries into quarters keep aside.
3. Add the bicarbonate of soda and baking powder to the flour and sieve to encorporate it. Keep aside.
4. In a bowl add the apple sauce, sugar , vanilla essence and oil and mix together throughly.
5.Add the strawberry pieces and mix.
6.Fold in the sieved flour with a metal spoon gently , making sure not to over mix.
7. Add the milk to make dropping consistency batter.(Adjust milk as needed)
8.Divide the mixture equally into 12 muffin cases.
9. Place a strawberry half on top of each muffin cut side up.
10.Bake in a preheated oven 180 centigrade for approx 25 minutes.

11.Muffins are ready when a skewer inserted in cake comes out clean
12.Cool in wire rack and enjoy.

NB -Due to fresh strawberries it is best that the muffins be consumed with in two days.

You may like: Eggless Almond vanilla cookies.

Submitting to:

Fuss free flavours and fingers and toes breakfast event~ muffins

Cook.Eat.Delicious.Desserts strawberries  event by Raven, guest hosted by Sizzling Tastebuds.

Stir fried noodles with baby corn and carrots.

Stir fried noodles with baby corn and carrots - A fast and easy lunch or brunch dish that takes only a few minutes to prepare. Tender baby corn, carrots and chinese egg noodles stir fried in the wok with aromatic garlic, soya sauce ,chilli sauce and fried cashew nuts to give that crunch.

Ingredients:

2 rounds of dry medium chinese egg noodles(If you dont eat eggs use rice noodles)


2 carrots peeled and sliced thinly
4 oz baby corn sliced in 5mm rounds
2 tablespoons dark soya sauce
1 tablespoon chilli sauce ( more if you like spicy)
1.5 tablespoons sunflower oil
pinch salt
2 green chillies finely chopped( omit for children)
1 clove garlic peeled and thinly sliced
Handful cashew nuts

Method:

1. Place the noodles in a large bowl and top with boiling water .Cover and leave for 2 minutes.
2. After two minutes separate the noodles with a fork cover and leave for 1 more minute.
3. After this drain the noodles and keep them aside.
4. In a wok add the half the sunflower oil and heat till it smokes .(Chinese food is cooked on high heat to make the outside seal and the inside still crunchy. )
5. Add the cashew nuts and fry till golden brown. Remove them and keep aside.
6. Add the remaining oil , heat and then add the garlic to the hot pan ,stir fry and add the corn, chillies and carrots. Add pinch of salt. Stir fry till the vegtables begin to take slight colour but are still crisp.





7. Add drained noodles and stir fry to crisp the noodles slightly.
8. Add soya sauce and chilli sauce and half the fried cashew nuts and toss the noodles and vegetables till all are coated evenly.
9.Stir fry 2 more minutes.
10.Transfer to serving dish and top with remaining cashew nuts.





You may like:
Hakka Noodles

NB -This dish has been deliberately kept simple with minimum use of veg and spices to make it more children friendly.If making for adult ,any vegetables such as onions, mushrooms, water chestnuts or bell peppers can be added.

Submitted to:
Spice your life-kids delight event.

Bateta Wada-gujarati snack

Bateta wada-A gujarati savory snack made from spiced mashed potato, rolled into bitesize balls,dipped in a chickpea batter(besan) and deep fried till golden brown. Served with chutneys.

Ingredients:

4 medium potatoes boiled and mashed
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground clove powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon powder
3-4 green chillies finely crushed
1 tablespoon fresh coriander finely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2-3 spring onions finely chopped or can use red onion very finely diced.
Sunflower for deep frying.

Batter:

6 oz gram flower
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon eno salts
Approx 1 cup water to make batter

Method:

1.Mix all the batter ingredients and add water.
2. Beat to make a thick batter(dropping consistency) and set aside.
3.Mash the boiled potatoes and add all spices, chillies,onions and coriander and mix throughly.
4. Divide mixture and make small balls and set aside.
5. Heat oil .
6. Dip potato balls in batter to coat and fry till golden brown in small batches.
7. Drain on kitchen paper
8. Serve with green chutney, amli chutney and tomato ketchup for kids.

NB: If making for kids omit the chillies.

For a party starter make the balls slightly bigger when cooked split into two .Place both halves on individual serving dish and garnish with chopped spring onion, chopped fresh tomato , coriander leaves and thin sev with amli chutney and green chutney.

Gujarati Kadhi.

Gujarati Kadhi- A Yoghurt based sweet and sour soup flavoured with ginger and curry leaves eaten with mutter pilaf or plain boiled rice.

Ingredients:

2 cups natural yoghurt (sour yoghurt is better)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon besan flour
1/2 tablespoon fresh crushed ginger
1/2 teaspoon fresh crushed green chilies
1 tablespoon jaggery(gor)
1 dry red chilli
4-5 curry leaves
1/4 teaspoon jeera
1/4 teaspoon dry methi seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander.

Method:

1. Whisk water, yoghurt and besan together.
2.In pan heat oil, when hot add jeera, methi seeds,dry red chili and curry leaves.
3. Next add the yoghurt mixture , add green chilies, ginger, salt and gor.
4. Keep stirring the mixture until it starts to simmer, keep stirring until all the raw taste of besan has gone and kadhi has slightly thickened.(If u leave the kadhi and stop stirring it will split so keep stirring continuously)
5.Once kadhi comes to boil, reduce heat and simmer for another 5 mins.
6.Adjust taste to preference by adding more salt or gor depending on your taste. (should taste sweet and sour)
7.Turn off heat and leave kadhi uncovered otherwise it will split again.
8.Garnish with fresh chopped coriander

Serve with boiled rice or jeera rice.