Category: Dinner | 8pm Meal

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Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Spinach and Tofu Stir Fry With Panchforan

Spinach and Tofu Stir Fry Recipe by OneWholesomeMeal
Spinach and Tofu Stir Fry

As winters approach and spinach season arrives, I cannot help but include tons of recipes with these wonderful greens in our daily menu. This Spinach and Tofu Stir Fry is a simple, quick recipe to prepare for your family.

Thankfully the kids love spinach in all forms – especially when served with paneer or tofu. Paalak paneer (cottage cheese in spinach gravy) is a family favourite and is on a repeat at least once a week throughout winter (yup! we take our spinach very seriously). We also do a spinach stir fry with our special five-spice mix (panchforan) and that gave me an idea to come up with this new recipe.

Tofu is a great source of vegetarian protein and while some of us aren’t the biggest fans of the soft variety, I am yet to meet someone who says no to the stiffer chewy kind. And that’s the kind which works best in this recipe. You could use it as is or stir fry in a teaspoon of oil to enhance flavours. This dish is best enjoyed with hot phulkas and daal but tastes as good with rice too.

Step By Step Spinach and Tofu Stir Fry Recipe

1. Wash, drain and finely chop the spinach and keep aside. Then cut tofu in desired size pieces, lightly stir fry and drain on a kitchen towel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Then in the same pan or skillet add oil. To the hot oil add finely chopped garlic, turmeric, and panchforan. Once the spices start to splutter, add spinach and cook covered until almost done. Then uncover and make sure the water dried out 95% before adding tofu and salt. At this point, you could also add green chilies if using

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Once the spinach is cooked and the water has dried, add tofu and mix well. Next, add chopped tomatoes and let it simmer for another 5 minutes till the tomatoes are soft and mushy. Taste for salt. Garnish with crushed peanuts and serve hot with rice and daal or phulkas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Spinach-Tofu Stir Fry

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 95

Serving Size: 2

Calories per serving: 83

Ingredients

  • Spinach, finely chopped- 3 cups
  • Hard Tofu cut in desired size pieces-1 cup
  • Garlic, finely chopped- 1.5 teaspoons
  • Tomatoes, chopped- 1/2 cup
  • Panchforan- 1 teaspoon
  • Turmeric -1/2 teaspoon
  • Green chilies-2 (optional)
  • Mustard oil-1.5 teaspoon
  • Salt-1 teaspoon or as per taste
  • Crushed peanuts for garnish-2 tablespoon

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a thick bottomed skillet and stir fry tofu till light brown; drain excess oil on a kitchen towel and keep aside
  2. To the same pan, add panchforan, garlic and turmeric and stir till the spices start to crackle. Be careful to not burn them or it would make the dish bitter
  3. Add spinach,cover and cook till almost done; Then uncover and dry out the water discharged
  4. Add tofu,tomatoes,salt ,mix well and simmer for another 2-3 minutes till tomatoes are soft and mushy
  5. Turn off heat, garnish with crushed peanuts and serve with hot phulkas or daal and rice
https://onewholesomemeal.com/spinach-tofu-stir-fry/

 

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal Recipes

Dahi Baingan | Eggplant in Yogurt Gravy

Dahi baingan by OneWholesomeMeal
Dahi Baingan or Eggplant in Yogurt Gravy

Don’t you absolutely love the festive season? Aside from the fact that we get to enjoy all the delicious food, it is also such a wonderful opportunity to take some time out for the loved ones, people you cherish, spend time with them and just set aside the strain of everyday routine. Diwali in our household is just that.

It is a great deal of work and weeks of meticulous planning and execution, what with limited help and two wee ones, but it is a kind of busy that I thrive on. There is something about this festival that infuses me with exceptional energy and gusto and makes me want to really push my limits. I remember when my eldest was just about 2 months old and I was still battling postpartum woes and Diwali was round the corner. I had obviously not planned much but on the festival day, just couldn’t help walking down to the flower market and buying flowers and sending the husband packing to buy diyas and sweets. Miraculously little S too cooperated and we got a beautiful puja done with the in-laws who were visiting. There is something special about this festival for sure. Do you agree?

The Detox!

So, after a week-long of Diwali festivities and enjoying a whole lot of decadent (read rich) meals and sugary desserts our systems were craving for something soothing and light. And to be honest, I had spent sooo much time in the kitchen prepping for Diwali, I wasn’t really looking forward to spending more than half-hour in the kitchen. And that is why this Dahi Baingan happened.  I had eaten the Hyderabadi rich and spicy version of eggplant in yogurt several times but this light, and stewy version I tried only after my marriage at my husband’s house. But for some reason or the other never ended up preparing it earlier. Anyhow, there is a right time for everything and our post-Diwali “detox” seemed like a good enough reason to prepare this delicacy. So, here is a step by step recipe for you to try at home.

Step By Step Dahi Baingan Recipe

1. I used Thai baby eggplants and they do taste the best but you could use any other variety, just make sure to dice them into small pieces so they cook well. Also, try and avoid thick-skinned eggplants as they do not work well with this recipe. Once chopped, soak the eggplants in water with salt for 15 minutes so as to take away their metallic taste. Then drain, pat dry and marinate with some red chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, garlic salt (or normal salt) and tandoori Chicken Masala (optional) for 20 minutes.

Baingan preparation by OneWholesomeMeal

2. Next, heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and curry leaves and once the seeds start to crackle, add finely chopped onions and cook till nice and brown, then add the marinated eggplants and cook till soft.

Onion and Baingan in the making by OneWholesomeMeal
Eggplants being cooked for Dahi Baingan recipe by OneWholesomeMeal
Dahi Baingan preparation

 

3. While the eggplant is cooking, in the same bowl used for marinating eggplants, whisk some yogurt, garlic salt, and ajwain. If the mixture is too thick add some water to achieve a runny or desired consistency and check for salt. Turn off the heat once the eggplant is cooked through. Then add the yogurt mixture to the cooked eggplant and stir. Temper it with ghee, red chilies, and curry leaves. Serve your dahi baingan hot.

Dahi Eggplant in Yogurt Gravy recipe
Eggplant in Yogurt Gravy by OneWholesomeMeal
Tempering preparation by OneWholesomeMeal
Eggplant in Yogurt Gravy preparation

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Dahi Baingan (Eggplant in Yogurt Gravy)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 2

Calories per serving: 160

Ingredients

  • Baby eggplants, halved -2 cups
  • Yogurt-1.5 cups
  • Finely chopped onions-2 tbsp
  • Red chilli poder-1/2 tsp
  • Coriander powder- 1 tsp
  • Turmeric-1/2 tsp
  • Tandoori Chicken Masala-1/2 tsp (optional)
  • Curry leaves-1 tbsp +1 tsp
  • Black mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon plus a little extra
  • Caraway seeds- 1/2 tsp
  • Garlic salt- 1tsp +1 tsp or as per taste
  • Chopped garlic-2
  • Oil-1 tsp
  • Ghee-1.5 tsp for tempering

Instructions

  1. Wash and cut the baby eggplants into halves and soak in salt water for 15 mts to take away the metallic taste
  2. Drain, pat dry and marinate the eggplants in a deep bowl with red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, Tandoori chicken masala and 1 tsp salt. Cover and let it rest for 20 mts
  3. After 20 minutes heat oil in a thick bottomed skillet and add mustard seeds and curry leaves
  4. Once the seeds start to crackle , add chopped onions and cook on a medium flame till nice and brown
  5. Add the marinated eggplants and cook till soft
  6. In the meantime, in the same bowl used for marinating eggplants whisk together yogurt, garlic salt and caraway seeds. Add little water if the mixture is too thick and taste for salt
  7. Once the eggplants are soft, turn off the heat and stir in the yogurt mixture
  8. Temper with ghee, dried red chilli,chopped garlic and mustard seeds and serve with some hot plain or flavoured rice like tomato rice
https://onewholesomemeal.com/dahi-baingan-eggplant-in-yogurt-gravy/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Guest Blogs Lunch | 1pm Meal

Kerala Style Pumpkin Stir Fry | Mathanga Eriserry

Kerala Style Pumpkin Stir Fry (Mathanga Eriserry)

And as promised, here is the first in the series of many guest blogs that I would be sharing with you here at OneWholesomeMeal. Our debut guest blogger is Sathiskumar Shanmugam from Chennai.

Sathiskumar ShanmugamA recruiter by profession, Sathis, who was born and brought up in Sri Lanka, first started to cook when he moved to India ten years ago for higher studies. He started experimenting with new recipes from local magazines and newspapers and then subsequently drew inspiration from a multicultural environment at his workplace. His own food he mentions is a mix of South Indian, Sri Lankan, and Malaysian cuisines.

Cooking is his passion and now his food blog Tastepot showcases recipes form different parts of the country. Here you can not only find original authentic recipes but also a lot about the history of food of different regions of India.

Here he shares the recipe for simple yet delicious Kerala style pumpkin stir fry or Mathanga Eriserry. Pumpkin is a popular and commonly used vegetable in South Indian, East Indian, and Sri Lankan cuisine. In Tamil, it is called Parangikkayi and in Sinhala, Wattakka. The health benefits of pumpkin are well known and combining it with nutritious coconut milk, increases these benefits manifolds. For Erissery, normally pumpkin is cooked with roasted coconut. Adding cooked red oriental beans is optional.

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Kerala Style Pumpkin Stir Fry (Mathanga Eriserry)

Ingredients

  • Pumpkin - 150 gm
  • Grated Coconut - 50 gm
  • Cumin Seeds - 1.5 tbsp
  • Green Chilli - 1
  • Coconut Oil - 3 tbsp
  • Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tbsp
  • Dried Chillies - 2
  • Curry Leaves - A Few
  • Salt - As per taste

Instructions

  1. Wash, peel the skin and chop pumpkin into small pieces.
  2. In a pan add enough water, chopped pumpkin pieces, turmeric powder & salt and cook till it becomes soft & dry. (You can also mash the cooked pumpkin)
  3. Grind grated coconut, cumin seeds, and green chilli to a fine paste adding a little water.
  4. Add coconut paste to the cooked pumpkin and mix it well. Cook till it becomes thick.
  5. In another pan, heat coconut oil and prepare the tempering with mustard seeds, curry leaves, & dried chillies. Pour the tempering on the curry.
  6. In the same pan roast 02 tbsp of grated coconut till it becomes golden brown. Pour it on the eriserry and mix well.
  7. Yummy erissery is ready for serving.
https://onewholesomemeal.com/kerala-style-pumpkin-stir-fry-mathanga-eriserry/

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Masala Roast Chicken | One-Pot Meal Recipe

Masala Roast Chicken by OneWholesoemMeal
Masala Roast Chicken

Serendipity and cooking go hand in hand. I truly believe some of the best recipes are born purely by chance and the willingness to try something new. This Masala Roast Chicken recipe is one such.

Let me tell you why. I was hosting some friends for dinner and decided to make Chicken Dum Biryani. I marinated the chicken the night before as per the recipe. Next morning the desi in me went into overdrive and I ended up making a couple of more items than originally planned. By the time I got done, I realised that the Chicken Biryani was not complementing any of the dishes on the menu. And maybe too many choices would lead to people not savouring and enjoying any dish! Hence the biryani plan was canned after consultation with the husband. But the meat had been marinated already! What was I to do with it? Making another curry wasn’t an option as I had already made two of those.

Biryani Chicken to This Wholesome Masala Roast Chicken

So, I decided to make a dry preparation which wouldn’t be as dry as a tandoori recipe but would be great with rotis. And that is how this Masala Roast Chicken happened. The marinade with yogurt and lime adds a slight tang which compliments the heat from the spices perfectly well. While the taste test before serving it to the guests was assuring, the icing on the cake was when one of them commented that it reminded her of her mom’s fried chicken. That compliment meant so much. People like me who cook meals for family and friends on a daily basis crave nothing more than kind words of appreciation.

Well! I hope I have not raised your expectations a tad too much with the above description but I truly believe this is a keeper of a recipe. And an extremely simple one at that. Nothing would make me happier than you trying it out for yourself and sharing your feedback. Do tag me @onewholesomemeal on Instagram when you do end up making this recipe.

 

 

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Masala Roast Chicken

Prep Time: 10 hours

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 10 hours, 30 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 4

Calories per serving: 190

Ingredients

  • For Marinade:
  • Chicken, cleaned and cut to desired size- 700 gms
  • Yogurt-2 tablespoons
  • Ginger-garlic paste- 1.5 tablespoon
  • Chicken Biryani Masala- 2 teaspoons
  • Garam Masala-1 teaspoon
  • Red Chilli powder-1 teaspoon (optional)
  • Turmeric powder- 1 teaspoon
  • Chopped coriander-1 tablespoon
  • Chopped mint-1 tablespoon
  • Lime juice- 1 tablespoon
  • Salt- 1 teaspoon
  • Mustard oil-1.5 teaspoons
  • For Roasting:
  • Onions, chopped fine length-wise- 2.5 cups
  • Curry leaves- 3 tablespoons
  • Green chilies -2 (optional)
  • Cumin seeds- 1.5 teaspoon
  • Oil or ghee for roasting- 1 tablespoon plus extra

Instructions

  1. For Marinade: Mix the ingredients for the marinade well with the chicken making sure all chicken pieces are well covered with the marinade. Do not hesitate in using your hands and massaging the ingredients in really well into the chicken. Works wonders, trust me!Cover and refrigerate for 8-10 hours. Since we are not using any additional spices during the roasting process, spices in the marinade need sufficient time to flavour the chicken well so do not cut down on time.
  2. For Roasting: In a thick bottomed deep wok, heat oil or ghee and temper with cumin seeds and curry leaves. When the seeds and leaves start to splutter and release an aroma, add chopped onions and green chilies (if using) and reduce the flame to medium high and roast the onions till brown. Then add the marinated meat and continue to roast on a medium flame till done. You could also add a few teaspoons of ghee while roasting to enhance the flavour of the dish. Pleas note that this preparation requires cooking uncovered with constant stirring. If you would like your meat with extra char you could also grill it in a oven at 200 degrees for 10 minutes once its cooked through on the stove top. You might need to brush some more oil on the chicken pieces before getting them into the oven depending on how dry they look.

Notes

As always, chicken recipes taste best with thighs and drumsticks.Breast would taste great too but there would be a slight difference and you might need to add extra oil (fat) to soften it out.

https://onewholesomemeal.com/masala-roast-chicken/

 

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Stir Fried Noodles, Thai Style

Thai Stir Fried Noodles by OneWholesomeMeal
Stir Fried Noodles

I have mentioned my love for Thai food before. I cook it quite often and much more so as the entire family enjoys it as much. And while I am not a huge fan of noodles, Thai style stir fried noodles are an exception.

As in most Thai foods, there is so much happening in terms of flavours, that the guilt of enjoying this relatively processed food kind of wears off. Add your choice of grilled or roasted veggies or even meat and its a great one-pot meal. As a child, noodles used to feature regularly in our lunch boxes. Packed with vegetables, prepared the desi Chinese way, they would taste divine. And there’s another ingredient which takes it to another level. Masala bhurji! Yes, you heard it right! If you have not tried desi style noodles topped with masala bhurji, then you are missing something in life.

Well, coming back to the Thai style noodles. Most of us love Thai food except, some of us find the smell of fish sauce and or oyster sauce which some of the preparations have, a bit too strong to handle. Hence the recipe which I am going to share here uses neither of the two sauces. But if you would like to, you could always substitute some of the sauces used in the recipe with Oyster and Fish sauce.

Another ingredient that makes a world of difference to this dish, is the kind of noodles used. The thicker and chewier the noodles, the better they taste stir-fried. Thicker wheat noodles work best. But then again, if you are intolerant to gluten, use the ones which work for you. Just try to get a thicker variety. Now when you are boiling the noodles make sure not to overcook them lest they get sticky and clumpy. Do not forget to run it under cold water right after to stop the cooking process.

And last but not the least, my secret ingredient which replaces the fish and oyster sauce – Hoisin Sauce. It is a sauce made with soybeans, corn starch, and other ingredients.

As far as the veggies and meat to add to the stir fry are concerned, there is no limitation! Feel free to add your favourites. I usually add broccoli, carrot, mushroom, red and yellow bell peppers. You could either stir fry them or grill right before adding to the noodles and sauces. Chicken and prawns work best as far as meats are concerned.

So, here is the recipe for you to try. Do not forget to tag me on Instagram when you make this.

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Stir-Fried Noodles, Thai Style

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 4

Calories per serving: 170

Ingredients

  • Thick Wheat Noodles cooked as per package instructions- 4 cups
  • Carrots, diced- 1
  • Broccoli, cut into desired size- 1 cup
  • Shiitake Mushroom, sliced-6
  • Red Bell Pepper, sliced-1/2 cup
  • Minced garlic-2 tbsp +1 tbsp for sauce
  • Galangal- 3 teaspoons
  • Shallots-1/4 cup
  • Chicken thighs, cut into 1.5 inch pieces, marinated with some stir fry sauce and pepper-1 cup
  • Spring Onions, chopped (for garnish)- 3 tablespoons
  • Lime juice-2 tbsp
  • Rice Wine Vinegar-4 tbsp ( You can play around with lime and rice wine vinegar quantities depending on the amount of sourness you desire in the dish)
  • Soy Sauce- 4 tbsp (the quantities would differ based on the kind of soy sauce you use; I use light soy sauce which is less saltier than the dark variety)
  • Hoisin Sauce-2 tbsp
  • Sugar or Honey- 2 tsp or to taste
  • White Pepper-1/2 tsp
  • Chili flakes- 1tsp or to taste
  • Fried dried garlic for garnish- 2 teaspoon
  • Sesame oil or any oil of choice for stir frying- 2 tbsp

Instructions

  1. Boil the noodles and keep aside
  2. Mix all ingredients for the sauce(lime juice, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce,Hoisin sauce, sugar,white pepper,chili flakes and garlic), taste for salt, tanginess and sweetness and keep aside. Adjust any of the ingredients if needed
  3. In a wok, heat oil and add garlic and galangal, stir till fragrant and then add shallots. Cook,stirring continuously till the onions are translucent
  4. Add marinated chicken (if using) and cook until 70 percent done, followed by the vegetables, keeping in mind to add veggie slice mushroom and peppers which cook fast, towards the end. Add 2 tablespoons of the sauce while cooking the veggies
  5. Once the meat and veggies are cooked through, add boiled (and cooled) noodles followed by the sauce, mixing well with tongs preferably instead of a spatula. This ensures gentle mixing and avoids breaking the noodles
  6. Garnish with spring onions, dried fried garlic and serve hot
https://onewholesomemeal.com/stir-fried-noodles-thai-style/

 

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Soba Noodles Salad with Grilled Eggplant

Thai themed soba noodles by OneWholesomeMeal
Soba Noodles Salad

This soba noodles salad is inspired by the flavours of the Thai cuisine.

When one thinks of Thai food, what instantly comes to mind is a blend of sweet and spicy flavours. On one hand, you have the fresh herbs and a tropical medley which lingers long after the meal is over. And on the other, the Thai curries loaded with coconut are absolutely delectable. However, when one doesn’t want to indulge in heavy meals like that a Thai salad is a good option.

My love for Thai food is second only to our Indian. This may be because the two cuisines (and the cultures) have so much in common. Until a few years ago, like most of us, whenever we wanted to enjoy a good Thai meal at home, our instant resort would be the readymade curry pastes. A lot of us also, are put off by the usage of fish sauce in Thai food and again are restricted to just the curries.

With time I have learned however to enjoy similar flavours. Without the heaviness of coconut cream or the addition of fish and oyster sauce. A few simple ingredients which one can store in their pantry for an extended period of time without the fear of them going bad can be used to put together a simple, healthy, and delicious Thai meal. Want to know how? Then follow my soba noodles salad recipe below 🙂

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Soba Noodles Salad with Grilled Eggplant

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 3

Calories per serving: 125

This is an extremely forgiving recipe and you could add other roasted veggies like carrots and pumpkins too. If mangoes are not in season, you could add grilled or fresh peaches too.

Ingredients

  • Soba noodles boiled as per package instructions-2.5 cups
  • Egg plant cut into 2X2 inch cubes-2 cups
  • Baby potatoes,cubed-1/2 cup
  • Dried basil-1.5 teaspoon
  • Fresh Rosemary-2 sprigs
  • Rice vinegar- 1/2 cup
  • Honey-1.5 tablespoons
  • Salt- 1/2 teaspoon or to taste + 1 teaspoon for grilling eggplants and potatoes
  • Sesame oil-1 teaspoon
  • Lime juice-1.5 teaspoon or to taste
  • Garlic pods crushed-2
  • Cajun spice-1/2 teaspoon
  • Chopped green chilli (optional)-1
  • Sriracha chili- 1/2 teaspoon
  • Cayenne pepper (optional)- 1/2 teaspoon
  • Olive or sesame oil for grilling eggplant and potatoes-1 tbsp
  • Red onions , thinly sliced-1/2 cup
  • Fresh or canned ripe mangoes, cubed if available -1/2 cup
  • Fresh basil and/or cilantro, chopped fine-2 tablespoons
  • Roasted and salted peanuts-2 tablespoons

Instructions

  1. Mix rice vinegar, honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, sesame oil, lime juice, garlic pods, cajun spice, green chilies, sriracha chili and cayenne pepper well till the ingredients dissolve and keep aside.
  2. Boil the noodles as per package instructions adding a teaspoon of oil while boiling to avoid clumping. Once cooked place under cold running water to stop cooking process, drain and keep aside
  3. Wash and chop eggplant to desired size pieces (preferably 2X2 inch squares) ; soak in salt water for approximately half hour then drain and dry with a paper towel to wipe off excess moisture. Place the chopped eggplants in a deep bowl and drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1.5 teaspoon dry basil.Mix well. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and grill the eggplant for 15-20 minutes or until soft
  4. Wash, dry and half the baby potatoes , drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, add 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary or 1.5 teaspoons of dried rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and grill the potatoes for 25-30 minutes or until soft
  5. Cut mangoes to small cubes and keep aside
  6. Slice red onions as thin as possible and keep aside
  7. Chop fresh basil (optional) and cilantro and keep aside
  8. Once the noodles have come to room temperature add all the above ingredients to it in a deep bowl,add dressing, mix gently so the dressing coats the ingredients well; test for salt, garnish with chopped herbs, and peanuts and serve.
https://onewholesomemeal.com/soba-noodles-salad-with-grilled-eggplant/

 

[kkstarratings]