Healthy Breakfast - Green Gram Chilla

I just love participating in blog events.. not only they attract newer people to visit my blog but also gives me an idea on what I could be cooking next (in simple words, it saves me from racking my brain on the ingredients, and instead I can focus on the recipe :)) .. Was keen to participate in Priya's CWS event & create a dish with Green Moong.

Every morning Arunesh expects a different delicacy .. and the lazy me always offers oats or cornflakes ;) .. untill I decided to try a new option if not everyday.. atleast alternate. Yesterday was one such option.. GREEN GRAM CHILLA.. healthy, protein-rich and tasty..

Ingredients
Green Moong Dal (soaked overnight) - 1 cup
Yogurt - 2 Tablespoons
Eno - 1 Pinch
Onion (finely chopped) - 1 medium-size
Green Chili (finely chopped) - 1
Fresh Coriander Leaves (finely chopped) - handful
Salt - to taste
Red Chili Powder - to taste
Oil

Cooking
1. Grind soaked Moong Dal with Yogurt, Salt & Red Chili in a grinder.

2. Tranfer the mixture to a bowl and add chopped Onion, Green Chili, Coriander Leaves & Eno. Mix well. Add water (if required) to acquire a flowing consistency (Taste the mixture to adjust the salt & chili levels)

3. Heat a teaspoon of Oil in a non-stick pan and spread the mixture with a spoon in round shape. (similar to making a uthapam) Spinkle oil along the sides to prevent it from sticking. Cover with lid and let is cook for 5 minutes. Toss and cook the other side as well.

Our Chilla is ready... tastes best with Mint Chutney & Tomato Ketchup :)

Gajar- Gobhi- Shalgam Achaar (Pickle)

Come winters.. season for fresh juicy beautiful vegetables.. and I used to look upto having GAJAR - GOBHI - SHALGAM ACHAAR... my favourite since I was a kid.. Just perfect with mathizz.. parathazz.. and for someone like me even with rice, maggi or just anything..


So while I was in India, I thought of learning the same from my grandma... and so sharing the same with you all..

Ingredients
Carrots - 250 grams
Turnip - 250 grams
Cauliflower - 2 flowers (medium size)
Ginger (medium-size) - 1 grated
Garlic - 6 flakes finely chopped
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Chili Powder - as per taste
Salt - as per taste
Vinegar - 3 Tablespoons
Jaggery (Gur) - small piece
Mustard oil - 3 Tablespoons

Preparation
1. Peel the Carrots and Turnips and dice them - I cut them around 1 centimeter long.
2. Cut the Cauliflower into small florets.
3. Boil water in a large pan. Once the water begins to boil, remove from flame and blanch the chopped vegetables for about 5 minutes. Drain the water and put them to dry in the sun for about 2 hours.

Cooking
1. Heat oil in a non-stick vessel and crackle mustard seeds. Add Ginger - Garlic and saute for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the sundried vegetables along with salt and chili powder. Stir well and cover with lid. Let it cook on a slow flame.
3. Heat Vinegar in a bowl in the microwave for about 30 seconds and add Jaggery to it. Stir vigourously till they blend well. Add to the vegetables. Stir well and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes. (Taste the mixture to adjust the salt and chili level)
4.  Transfer the mixture into a air-tight container and add mustard oil.
5.  Ideally, we should put the pickle container in sunlight for 3-4 days but it is anyways ready for consumption immediately as well :))

Our yummy Pickle is ready... Enjoy it all winters :)

The recipe also goes to Radhika's event - Winter Cooking. 

PUNJABI TADKA - Jeera Aloo (Dhaba-style)

It's been almost 6 days since my last post.. am currently in India.. trip visiting parents owing to long eid holidays in the gulf :)) 

Posting one of the simplest & quickest-to-prepare potato dishes.. trust me it's the most-masaledaar & yummy main-course dish... just be as liberal with the masalazz as much possible.. the dish is a sure-shot winner for any occasion... JEERA ALOO.. typical dhaba-istyle.. (A must have if you ever do a road trip from Delhi to Punjab)

Ingredients

Potatoes (par-boiled - pressure cook till 2 whistles) - 2 medium sized

Cumin Seeds (Jeera) - 1 teaspoon

Coriander Powder - 1.5 teaspoons

Cumin Powder - 1.5 teaspoons

Red Chili Powder - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Dry Mango Powder (Amchoor)  - 1 teaspoon

Garam Masala - 1.5 teaspoons

Salt

Ghee / Unsalted Butter - 2 Tablespoons

Fresh Coriander Leaves - for garnish

Cooking

1. Dice the par-boiled potatoes into small cubes.

2. Heat the ghee in a non-stick pan and add cumin seeds once the ghee is hot.

3. As the cumin seeds begin to change color, add all the spices (masalaz) except garam masala. Fry for about 2-3 minutes. Stir continuously. 

4. Add potatoes. Mix well. Close the lid and let the potatoes cook on a slow flame for 25-30 minutes (or till potatoes are tender and well cooked in the masala)

5. Sprinkle garam masala and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Paratha (Indian flat-bread)

Chocolate Truffles

Was wondering if a food blog was just about innovation & sharing what I cook..until while browsing I discovered that it was just not about sharing the recipe but sharing the entire experience of cooking..so I decided to try a recipe.. comparitively simple one though but something I had been longing to eat.. CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

I had come across this recipe a while ago and it had been on my to-do list for a while. And honestly, the truffles were one of the yummiest I have had :)) .. no self praise but they truely were awesome.

The original recipe is from Taste of Home and because i was keen to participate in Priya's Bookmarked Recipe - Every Tuesday event, I chose to do so today..



Ingredients (for 12-15 truffles)
Milk Chocolate Chip - 1 cup (I used the Hershey's choc chips)
Condensed Milk - 1/2 cup
Walnut - handful (powdered)
Coconut - grated

Cooking
1. Melt Chocolate Chips and Condensed Milk together in a double boiler .. till they are well blended together.

2. Chill the mixture in a refrigerator for about 1.5 to 2 hours.

3. Shape the mixture into small balls with a help of a scooper or using the hand (shaping like ladoos)

4. Spread the powedered walnuts and grated coconut in seperate plates and roll the truffles on your favorite topping :)
Alternatives like powdered cocoa, colored sprinkles etc could be used.

Truffles are ready... :))