Recipes From My Kitchen

Chickpea flour or besan is an integral part of Indian cuisine and is used for many dishes. Predominantly it is used as a coating or batter for many deep-fried snacks, but can also be used for curries too. One such easy dry curry recipe where besan is used with a combination of capsicum is this Shimla Mirch Besan Sabzi recipe. An easy and simple dry side dish made with chickpea flour and capsicum. This recipe and ideal everyday side dish which can be made within minutes with minimal ingredients available in the kitchen. It is generally served with phulkas, dal and rice on the side. Serves - 4 Ingredients: 2 large capsicum, cubed, 1 medium to large onion, finely chopped, 2-3 tbsp besan or gram flour, more if required,  2 tbsp oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp jeera, 1 tsp fennel seeds, coarsely crushed,  1/4 th tsp hing, 1 tsp turmeric powder,  1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp aamchur powder,  Salt as per taste Method: In a large kadai heat 2 tbsp oil. Add the mustard an...

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 “...

Jamun Frozen Yogurt is a delicious summer dessert made with Indian berry called jamun or java plum. The abundance of Jamun (Java Plum) inspired me to try this recipe and play with the flavors of the fruit. Hence, the result is Jamun (Java Plum) frozen yogurt. It is a gluten-free frozen yogurt recipe. I love Jamun for its piquant flavor, vibrant hue, and fibrous texture, and they shine when paired with contrasting flavors such as spices, yogurt, or buttermilk. Jamun needs a little touch of sugar to be transformed into a thick, smooth puree ideal to combine with yogurt. These two ingredients seem to be made for each other! Making frozen yogurts is very easy. You can adapt to any season, add any ingredients you like, and play around with the different textures. It’s such a creative dessert, so scrumptious and beautiful to look at, and most of all, so delicious. I have discussed in detail about frozen yogurt and its health benefits in my  Strawberry Froyo  recipe. Since jamun's ha...

Panchmel Dal or Pancharatan Dal is a Rajasthani style dal made my mixing 5 different types of lentils. This dal is served with Bati or roti.  The mix of five different types of lentils, which generally are hari moong dal, dhuli moong dal, chana dal, kali urad dal and masoor dal gives a very different flavor to the Dal. Along with the five types of lentils, the tadka of ghee, onions, garlic, ginger, dry red chillies, green chillies makes Panchmel Dal more inviting! You can definitely change the types of dal used here but this combination is how it’s made in my family. Ingredients: Take any 5 varieties of dal you have I have taken: 1/4th cup tuar dal 1/4th cup masoor dal 1/4th cup chana dal 1/4th cup kali urad dal 1/4th cup moong dal Other ingredients: 2-3 tbsp ghee 1 cup finely chopped onion 2-3 green chillies 1 tbsp grated ginger 1 tbsp minced garlic 1-2 bay leaves 1 cinnamon stick 2 green cardamom  Fresh coriander for garnish Method: Add the dals in a pressure cooker  Wa...

Chickpeas are one of those ingredients which are very versatile and is used all over the world in their everyday cooking. Chickpeas are a great protein source for vegetarians, and thus it is very popular among the weight watchers too.  Punjabi Choley is a spicy curry from the northern region of India. Made from chickpeas, onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and Indian spices, it is one of the most delicious everyday curries in Indian households. The ingredients that brings magic into this Punjabi Choley is the homemade Choley Masala. If you are short on time, you can use the store bought one too. How To Make Homemade Choley Masala Powder? This masala is a blend of roasted spices which gives a very typical flavour to this choley recipe. You can make a big batch of this masala powder and keep using as and when required. Make sure to roast the spices on low heat so that they are nicely roasted and not burned. You can double or triple the ingredients amount as required. Choley Masala Reci...

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...