A Chef's Melody

At my aai's place we call this Dondhas / tavsalli . It's made of a larger cucumber available in Mumbai during the month of shravan . Its made with jaggery but I sometimes substitute it with brown sugar.My aai made it in similar way but she would cook the rested batter for a while and then bake in a vessel with a hole at its center on the gas stove.This vessel acted like a oven and she always baked her cakes in it.Some steam the batter rather than bake,I prefer the second method. Ingredients 2 cups grated cucumber 1 cup semolina/Cream of wheat/ sooji 3/4 to 1 cup grated jaggery /brown sugar (adjust as per taste) 1/2 cup coconut milk 1/2 tsp cardamon powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 tbsp ghee pinch of salt Powder sugar for garnishing (optional) Method Roast the semolina in ghee until aromatic. In big bowl add all the ingredients except baking soda,mix well. Break all the lumps and keep aside for an hour. Add in the soda, mix and pour in a greased container....

Ingredients 1 red pepper 1 green pepper 1 large potato cubed 1 tbsp oil 1 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp cumin seeds a pinch of asafoetida 1 tsp chili powder 1 tbsp coriander-cumin powder 1 tsp kitchen king masala 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp sugar salt to taste 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro for garnishing(optional) Method Heat oil in a pan.Add the mustard seeds and asafoetida. When the mustard seeds crackle add the potato, chili powder,coriander-cumin powder,salt,turmeric,saute for couple of mins and then cover and cook until potatoes are half done. Now add the peppers and sugar and give it a good mix.Cover and cook on low flame for 5 mins. Add the kitchen king masala ,mix,switch off the heat and garnish with finely chopped cilantro. Serve hot. Make 2 servings.

Ingredients 2 cups chopped fresh green beans,pressure cooked with 1/2 cup water for 2 whistles 4-5 curry leaves 2-3 red chilis 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp urad dal 1 tbsp grated coconut/coconut powder 1/2 tsp chili powder 1 tbsp coriander-cumin powder 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1 tbsp oil salt to taste Method Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan.Add the cumin seeds, urad dal,curry leaves,red chilis and coconut fry for couple of minutes. Now add the green beans,salt,turmeric,coriander-cumin powder, and chili powder.Cover and cook for 5 min. Uncover and cook till the water evaporates for the pan. Serve hot with chappati.

Carrots can be eaten in a variety of ways. The simplest way is raw as carrots are perfectly digestible without requiring cooking. Alternatively they may be chopped and boiled, fried or steamed, and cooked in soups and strews, as well as baby and pet food.The greens are edible as a leaf vegetable, but are rarely eaten by humans, as they are mildly toxic. Even baby carrots or mini-carrots have been a popular ready-to-eat snack food available in many supermarkets.Carrot juice is also widely marketed, especially as a health drink, either stand-alone or blended with fruits and other vegetables. Lack of Vitamin A can cause poor vision, including night vision, and vision can be restored by adding Vitamin A back into the diet.Carrot and Spinach are main source of Vitamin A. The most popular Indian dish made from grated carrots is " Gajar ka Halwa ". This halwa can be made with condensed milk/ Khoya /milk.My sister loves it with coarsely powdered pedhas (instead of khoya ).A...

A cold breezy day and a bowl of hot tomato saar makes the perfect combo. Tomato saar is somewhat similar to tomato soup in texture but taste-wise saar has no competitor.Saar can be served as a soup or as a side dish.This perfect blend of sourness and sweetness can win any ones heart. Ingredients 3 large ripe tomatoes 1/2 cup homemade thick coconut milk (recipe here ) 2"cinnamon stick,broken 8-9 curry leaves 4 garlic cloves finely chopped 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp chili powder 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 1 tbsp sugar 1/2 cup water salt as per taste. 3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro 1 tbsp ghee Method Pressure cook the tomatoes for 2 whistles.Let them cool, remove their skin and puree them. Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan.Add cumin seeds, curry leaves ,cinnamon stick and garlic.Fry for a min. Now add chili powder,turmeric,salt,sugar,and the puree. Cover and cook on low flame for 5-6 mins. Add the coconut milk and cook uncovered until the saar reaches the des...

US is one of the top producers of strawberries.One cup (144 g) of strawberries constitutes approximately 45 calories (188 kJ) and is an excellent source of Vitamin C and flavonoids. Great breakfast and kid's favorite. Ingredients 6 large strawberries cut lengthwise 1 1/4 cups cold milk 6 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp light cream/plain yogurt (optional) Method Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Blend for 20 seconds, or until smooth. Serve immediately.Make 2 servings. Note:The addition of cream/yogurt will add thickness to the milkshake. You could add a ripe banana to this recipe to make strawberry banana milkshake.

What you need 1 ¼ cup Whole wheat flour /Atta ½ cup melted clarified butter / ghee 1/2 cup sugar ½ tsp cardamom soda 1 tsp baking soda 1/8 tsp salt 1/2 tsp oil Almonds/pistachios/cashew nuts for garnishing Method Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.Grease a cookie sheet lightly with oil. Sift the atta,salt, and baking soda together. Cream the ghee,sugar and cardamom powder.Add sifted mixture little by little to form a soft dough ball(you will need to knead it for a while to make a dough). Make small balls of the dough and lightly press them between your palms.Place these cookies on a greased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Garnish them with nuts and bake them in the preheated oven for 20-22 mins or until they are light golden brown.

Until few years back Masala bhaat (Masale bhaat in marathi) was inevitable part of Maharashtrian wedding.Though these days it is replaced by veg pulav,veg biryani or fried rice in almost every wedding, it is still cooked on many occasions in a Maharashtrian home.Even my home isn't an exception.I make this spicy one dish meal when I am lazy to cook a series of dishes and yet have a fulfilling meal.Its a no onion recipe and hence can be served even for a puja. Ingredients 1 1/2 cup long grain raw rice 3 cups water 1/4 cup peas 1/4 cup potato chopped in 2"cubes 1/4 cup brinjal pieces 1/4 cup carrot or gherkins(tondli in Marathi) 2 tsp Maharashtrian goda masala 1 tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp asafoetida salt,sugar to taste 2 tbsp oil 2" cinnamon stick 3 cloves 2 bay leaves Masala (Lightly roast all the items and grind) 1/4 cup dry coconut 4 red chilies 2 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp cumin seeds For garnishing chopped cilantro Freshly shredded coconut ...

Kaju katli is my all time favourite mithai .Whenever I go to visit anyone in Mumbai during my India visits, I mostly end up gifting them with a box of kaju katli .Though expensive it taste divine. But I miss this delicious sweet in US.Though you get it in Indian Grocery stores but they are never as fresh as those we get in India.Luckily everytime I visit Goa when I am in India so I always have a big packet of Kaju .I have been successful in making the katlis so far but this time I decided to give it a twist.I made kaju dices. The recipe for katli remains the same except if you need the katli you need to roll the dough and cut the katlis in diamond shapes. Ingredients 1 1/2 cup cashew nuts/ kaju (unsalted) 1/4 cup water 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 tsp cardamom powder or 1 tsp rose water Method Microwave the cashews for 4 mins (stir after ever 30 secs) and grind them in the dry grinder/coffee grinder to a powder.It is very important that t...

Veg kadhai is among my favourite.It goes well for any occasion calling for Indian food.I make this by two different ways.This dish can compliment any Indian bread- puri , chappati or naan .If made ahead of time (1-2hrs before it is served )it taste more delicious as by that time all the vegetable are marinated well is the gravy. When served with naan with slices of onion and a cube of lemon it gives you the feeling of going out for a lunch or dinner at an Indian restraurant.Veg kadhai,puri/naan,Jeera rice/Veg Pulav,tomato onion koshimbir/boondi raita,pickle and roasted papad and a dessert - you have set the table to impress all your guests. Recipe 1 This method of preparing the kadhai is a bit time consuming but still its worth the effort.A touch of ghee makes it royal and tasty. Ingredients: 1/2 cup each of cauliflower floret,carrot cubed cubes,green pepper cubed,green beans,potatoes,peas 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 large tomatoes,finely chopped 4 garlic cloves min...

My toddler loves cakes and so do I.I decided to bake cake again this week but i am always concerned about two main ingredients-All purpose flour and sugar,both are not that good for health.I usually control the amount of sugar and he does eat it semi-sweet.This time I decided to twist my recipe a bit.A made two cakes one with whole wheat flour and All-purpose flour and the other just with whole wheat both turned out.Leftovers the next day tasted just divine.I am sure next time when i make these again i am going to wait for a day to have a bite of it. Ingredients 3/4 cup whole wheat flour 1/4 cup All purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla 3 tbsp flavorless oil 2-3 tbsp milk 1/4 cup cold tap water 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 1/8 tsp cinnamon powder 1 tbsp each raisins ,cashew nuts and almonds. Method: Sift whole wheat flour+all purpose flour+baking powder+baking soda.Add vanilla,oil,sugar,milk,cinnamon and mix into a smo...

Sago is a starch extracted from the pith of sago palm stems.Sago flour is nearly pure carbohydrate and has very little protein, vitamins, or minerals. However, as sago palms are typically found in areas unsuited for other forms of agriculture, sago cultivation is often the most ecologically appropriate form of land-use, and the nutritional deficiencies of the food can often be compensated for with other readily available foods. In Indonesia and Malaysia, sago is used in making noodles and white bread. Globally, its principal use is in the form of pearls. Pearl sago, a commercial product, closely resembles pearl tapioca Both typically are small (about 2 mm diameter) dry, opaque balls. Both may be white (if very pure) or colored naturally grey, brown or black, or artificially pink, yellow, green, etc. When soaked and cooked, both become much larger, translucent, soft and spongy. Both are widely used in South Asian cuisine, in a variety of dishes. In India, pearl sago is called sabud...

Sambar or sambhar or Sambaaru (in Telugu), is a dish common in South Indian and Srilankan cuisines. Sambhar is usually served with steamed rice. Sambhar with rice is one of the main courses of both formal and everyday south Indian cuisine. In Tamil Nadu , Wada sambhar and idli sambhar are popular for breakfast or lunch, and sambar is often served as a side dish at dinner. Sambhar is also served for lunch and dinner in south India, commonly with idli , wada or dosa , along with two chutneys, a green coconut chutney and a mildly spicy red tomato chutney. A two-course meal, the first consisting of sambar mixed with rice and eaten with some sort of vegetable side dish, and the second consisting of yoghurt mixed with rice, is perhaps one of the most common meals eaten in a typical southern Indian home. There are many sambhar powders available in market- MTR being the popular among them. But a home made sambhar masala is always better than the store bought once.You ca...

Different versions of Toor dal , Moong dal ,Channa dal , urad dal and Masoor dal are cooked in almost all Indian families.South Indians use dals for their sambhar , medu wadas , idlis and dosai .Even other Indian families have dal in one form or the other in their daily diet. Toor dal is popular among all the dals specially with all rice lovers. The best method to cook the toor dal is with the pressure cooker.The dal cooks well if it is soaked in water atleast for half an hour. Pair this dal with steaming hot rice and lime/mango pickle and this becomes the best and the easiest comfort food. Ingredients 1/2 cup toor dal 3-4 Curry leaves 1 tsp mustard seeds pinch of hing ( asafoetida ) 1tbsp ginger garlic paste 1/2 medium onion finely chopped or 1 shallot 1 dry red chilli 1-2 green chilli 1 tsp tumeric 1 small tomato finely chopped 2 tbsp cilantro 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 Tbsp oil+1 tsp salt Method Wash and soak the d...

Spinach/ palak has no doubt a lot of health benefits but this green leafy vegetable is popular among kids too as it is Popeye's favourite.Spinach belongs to the same family as chard and beets.It shares a similar taste profile with these two other vegetables-it has the bitterness of beet greens and the slightly salty flavor of chard. Popeye popularized spinach, but it's too bad he ate it out of a can. Fresh spinach retains the delicacy of texture and jade green color that is lost when spinach is processed. Raw spinach has a mild, slightly sweet taste that can be refreshing in salads, while its flavor becomes more acidic and robust when it is cooked. Choose spinach that has vibrant deep green leaves and stems with no signs of yellowing. The leaves should look fresh and tender, and not be wilted or bruised. Avoid those that have a slimy coating as this is an indication of decay. Store fresh spinach loosely packed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper where it will keep...

Ingredients: 1 cup All purpose flour 1 cup sugar ( 3/4 cup worked for me ) 3/4 tsp baking soda 3 tbsp flavorless oil  1/2 cup cold tap water 2 tbsp milk 1 1/2 tsp white distilled vinegar 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract pinch of salt Method: Preheat oven at 350 Deg F for 10 mins.Grease a 6 inch cake tin with cooking spray. Sift the flour,salt plus baking soda thrice. In a large bowl add oil and sugar mix well.Add vanilla , vinegar, water, and milk.Whisk to combine. Add the flour+salt+baking soda mixture to the wet ingredients.Mix well with a whisk or a hand mixer to a smooth batter and ensure there are no lump. At this point,you will see tiny bubbles on the top of the batter due to reaction between baking soda and vinegar.Immediately pour the mixure in a greased cake pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for 30-35 mins or until you succeed in the toothpick test.Cool and unmold.

Ingredients: 14 oz  Ricotta cheese 14 oz condensed milk 2 tbsp sugar(optional) 1 tsp cardamon powder almond,pistachios ,saffron for garnishing. Method: Heat a heavy bottom pan on medium heat. Add ricotta cheese,condense milk ,cardamon powder and sugar(optional). Keep stirring after every 2 min so that it does stick to the bottom. Once the mixture start leaving the sides and gather together turn the heat off. Pour the mixture on a greased plate.Garnish with almonds,pistachios and saffron.When cooled cut in desire shape.Serve at room temperature or cold.