Instant Rava Dhokla

This one I wanted to make for a really long time. Loooooooooooong back I have had rava dhokla made by my mother's friend back in India.That was like 4-5  years back. I liked it very much then, and decided to make on my own, but somehow it took me 5 years to make one. 

I still can't believe I waited soooooooooooo looooooooong for such a simple and healthy dish. It was just a matter of 30 minutes, with just 3 main ingredients. It was that simple.....:)Dhokla is one of the favourite item when it comes to Indian snacking, especially Maharashtrian, and Gujrathi. I am not a huge fan of traditional dhokla which is made up of gram flour/ basan/chickpea flour.  This one is a nice little twist making it milder and much more appreciable. Made up of rava (Sooji), which is a healthier option to gram flour, with very little oil, and steamed to perfection.

It starts with 3 basic ingredients-:

1. 1/2 cup of fine rava (sooji)
2. 1/4 cup of yogurt
3. 1/2  cup of water

With other secondary ingredients like:-

1. 1/2 teaspoon oil
2. 1 teaspoon eno (or you can use soda)
3. salt as per taste
4. pinch of chilly powder
5. pinch of black pepper powder.

For garnishing:-

1. Coriander chopped (Cilantro)
2. Tadka ( heat Some oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when they splutter, add a pinch of turmeric powder and a pinch of asafoetida, add kadipatta if you want)

Mix basic ingredients in a bowl, keep it aside for about 15 minutes.

Grease an 1/2 inch  steel pan and keep ready to pour the mixture in to it. Boil water in a steamer or  a deep pan.

After 15 minutes, add oil, eno and salt in to the mixture of basic ingredients. stir well. Pour the mixture in to the greased pan and sprinkle chilly powder and black pepper powder on to the

 batter.

Keep the pan in to the steamer/ the deep pot. Cover the pot with the lid. If you are using deep pot and don't have a tight lid, just take a small towel cover the pot with it and then cover with

 the lid. Keep it on a medium for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes take the lid off and insert the fork or a knife in to the pan and check if it comes out without sticking anything to it, then that's an indication of a perfect dhokla. If not, keep it for another 2-3 minutes and it should be done. But as per my experience it should be done in 15 minutes.

Take out the pan and let it cool for about 1/2 an hour.  Garnish with tadka, and chopped coriander. After that you can take out of the pan and cut in to squares. Enjoy with chutney, or just as it is.

I still can't believe I took 5 long years to make such a simple dish. I am sure I will be the one making this again and again at least for next 50 years....:) 

Dumplings in the hot tub!!

Winter is here in California!! Although it never snows in California, (at least around my area) it's chilly enough to enjoy a hot tub of tomato soup with couple of dumplings....:))

Today is the thanksgiving night, everybody must be enjoying with their families and friends. I decided to enjoy a nice hearty bowl of soup with my hubby. I wanted to make it a little fancy. That's when an idea of dumplings came to my mind. I used Nasoya's round wheat wraps I bought from pavilions last week. 

Also I had a can of Campbell's tomato soup. I was lazy enough to use canned soup to make my dinner in just 20 minutes. I love Campbell's, especially their healthy request series with less sodium and less fat....:)) and good part of it is you don't have to sacrifice the test...:))  I love it...:)

I guess no need to write the recipe for soup here, so here goes the dumplings....

For filling:-

You can throw anything in to the wrap as long as the filling doesn't become soggy or watery. The wrap should hold the mixture after boiling or frying. 

Here is the filling I made today-:

1 scallion chopped

5-6 baby carrots shredded

pinto beans (I used canned) slightly mashed with spoon.

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp hot sauce

salt to taste.

You can boil, the veggies before placing the filling in to the wrap, if you want. I used, baby carrots, canned beans which are not very raw. I like kind of a crunch to my dumplings. But if you feel, you can certainly go ahead and boil those in a water for a couple of minutes, drain the water and then add them.

Toss all the ingredients together in a bowl. Add a spoonful of filling in the middle of the wrap. Brush the ends with a drop of water so that, they will stick to each other. Fold the sides by keeping the filling in the center of the wrap. Make sure that the ends get sealed nicely. To give them a nice shape, you can pinch the ends with your fingers. 

Boil the dumplings in the water for about 5 minutes or until they float in the water. Other option is you can fry those. I haven't tried that yet. 

Here is how they look after they come out-:

Let the dumplings float in the hot tub . Garnish them with chopped scallions, and shredded Parmesan. 

 Enjoy your dinner on a chilly night in winter.

Some pictures of Indian treats!!

I have been trying to write recipes of all the goodies I enjoyed back home. Making these tasty treats is not a beginners job....:) SO obviously I wasn't the one who made those. I would definitely like to take credit for those but I won't especially because I know that it requires a lot of efforts.

For now..just enjoy some pictures of the healthy?????  well................treats..!!!

The background of the picture are kadboli ( made up of flour of different grounded pulses, deep fried )

In the left frame are Shankapali (made from the mixture of Maida , milk, sugar and ghee)

In the right frame are Karanjis (The cover is a mixture of maida, ghee, milk and water and the filling is fresh coconut, sugar, dry fruit powder, khoya/mawa, cardmom powder, and saffron.)

The karanjis are fried in ghee.

I am back.......:))

It's been over a week, since I am back from India.
Lots of stories to tell,...and lots and lots of indian faral( Sweets and savory snacks Indians make specially for Diwali holidays) recipes to share ....I am very excited.

I am just being lazy after having loads of fun in India. But I will be back to my routine of blogging as soon as I can.

So stay TUNED.......................

My new blog..:)

I am almost addicted to blogging. Seems like this blog is not enough for me, I am on to another one. My new blog is just the world around me scribbled through my everyday thoughts.

Here it is- It's called Manaliscribbles.

Corn Patties

There are two reasons for this post.

1. I wanted a breakfast item, which I can partially prepare a day before. Ever since we are on a healthy mode, me and my husband A usually have cereals for our breakfast,. But I love to start a day with a healthy yet yummy snack which does not distract me from loosing weight as well as help me break my everyday cereal ritual.
2. There is an event due today called Sunday snack on the Taste of India and I wanted to participate.

So let me talk a little bit about this event-:


This event is hosted by Hima of SnackORama. The theme for this month's Sunday snack is Bake it.
So here it goes-: Corn Patties

All goes in one bowl-

• 1 cup Yellow corn kernels ( I used fresh kernels, you can also use frozen)
  
• 1 boiled smashed potato.
• 1/2 inch ginger grated (about 1 tsp)
• 2 cloves of grated garlic
• 1 chopped green chili.
• 1 tsp chaat masala ( you can find one in any Indian grocery store)
• Half a lemon/ lime juice
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1tsp of cumin seeds
• half a palmful of coriander finely chopped
• olive oil. about 2 tsp
• salt to taste
• One last thing is breadcrumbs or a good substitute for breadcrumbs is sooji (rava).

I prefer breadcrumbs over rava, simply because I always want a nice brown crust from outside, and breadcrumbs does that just perfect. Wait until you see my pictures...:)

Toss all ingredients above in one bowl except breadcrumbs, and oil. Mix everything together.

I was using fresh corn, so it was very soft and sweet naturally, but if you use frozen, thaw them and microwave them for about 5-6 minutes. When you are using fresh, if you feel that the corns need to be more soft , cook them a little bit.

Make small round balls of the mixture, and press them a bit to give them patties shape.
Spread the breadcrumbs on a plate. I used Italian style breadcrumbs. I love them because they are already seasoned with parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, different spices, and my favorite Pecorino Romano cheese....:) But you can use anything of your choice. I also happened to like Japanese style breadcrumbs called panko.

When all your patties are ready, place them on a baking sheet, which is sprayed with non- stick cooking spray. Toss a little bit of olive oil on the top of the patties. Just enough to give them a golden brown crust.
Turn on your oven on 350° and slide your baking sheet inside for about 12-15 minutes on one side, then turn the patties and 10 more minutes on the other side.
You should get a nice crust on both sides, if you feel you can keep them inside for a couple more minutes, but make sure you check on them.

You can also, shallow fry them in the pan/ tava. But this oven version is a figure friendly option to cut down oil to just 2 tsp. And olive oil is always better for you right? An oil which has a good cholesterol which keeps your heart in good condition. And guess what you don't have to sacrifice the taste. It gives me a satisfaction of doing good karma to my body....:) feels great.

This is how they look when they come out.



Scrumptious ..........Isn't it? I just love them. Try them out, I am sure you won't miss the fried version.

ohh.. and they are great with mint chutney, or a ketchup.

Just like that!!! Yummoooo!!!!

Masala okra

This is my entry to Indian/ Jewish Cuisine adventure event.Hosted by Joelen's Culinary Adventure.

One of the most common fresh vegetable you can find in India....Okra....(Bhindi)
It's hard to find fresh okra all around the year here in US. Masala okra is one of my favorites school lunches. I used to like it because of it's perfect consistency. It has a consistency of something between a dry and a curry version. That way it really holds itself for a longer time. Great with chapati/naan as well as rice. I prepare okra in 2/3 ways. Here is how I make the okra with masala. I will hold other 2 types for later.

You have two options for Okra, you can use frozen or the fresh variety. I used frozen here. I believe frozen versions are partially cooked, so you don't have to cook them more that 7-10 minutes, makes your life a little bit simple.

Look for this type of cut okra as shown in the picture.


Make sure that you don't thaw the frozen okra, just use as it is from the packet for the better taste.

Prepare the masala for Okra -:

• 2 tsp. coriander powder (Cilantro seeds are called as coriander)
• 2 tsp cumin powder
  
• 2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. ground fennel seeds.
• 1 tsp. dried mango powder( amachur) I used chat masala here...just the ingredient I like to use in almost everything.
• 1/2 tsp chili powder, you can also you paprika
• salt to taste

Toss all the ingredients together.

Next thing you want to do is be ready with following ingredients:-

• 1 shallot
• 1/2 medium size tomato
• 1/2 tsp. Cumin seeds
• 1/2 inch of freshly chopped ginger
• 1 green chili chopped
  
• 1/2 tsp. Asafetida (hing)
  
• 2 tsp oil
  

Coat the pan with the oil on a medium flame, add cumin seeds. Add asafetida when cumin seeds splutter. 1 shallot chopped goes next in to the pan. After 2-3 minutes add tomatoes to it and wait until you get a consistency like pulp. Now it's time to add frozen okra to the pan. After a minute or so the masala mixture joins the hot tub...:)

Make sure you coat all the okra with masala. Add little bit of salt if needed. Keep it on the medium flame for about 4-5 minutes. Turn off the flame when you feel the okra is cooked completely.

Add freshly chopped cilantro at the end. It's a good finishing touch for the yummy masala okra.....!!

I am in to Crocheting!!!!!

This post has been moved to my new blog manaliscibbles. As this is a food blog, I wanted it to be that way, so I have started a new blog, which has more generic approach. I will be posting everything other than food on manaliscribbles. 

As far as this blog is concerned, I hope foodies like me would appreciate the change.

Grilled Salmon- My Way

This is the first time I am posting something which is non-vegetarian on my blog. I am not a pure vegetarian. I do enjoy few meat options like fish or white meat for it's nutritional value.
I love salmon. Of course for it's taste, especially grilled than baked or poached.
According to American Heart Association, we should eat at least 2 fish servings per week. Now that's a nice excuse for a fish lover like me....:)
I used to try different healthy fish recipes at home. I prefer cooking fish at home. That way I can control the quality of ingredients. It's been a while since I cooked fish at home, that's the reason I was craving for fish this weekend.

I started with the salmon fish fillet from my local grocery store. I made my own marinade which I think came out really good. I served grilled salmon with steamed fresh green beans and mashed potatoes. I love to make marinade and love the taste when it gets all soaked up in to the fish.

All the ingredients I am mentioning here are enough for 1 salmon fillet.
You can adjust the ingredients as per the quantity.

For the marinade-:

• 2 Tbsp of cumin powder.- I made a fresh cumin from cumin seeds. I like to make it fresh because I love the fresh aroma.
• 2 Tbsp of Grilled seasoning- It's from the grill time. I love it. It has a nice blend of vegetables like garlic, onion, red bell peppers and little kick of Parmesan and Romano cheese, and different spices like red chili flakes, fennel seeds. It's a perfect combination for grilling.
• 2 Tbsp of Thick yogurt- Greek style yogurt will be perfect. It has a nice thickness to it.
• 3 tbsp of Soy sauce- To add a little kick to it, and also acts as a thinning agent on to your marinade.
• A bunch of freshly, coarsely chopped cilantro. I would say the more the better.
  

You don't need to add the salt. The seasoning and the soy sauce contains enough of that. Just add freshly ground black pepper and there it is, your quick marinade is ready for you.

Just to show you how the marinade looks on the Salmon

All you have to do now is marinade the salmon fillet from all the sides. The easy way to do this is take your good old zip lock bag. Pour your marinade in to the bag along with the fish. Lock the bag, and rotate the bag so that fish gets coated from all the sides. Open the bag, remove air if any. Seal it again tightly. Make sure that all the air is out and keep the bag in the refrigerator for about an hour. And now, It's grilling time.


Heat your grilling pan. I used my indoor grilling pan.



Spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Put the fish in to the pan with the skin side up. (This is very important, even if you remove skin, you should put the fish skin side up first.) Ohh..I removed the skin of the fish before marinating.
Leave it there for about 4-5 minutes on the first side. It will change the color of the fish from bottom.
Turn the fish and cook it for 2-3 more minutes on the other side. It's very important that you do not overcook the fish. It looses the nutritious value as well as the flavor.

Along with the Salmon, I served mashed potatoes. I just boiled the potato in the microwave and mashed them with the bottom of a small bowl. I added shredded Parmesan cheese while the potatoes were hot, a little bit of salt and I like to add some red chili powder in my potatoes, just for taste. This is a quick recipe of mashed potatoes which I like to prepare any busy night of the week.

For the green beans, I simply steamed the beans with the water on the stove top. I like to add the salt in the water, this way the beans retain there green color.

My entry to herb mania- Round up

I made my first entry last month in one of the events - Herb mania- Basil.
Dee of Ammalu's Kitchen has posted the round up recently here. You can view all the pictures of the participant's recipes here. I really like the experience and I am looking forward to next one...:)