Category: Dinner | 8pm Meal

Categories
Breakfast | 8am Meal Dinner | 8pm Meal

Savoury Masala Oats | Tasty And Healthy

Masala Oats by OneWholesomeMeal
Savoury Masala Oats

I have a love-hate relationship with Oats. I love to hate it! But there are people in La Familia who like it and couldn’t stop raving about it especially after having the ready-to-eat Masala Oats version from a popular Indian brand.

Oat-hater me hesitatingly and grudgingly accepted it was quite delicious indeed. Now, a more sensible version of me would have simply reordered from my Indian grocer’s and be happy with it. However, I am neither simple nor sensible and do like a good challenge. So, I did the unthinkable! I tried to create my very own version minus the not so great stuff which these ready to eat versions have!

Now, I have never cooked oats in my life. So it did take me a few attempts to perfect this recipe. But once that was done, I was pretty chuffed with myself. I cannot call myself an oats-hater anymore, maybe a grudging lover. I have used chicken stock here and have to admit that it is one ingredient that imparts the maximum amount of flavour. If you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet feel free to substitute it with vegetable stock but try not to use water. Pretty please! Also, I skipped salt as both cheese and stock have a lot of salt. You can add salt as per taste and the stock used.

Here is an easy to follow video of the masala oats recipe. For detailed steps scroll down.

I used the old fashioned rolled oats. You can use steel-cut or instant versions without much effect on the taste. You might need to adjust the amount of liquid to be added and the cooking time would differ as well. Try this recipe for yourself and don’t forget to share how you like it!

Masala Oats by OneWholesomeMeal

 

Print
Savory Masala Oats

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 3-4

Calories per serving: 250

Ingredients

  • Old Fashioned Rolled Oats- 1 cup
  • Chicken or Vegetable Stock-2 cups
  • Chopped onions-1/2 cup
  • Minced garlic- 1 tbsp
  • Chopped and blanched veggies of choice-1 cup (I used carrots, orange bell peppers, cauliflower and green peas)
  • Stir-fried tofu cubes -1/2 cup (optional)
  • Garam Masala-1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder-1tsp
  • Spring Onions, chopped fine- 3 tbsp for garnish
  • Grated Cheddar and Pepper Jack Cheese-1/2 cup
  • Butter-2 tbsp+1 tbsp

Instructions

  1. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a pan and roast the Oats till just brown.Keep the flame low all the time and e careful not to over roast
  2. Transfer and keep aside and in the same pan melt the remaining butter and add garlic and cook till brown followed by chopped onions. Keeping the flame to medium-low fry the onions till nice and brown
  3. Add butter-roasted oats, chicken/veg stock,turmeric powder, garam masala and mix well. Cook covered for a minute till the oats are almost done
  4. Add blanched veggies and tofu and mix well
  5. Add shredded cheese, mix, taste for salt and add salt if needed
  6. Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve hot!
https://onewholesomemeal.com/savoury-masala-oats/

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Guest Blogs

Baked Cauliflower in White Sauce

This is why I love Guest Blogs! The variety and creativity are just unlimited. Each guest blogger brings with herself a unique taste and flavour and recipe which is tried and tested in their homes and with their loved ones and then I get to share it with you guys via this platform.

This week’s sweet recipe is by sweet and extremely talented friend Suhana Devnani. Suhana is a kindergarten teacher, teaches Spanish and an extremely talented recipe developer, an ardent baker, cook, and mum to beautiful 5 yo little A.

This baked cauliflower recipe was a huge hit at our dinner table especially with the toddler who after polishing off his plate, started to pick bits from his brother’s. No kidding!

So, with no further ado, here is the recipe for you:

Print
Baked Cauliflower in White Sauce

Ingredients

  • Cauliflower- 1 medium sized, cut into medium sized florets
  • Butter-1/2 cup
  • All purpose flour-3 tbsp
  • Breadcrumbs-1/3 cup
  • Cheddar Cheese-1/2 cup
  • Milk-2 cups
  • Chives-1 tbsp, chopped fine
  • Onion-1/2 cup, chopped fine
  • Minced garlic-1
  • Parsley- 3 tbsp, chopped fine
  • Butter-2 tbsp
  • Olive Oil- 3-4tbsp
  • Salt- 1.5 tsp or as per taste
  • Crushed Black Pepper-1/2 tsp

Instructions

  1. Wash the florets and in a bowl toss them with little oil and salt
  2. Spread the florets in a baking tray and roast for around 30 minutes till almost tender and lightly browned. Turn sides every 10 minutes
  3. Separately in a pan, melt butter and remove from heat. Then add breadcrumbs, chives and cheese and keep aside
  4. In another pan heat cooking oil, add onion and sauté till tender. Then add garlic and sauté for a few seconds then add flour, cook for about 1 minute and add milk gradually stirring continuously. Use a wire whisk for best results
  5. Cook this sauce until you get a pouring and creamy consistency
  6. Remove from heat, add salt, parsley and black pepper
  7. Pour this sauce over the baked cauliflower and toss
  8. Top with cheese mixture and bake until you get a golden brown colour
https://onewholesomemeal.com/baked-cauliflower-in-white-sauce/

 

 

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Spinach Chicken Indian Style | Palak Murgh

Spinach Chicken Indian Style by OneWholesomeMeal
Spinach Chicken Indian Style

A search for spinach and chicken recipes online will throw up many options of spinach, chicken, and cream. While this recipe does have all three ingredients, this spinach and chicken Indian style, is perfect for a cold winter day.

I woke up to a relatively chillier day today. It is mid-January and so far winter has not made its presence felt, but today was nippier. 18 degrees may not seem like cold at all for people living in colder climates but for us dwellers of the sub-tropics living in apartments with no internal heating, it starts to feel like winter has finally arrived. Let me be honest, I do not mind the cold weather. What I miss is the lack of sun on most days. That makes it harder for me.

That said, cold weather is also a good excuse to enjoy good food. This Palak Murgh recipe I am sharing today is one such. Apart from the fact that this is bursting with flavours and quite simply a one-pot meal, it is also extremely forgiving as a recipe. You can easily tweak the spice and richness levels based on your taste. To start, you could use pureed, blanched, or chopped spinach as I did. Please feel free to omit the tomatoes. But I do like how spinach and tomatoes complement each in a dish and would recommend adding it. You may consider decreasing or increasing the number of tomatoes based on the level of tang you desire.

Spinach Chicken Indian Style by OneWholesomeMeal

 

Things to Keep in Mind

1. I have used 2.5 cups of chopped spinach but if you would like, you could easily up it to 3.5 cups and might consider blanching and pureeing it. Make sure to adjust tomatoes accordingly. The ration I usually work with is 2.5 cups chopped spinach for 700 grams of chicken.

2. Another thing I always stress upon is to use thighs and drumsticks. They taste best in Indian Curries. I almost never use breasts. And when I do I make sure to marinate them overnight or a minimum of 3-4 hours in oil, lime, red chili, turmeric, and salt so the meat doesn’t taste as chewy and dry.

3. And last but not the least, for your spinach and chicken Indian style, add a teaspoon or two of ghee while roasting the spices. It takes the taste to another level. However, I usually avoid this step for everyday meals. Adding half a cup of heavy cream towards the end helps in balancing spices but makes the dish very rich too. I have added just a teaspoon or so in the recipe shared below but feel free to omit or increase the quantity based on your preference.

 

 

Print
PAALAK CHICKEN

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 3

Calories per serving: 125

Ingredients

  • Chicken, cleaned and cut into desired sized pieces- 700gm (I used thighs and drumettes)
    • For the Marinade:
  • Turmeric- 1 tsp
  • Red Chili Powder-1 tsp
  • Lemon juice -2 tbsp
  • Ginger-Garlic paste-1 tbsp
    • For the Curry:
  • Whole Cumin-1 tsp
  • Bay leaf-2
  • Cinnamon-1 one inch stick
  • Star Anise-1
  • Dried Red Chilies -2 (optional)
  • Coriander powder- 1 tsp
  • Cumin powder-1/2 tsp
  • Chicken Curry Masala or Garam Masala- 1.5 tsp
  • Ginger-Garlic paste-1 tbsp
  • Spinach, chopped fine- 2.5 cups
  • Onion, vertically sliced- 2 cups
  • Tomatoes, pureed- 3/4 cup
  • Salt- 1.5 tsp or as per taste
  • Heavy Cream- 1tbsp
  • Mustard Oil-2 tbsp

Instructions

  1. Mix the cleaned chicken with all ingredients of marinade and keep aside for 30-45 mts
  2. Then heat oil in a deep, thick bottomed wok and add whole spices (cumin, red chilies, bay leaf, cinnamon and star anise) and stir on a medium high heat till the spices are fragrant
  3. Add onions and stir on a medium high flame till they are light brown, then add ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, coriander and cumin powder and mix well for 2 minutes
  4. Then add Chicken Curry Masala or Garam Masala and sauté for another 3 minutes
  5. Add marinated chicken and cook uncovered for 3-4 minutes, then add chopped spinach, mix well and cover on a medium flame
  6. Cook covered with intermittent stirring till the chicken in 60% done, then add tomato puree and salt, cover and cook till done
  7. Turn off the heat and drizzle with some heavy cream and serve hot with a side of chapatis or rice
https://onewholesomemeal.com/spinach-chicken-indian-style-palak-murgh/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Achaari Paalak Gobhi | Perfect Winter Curry

Achaari Paalak Gobhi by OneWholesomeMeal
Achaari Paalak Gobhi

Peak winters demand a heart-warming curry with loads of warming spices, slight kick and heat from the chilies. This Achaari Paalak Gobhi ticks all those boxes and  is packed with tons of nutritional goodness.

When one thinks of winter veggies, a myriad of colours pops into our minds. For instance, Carrots, peas, methi, spinach are some of my personal favourites. Another family favourite though not as colourful is the cauliflower. It usually makes it to our meals a few times a week in the winters. Being a versatile vegetable, the cauliflower or gobhi can be served in the form of curries, stir-fries, and grilled. When one is eating a vegetable so often, repeating the same old recipes sometimes gets a tad too boring, don’t you think so?

How the Dish Came to Be?

To be honest, I started to prep for the usual curry. The plan was to mix some carrots with spinach instead of the staple potato or peas. That is when my eyes fell on the bottle of shredded (mashed) mango pickle. I had carried it from India a couple of months ago. Not everyone in the family is a big pickle fan like me. Hence the bottle was still sitting half unfinished. As I stood chopping the spinach, I made a mental note to eat the pickle more often. In the next moment, it occurred to me – why not use the pickle in the cauliflower curry? After all tangy “Achaari” versions of a lot of vegetarian and non-vegetarian curries are extremely popular. And just like that, this curry happened.

I highly recommend not going easy on the green chilies as the heat complements the sourness from the pickle perfectly and makes the taste much better.

Step By Step Achaari Paalak Gobhi Recipe

1. Prepare all ingredients – blanched spinach, coarsely chopped tomatoes, green chilies squared onions and pickle.

2. Blend all prepared ingredients except onions; then heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, bay leaf, star anise, green chilies. When seeds start to crackle, add onions and cook till translucent, then add powdered spices-turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, and red chili powder and roast for 2-3 minutes.

3. Add potatoes and steamed cauliflower and cover and cook till 70% done. Then add carrots and peas and cover again on a medium flame for another 5 minutes or so. By this time all the veggies would be cooked through. This is a good time to add the prepared spinach-tomato-pickle mixture and salt and let the entire mixture simmer for another 5 minutes drizzle some cream if desired.

4. Serve hot with steamed rice or hot phulkas.

Achaari Paalak Gobhi Served by OneWholesomeMeal

Print
Achaari Paalak Gobhi

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 4

Calories per serving: 230

Achaari Paalak Gobhi

Ingredients

  • Cauliflower (florets separated and cut to desired size)- 2 cups
  • Medium-sized Potato (cubed)-1
  • Carrots (chopped into small cubes)- 1/2 cup
  • Green Peas- 1/2 cup
  • Blanched Spinach(cooled to room temperature)-1.5 cups
  • Green chilies-2 (optional)
  • Tomatoes (coarsely chopped)-1 cup
  • Onion (medium sized, cut into squares)-1 cup
  • Mango Pickle pulp- 1tbsp
  • Bay leaf-1
  • Star anise-1
  • Cumin seeds-1 tsp
  • Coriander powder-1/2 tsp
  • Cumin powder-1/2 tsp
  • Garam Masala- 1tsp
  • Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
  • Red Chilli powder-1/2 tsp (optional)
  • Salt-1/2 tsp+1tsp pr as per taste
  • Whipping cream-1tbsp (optional)
  • Mustard oil or any other cooking oil of choice-1.5 tbsp

Instructions

  1. Heat water in a deep bowl and add cut cauliflower florets with 1/2 tsp salt and let it sit for 15 minutes the. drain and keep aside
  2. In a blender make a coarse paste of blanched spinach, tomatoes , mango pickle pulp and one green chilli and keep aside
  3. In a thick bottomed deep wok, heat oil and add cumin seeds, bay leaf and star anise, green chili,lower the flame to medium once the seeds start to crackle and spices start to release their aroma
  4. Add onions and sauté till translucent, the add all the powdered masalas(turmeric powder, coriander, powder, cumin powder and garam masala) and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes with constant stirring till the spices are roasted and fragrant
  5. Then add potatoes and steamed cauliflower florets and cover and cook on a medium flame with intermittent stirring till 70% done
  6. Add carrot and peas and give the mixture a nice stir and cover and cook further for another 5 minutes. If you feel the wok is getting dry and the veggies are sticking to the base, you could add a few tablespoons of water and cover.Keep the flame to medium low at all times
  7. After 5 minutes or so the veggies should be almost done, then add the pureed spinach-tomato-pickle mixture and mix all the ingredients well
  8. Add salt,cover and simmer for another 5 minutes, drizzle some cream if desired and serve hot with steamed rice or roti
https://onewholesomemeal.com/achaari-paalak-gobhi/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal Most Popular Posts

Prawns in Coconut Cream Sauce

Prawns in Coconut Cream Sauce recipe by OneWholesomeMeal
Prawns in Coconut Cream Sauce

There are busy days and then there are ultra busy days. And when it comes to food, what is our go to for most of us during the latter case? Takeaway, frozen or restaurant food! Do you agree? What to do, such is Life! But I have a quick-fix recipe for you – Prawns in Coconut Cream Sauce.

Meal Planning Tips to Eat More Homemade Meals

I recently came across an interesting video on Goalcast that spoke about the increasing obesity rates in America and the primary reasons behind it. And the crux of the 3-minute video was – eat everything, just cook it yourself! Now, I know, that’s easier said than done. At least it’s almost impossible to manage 100% of the times what with social gatherings and last-minute commitments. However, with a little discipline and a certain amount of planning, it is not hard to do it at least 80% of the time. Here are some things that work for me.

  1. Stocking up your refrigerator and pantry with only healthy and easy to cook ingredients
  2. Planning your menu a week (or two) in advance so the groceries are not left to the last moment
  3. Filling or bookmarking easy to whip up healthy recipes
  4. Categorizing them based on your busy and light days

Cutting a long story short, if you really commit to eating healthy, it is very much doable and achievable with a wee bit of planning!

A Quick Fix Recipe for a Busy Day

This prawns in coconut cream sauce is one such recipe that I go to rather often on uber-busy days. It requires minimal prep (even less if you get pre-cleaned prawns from your local fishmonger) and is cooked in less than 15 minutes. No kidding! Simple and readily available ingredients and yet this curry is full of flavours. Also, it is especially liked by children because of its minimal spice levels and mildly sweet flavour thanks to the coconut milk. However, if you do like your curry on the spicier side, you can up the red chili powder in the marinade and add a few extra green chilies to the actual curry.

Try it and rest assured, it would soon become a favourite and make regular appearances during your day to day meals or even when you are entertaining.

Step By Step Prawns in Coconut Cream Sauce Recipe

1. Heat coconut oil and add curry leaves, black mustard, chopped garlic, and green chilies (if using). Once the garlic is brown, add finely chopped onions and sauté till nice and brown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. The prawns previously marinated in red chili powder, turmeric, salt, and coriander powder are added now. Cook on a low flame for another 2 minutes. Once the prawns are 50% cooked add coconut cream and coconut milk. If you like your curry runny, you could skip the coconut cream. Swapping cream with milk would have no effect on taste.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Let the mixture come to boil on a high flame. Then reduce heat, taste for salt, and simmer covered for another 5 minutes or till the prawns are cooked thoroughly. Turn off the heat and serve with steamed rice. Please be careful not to overcook the prawns or they turn chewy. It doesn’t take more than 3-5 minutes for them to cook.

Prawns in Coconut Cream Sauce by OneWholesomeMeal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Print
Prawns in Coconut Cream Sauce

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 3

Calories per serving: 183

Ingredients

  • Prawns, shelled and deveined- 300gm
  • Coconut Milk-250ml or 300 ml if not using coconut cream
  • Coconut Cream-100ml
  • Onions, finely chopped- 3/4 cup
  • Garlic, finely chopped- 4 small pods
  • Black mustard-1/2 teaspoon
  • Curry leaves-1 tablespoon
  • Green Chilies-1 or as er taste
  • Red chilli powder-1/2 teaspoon or 1 teaspoon if high spice levels desired
  • Turmeric-1/2 teaspoon
  • Coriander powder-1 teaspoon
  • Salt-1/2 teaspoon for marinade and 3/4 teaspoon for curry or as per taste

Instructions

  1. Clean and marinate the prawns in red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt and keep aside for 30-45 minutes
  2. In a thick, deep wok heat oil, then add black mustard, chopped garlic, curry leaves and green chilies
  3. Once the garlic is brown, add chopped onions and cook on medium-high flame till nice and brown, then add marinated prawns and cook with continuous stirring for 2 minutes (till prawns are 50% done)
  4. Then add coconut cream and coconut milk and mix well
  5. Bring to boil, reduce the flame to medium, taste for salt and cover and simmer for another 2 minutes
  6. Turn off the heat and serve hot with steamed rice
https://onewholesomemeal.com/prawns-in-coconut-cream-sauce/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Dinner | 8pm Meal

Curry Leaf Flavoured Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Curry Leaf Flavoured Roasted Pumpkin Soup recipe by OneWholesomeMeal
Curry Leaf Flavoured Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Confession time. I am not a soup person. Shocking, I know! However, I do make soups for my family who enjoy them. That is how I came to create this interesting take on regular roasted pumpkin soup.

Why don’t I like soup? Well, I like my food to have texture! Unless there are some chewy or crunchy bits in my soup I would still drink it but probably not enjoy it. Most soups make me feel as if I am ill and need to be nursed to health. Yet, come winters I almost start to feel guilty if the rest of the family who seem to like soups mostly, do not get to enjoy the wholesome-ness of a good soup. Cream of mushroom, peas, and pumpkin soups make a regular appearance in our menu.

The inspiration for this soup comes from the regular pumpkin stir fry we make which is heavily tempered with curry leaves. The curry leaf adds a beautiful flavour and dimension to this sweet vegetable and complements it perfectly. And you get that subtle hint of spice, without the soup actually tasting spicy. Does that make sense ;)?

Curry Leaf in Your Roasted Pumpkin Soup?

While in the stir fry, the curry leaves are used for tempering, for the soup, I dry roasted them on the stovetop for 2-3 minutes on a medium flame. Then I blended it with the oven-roasted pumpkins. For all soups in general roasting all dry ingredients (even the garlic) enhances the flavour so much more. The pumpkin was cubed, drizzled with olive oil and garlic salt, and roasted at 200 degrees for 20 minutes (the time would vary in different ovens) or until soft. And since I was aiming for a vegan version, I used cashews soaked in warm water to impart creaminess to the soup. One could use double cream too and it tastes as delicious.

While all the core ingredients are important, what differentiates a good soup from a great soup is the stock. You would come across recipes that might suggest subbing stock with water but effectively you are diluting all the flavours with water rather than enhancing and complementing them. Hence use stock or broth – chicken or veg, doesn’t matter which one as long as you aren’t using water. You can make and store it ahead of time.

Scroll down to read the detailed recipe for my curry leaf flavoured pumpkin soup for you to try. Remember to enjoy it piping hot with a side of cheese sticks or a buttery slice of sourdough!

Roasted Pumpkin Soup by OneWholesomeMeal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Print
Curry Leaf Flavoured Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 3

Calories per serving: 90

Ingredients

  • Pumpkin, cubed- 2 cups
  • Curry leaves, dry roasted-1/2 cup or a little extra for a stronger flavour
  • Garlic-4 pods
  • Onions, chopped- 3/4 cup
  • Cashew nut-1/2 cup
  • Garlic salt-1.5 teaspoon or as per taste
  • Olive Oil-2 teaspoons
  • Butter- 1 teaspoon
  • Chicken or Vegetable Stock-3 cups or as per desired consistency
  • Pepper- 1 teaspoon

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees
  2. Soak the cashews in warm water for 30 minutes. If you would like to use heavy cream in the soup for creaminess, you could eliminate cashews or use a little of both
  3. Dry roast curry leaves on a stove top and keep aside. This can be done ahead of time and stored in an air tight container
  4. Rub garlic salt and butter evenly on the pumpkin cubes and place them on a tray and roast at 200 degrees for approximately 20 minutes or until soft (not brown).Place the garlic pods on the same tray as well for roasting
  5. In the meantime, in a thick bottomed pan, heat butter and add chopped onions and cook till brown
  6. Bring all prepared ingredients (cashews,curry leaves,pumpkin,garlic and onions) to room temperature and blend in a high speed blender
  7. In the same pan used for frying onions, add back the pureed mix, add stock, mix well and bring to boil. Add stock slowly, stirring well to make sure you do not thin out the soup too much. If too thick, add more broth
  8. Taste for salt, reduce heat and simmer covered for another 5 minutes. If using heavy cream, this is when you add it, just before turning off the heat
  9. Add some freshly ground pepper and serve hot with cheese sticks or a slice of warm bread
https://onewholesomemeal.com/curry-leaf-flavoured-roasted-pumpkin-soup/

[kkstarratings]