Healthy Ginger, Almond & flax seeds Laddus for winter

We all make ginger (ale) wadi in winter; in Maharashtra it is called alepak. With a little twist, I made these healthy and tasty laddus instead. Even children can eat them!

Ingredients

• Ginger pulp: 3/4 cup (peel the ginger lightly, chop it and grind it in a mixer, adding a little milk if needed)
• Almond powder: 1 cup (do not soak or roast the almonds; just grind them to a coarse powder)
• Roasted flax seed powder (javas/alsi): 3 tbsp
• Milk powder: 2 tbsp
• Sugar: 1 cup
• Desi ghee: 2 tsp
• Powdered sugar: 2 tsp

Method

1. Put the desi ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan.
2. Add the almond powder, ginger pulp, flax seed powder and sugar.
3. Turn on the heat and mix all the ingredients well.
4. Stir continuously until the mixture comes together and starts leaving the sides of the pan.
5. At this stage, add the milk powder and mix well.
6. Add the powdered sugar and mix.
7. When the mixture has cooled, roll it into small laddus.

Eat one laddu a day in winter to help keep coughs and colds away.

Tuty Fruity Milk Bread

A tasty, delicious tutti frutti milk bread that everyone loves!

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour (maida): 1 1/2 cups
• Custard powder (vanilla flavour): 2 tbsp
• Milk powder: 2 tbsp
• Sugar: 2 tbsp
• Active dry yeast: 1 1/4 tsp
• Tutti frutti: 1/2 cup
• Olive oil: 2 tsp
• Butter: 3 tsp (I used Amul salted butter)
• Warm water: 1 cup

Method

1. Dissolve the sugar in 3/4 cup of the warm water and add the yeast. Leave it for 15 minutes.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the maida, custard powder and milk powder.
3. Add the olive oil and butter and mix well. Add the tutti frutti.
4. Add this to the yeast mixture.
5. Mix to make a nice dough, adding the remaining water as needed.
6. Transfer the dough to a clean, greased surface and knead for about 5–7 minutes until soft and elastic. Use olive oil if needed.
7. Place the soft dough in a greased bowl and cover it.
8. It will take about 3 hours to double in size.
9. When it has doubled, punch down the dough and knead it again for about 10 minutes.
10. Shape the loaf and place it in a greased loaf pan.
11. Leave it to rise again for about 1 1/2 hours.
12. After proving, brush a little milk on top so that it does not dry out.
13. Bake the loaf in a preheated oven at 180°C for 25 to 30 minutes, or until brown. Adjust the time to suit your oven.
14. Brush butter on the bread while it is hot.

Enjoy hot, homemade, soft milk bread with butter and a cup of hot tea or milk!

Chakvatachi bhaji

Chakvat is a tender green leafy vegetable that is mostly available in winter. It looks like bathua. Try this tasty and healthy recipe!

Ingredients

• Tender chakvat, washed and chopped: 2 cups
• Garlic cloves: 7–8
• Chopped green chilli: 1 tsp
• Buttermilk: 1 cup
• Water: 1 cup
• Besan (gram flour): 2 tsp
• Peanuts: 3 tsp (soaked for at least 3–4 hours, preferably overnight)
• Chana dal: 2 tsp (soaked for at least 3–4 hours, preferably overnight)
• Salt: 1 tsp, or to taste
• Sugar: 1 tsp
• Desi ghee: 2 tsp
• Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
• Hing (asafoetida): 1/4 tsp

Method

1. Pressure cook the soaked peanuts and chana dal for 2 whistles. Do not overcook them.
2. Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan.
3. When the ghee is hot, add the cumin seeds.
4. Add the green chilli and garlic and sauté for a minute. Add the hing and turmeric powder.
5. Add the chopped chakvat and mix well. Add a little water.
6. Cook until soft. These leaves are very tender and take only 5–7 minutes to cook. Add the cooked peanuts and chana dal.
7. Whisk the besan into the buttermilk with a hand whisk. There should be no lumps.
8. Add the buttermilk mixture to the pan and mix well. Add the water, salt and sugar. Cook for 5 minutes and turn off the heat.

Enjoy this tasty curry with hot, steaming rice.

Savory Rawa Cake

A savory twist on the classic rawa cake, packed with vegetables, cheese and a little spice.

Ingredients

• Fine rawa (suji): 1 cup (250 ml)
• All-purpose flour (maida): 1/2 cup
• Butter: 2 tsp (I used Amul butter)
• Grated cheese: 3 tsp
• Vegetable oil: 3 tsp
• Ginger paste: 1/2 tsp
• Green chilli paste: 1 tsp
• Garlic paste: 1/2 tsp
• Chopped green beans: 1/4 cup
• Chopped carrot: 1/4 cup
• Finely chopped onion: 3 tsp
• Green peas: 1/4 cup
• Chopped spinach: 1/4 cup
• Boiled corn: 3 tsp
• Plain yogurt: 1 cup
• Water: 1 cup
• Baking powder: 1 tsp
• Baking soda: 1 tsp
• Salt: 1 tsp, or to taste

Method

1. Dry roast the rawa until it turns light brown. Do not over-roast it. Let it cool.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan. When it is hot, add all the chopped vegetables and sauté for 2–3 minutes. Do not overcook them. Add the salt. Keep aside some corn to sprinkle on top of the cake.
3. Add the butter, cheese, and the chilli, garlic and ginger pastes, and mix well.
4. Add the roasted rawa, maida and yogurt. Mix.
5. Slowly add water until the batter reaches a dropping consistency.
6. Add the baking powder and baking soda and mix gently.
7. Grease the cake pans and line them with parchment paper. Pour in the batter and top with the reserved corn.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30 minutes.
9. Cut and enjoy this different kind of cake with sauce or dahi!

Daliya upma

Daliya upma is an easy and healthy breakfast made with cracked wheat, vegetables and a simple tempering.

Ingredients

• Daliya (cracked wheat): 1 cup
• Water: 2 cups
• Chopped onion: 1/2 cup
• Green peas: 1/2 cup
• Chopped tomato: 1/4 cup
• Green chillies: 2–3, cut into small pieces
• Curry leaves: 5–6
• Fresh grated coconut: 2 tsp (to garnish)
• Chopped coriander: 2 tsp
• Lemon juice: 2 tsp
• Vegetable oil: 4 tsp
• Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
• Hing (asafoetida): 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp

You can also add chopped carrots, fresh beans or any other vegetables you like.

Method

1. Put the daliya in a pan and add 2 cups of water.
2. Pressure cook the daliya for 2 whistles. Once the pressure cooker has cooled down, take out the daliya and spread it on a plate to separate the grains. Let it cool so that it does not become sticky.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan on the stove.
4. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric powder and hing one by one.
5. Add the green chillies and curry leaves. Add the onion and cook until soft.
6. Add the green peas and sauté for a little while.
7. Add the daliya and mix well. Add the lemon juice and mix again.
8. Sprinkle some water over it, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
9. Garnish with coriander and fresh coconut.

Enjoy this healthy and tasty breakfast with dahi (yogurt).

Eggless Rawa cake Ayyangar Bakery style

A delicious, soft rawa cake just like the one from an Ayyangar bakery, and completely eggless!

Ingredients

• Fine rawa (suji): 1 cup (250 ml)
• All-purpose flour (maida): 1/2 cup
• Butter: 3/4 cup (I used Amul butter)
• Plain yogurt: 1/2 cup
• Milk: 1 cup
• Brown sugar: 1 cup (regular powdered sugar can also be used)
• Tutti frutti: 1/2 cup
• Vanilla essence: 1 tsp
• Baking powder: 1 tsp
• Baking soda: 1 tsp
• A pinch of salt (skip the salt if you use salted butter)

Method

1. Dry roast the rawa until it turns light brown. Do not over-roast it. Let it cool completely to room temperature.
2. Once the rawa has cooled, add the milk and let it rest for 10 minutes.
3. Put the sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter and mix until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes creamy.
4. Add the yogurt and mix well. Then add the rawa and milk mixture and mix again.
5. Add the maida, baking powder, baking soda and vanilla essence. Mix gently.
6. Add the tutti frutti and mix.
7. Grease the cake pans and line them with parchment paper. This batter makes 2 cakes.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for 25 minutes.
9. Cut and enjoy this delicious cake with tea or coffee!

Plain amboli or dhirde

Plain amboli (dhirde) is a very healthy and simple breakfast recipe!

Ingredients

• Rice: 3/4 cup
• Urad dal (split black gram): 1/4 cup
• Moong dal: 1/4 cup
• Masoor dal (red lentils): 1/4 cup
• Tuvar dal: 2 tsp
• Chana dal: 2 tsp
• Fenugreek (methi) seeds: 1/2 tsp
• Salt: 1 tsp, or to taste
• Oil: for greasing the griddle
• Yogurt: 1/2 cup

Method

1. Mix the rice, all the dals and the fenugreek seeds, and grind them into a flour. You can grind it in a mixer. This flour can be stored for 2–3 months.
2. When you want to make amboli, add 1/2 cup of yogurt and some water to the flour, along with the salt, and leave it for an hour.
3. Then add water until the batter reaches a dropping consistency. It should not be very thick.
4. Grease a griddle with oil, pour on a ladleful of batter, spread it and cook until done.

Enjoy with chutney!

Pita Bread

Freshly baked, soft pita bread!

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour (maida): 1 cup
• Wheat flour: 1 cup
• Dry yeast: 2 1/4 tsp (I used Blue Bird)
• Sugar: 2 tsp
• Salt: 3/4 tsp
• Olive oil: 4 tsp
• Warm water: 1 1/4 cups

Method

1. Put the yeast and sugar in a bowl.
2. Add the warm water and mix well.
3. Add 1/4 cup of wheat flour and 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour. Mix well and set aside for 15 minutes.
4. You will see bubbles, and the mixture will become fluffy.
5. Add the salt, olive oil and the remaining wheat flour and maida. Mix to make a nice dough.
6. Transfer the dough to a clean, greased surface and knead for about 2–3 minutes to form a soft dough. Use a little olive oil if needed.
7. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it. Let it rest for 1 hour.
8. After 1 hour, the dough will have doubled in size.
9. Punch down the dough and knead it again for about 2 minutes.
10. Make 8–12 small balls. Use a rolling pin to roll them into discs about 1/8 inch thick.
11. Bake the pitas in a preheated oven at 200°C for 2–3 minutes, then turn them over and bake for another 3–4 minutes, until light brown spots appear.
12. Brush butter on the bread while it is hot. Keep the pitas in a basket covered with a napkin.

Enjoy hot, homemade, soft pita bread with any vegetable dish or baked vegetables! You can also make pita pockets by stuffing them with vegetables, cheese or whatever you like.

Pasta in white sauce with lots of veggies

Wheat pasta in a creamy white sauce, loaded with crunchy vegetables.

Ingredients for the vegetables

• Broccoli: 1/2 cup
• Green zucchini: 1/4 cup
• Red, green and yellow bell peppers (shimla mirch), cut into cubes: 1/2 cup
• Baby corn: 1/4 cup
• Onion, cut into cubes: 2 tsp (optional)
• Fresh corn kernels: 1/4 cup
• Green peas: 2 tsp
• Salt: 3/4 tsp, or to taste
• Olive oil: 2 tsp
• Red chilli flakes: 1 tsp
• Black pepper: 1/2 tsp
• Basil leaves: 7–8
• Wheat pasta: 1 cup (any type of pasta can be used)
• Grated cheese: 1/4 cup (optional)

Cooking the vegetables

Cut all the vegetables as shown in the picture. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the vegetables one by one, stirring. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Do not overcook them; let them stay crunchy. Add the salt, red chilli flakes and black pepper, mix well and set aside. Tear the basil leaves by hand over the vegetables.

Ingredients for the white sauce

• Wheat flour: 2–3 tsp
• Butter: 1 tsp
• Milk: 2 cups
• Salt: 1/2 tsp, or to taste
• Coarsely ground black pepper: 1 tsp
• Mixed herbs: 1 tsp

Making the sauce and pasta

1. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the wheat flour and sauté for 2 minutes on low heat. The colour should not change.
2. Add the milk a little at a time, whisking continuously. The sauce should be smooth, without lumps. Add as much milk as needed for the consistency you like.
3. Add the salt, black pepper and mixed herbs and mix well.
4. Add the cooked pasta and the half-cooked vegetables to the white sauce and mix well.

Garnish with grated cheese and serve this delicious pasta hot.

Instant Lemon & black raisins sweet n sour pickle ( lonche )

A tasty, instant sweet and sour lemon pickle (lonche) with black raisins!

Ingredients

• Lemons, each cut into 8 pieces: 1 cup (about 6 lemons)
• Black raisins: 1/3 cup
• Sugar: 1/2 cup, or a little more to taste
• Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
• Roasted, coarsely powdered cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
• Salt: 1 tsp, or to taste
• Water: 2–3 tsp

Method

1. Cut the lemons, remove the seeds and cut each lemon into 8 pieces.
2. Mix the lemon pieces, sugar and salt in a stainless steel vessel. Add 2–3 tsp of water.
3. Mix well and pressure cook for 3–4 whistles.
4. When the pressure cooker has cooled down, take out the vessel. The mixture will be watery, as the sugar and salt have dissolved.
5. Transfer the mixture to a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the raisins, mix well and turn on the heat.
6. Let it cook for about 5 minutes.
7. Add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder and cumin powder. Taste the pickle and add more sugar or salt if needed.
8. Turn off the heat.
9. Mix well. Let it cool and store it in a glass jar.

Enjoy this tasty sweet, spicy and sour pickle with paratha, phulka, dahi bhaat or anything you like. Please note that this pickle does not keep for long. Store it in the fridge for up to 10 days.

Carrot & red pumpkin puri

Try these delicious puris, full of healthy goodness. Everyone will love them, and they are ideal for children's lunch boxes!

Ingredients

• Grated carrot: 1 cup
• Grated red pumpkin: 1 cup
• Wheat flour: 2 cups
• Rice flour: 1 cup
• Jaggery: 2 tsp
• Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
• Salt: 1 tsp, or to taste
• Roasted jeera powder: 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper powder: 1/2 tsp
• Hot vegetable oil: 3 tbsp (mohan)
• Oil: for frying the puris
• Sesame seeds: 3 tsp

Adjust the red chilli powder and jaggery to your taste, but these proportions give a very good flavour.

Method

1. In a heavy-bottomed pan, mix all the ingredients except the oil, wheat flour and rice flour.
2. Turn on the heat and add 1/2 cup of water.
3. Cook until the jaggery dissolves completely, then cook for 2 more minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool completely.
5. Add the wheat flour and rice flour, and the hot oil.
6. Make a nice, soft dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
7. Divide the dough into 4–5 parts. Roll each one out about 1/4 inch thick and cut into any shape you like. I cut my puris with a cookie cutter.
8. Deep fry the puris in oil and place them on a paper towel to remove the extra oil.

These puris are very tasty, with a perfect balance of sweet, spicy and salty flavours. The sesame seeds add a nice crunch, and the carrot and red pumpkin give them a beautiful colour and make them healthy too! Enjoy them with hot tea, tomato ketchup or sweet lemon pickle.

Home made Paneer with herbs & chilli flakes

Paneer is very healthy and we all love it. With a little twist, this herbed paneer can be used in parathas, sabjis and more, or you can simply stir-fry the cubes!

Ingredients

• Milk: 500 ml (cow's milk or full-fat milk, as you like)
• Lemon juice: 2 tsp
• Salt: to taste
• Mixed herbs: 1 tsp
• Chilli flakes: 1/2 tsp

Method

1. Bring the milk to a boil on the stove.
2. Add the lemon juice and salt and mix well.
3. Add the mixed herbs and chilli flakes.
4. Turn off the heat.
5. Pour the mixture onto a muslin cloth. Cover the paneer with the cloth and place a weight on top.
6. Let it drain completely, then keep it in the refrigerator overnight.
7. Cut it into cubes, or as you like, and enjoy!

Dudhiche ( Lauki, Bottle guard ) kaap

We always make tasty vangyache (brinjal) kaap. Today I tried it with bottle gourd instead, and it turned out really tasty. Lauki is healthy too!

Ingredients

• Bottle gourd (dudhi/lauki): 10 slices
• Besan (gram flour): 3 tsp
• Rice flour: 2 tsp
• Red chilli powder: 1 tsp, or to taste
• Garam masala: 1 tsp
• Chilli garlic paste: 1 tsp
• Salt: 1/2 tsp, or to taste
• Sugar: 1/4 tsp (optional)
• Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
• Amchur: 1/2 tsp
• Sesame seeds: 1 tsp
• Chaat masala: 1 tsp
• Vegetable oil: 3 tsp
• Finely chopped coriander: 1 tsp (for garnishing)

Mix all the dry ingredients and the chilli garlic paste well to make the masala. Keep the chaat masala aside.

Method

1. Cut the lauki into slices about 1/4 inch thick, as shown in the picture.
2. Wash the slices and set them aside. Leave them wet so that the masala sticks to them properly.
3. Coat the slices thoroughly with the masala mixture.
4. Spread vegetable oil on a non-stick pan or tawa and roast the slices on both sides until crispy.
5. Sprinkle with chaat masala and chopped coriander. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Do try these healthy and tasty crisps!