Nutritious Oat Pancakes

I came across this one on the Tarla Dalal site, Thought it was really nutritious and the best part part it was very easy. I have tried this one and it turned out pretty yummy.

Here is what you need

• 1/2 cup Jowar Flour
• 1/2 cup Bajra Flour
• 1/4 cup Wheat Flour
• 1/2 cup Oats / Multi grain ( Rye , wheat, Barley, Oats)
• 1 tbsp Rice flour
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 1 medium tomato finely chopped
• 2 tsp Finely chopped green chillies
• 1 tsp Finely chopped ginger
• A pinch of turmeric powder
• Chopped coriander
• Salt to taste
• Water
• Oil.

Method:-

1. In a bowl mix all the flours and the oats.
2. Add water enough to make a batter
3. Then add onions, tomatoes , green chillies, ginger , turmeric , coriander and salt.
4. Mix well.
5. On a non stick tava ( griddle ) sprinkle some oil and then pour some batter making a circle. Cook on medium flame covering with a lid.
6. Cook crisp on both sides
7. Serve with ketchup or chutney

Tips :-

1. The original recipe did not have rice flour. But adding this will make your pancakes crisp
2. You can vary the proportion of the flours and the oats.
3. You can also substitute green chillies with red chili power and add jeera powder and coriander powder.

Shankarpali

Shankarpali is a traditional Mahrashtrian sweet snack made specially during Diwali. It can also be made spicy .

Here is what you will need

• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• a pinch of salt
• Maida as needed
• Oil for deep frying

Method:-

1. In a big bowl , mix oil, milk and sugar and mix with hand till the mixture blends and the sugar dissolves
2. Then add maida ( all purpose flour) slowly , mixing it as you add it.
3. Add as much maida as needed to make it in a chapati like dough,
4. Then roll out thick chapatis and cut then into small diamond shape.
5. Deep fry these on a low flame till they turn light brown.

7 cup sweet

The name says 7 cup sweet. This is the simplest sweet that I have come across. All you need is 7 cups of the ingredients.

Here is what you need:-

• 1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup ghee
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 3 cups sugar.

Method:-

1. In a heavy bottom pan , add the besan and stir it for 5 mins to get rid of the raw taste of besan.
2. Then add all the remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. Cook this mixture for 15 mins or till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan .
4. Remove it in a greased thali and cut into diamond or square shapes.

Tips :-

1. The cup can be of any measure,.
2. The traditional recipe says 3 cups of sugar but I generally use only 2 1/2 cups for a less sweet taste.

Kojagiri special Masale Dooodh ( Flavoured Milk)

On the occasion of Sharad purnima ie Kojagiri purnima, I made मसाले दूध ( Flavoured milk)

Here is what you will need

• 4 cups of whole milk/2% milk
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped dry fruits ( almonds. raisins , pistachio)
• 6 to 8 strings of saffron
• 1/4 tsp cardamon powder

Method:-

1. In a heavy bottom pan , add milk , dry fruits , sugar and saffron and boil it on a low flame.
2. Keep stirring occasionally.
3. Boil the milk till it takes the saffron colour and the raisins become soft.
4. Finally add cardamon powder and remove from flam.e
5. Serve hot.

Tips:-

1. Avoid using fat free milk. You just wont get the taste . This recipe tastes the best with whole milk.
2. You can use dry fruits of your choice.

Palak Potato Soup

 Today I made this healthy and really yummy soup. I have made this one a no. of times , but this time I made it a point to click a photo
Here is what you need:-

• 4 cups roughly chopped Palak (spinach)
• 1 medium potato diced
• 1 meduim onion diced
• 1 tsp butter
• 3 garlic cloves
• 10 to 15 whole black peppercorns
• 2 tsp oregano
• Salt to taste
• 2 cups water
• 2 tsp finely chopped garlic
• Cream for garnishing ( optional)

Method:-

1. In a pressure cooker heat butter and saute garlic cloves, pepper and oregano
2. Saute the onions and potatoes and add the palak leaves. 
3. Add water and pressure cook for 10 to 15 mins.
4. Cool the mixture and blend it in a blender .
5. Pour the mixture back in the pan and bring it to a boil. 
6. Add salt. Taste for seasoning.
7. Garnish with garlic and cream.

Mexican Rice

This one is my version of Mexican rice. Simple , quick and yummy.

Here is what you will need

• 1 cup rice picked , washed and drained for at least 15 mins.
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp butter/olive oil/ sunflower oil
• 1 large tomato finely chopped
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 8 to 10 peppercorns
• 2 tsps oregano
• 4 to 5 dry red chillies broken
• 2 tsps finely chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup corn kernels
• 1/4 cup cooked red beans
• Salt to taste
• Finely chopped coriander for garnishing

Method:-

1. In a pan , heat butter and add garlic, peppercorn , oregano and red chillies.
2. Then saute the onions for a while and add tomatoes and saute .Add the corns and salt
3. Add the rice and mix well.
4. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook till the rice is half done.
5. Then add the beans and cook till the rice is done
6. Garnish with coriander
7. Serve hot.

Baked palak methi puris

I am a member of Tarla Dalal recipes. So every week I receive some recipes via an email. Some of them are worth a try .

I received this one just a few days back and I really felt like trying it. The following is howevr my version of the recipe. Since fresh methi was not available , I used Kasuri methi. The original one had less masalas so I added a few.

Here it goes

• 1 cup freshly chopped palak
• 1 tsp kasuri methi ( use 1/2 cup frshly grated methi is available)
• 1 cup jowar flour
• 1 cup bajra flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp jeera
• 1 tsp ajwain ( owa)
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 3 to 4 green chillies fineley chopped
• 1/2 tsp chopped ginger
• 2 tsp oil
• 1/2 cup curd
• Salt to taste
• a pinch of baking powder

Method:-

1. In a bowl mix all the above ingredients and knead into a dough.
2. Preheat oven to 180 degree Celcius (350 Fahrenheit) .
3. Make small balls and roll them into think puris.
4. Grease a baking sheet and place the puris on them.
5. Bake them for 15 to 20 mins or till crispy.
6. Store in a airtight conatiner.

Tips:-

1. If the dough feels very hard , add some buttermilk.
2. If you dnt want to bake the puris, you can alternatively deep fry them like normal puris.