HAPPY HOLI!! Homemade Chemical-free Holi Colors

Holi is one of my favorite festivals! And this year it's even more special as it's my little Cupcake's first Holi.

Yes! I am a new mom! And that is why I have been away/slow from blogging world.

This is her first Holi and I don't want keep her away from colors but also was concerned about the chemicals used in that as she is too young for those. Finally came across this Homemade Chemical-free Holi Colors by TK @Euphoric Delight.

INGREDIENTS:

3 tbsp All Purpose Flour/Maida

1 tbsp Corn Starch

1 tbsp Food Color (gel form)

6-8 Drops of Astringent 

METHOD:

I used disposable bowls

In a bowl mix all purpose flour + corn starch + food color by hand (use gloves if you don't want color on your palm). Mix well till color is evenly mixed. Add 4-5 drops of astringent and mix again. Astringent helps darkening the color. Mix it well, no lumps. If needed add more and again mix well. Once you get evenly colored powder and astringent evaporates, your homemade color is ready!!

PS - I also further sieved the color to make really smooth powder.

colors done!

Final Result after sieving 

Enjoy Holi!!

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Gattey Ki Sabzi or Gatta Curry

When man of the family demands Gattey ki Sabzi, you know you are married to guy from Rajasthan. Finally I managed to make authentic Gattey ki Sabzi or Gatta Curry or Gram Flour Dumpling Curry. Rajasthan is famous for "dal-baati-choorma-gattey ki sabzi". So you know I'll be sharing other three soon! (once I learn to cook them). Rajasthani Cuisine has many dishes made with 'besan' or 'gram flour'. Reason, of course less vegetation to due climate. My MIL cooks a lot of them and I have just started learning them!

INGREDIENTS:

For Gatta:

Gram flour (Besan):1 cup

Crushed coriander: as per taste

Fennel (optional): as per taste

Heeng/Asafoetida: ½ tsp

Salt: as per taste

Red pepper:as per taste

Red pepper (optional):as per taste

Oil:2 tablespoon (I use olive oil in most of my cooking)

Water:1/4 cup

For Curry:

Tomato chopped

Red onion chopped 

Green chilly sliced

Garlic cloves

Bay Leaf 1

Cumin Seeds

Plain Yogurt: 1/2 cup

Salt: as per taste

Red Chilly Powder: as per taste (I use Kashmiri Mirch)

Turmeric:1 tsp

Coriander powder: as per taste

Heeng/Asafoetida: ½ tsp 

Kasoori Methi (optional):1 tsp

METHOD:

For Gattey:

In a bowl mix coriander, fennel, heeng/asafoetida, pepper, chilly powder and salt in besan/gram flour.

Add oil, mix well.

Add water (slowly) to the mixture to make dough (not too hard, not too soft). Apply little oil in your palms as besan sticks.

Divide the dough into four equal parts

Roll each to cylinder (like a cigar)

In a pan, boil water.

Once the water comes to boil, add cylinders to it and boil for 10-15minutes.

Take them out, let it cool down completely.

(do not discard the full of flavor water, use it to make curry)

Once cooled, cut them into bite size pieces

Fry them for 1-2minutes

Take them out and put them on paper towel to absorb extra oil. And keep aside.

(Do not discard this oil, we can use same oil to make curry)

For Curry:

Blend and puree the tomato, onion, green chilly, and garlic together.

In a pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds.

Once they start to crackle, add heeng and bay leaf. Saute for 30seconds.

Add the puree. Add dry masalas & salt and kasoori-methi (optional).

Cook on medium heat.

Cook till water evaporates and oil separates.

Put the stove on absolute low/nearly off.

Add yogurt, mix well.

Add gattey, mix well.

after 1-2minutes, put the heat back to medium.

Add water (which we saved) according to desired consistency of gravy/curry.

Bring to boil. Cover it, switch off the stove and leave it for 5-8minutes.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves, serve hot.

We enjoyed it with chapatti, raita and salad!

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Try it soon!

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Minestrone Soup

Minestrone is a thick Italian soup made with vegetables, with addition of pasta. Common ingredients include beans, onions, tomatoes and vegetables. There is no set recipe for minestrone, since it is usually made out of whatever vegetables are in season. It can be vegetarian or contain meat. 

I love vegetables and soup as much as I love chicken. Recently I got a very easy & quick recipe of this soup from a friend, thanks AT of 'TummyTimes' blog. Note: I used pressure cooker for this soup.

INGREDIENTS:

(for me, everything was 'as per taste'; no set measurements)

Italian Seasoning

Basil; Fresh Basil leaves are better

Finely Chopped Tomatoes; LOTS, this is like the base

Finely Chopped Onions

Chopped Zucchini 

Chopped Celery

Corns; I used frozen, you may use fresh too

Pre-Boiled Kidney Beans; I like it slightly over-cooked

Pre-Boiled Pasta

Salt & Pepper to taste

note: you may add more vegetables like beans, carrot, cauliflower, etc. I had just these in my kitchen.

METHOD:

In the pressure cooker, add 1tsp of olive oil and heat it.

Add italian seasoning, sauté for 15seconds.

Add chopped onions, basil and tomatoes; sauté till tomatoes start turning soft.

Add vegetables, beans, salt and pepper; mix well.

Add water (according to your desired thickness) and close the lid.

Switch off the stove after 1 whistle.

Once the cooker is cooled down and steam is gone, add pasta and adjust seasonings as per taste.

Serve hot with toasted bread or croutons.

Packed with vegetables, beans and pasta, this soup is a meal in itself. We enjoyed it with 'cheese & garlic croutons' from Trader Joe's! 

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Hope you enjoyed!

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finally APPE in an appe pan!!

Hello my friends!

Ok I admit I am not regular in postings...sorry for that!

I am trying my best to be regular.. *true*

Well these days I am hooked to a Facebook Group, 'Euphoric Delights'.

It is a food group and I highly recommend you all to join it if you are a foodie and love to cook!

I have been reading a lot and I really mean A LOT about this cookware (new to me) called 'Appe Pan' or 'Appam Patra' or 'Puff Pancake Pan' (in USA). After reading and seeing pictures of delicious 'NO OIL' recipes made in this pan, I had to get one for myself. Till now I used it to make 'no-oil/fry vadas' for Dahi Vada and 'no-oil/fry koftas' for Lauki Kofta. Finally today I made Appe using appe-pan! And trust me it was delicious, healthy and light perfect for Brunch!.
I highly recommend this pan and make these delicious appe, vadas, koftas and more!! Sharing the recipe of Appe.

INGREDIENTS:

1. Idli Batter, store bought/home-made

I used Shashtha Foods batter from Indian Store

2. I mixed in chopped onions, tomatoes, green chillies, coriander and grated ginger.

You may add any/more vegetable/s of your choice like bell pepper, beans, carrots, peas, etc...

3. And salt & pepper to taste.

METHOD:

Chop the veggies and mix well in batter with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile pre-heat your pan just by keeping it on medium heat.

Pour batter with spoon, no need to fill it till top. 

Batter will rise, pour as per your desired size

Turn gently after 5-10min 

(every stove is different, keep an eye on yours)

Should look similar to this when cooked

ta-da!! Yummy hot Appe!

We enjoyed these with green-coriander and Tamarind Chutney

Hope you liked the recipe and will enjoy too!

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Iron Enriched Salad

Super healthy, full of iron, full of taste and super quick salad!!!

What more we need for a quick, healthy snack!

Just created this salad few minutes ago 

and sharing with all right away!!

INGREDIENTS

Baby Spinach; 1-bowl

Cucumber; 1

Fruit/s (your choice! apple/strawberry/grapes/plums/apricot etc... I used 1 apple)

Lime/lemon Juice (as per taste)

Salt (as per taste)

Fresh Ground Pepper (as per taste)

PROCESS

Wash spinach, cucumber and fruit/s in cold water.

Cut fruit/s and cucumber in small bite size pieces and mix with spinach.

Add lime juice, salt & pepper and mix well.

Enjoy!!

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'Live Healthy'

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Punch Wali Chutney!!

Sometimes you just read a recipe and you want to try it ASAP!

Did this happen to you? It happened to me few hours ago.

Just before serving dinner tonight, 

I saw my SIL shared a chutney/achaar recipe on Facebook. 

This recipe looked so simple & tempting, 

I couldn't stop myself from trying it right then! 

It is called 'Roasted Tomato Chutney'. I am sure many of you know this recipe already or tried it earlier, but it was a first time for me and I totally loved it!! Waiting for dinner because of that chutney was worth it!! 

So I thought of sharing with all my lovelies asap! :)

"Roasted Tomato Chutney"

Ingredients:

(quantity of ingredients depends on your taste! 

I made just a little to try)

Tomato

Garlic

Green Chilly

Salt

Process:

Roast tomato on flame/coil

Crush green chillies and garlic in a mortar and pestle.

(i used more garlic than chilly)

Remove the burnt skin from tomatoes 

and roughly crush along with the green chillies and garlic.

Mix well and season with salt.

Serve & Enjoy!

This simple chutney can add that 'punch' to any simple food.

The hotness of chilly, strong flavor of garlic, tanginess of tomato and the roasted effect did the magic!

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Guacamole Grilled Sandwich!

Healthy+Easy+Quick+Tasty Breakfast!

and of course for my love for Avocados!!!

Recently I shared Avocado Parathas!

Did anyone try those? Like it?

It was a typical lazy sunday for me today and I was thinking about quick but different breakfast. G is ever ready to have Poha (which I never made perfectly yet *sob-sob*) and I never liked it!! So after giving dear G his Poha with cold coffee, I decided to try this new recipe. Took risk though, but one of the yummiest sandwich I made!! **smiles**

Well here goes another quick breakfast recipe!

INGREDIENTS:

**For Guacamole:

• Nice Riped Avocado (roughly mashed) - 1
• Onion (finely diced) - 1/4th of a medium onion
• Tomato (finely diced) - 1 little salad tomato
• Green Chilly or Jalapeño (finely chopped) - to taste
• Fresh Coriander Leaves (finely chopped) - to taste
• Lime/Lemon Juice - 1/2 Tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Crushed Black Pepper - to taste
• note: adding little minced garlic enhance taste

**4 Slice White Bread (you can use brown too for even healthier version)

Little Butter for buttering bread slices

METHOD:

• To make the guacamole; cut avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avacado from the peel, put in a bowl. Using a fork, mash the avocado. Add rest of the ingredients and mix well.
• On your sandwich maker/grill/griddle; place buttered bread slices, spread guacamole, cover with another buttered bread slice and cook. note: you may also top your guacamole with grated cheese of your choice, I avoid cheese so didn't use it.
• Enjoy hot grilled sandwich with tomato ketchup :)

I usually enjoy my Sandwich with either Cold Coffee or Cold Choco Milk!

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Avocado Paratha!

Any Avocado lovers here?

I love Avocados! Specially I relish Guacamole.

I was always looking for something more with this. 

It has fat, but thats the good fat our body needs. 

Recently I came across this recipe and thought of sharing it. 

It is full of nutrients, creaminess of avocado and super soft Avocado Paratha!

INGREDIENTS:

Ripe Avocados – 2

Lemon Juice – 2 tbsp

Salt – to taste

Garlic – 2 tbsp, finely chopped

Green Chillies – to taste, finely chopped

Cilantro – finely chopped

Roasted Cumin Powder – 1/2 tsp

Oil – 1 tbsp

Chapati Flour (Whole Wheat Flour) – 2 cups 

Additional Oil – for cooking

METHOD:

• Peel the Avocados and mash a smooth paste.
• Mix in lemon juice, salt, garlic, green chilies, cilantro, cumin powder & oil.
• Add Flour in little at a time and form a dough.
• Once the dough comes together, drizzle a few drops of oil over the dough ball to coat. Cover and allow the dough to rest for 15-20 minutes. Once you are ready to make the parathas, give the dough one more quick knead.
• Heat up a tawa/skillet on medium heat and start rolling paratha.
• Once the paratha is rolled out and the tawa is hot, place it on the tawa.
• Move the paratha and make sure it does not stick.
• Allow it to cook- change of color and little bubbles will appear.
• Flip and drizzle a little Oil and smear it.
• Flip once again and smear oil and spread it on the other side as well.
• Allow it to cook for just a minute or less (according to your taste).
• Serve hot with yogurt and pickle or have it as a chapati.

Enjoy!!

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