Tag: Indian Food Recipes

OneWholesomeMeal’s vast collection of authentic Indian Food Recipes are easy to make. It is great for beginners. In addition, in complicated recipes, there is a stepwise description with images. This makes the recipe easy to follow.

Also, we share alternates to make it healthier, or vegan – covering all dietary requirements. Try these Indian dishes from today.

White Matar Sabzi
White Matar Sabzi
Categories
Lunch | 1pm Meal

Jackfruit Curry and Indian Superfoods

Jackfruit Curry
Jackfruit Curry

My parents often point out how easy life is these days where everything is right at our fingertips. But I tend to disagree.

Technology has proven more of a bane than boon. Google has answers to almost everything, right from the best time to visit Bali, to the right time for intercourse to ensure a progeny of a certain gender. Answers which our parents and their generation would only trust their doctors or the Almighty with, every second person has an opinion on that. And God forbid if you happen to be an easily influenced soul like me, sleepless nights are guaranteed! It has never been harder to just be!

Indian Superfoods

And if the discussion is about what is the right kind of food for a healthy (and wealthy) existence, then good luck to us! For me the last 5 years have been all about trying, discovering, and experimenting with all kinds of diets and fads or should I say fad diets. Apart from juicing (which to this date I am unable to wrap my head around), I think I have tried them all. It was during such trials when I laid my hands on Rujuta Diwekar’s – Indian Superfoods. And I have to say, she is one of the few whose words made sense and logic.

Rujuta Diwekar breaks down the myths around food and takes us back to the very basis of Indian food and cooking.

It all made so much sense. This is by no means is a paid promotion, but if you can, the 150 odd pages would be one of the best investments of time and money you would make. I have not been 100% successful in implementing all my learnings but it is work in progress.

Jackfruit and All its Glory

Jackfruit is one such superfood amongst others (ghee/kokum/cashew/ambadi/rice/coconut) she talks in great detail about. This particular fruit/vegetable was available in abundance where I come from. We ate it both ripe and raw but I had no idea about its nutritional goodness – immunity booster, protein source, antioxidant, fibres…the list is endless. Fortunately, it is easy to find jackfruit in Hong Kong too. So I tried to give a few jackfruit recipes a go. Over the next few days, I will be sharing some of my success stories with you.

The first one today being the tried and tested jackfruit curry. As Rujuta rightly points out – India’s very own mock meat even before it became fashionable to mock meat or go vegan…;) Every time my mother would cook mutton for the rest of the family, she would cook some jackfruit curry for me in the same spice blend as I did not particularly enjoy red meat. And I never missed meat! Do you have a tried and tested jackfruit recipe? Do share. I would love to try it out.

Scroll down for the jackfruit curry recipe. You may also want to try jackfruit pancakes or jackfruit idlis.

Print
Jackfruit Curry

Ingredients

  • Raw jackfruit (chopped two inches thick)- 500 gms
  • Medium sized onions (chopped)-3
  • Green chili- 2
  • Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon
  • Bay leaf- 2 small
  • Cinnamon sticks- ½ inch
  • Big and small whole cardamoms- 2 and 4 pieces each
  • Star anise- 1 whole flower
  • Mace- One small portion
  • Garam masala powder- 1 tablespoon
  • Coriander powder-1/2 teaspoon
  • Cumin powder-1/2 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon
  • Ginger-garlic paste- 1.5 tablespoon
  • Salt-1.5 teaspoon or to taste
  • Chopped coriander for garnish
  • Oil- 3 tablespoons

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy bottomed wok and stir fry the jackfruit and keep aside
  2. In the same pan add the remaining oil and add cumin seeds once the oil is hot. When the seeds start to splutter, add the remaining whole spices and roast for a minute stirring continuously on medium-high heat
  3. Add onion and ginger-garlic paste and stir for another five minutes until the onions are brown, then add the powdered masalas. Do not add salt at this point. Adding salt before the powdered masalas are well cooked prevents even cooking and release of flavor from the masalas. Cook on medium low heat for 10 minutes. Sprinkle some water if the mixture gets dry and starts to stick to the sides.
  4. Add the fried jackfruit and salt and cook on medium heat for another 5-7 minutes till the spices evenly coat the vegetable
  5. Add half a cup of water (or more for a thinner gravy), mix well and cover. Let it simmer for another 10 minutes on low heat
  6. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with a side of rice or chapatis

Notes

Calories (per serving)- 193
Nutrition- Fiber/Vitamins A, B Complex, C/ Potassium/Magnesium/Manganese/Iron
It does wonders for your- Skin/Hair/Immunity/Sleep/Energy levels/Gut/Blood pressure/Eyesight/Bones
This is “My 1pm Meal"

https://onewholesomemeal.com/jackfruit-curry-indian-superfoods/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Lunch | 1pm Meal

Toor Daal Missi Rotis With Mango Pickle

Missi Rotis
Toor Dal Missi Roties with Mango Pickle

A busy weekend and an even busier Monday morning meant an empty refrigerator as I found absolutely no time for my grocery run. Thankfully I had some leftover toor daal (split pigeon peas) from the night before so these missi rotis happened.

All I had to do was knead the leftover daal with some whole wheat flour, add some spices and roll out soft silky missi rotis. We enjoyed it with homemade sweet mango pickle and fresh langra mangoes. Oh! If you are wondering, what on earth are langra mangoes and have not tasted them, you are missing something in life. Not as famous as their prettier and commercially popular cousins alphonsos, these green coloured wonders are much more flavourful, sweeter and not to mention easier on the pocket 😉

Something I Want to Share…

I quickly belted down the hot rotis and rushed out for groceries. The heavens had broken loose and by the time I returned home I was soaking wet, exhausted, it was almost dinnertime for the kids and I had no time to cook a meal. My patience levels were running low and the dam was going to burst any moment when suddenly an image of this old lady who was selling flowers in the wet market flashed in my head.

There she sat under a makeshift plastic tent, which shielded her (and her precious flowers) from the heavy rain as she munched on her lunch. There was something about that wrinkled unperturbed face that was completely oblivious to the entire hullabaloo around her. She seemed completely at peace with it all and most of all with herself.

How could she? And if she could, then with all that the Almighty has bestowed on me, why couldn’t I? So, what my kids have to repeat a meal, shouldn’t I be grateful for the food on their plates and roof on our heads? At that one moment, my mood switched. I went from being agitated and guilty to thankful and happy. Let us look around us and always remind ourselves of what we have v/s what we do not. Just this one switch would make life so much more worth living. It is something I wanted to share with you.

Getting back to the toor daal missi roti, scroll down for the detailed recipe. You may also see my recipe for paalak missi roti here.

 

Print
Toor Daal Missi Roti

Ingredients

  • Leftover (or freshly boiled) toor (spli pigeon peas) daal- 1 cup
  • Whole wheat flour- 2 cups
  • Ajwain (carom) seeds- ½ teaspoon
  • Medium sized onion chopped fine- ½
  • Green chili chopped fine- 1
  • Amchoor (dry mango) powder- ½ teaspoon
  • Salt- 1/2 teaspoon or to taste (if using freshly boiled daal add 1 teaspoon)
  • Oil – 2 teaspoons
  • Oil or Ghee for pan frying

Instructions

  1. Bring the leftover daal to room temperature (do not microwave). Mix all the ingredients together adding 1-teaspoon oil and knead the dough. Cooked daal should have enough water for kneading but add some more water if needed.
  2. Cover with cling wrap and let the dough sit at room temperature for 15 minutes; then uncover and knead again till a smooth consistency is achieved.
  3. Grease your hands with some oil and form the dough into balls slightly smaller than the size of your palm
  4. Roll out into approximately 6 inch discs and pan fry on a hot skillet making sure the edges are evenly cooked by pressing them intermittently with a spatula and flipping to cook on both sides.
  5. Serve hot with chutney or pickle of your choice or fresh ripe mango juice (aam ras)

Notes

Calories (per serving)- 153
Nutrition-Protein punch/Fiber/Iron/Vitamin B
It does wonders for your- Muscles/Gut/Stamina
This is “My 1 pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/toor-daal-missi-rotis/

 

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal

Broccoli Curry in Roasted Tomato Gravy

Broccoli Curry
Broccoli Curry in Roasted Tomato Gravy

Do you like Broccoli? Well, I don’t! Growing up in India, I had never tasted cauliflower’s green cousin. There is no broccoli curry one grows up eating. And to be honest, if it was not for innumerable health benefits of broccoli I would happily keep our relationship extremely platonic.

But I like a good challenge and what better challenge than making yourself like (and eat) something you almost detest. So, I decided to give our “videshi” broccoli a “desi” twist with this roasted tomatoes and panch foran based broccoli curry and it changed everything! The smoked tanginess of roasted tomatoes is just the thing to balance the blandness of broccoli and the panch foran tempering just gives it another dimension.

The fussy eaters loved it too 😉  ! But you know what’s the best part? This broccoli curry was cooked with just two teaspoonfuls of oil. Try it for yourself and you are sure to convert from a “brocc-hater” to a “brocc-eater”…OK! Sorry about that terrible joke. But trust me, my recipes aren’t as bad as my jokes. Do give them a chance 🙂 Scroll down for the detailed recipe.

You may also like my recipe for Zucchini Broccoli Burgers. Definitely check it out and let me know which broccoli recipe is your favorite in the comments below.

 

Print
Broccoli-Tomato Curry

Ingredients

  • Broccoli- 250gm
  • Medium sized tomatoes- 2
  • Medium sized potato (cubed)- 1
  • Garlic- 8 pods finely chopped
  • Panchforan- 2 teaspoons
  • Salt-1.5 teaspoons
  • Green chilli- 2
  • Turmeric- 1/2 teaspoon
  • Oil- 2 teaspoons

Instructions

  1. Blanch the broccoli with half teaspoon salt and strain
  2. Dry roast the tomatoes in the oven (at 180 degrees for 20 minutes) or on stove top in an iron skillet. Cool and make a paste in a blender
  3. Heat oil in a wok, add panchforan till it starts to splutter, add garlic and sauté until fragrant
  4. Add tomato paste, turmeric and salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes
  5. Add potatoes and cook until soft
  6. Add blanched broccoli, green chilies, salt and half cup water and mix well. Cover and cook on medium heat for ten minutes
  7. Serve hot with steamed basmati rice.

Notes

Calories (per portion)- 125
Nutrition-Protein punch/Fiber/Iron/Folate/Vitamin C
It does wonders for your- Immunity/Muscles/Gut/Eyes/Heart/Cholesterol levels
This is “My 8 pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/broccoli-curry-roasted-tomato/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Breakfast | 8am Meal

Thandai Masala

Thandai Masala
Thandai Masala

Because it is 31 degrees and air con is not my best friend, a natural cooler is an absolute must. Long before colas and brightly coloured drinks adulterated our lives, Thandai Masala – the drink of the Gods, soothed parched throats during the infamous summer of the Indian subcontinent.

Mixed with creamy milk and a dash of sugar or honey, this mixture of almonds, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, mixed melon seeds, pepper, cardamom, saffron, and rose petals, thandai is more than just a cooler. While the nuts are an instant energy source and reservoir of good fats, the saffron, and rose petals act as instant coolers, and the black pepper aids digestion and prevents the body from cooling off a tad too much.

It is hard to say in which part of ancient history this drink was first sipped but it is fascinating how so much thought went into putting this together.

It is one of the many examples of the science behind Indian food and culture. And yet we look the other way when it comes to appreciating all-encompassing goodness of Indian cuisine. I look forward to the day when Indian cuisine will get its due in the health industry and amongst the fit and healthy. On that note, here is the recipe for this delicious power protein mix/cooler, packed with chill and masala.

For best results, I recommend preparing a small batch of thandai masala, refrigerating, and consuming within two weeks. It is incredibly easy to prepare and takes less than five minutes 🙂 Cheers!

Print
Thandai Masala

Ingredients

  • Almonds - 1/2 cup
  • Cashew Nuts - 1/2cup
  • Black peppercorn - 10-15
  • Small cardamom - 15
  • Poppy seeds - 1 tablespoon
  • Fennel seeds - 1 tablespoon
  • Melon seeds - 2 tablespoons
  • Saffron - 10 strands
  • Dry rose petals or buds - 1 tablespoon

Instructions

  1. Combine all the ingredients and blendin a high speed blend for 30 seconds. The ingredients should achieve a powder consistency for easy mixing with milk. Refrigerate in an air tight container.
  2. To consume, mix 1 tablespoon in 1 cup of chilled milk (cow/almond/soy), add a dash of honey or palm sugar and drink right away

Notes

Calories per glass of thandai- 74
Nutrition- Good fat/High fiber/ Protein punch/Vitamins E,K, B6/Phosphorous
It does wonders for your-Skin, Hair, Gut, Joints, Ovaries, Bones, Nerves, Heart,Immunity,Sleep
This is “My 8am/3 pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/thandai-masala/

[kkstarratings]

 

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal

Jackfruit Lassi: Perfect for the Summer!

Jackfruit Lassi
Jackfruit Lassi

Jack of all…! Whoever came up with this phrase had definitely not been introduced to jackfruit or better jackfruit lassi.

Many brush this fruit aside for its supposed high amount of cholesterol and strong taste. Well! The taste takes some getting used to. But let me tell you that the jackfruit is a superfood. You can eat it in various forms (ripe, raw, and even the roots and seeds) and it is exploding with nutritional goodness. To motivate you to get used to the taste, have a look at the below benefits.

  1. 80% water content and high fibre make it a great summer and detox (and even hangover ;)) food
  2. high in vitamin C, making it a great antioxidant
  3. highly recommended for cardiovascular issues

It doesn’t travel thousands of kilometers to reach your plate (like its expensive cousin’s chia and acai). Above all, it is pocket friendly and reduces your carbon footprint, thus making Earth a cleaner and safer planet for our children.

The jackfruit lassi is a combination of 2 main ingredients, jackfruit (as the name suggests) and yogurt, to make the perfect summer drink. Lassi for those of you who are not familiar is a popular yogurt-based drink from the Indian subcontinent. You can make them salty, spicy, or sweet. The jackfruit lassi is a sweet variation of this drink. Remember, it is best enjoyed when served chill. This drink does wonders with your skin, bowels, immunity, sleep quality, and metabolism.

 

Print
Jackfruit Lassi

Ingredients

  • Jackfruit pulp, peeled and pitted- 1 cup
  • Yogurt-1 cup
  • Water -1/2 cup
  • Sugar (I used palm sugar or you can exclude it totally)or Honey- 2 teaspoons
  • Saffron-4 strands
  • Cardamom powder-1/4 teaspoon
  • Almonds -4
  • Pistachios-4
  • Ice to serve

Instructions

  1. Chop the jackfruit pulp into medium sized cubes and blend it for a few seconds just enough to not make a paste
  2. Whisk the yogurt with sugar (or honey if using) with a wire whisk
  3. Add to the blender with jackfruit, water, saffron strands, cardamom powder, almonds and pistachios and blend until frothy
  4. Garnish with chopped nuts, add ice cubes and serve chilled

Notes

Calories per glass of jackfruit shake- 130>
Nutrition- Good fat/High fiber/ Protein punch
It does wonders for your-Skin, Bowels, Immunity, Quality of sleep, Metabolism
This is “My 3 pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/jackfruit-lassi/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Recipes

Spiced Clear Chicken Soup

Chicken Soup
Spiced Clear Chicken Soup

Don’t we all have grey days when we crave for our mum’s special chicken soup?

Well! I don’t claim to imitate mum’s cooking but this spiced clear chicken soup comes close. And that’s why I wanted to start my blog with this recipe. Combining the goodness of whole spices with the nutrition of chicken broth, its perfect for that lingering cold which refuses to go away. A complete wholesome meal for sure!

The Spices You Need For The Chicken Soup

A lot of the taste of this soup depends on the spices used. Many of the spices are easily available in an Indian kitchen. However, here is the spice list for you to run through before you start to cook.

  1. Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
  2. Bay leaf – 2 small leaves
  3. Cinnamon sticks – 1/2 an inch
  4. Big and small whole cardamom – 2 and 4 pieces each
  5. Star anise – 1 whole flower
  6. Mace – One small portion
  7. Ground black pepper – 1/2 a teaspoon
  8. Cloves – 4 to 6 pieces
  9. Turmeric -1 teaspoon

With all the spices in place, you may now scroll down to read the full recipe. To have a look at other yummy soup recipes on my blog, try the Indian Style Tomato Soup, Curry Leaf Flavoured Roasted Pumpkin Soup, or Spicy Soup with Sichuan Peppercorns and you won’t be disappointed.

 


Print
Spiced Clear Chicken Soup

Ingredients

  • Chicken drumsticks-250gm
  • Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon
  • Bay leaf- 2 small
  • Cinnamon sticks- ½ inch
  • Big and small whole cardamoms- 2 and 4 pieces each
  • Star anise- 1 whole flower
  • Mace- One small portion
  • Black pepper- ½ teaspoon
  • Cloves- 4-6 pieces
  • Ginger-garlic paste- 1.5 tablespoon
  • Onion- 1 medium chopped fine
  • Tomato-1/2 medium chopped fine
  • Salt- 1.5 teaspoon
  • Turmeric-1 teaspoon
  • Ghee or coconut oil-1 tablespoon

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker or wok and add cumin seeds
  2. When the seeds start to splutter, add the remaining whole spices and roast for a minute stirring continuously on medium-high heat
  3. Add onion and ginger-garlic paste and stir for another five minutes until the onions are brown
  4. Add the drumsticks, tomato, salt and turmeric and mix well
  5. Add one and a half cups of water, seal the pressure cooker and cook until the chicken is soft. If using a normal work, cover and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally making sure there is enough water to maintain soup consistency

Notes

Calories per bowl of soup- 200
Nutrition- Good fat/ Protein punch/Low carb/Vitamin C
It does wonders for your-Heart, Skin, Hair, Bowels, Immunity, Quality of sleep
This is “My 8pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/spiced-clear-chicken-soup/