Recipes From My Kitchen

Aloo Poha or Batata Poha is a traditional Maharashtrian recipe made using flattened rice or Poha and potatoes. It is a combination of sweet, spicy, tangy and crunchy, all packed in one dish. This is a regular breakfast dish in our house. In the market, two kinds of poha are available. The thick variety and the thin variety. You can use thin or thick poha for making this dish except that the soaking time varies. I prefer the thick variety as it retains its shape after soaking. The thin variety kind of becomes crumbly and mushy, which I don't prefer. In Maharashtra, this is a street food. We would see many vendors serving poha in the wee hours of the morning. Usually they serve it along with a tarri which is a liquid gravy which is made extremely spicy and a piece of tomato. This is also called tarri poha . Serves 4 Ingredients: 4 cups poha or flattened rice, 2 medium sized potatoes, cut into small cubes, 2 medium sized onions, finely chopped, 1/2 cup peanuts...

Lemon Sevai – vegan and gluten-free lemon flavoured rice vermicelli recipe with instant store-bought sevai . This recipe is perfect for those days when the time is pressing or when you want a light yet delicious breakfast. You can prepare this sevai for any meal, be it breakfast, lunch, evening tiffin or dinner even. Sevai and Idiappam are usually mistaken as same dish. Technically both are different. Sevai is made using Parboiled/Idli rice. Idiappam is made using raw rice. Also Idiappam is almost instant, we can use store bought rice flour and make Idiappam instantly, but on the other hand for Sevai is not instant. Though the time and effort for making sevai is more than Idiappam, still the taste of sevai is worth the effort. The lemon sevai recipe is straightforward. All you have to do is cook the sevai as per the package instructions and when done, do the tempering and add lemon juice. I always use coconut oil for lemon rice and sevai. It adds a unique flavor to this re...

Matki Chi Usal is a famous Maharashtrian dish. Its usually eaten for breakfast and it tastes wonderful. Moth Bean or matki bean or dew gram is high in protein and we make it quite often at home. In order to make this dish, you need to plan ahead as it requires sprouting the Matki (Moth) first which usually takes around 2 days. I usually soak them over the weekend, drain the water and allow them to sprout (2 days). Once done, I use it the same day or refrigerate them to use within a day or two. Sprouting whole grains reduces the amount of starch they contain and boosts their nutritional value. Also, sprouting makes it easier for our body to absorb all the nutrients. Here is the sprouting process which can be followed for any bean/legume: Soak the beans for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain the water and pat it dry. (This avoids bacterial formation) You can either let it sit in the colander covered, for 24 to 48 hours in a dark place or tie them in a cloth and leave them for 24 to ...

Homemade Instant Khatta Dhokla is a quintessential snack of the state of Gujarat. You can eat it as savoury snack, breakfast, quick meals, lunch or dinner. Khatta Dhokla is also called White Dhokla (due to its colour) or Idra. Gujarati snacks have a number of dhokla recipes that are light to eat, taste delicious and ready in 20 minutes. This Khatta Dhokla is also one such instant variety that requires only a few readily available ingredients from our pantry. The two popular varieties of this savoury spongy cake which are available in most farsan stores are Khaman Dhokla (yellow in colour) and Khatta Dhokla (white in colour). So apart from the colour, it is the main ingredient that sets them apart and actually give these two their own unique taste.  Khaman Dhokla is made out of chana dal/Gram flour and Khatta Dhokla from urad dal/ split skinless black lentils and rice/rice flour. This Dhokla called as “Khatta Dhokla” because of its sour taste. In Gujarati & Hindi, sour means “...

Sabudana khichdi is popular and native to the Indian states of Maharashtra and northern Karnataka, especially those parts of Karnataka bordering Maharashtra. Also consumed in Gujarat and other parts of India, Sabudana khichdi is a popular breakfast and snack item and a regular part of the menu during fasting days for the Hindus of the region. What is Sabudana? Sabudana is a very popular ingredient that is used in many dishes, especially during the fasting (Vrat) season when grains are not prepared. It is called Sago or Tapioca Pearls in English. Made using Cassava roots, a form of tapioca, sabudana is basically the starch extracted from the roots of tapioca. It is a good source of carbohydrates. Navaratas or vrat days will not be complete without this khichdi. The trick to getting it right is in the method of soaking. Everyone seems to have a different method for soaking sabudana, so there is no one correct, foolproof method. However, what I follow is a simple rule of thumb and it has...

Broken Wheat Upma is a healthy breakfast/dinner. Broken Wheat or Daliya is a very healthy ingredient to cook with. It is high in fiber and has a low glycemic index. It gives you the sensation of feeling full for a long time. It can work as a good substitute for rice in many of the south Indian dishes like pongal, idli, etc. This is one of the most easiest, flavourful and healthy recipes you could prepare with broken wheat. Is Daliya Good For Health? The fact that Daliya is as close to the natural form of the grain as possible makes it a much healthier option than other types of wheat by-products. Dalia is, however, not gluten-free . Many nutritionists recommend incorporating daliya into daily meals as replacements for rice or roti because: Has a low Glycemic Index – great for people with diabetes or for anyone trying to consume lesser carbohydrate Higher protein content – This also means this takes longer to break down and release glucose, thereby preventing insulin spikes in one’s ...

Dhokla or khaman is a popular vegetarian Indian snack from the state of Gujarat. It is served as a teatime snack or ‘farsan‘ as they say in Gujarati with a variety of sweet and spicy chutney. Dhokla is mainly prepared with gram flour (besan), water, lemon juice, green chili, salt, and spices. Hence, it is a gluten-free and vegan snack. Every family has their own way of making dhokla from scratch. The traditional dhokla recipe requires a tedious, overnight fermentation process to make the batter airy, and spongy. As a kid, we've always had dhoklas from snack shops. They would have a huge tray on the counter, cut into with big square shaped pieces. Often served with green chutney and fried green chillies, it tastes delicious. How To Make Dhokla in Microwave? Traditionally, a large steamer is used to cook the batter to perfection. For the microwave method, we will simply prepare the batter as suggested in the recipe below, pour the batter in a microwave safe bowl, place a ...

Adai is a delicious protein-rich rice and lentils pancake from the South Indian cuisine. A vegan dish. The recipe shared here is a basic adai recipe that I make. Each household has its own proportions and the types of lentils they use. Also, the spices and seasonings added can vary from family to family. Adai is served with a variety of things like  Idli Podi , homemade butter, jaggery, aviyal or even a choice of fresh chutney on the side. Tips For Making Adai Making adai is very easy. Rice and lentils are soaked and then ground to a slightly coarse batter. Also unlike making dosa you don’t need to ferment the batter. However, allow the batter to rest for about 1 to 2 hours as this helps in giving the adai a better taste and texture. If you ferment the batter like dosa, then what you get is adai dosa, which also tastes delicious. If you want to make adai dosa, then ferment the batter for 4 to 7 hours and then make healthy adai dosa. For soaking lentils you can soak them for 2 to...

Upma is a savory porridge made with semolina / rava, ginger and green chillies. It is a traditional South Indian breakfast dish and usually served with coconut chutney, peanut chutney, podi or any pickle. It tastes great even without any side dish. This rava upma recipe can also be extended further to khara bath or masala bath by adding vangi bath powder or bise bele bath powder. However I particularly like to be simple and I enjoy the simple upma recipe with a small portion of rava kesari bath. This combination is also popularly known as chow chow bath in Bangalore and is one of the popular breakfast served in morning tiffin centres. The upma is served with an array of chutney’s. It can be a simple coconut chutney , peanut chutney or even onion tomato chutney . Making upma does not take much time and can be done in 15-20 minutes, if you have the roasted semolina ready. I always roast semolina and then keep in an air-tight container. This way the semolina stays good for ...

A popular South Indian breakfast dish Vermicelli Upma also known as Semiya Upma, is a quick and healthy snack that you can cook easily in just 20 minutes with simple ingredients. A versatile ingredient, vermicelli is used to make sweet dishes like kheer (in North India) and payasam (called semiya payasam in Tamil Nadu). Though relatively bland in taste, it readily absorbs the flavors of ingredients it is cooked with. Low in sodium and fat, it is a great source of energy as it is rich in carbohydrates, hence it may not be very filling when just eaten plain, but the inclusion of a variety of vegetables increases its nutritional content helping you feel full and satisfied for longer. Carrots are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Peas are rich in protein, folate, and high in antioxidants. Bell peppers are low in calories, high in potassium, vitamin A and C. The health benefits of the vermicelli combined with the vegetables make this an appetizing, delicious dish which can also b...