Category: Dinner | 8pm Meal

Spinach and Tofu with Peanut Chutney Powder

Post author By onewholesomemeal
Post date January 31, 2020
No Comments on Spinach and Tofu with Peanut Chutney Powder

My motto right now, stay calm and keep cooking. Happy to share this delish spinach and tofu with peanut chutney powder, despite all my worries.

Ideally, I like to start my posts with something positively philosophical or interestingly funny. Today’s post however is neither, because if I can be truly honest with you, after more than three sleepless nights in a row, I got out of bed feeling neither positive nor funny! On the contrary, I woke up puking my gut out (sincerest apologies if that is too much information)!

Accept and Flow in 2020

Why so much drama mama, you might wonder? Well! Last few days, my life here in Hong Kong has been nothing close to anything that I had ever remotely imagined. Yeah right! Who was I kidding! When has anyone’s life panned out as expected ever! Just a few weeks ago, as my husband and I sat enjoying (a very very rare) date night/anniversary dinner at one of our favourite restaurants, we made some promises to – learn from the year that had gone by, appreciate each other more, try and walk in each other’s shoes a bit before jumping to conclusions and be fully present during the precious time we were together as a family – in short, accept and flow! 2019 had been a tough year and we were all but ready to put that behind us and embrace the new year!

WuFLu Wrecks All Plans

Little did we know that destiny had mega plans to put our plans to test, a bit too soon, may I say. Just as I was gearing to dig into some juicy work projects and enjoy the beautiful Chinese New Year with the family, all hell broke loose. Out of nowhere the Wuhan Pneumonia or what most media folks are now terming as WuFlu started to spread like wildfire in China. While most Hong Kong folks do not consider themselves a part of China, geographically speaking we aren’t all that far! Ever since the news of this deadly, possible pandemic was out (coinciding perfectly with the CNY holidays), most people in Hong Kong (me included) got into panic mode! And could we be blamed? Some of us had lived through SARS and the rest had heard some horrific stories about it. But then none of us had expected to go through an equally testing phase yet again!

Not The Best Time To Catch The Common Flu!

We got to know of the outbreak sometime around Thursday last week, January the 23rd to be precise. We hoped all will be well, not knowing the extent of spread. Come Saturday morning and every newspaper and social media group was rife with discussions and news about this possible pandemic. Cooped up indoors, I spent every waking hour either talking or reading about this new strain of the virus. I was hoping for some positive piece of news. But there was none. By Sunday evening, cabin fever had got to me and I started to imagine every possible symptom in me. And almost as if I had willed it, by Tuesday evening both me and my kids started to show symptoms of the common cold.

As things are in such circumstances, I dreaded the worst and almost saturated them with home remedies and gallons of vitamin C. By the evening of 30th January my eldest started to get better, but the youngest not so much. Headache (one of the possible symptoms of the illness) seemed to have become my new best friend ( which could have been more because of anxiety and non-stop screen time) and littlest was taking a turn for the worst. He coughed all night. I could not sleep. I shed some tears and imagined all possible dreadful outcomes. While weighing my decisions to inform the family or not if something was to happen. In the morning I got out of bed, could not stand steady. I found my way to the bathroom and puked my innards out. I am not the coolest head to be around but this even for someone like me was unprecedented. Melodramatic as it may sound, it did help to clear my head and the husband helped to make a pediatrician appointment.

Stay Calm And Keep Cooking

Now, as I sit here typing this blog post, we are back home from the ped after being reassured it is not a scary infection. With some neurfen and panadol and plenty of TLC, it should wear off in a few days’ time. Trouble seems huge until a greater one strikes. Suddenly caring for a sick toddler or managing and entertaining two young children, cooped indoor 24/7 seems way easier than it did a few days back. I keep going back to the moment when the doctor said it was nothing to worry about. I could not have been more grateful at that moment. The scare of this dreadful epidemic is far from over and we still stand in the eye of the storm. However, I now understand that all the negative news needs to be taken with a pinch of salt and all my energy needs to be focussed on staying safe rather than imagining probable outcomes. And most importantly, keeping faith in the power of positive thinking!

And Now The Recipe For Spinach And Tofu With Peanut Chutney Powder

This was definitely not the best preamble to this easy-peasy and deliciously nutritious recipe. But given the uncertain times, we live in, I felt it was pertinent. Spinach and tofu flavoured with peanut chutney powder! Simple recipes are always the best! This one is my go-to during winters when we want something quick and flavourful. The peanut chutney is the bomb!

There are quite a few popular versions of this peanut podi or chutney that use coconut. The version I share here does not. I am a huge podi fan and I cannot choose between the two.

I have another saag-tofu recipe on the blog and this one is a spin-off on the same, except its much spicier thanks to the Peanut Chutney Powder, minus tomatoes. You can however control the spice level by reducing the number of red chilies in the powder. I do not recommend it as both spinach and tofu are great at balancing the spice. Please use the firmest variety of tofu available in the market for the best results. So, without further ado, here is the recipe.

Yum

Spinach Tofu with Peanut Powder Chutney

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 95

Serving Size: 3-4

Ingredients

For Peanut Chutney Powder

Peanuts with skin, shelled- 1 cup
Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Coriander seeds- 1 tsp
Vegetable Oil- 1/2 tsp
Dried red chilies- 12-15
Garlic,peeled- 1 head

For Spinach-Tofu stir fry

Spinach, finely chopped- 5 cups
Hard Tofu cut in desired size pieces-1.5 cups
Garlic, finely chopped- 2 teaspoons
Cumin- 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder -1/2 teaspoon
Green chilies-2 (optional)
Mustard oil-1.5 teaspoon
Salt-1 teaspoon or as per taste
Peanut Chutney Powder- 3 tbsp or as per taste
Toasted coconut slivers for garnish

Instructions

For Peanut Chutney Powder

Dry roast the peanuts lightly in a thick bottomed frying pan over medium heat, turn off the heat and peal off the skin by rubbing them between the palms of your hands
Dry roast the cumin and coriander seeds over medium heat until light brown, turn off the heat and keep aside
Add 1/2 tsp vegetable oil to the same pan and roast the dried red chillies for a few minutes on medium heat till they turn a shade darker, add garlic and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes
Bring all roasted ingredients to room temperature and grind in a high speed blender to a coarse powder so it retains its texture; over blending might "cook" the peanut and make the blend slightly sticky as fats release

For Spinach-Tofu stir fry

Heat oil in a thick bottomed skillet and stir fry tofu till light brown; drain excess oil from the tofu on a kitchen towel and keep aside
To the same pan, add cumin seeds, garlic and turmeric and stir till the spices start to crackle. Be careful to not burn them or it would make the dish bitter
Add spinach,cover and cook till almost done; Then uncover and let the excess water dry out on a low flame; stir intermittently
Add tofu and salt ,mix well and simmer for another 2-3 minutes
Turn off heat, add the peanut chutney powder and mix well; garnish with toasted coconut slivers and serve with hot phulkas or daal and rice

https://onewholesomemeal.com/spinach-and-tofu-with-peanut-chutney-powder/

Tags Indian Food Recipes, Quick-Fix Meals, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

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Litti Chokha | Traditional Bihari Recipe

Post author By onewholesomemeal
Post date January 14, 2020
6 Comments on Litti Chokha | Traditional Bihari Recipe

“So, you are a food blogger? What part of India are you from?”

“Bihar”

“Aah! Then you must teach me how to make litti chokha!”

Remarks like this are the reason I have not shared one of the most loved recipes from my home state Bihar! It is almost like saying that Italians eat only pizza. Or that tapas are an everyday feature at the table in a Spanish home! This and many other similar stereotypes and expectations made me almost pledge to never share this recipe. The fact that being a Bihari in India comes with its own share of woes and discriminations, and I had suffered a fair share of them studying and working outside of my home state. This baggage did not help either.

So What Changed?

Well! Let me first share with you a little secret about my personal journey. I have always been a sensitive person. Since I started blogging, it was very hard to deal with constant judgment and brutality. Something that bloggers are perpetually subjected to. I am not exaggerating but most of the brutality came from people who know me. I was already dealing with my own demons already. This added burden did not help. I started to question my decision to blog. Nothing good seemed to be coming out of it. In fact, things were only going south – not many followers on the blog, not much remuneration, and definitely no peace of mind! Then why was I doing what I was doing?

Now, as with most things in my life, by some cosmic intervention, a few things happened almost at the same time which helped to pull me together and bring my mind and soul to a safe place:

I was recommended a book on Goodreads called the Power of Subconscious Mind and I started reading it
A friend who had just completed some sessions happened to speak about her therapist to me
And most importantly in one of the rare moments of optimism I reminded myself why had I started a blog in the first place – for the pure love and joy of sharing!

To deal with constant judgment, remember this – People’s opinion of you is a reflection of their character (and life experiences) and not yours. So, every time I am faced with opinions and unkind remarks I just remind myself of this. I stay true to myself and focus on my goal, no matter what 🙂

It’s in 2020. So Let’s Start New.

Why am I sharing all this with you when I should be focussing on more important matters like the recipe for Litti Chokha? Well! First things first, blogging or not, we all go through significant ups and downs in life. But not all of us are infused with copious amounts of endorphins to deal with these ebbs and flows and take it in our stride. Many of us find ourselves at sea and overwhelmed, to say the least, dealing with these. So, since my job is to share I took the liberty to share the above with you the things that worked for me and helped me cope. I sincerely hope that at least one if not all of these help you too. Do remember that no matter how much love of family and friends you are surrounded by, there is nothing more important and effective than self-love. So, be it seeing a therapist, taking a few hours every day to be with yourself or just reading a self-help book, take the plunge, without any guilt or second thought. We all need constant reminders- one cannot pour from an empty vessel!

And Finally Litti Chokha!

Coming back to the recipe, there are four parts to it – making the litti, baingan bharta (eggplant mash), aloo bharta (mashed potatoes), and tomato chutney. While together it might sound like a lot of work, when you start putting it together you will realise it really isn’t hard. Just a little bit of planning and patience goes a long way. Here are a few tips to help you make the perfect litti chokhas.

Littis: They should not be disjointed when they come out of the oven hard. If you like them soft and crumbly, double the amount of ghee while kneading the dough. The best way to enjoy them is piping hot. Use two hands to break them and then dunk it in some melted ghee and mix with the bharta/chutney. Traditionally the litti stuffing was some oil, lime juice, and salt. Today however you will find various takes on the stuffing. Here I am sharing the one we enjoy as a family.

Baingan Bharta: Whether you roast it on an open flame or on an iron tawa placed on an open flame, do slit them halfway in the centre. Not all the way to the end splitting it into two! Insert 6-8 pods of garlic. Roast the baingan and garlic together. Later use the garlic for flavouring both the bhartas and chutney. Yumm!!

Aloo Bharta: You can boil potatoes in a pressure cooker and then further roast in a preheated oven for 5-10 minutes to add that smoky flavour. It would taste great both ways.

Tamatar Chutney: Peel the skin of the tomatoes and roughly chop the tomatoes. Mix this with other ingredients of the chutney using a fork or blend together. It just changes the consistency, the former is lumpy and latter is liquid but it doesn’t effect the taste.

With my pro-tips up your sleeves, you are sure to rock this recipe 🙂

Yum

Litti-Chokha (Chickpea flour stuffed Dumplings with Aubergine Mash)

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 3-4

Ingredients

For Litti Dough

Whole wheat flour- 2 cups
Ghee- 1.5 tbsp
Salt- 1.5 tsp or to taste
Water- 1 cup approx (to knead the dough)

For Litti Stuffing

Sattu (roasted gram flour)- 1 cup
Ajwain (carom seeds)- 1/2 tsp
Saunf ( fennel seeds)- 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice- 2 tsps
Onion, finely chopped- 1.5 tbsp
Coriander leaves, finely chopped- 1.5 tbsp
Mustard Oil ( or oil from homemade mango or red chilli pickle)- 2 tsps
Finely Chopped Ginger- 1 tsp
Finely Chopped Garlic- 1 tsp
Salt - 1.5 tsp or as per taste
Water- 2 tbsp approx to bring the stuffing together

For Baingan Chokha/Bharta

Baingan -1 (large variety)
Garlic pods roasted - 2-3
Green chilies roasted- 1-2 or as per heat level desired
Mustard oil- 1 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves- 1 tbsp
Salt-1.5 tsp or as per taste

For Aaloo Chokha

Medium sized potatoes- 2
Green chilies roasted- 1-2 or as per heat level desired
Finely chopped onions -1.5 tbsp
Mustard oil- 1 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves- 1 tbsp
Salt-1.5 tsp or as per taste

For Tomato Chutney

Medium sized tomatoes- 2
Garlic pods roasted - 2
Green chilies roasted- 1-2 or as per heat level desired
Mustard oil- 1 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves- 1 tbsp
Salt-1.5 tsp or as per taste

Instructions

Making Litti Dough

In a deep and wide mixing bowl,place all ingredients; do not add water yet
Between the palm of your hands rub the flour-salt-ghee mix for 5-7 minutes
Then add little water and combine the dough; add water gradually to make sure the dough is of right consistency- soft and pliable and not very hard. Cover and keep aside

Preparing Litti Stuffing

In another deep bowl bring all the stuffing ingredients, except water together and mix well with your hands
Add 1 tbsp water and mix well. The mixture should not be too dry but also not very wet, just sightly clumpy. You can test it by pinching some mixture between your fingers and if it almost holds shape it is good to go; add some more water if its very dry and powdery

Rolling,Stuffing and Baking Litti

Pull out a small ball of dough and roll between your palms as you would when making rotis
Then roll out these balls to make almost a 4-6 inch roti, then place about 2 tbsps of the stuffing mixture in the centre
Seal the edges by bringing them in the centre and pressing together
Then gently roll them between your palms to make a ball
Proceed similarly for the remaining dough
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil
Place the stuffed littis on the tray and brush them all over with ghee
Bake for approximately 20-30 minutes or until the exterior is slightly charred and baked well
Also, halfway through the process , flip the littis over for even baking; brush them again with some more ghee

Making Baingan Chokha

Slit the baingan/eggplant halfway (and not all the way till the end), press 6-8 garlic pods inside and roast on open flame or an iron tawa placed on the flame till the exteriors are charred and black and the white inside is cooked through;keep turning the eggplant while roasting so it is evenly done
Roast 4-6 green chilies alongside
Then peel off the skin, remove the stem and pull out the garlic pods
Peel the garlic pods and keep aside
In a bowl mash together two garlic pods, roasted green chilies as per taste, mustard oil, salt and roasted eggplant using a fork until well combined
Garnish with chopped coriander

Making Aaloo Chokha

Boil potatoes in a pressure cooker until done
Roast these boiled potatoes over flame on an iron tawa or in an oven at 200 degrees for 10 minutes; you can also skip the roasting step if you are pressed for time
In a bowl mash together roasted green chilies as per taste, mustard oil, salt and boiled/roasted potatoes
Garnish with chopped coriander

Making Tamatar Chutney

Poke holes into tomatoes and roast on an iron tawa , turning sides till the skin is nice and charred and tomatoes cooked through
Peel the skin, chop into cubes and mix well with the remaining ingredients using a fork or you could blend all ingredients except the coriander to make a more homogeneous thick liquid
Garnish with coriander
Serve hot littis with a side of ghee, chokhas and chutney. Winter is truly incomplete without this meal!

https://onewholesomemeal.com/litti-chokha-traditional-bihari-recipe/

Tags Bihari Recipes, Indian Food Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Rajasthani Gatte Ki Sabzi With Paneer

Post author By onewholesomemeal
Post date December 19, 2019
1 Comment on Rajasthani Gatte Ki Sabzi With Paneer

Come winters and the body starts to crave comfort food like never before. And it is okay to pay heed once in a way without overdoing it. This Rajasthani gatte ki sabzi is your saviour!

Gatte ki sabzi, originally from Rajasthan has now found popularity across India and there are quite a few versions made. Two of the more popular kinds are:

Cooked in a light yogurt-based sauce or
A slightly spicier version in a rich onion-tomato gravy

In both versions, the gatte (chickpea flour dumplings) are steamed and not fried. I love both versions personally and relish them with some hot ghee rice or ghee phulkas.

Inspiration From A New Cookbook

Now, let’s get to the actual recipe for gatte ki sabzi with paneer. I know, I had you at paneer, isn’t it? So, I have recently invested in some Indian cookbooks by renowned authors like Madhur Jaffrey and Pushpesh Pant amongst others. The other day I sat turning pages of one of those cookbooks – The Indian Vegetarian Cookbook by Pushpesh Pant. While ogling at the breathtaking food photography, I came across the Stuffed Dumpling Curry (Bharwan Gatte). And just like you, I was curious.

I am well-traveled and have tried a lot of different kinds of dishes across India but never this one. Needless to say, I had to try it out and if you can take my word for it these are nothing like the usual gatte ki sabzi. For one, they are fried and not steamed. In addition, the mildly flavoured paneer stuffing takes it to the next level. And as the book aptly states –

If these Rajasthani dumplings are well made, they are lighter than air. Elsewhere plain dumplings are made with a spicy batter.

The recipe is straightforward and I have stuck to the original version, with minor tweaks. Preparing the chickpea dough, preparing the stuffing, stuffing the dough, frying, and dunking it into the yogurt sauce. It all takes approximately 30-40 minutes to put together. With some rice or chapatis, this is a complete meal perfect for lunch. Add a side of salad and one doesn’t really need anything else.

Handy Tips For The Perfect Rajasthani Gatte Ki Sabzi

The most important step is getting the chickpea dough right. The recipe suggests using 4.5 tbsp yogurt, 6 tbsp water, and 4 tbsp ghee My suggestion is to add them gradually while kneading the dough to avoid getting it too soft. Sifting the chickpea flour is also very important to avoid any lumps. Once you have the right consistency dough, the rest of the recipe is a cakewalk. Another pro-tip. Grease your palms while shaping the dumplings as the chickpea mixture tends to get quite sticky.

Refer to the below short video to the recipe- it will come in handy 🙂

Yum

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Ingredients

FOR THE DUMPLINGS
Besan(chickpea flour)- 2 cups
Baking soda- 1 tsp
Chopped fresh root ginger- 3 tsps
Finely chopped coriander leaves- 1tbsp
Plain Yogurt- 4.5 tbsp
Ghee- 4 tbsp
FOR THE STUFFING
Paneer(cottage cheese)- 1/2 cup
Fresh green chilies, finely chopped and de-seeded -2
Chopped fresh root ginger- 1 tbsp
FOR THE SAUCE
Plain Yogurt, whisked-2 cups
Ground Coriander-5 tsp
Kashmiri Red Chilli- 2 tsps
Ghee- 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1tsp
Fenugreek seeds (methi) - 1tsp
A generous pinch of asafoetida
Cardamom (elaichi) powder- 2 tsp
Ground Cinnamon (daalchini)- 1/4 tsp
Ground Turmeric (haldi)- 1 tsp
Ground Mace (javitri)- 1.25 tsp
A generous pinch of dried methi (fenugreek) leaves
Chopped coriander- 1 tbsp

Instructions

Sift the besan, baking soda and salt in a deep bowl
Add ginger, chopped coriander, ghee and yogurt and 6 tbsp water and knead to make a firm, but pliable dough. Divide into small balls, approximately 20-24
In a separate bowl, mix all the stuffing ingredients and divide into equal portions
Flatten the chickpea flour balls in the centre of your palm with your thumb , creating a small depression where the stuffing would go
Grease your palms,place a small portion of the stuffing into the middle of each, pull together the edges and seal, form into balls again; then form into croquette shaped dumplings by rolling between your greased palms
Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan for deep or shallow frying as desired, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a kitchen towel to absorb excess oil
For the sauce, put the yogurt into a bowl, add the ground coriander,chilli powder, salt and mix well
Heat ghee in a thick bottomed wok, reduce to medium flame and add cumin seeds followed by fenugreek and stir till the seeds start to sputter; be careful not to burn the fenugreek as it will then impart a bitter taste to the curry
Add asafoetida and stir for 30 secs or so, remove from heat and add the yogurt mixture
Turn on the heat and cook on a medium flame for 7-8 minutes till the fat separates
Add about 2.5 cups water, turmeric powder and salt as per taste and bring to boil
Reduce the flame to low and add the fried dumplings; cover and simmer for about 10 minutes ,
Stir occasionally, until the gravy is a thin sauce consistency
Finally, add the green cardamom, cinnamon, mace and dried fenugreek leaves powders, mix and adjust the seasoning
Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with ghee rice or fulkas

https://onewholesomemeal.com/rajasthani-gatte-ki-sabzi-with-paneer/

Tags Indian Food Recipes, One-Pot Meals, Vegetarian Recipes

Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Dinner | 8pm Meal

Thai Style Shredded Egg Salad | A Weekly Meal Plan

Post author By onewholesomemeal
Post date October 17, 2019
No Comments on Thai Style Shredded Egg Salad | A Weekly Meal Plan

Today I talk about my love for the Thai Cuisine. The recipe for this delicious Thai Style Shredded Egg Salad is my Thai cuisine experiment.

I cannot recall a day when someone recommended Thai food and I turned up my nose. With such umami of flavours, it is hard to go wrong with this Asian cuisine. One may feel that Thai culture and food are heavily influenced by India. But if you pay attention, you will observe they still retain a unique individuality and distinctness of their own.

This interesting article will give you an idea of how similar the two countries are in terms of language, ceremonies, food, and religion. The deeper you dig the more interesting it gets. As rightly highlighted in the article:

“Although Thailand has its own unique cuisine which is comprised of sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and spicy flavours it has evolved from India and Chinese influences. The influences of foreign trade played a vital role and it is believed that Buddhist monks from India, originally brought the curry to Thailand. The most popular curries today are the masaman curry which contains dried spices, including cinnamon and nutmeg, and yellow curry which is infused with turmeric, cumin, ground coriander seed and chili powder.”

Recently I learned an interesting fact from my sweet Thai masseuse. The people in Thailand celebrate a festival called Songkran which is very similar to the Indian Holi festival. They are both festivals of colours, and celebrated in spring. Isn’t that a coincidence? While Holi in India marks the onset of Spring (Basant), Songkran marks the beginning of the Thai New Year.

The Flavours Of Thai Cuisine

Coming back to the uniqueness of Thai food. I do feel there is no other cuisine quite like it. It is a beautiful balance of flavours bursting on one’s palate instantly transporting one to culinary heaven. Most recipes derive their taste from fresh ingredients and not just spices. And this cuisine offers a range of options from really simple and easy to whip up delicacies to the ones that require some expertise. But every single time it doesn’t disappoint. This reminds me, any time you happen to visit Thailand, do enroll in a cooking class if one is offered. The entire experience of buying fresh produce from the farmer’s market, to hand pounding spices and making your own fresh sauces, and enjoying the final meal is quite satisfying indeed.

Until then I have you covered with this easy-peasy Thai style shredded egg salad. It is extremely versatile and can be made from ingredients readily available all round the year. I do feel that the shredded egg is one of the key ingredients in the dish, however, vegetarians can replace it with scrambled tofu, and fish sauce can be replaced with Worcestershire sauce. Highly recommend making this salad right before serving but if you do plan on saving time, you could blanch the beans and keep their ready but do not slice them.

This recipe is adapted from Donna Hay Simple Dinners.

Yum

Thai Style Shredded Egg Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

Green or Yellow Beans- 150 gm
Cucumbers, sliced lengthways -3 small
Mint leaves- 1 cup
Basil leaves -1 cup
Coriander leaves- 1cup
Red chillies, thinly sliced- 2 or more if you would like it spicier
Lime juice- 1/4 cup
Fish sauce- 1/4 cup
Caster sugar- 2 tbsp
Eggs-4
Sesame Oil- 2 tsp
Roasted, unsalted cashews as toppings

Instructions

Place the beans in a heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water and let it stand for 2-3 minutes
Drain and run it under cold water
Place the beans, cucumber, mint, basil, coriander and chilli in a large bowl
Combine the lime juice , fish sauce and sugar , pour over the salad and toss to combine
Then heat oil in large non-stick frying pan over high heat
Whisk one egg at a time and pout into the hot pan, swirling the pan to thinly coat the base
Cook for 1 minute or until set
Remove from the pan and repeat with remaining oil and eggs
Roll up each omelette, slice and serve with the salad and cashews
Enjoy right away!

https://onewholesomemeal.com/thai-style-shredded-egg-salad-a-weekly-meal-plan/

MEAL PLAN OF THE WEEK

Tags Asian Twist, Quick-Fix Meals, Vegetarian Recipes

Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Besan Ki Sabzi | Authentic Bihari Recipe

Post author By onewholesomemeal
Post date September 16, 2019
No Comments on Besan Ki Sabzi | Authentic Bihari Recipe

The familiarity of the besan ki sabzi is a great way for me to connect with cherished childhood memories.

I hear and read about kitchens of the future. Kitchens where robots will whip up your favourites with the click of a button. Maximum output with minimal effort. Convenient indeed! Convenience is all one is after these days. Yet we have never lived in a more “inconvenient” time – the inconvenience of the soul. One has access to the best possible spas, medicine and gadgets. Yet one craves for the not so convenient times. Those times when we didn’t have just a button to access world news but knew how are neighbours were doing. The human and humane elements seem to be diminishing in our lives. And convenience is fast replacing compassion.

Traditional Bihari Recipe from Dadi Ma’s Kitchen

One can dine at the best restaurants and enjoy the most delectable of cuisines but nothing nourishes the soul as good old comfort food which transports you back into your grandma’s kitchen. With the pots, and pans clanking, an orderly frenzy with our favourite dishes being prepared. No robot can replicate that! After all, what made grandma’s food special was not just about the ingredients and their quantities, it was the love and affection she cooked with.

This besan ki sabzi is one such dish that will always remind me of my grandmother’s cooking. I recall us kids fighting over hot chickpea fries before they went into the gravy and in a matter of minutes, most of them would vanish. Daadi Ma (grandma) would shoo us out in her usual sweet angry way before she would whip up another batch for the curry. These fritters would make great lunch box snacks too!

Key Steps to Make the Perfect Besan Ki Sabzi

The chickpea batter is made runny but not too watery as shown in the clip below.
While cooking the batter one needs to work fast, keeping the flame low and constantly stirring so it cooks evenly. You may need to add a few tablespoons of oil in this step if the mixture starts to stick to the pan.
The cooked mixture needs to be transferred to a greased plate right away and then kneaded to form an almost smooth dough. Then flatten it out as shown below before cutting out small squares to be fried.

Yum

Besan ki Sabzi

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 47 minutes

Serving Size: 3-4

Ingredients

Chickpea flour or Besan- 1 cup
Water - 1 cup and some extra
Ajwain- 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder-1/2 tsp (optional)
Cumin powder- 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder- 1/2tsp
Salt- 1.5 tsp or as per taste
Fried Onion paste- 3/4 cup ( fry onions in 1tsp oil till translucent, cool and then blend to make a paste)
Tomato paste- 1/2 cup
Ginger garlic paste- 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Bay leaf- 1
Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Garam Masala powder- 1/2 tbsp
Salt- 1.5 tsp or as per taste
Oil- For deep drying and some extra
Chopped coriander leaves for garnish -1.5 tbsp

Instructions

In a deep bowl add chickpea flour, ajwain, red chili powder, Cumin powder- 1/4tsp, Coriander powder- 1/2tsp, Salt- 1.5tsp
Gradually add water, mixing well with your clean hand till a smooth, pancake consistency batter , without any lumps is achieved ( see video for reference )
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non stick pan and add the prepared batter to it with constant stirring
Cook on medium low flame with constant stirring till the batter starts to come together
Turn off heat and transfer to a greased plate and knead with your hands to get an almost smooth dough
Then flatten out the dough with your fingers gently till it reaches almost one centimetre thickness
Cut out small two inch squares and deep fry on a medium flame, flipping sides till golden and drain them on a kitchen towel
In the same pan heat almost approximately 1 tbsp oil and add bay leaf and cumin seeds
Once the seeds start to splatter add the fried onion paste, ginger-garlic paste, 1/2 tsp cumin powder,1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tbsp garam masala powder and cook on a medium flame till oil starts to separate , then add tomato paste
Cook for 3-5 minutes on a medium flame then add water and give it a nice mix , add salt as per taste
Then add the fried chickpea squares to the gravy and let it simmer on a low flame uncovered for about 5 minutes
The chickpea fries will absorb considerable amount of water so feel free to add some more hot water to the mix to thin out the gravy as per the desired consistency
Turn off heat, garnish with chopped coriander and let it sit covered for 5 minutes
Serve hot with rice or chapatis

https://onewholesomemeal.com/besan-ki-sabzi-authentic-bihari-recipe/

Tags Bihari Recipes, Indian Food Recipes, Lunch Box Ideas, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Lauki Chana Dal | Bottle Gourd with Lentils

Post author By onewholesomemeal
Post date May 20, 2019
No Comments on Lauki Chana Dal | Bottle Gourd with Lentils

Lauki Chana Dal is the perfect one-pot meal to give you the wholesomeness of bottle gourd and lentils.

As summer peaks it gets harder to spend time in the kitchen. But also, Mother Nature makes sure we stay hydrated by flooding us with the best summer bounty. Most veggies available through summer have high water content. This makes it easy to digest while having a cooling effect on our system. The gourd family is one such. Vegetables from this family such as cucumbers, angled luffas, pointed gourd, bottle gourd are all high in water and fibre, making them an almost complete meal in themselves.

Bottle gourd is one such staple summer veggie in our household. It is a popular vegetable in the south and southeast Asian region where summer gets extremely hot and sultry. Growing up, this vegetable featured regularly on our menus throughout the week during summer. Many of us from India also know it as Lauki. It is usually not a very well-liked vegetable due to its watery taste. However, if prepared well most people do grow to like it as my fussy husband has 😉 I remember enjoying it with hot ghee rice and chilled yogurt on a hot summer afternoon with some raw onions mixed with pickle masala on the side.

The Benefits of Lauki Chana Dal

Although very healthy, the veggie is low in protein. But that problem gets addressed as soon as you add Chana dal (split chickpeas) to it. It also makes for a much more delicious one-pot meal. Using mustard oil enhances the flavour multiple-fold but feel free to use the oil of your choice. Another key ingredient is fenugreek seeds. They are well known for their multiple benefits. However one needs to be careful while cooking with fenugreek as using an excessive amount makes the food bitter and so does overcooking it.

Using a pressure cook reduces the cooking time to a great extent, however you could use a normal thick bottomed wok as well. Here is a stepwise instruction with images to make this tasty dish.

First, I peeled and cubed a small-sized bottle gourd and kept aside. Then to hot oil, I added fenugreek (methi)seeds, finely chopped garlic, asafoetida, and green chilies (as per taste) and sautéed on medium-low flame for a few seconds making sure the methi doesn’t burn.

To that, I added pre-soaked chana dal (washed and soaked in water for 30 minutes) and turmeric and mixed everything well.

The last step – I added the cubed bottle gourd and salt, mix, and pressure cooked for 5 minutes till the pressure set in. Then turned off the heat and let the pressure release on its own and took off the lid and cooked till the water (good quality bottle gourd releases a lot of water) reduced to the desired consistency.

If you are using a normal wok, just cover and cook till done, keeping the flame to medium-low and stirring intermittently. There is no need to add additional water.

This curry is enjoyed best with hot rice and daal but tastes good with chapatis too.

Yum

Lauki-Chana Daaal (Bottle Gourd with Split Chickpeas)

Ingredients

Lauki/Bottle Gourd, cubed- 1 small size (1.5 cups)
Pre-soaked Chana Daal/Split Chickpeas)- 2 tbsp
Finely chopped garlic -4 pods
Green chilies-1-2 or as per taste
Methi/Fenugreek seeds-1 tsp
Asafoetida-1/2 tsp
Turmeric-1 tsp
Salt-1.5 tsp or as per taste
Mustard oil-1 tbsp or any oil of choice

Instructions

Heat oil in a pressure cooker or a thick bottomed wok then reduce flame and add asafoetida, fenugreek seeds, green chilies and garlic and sauté for a few seconds till the fenugreek seeds start to release an aroma and change colour . Make sure to stir continuously and not increase the flame as the seeds burn fast and that would spoil the dish
Then drain and add pre-soaked chana daal and turmeric seeds and mix well
Finally add the chopped bottle gourd and salt and pressure cook for 5 minutes from the time pressure sets in
Then turn off the heat and let the pressure release on its own and take off the lid and cook till the water (good quality bottle gourd releases a lot of water) reduces to desired consistency.If you are using a normal wok, just cover and cook till done, keeping the flame to medium low and stirring intermittently. There is no need to add additional water .

https://onewholesomemeal.com/lauki-chana-daal-bottle-gourd-with-lentils/

Tags Bihari Recipes, Indian Food Recipes, One-Pot Meals, Quick-Fix Meals, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes