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
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Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Breakfast | 8am Meal Guest Blogs Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Uttapam Pizza (By Aarti Mehrotra Mataney)

Uttapam Pizza Recipe by OneWholesomeMeal

If you have a school going child you know the lunchbox struggle is real. If constantly racking one’s brain to come up with healthy, wholesome meals is not enough, making them easy to eat and create a variety make lunchbox menu planning a herculean task to say the least. And it doesn’t help if you have a picky eater either. When my eldest started primary earlier this school year, anxious doesn’t even begin to describe my feelings every evening at the thought of packing lunch for him the next morning. A few weeks into school, my list was soon exhausted and then began the search to find newer ideas which His Highness would eat. Online search helped but the best ideas came from my Mummy friends who had at least a few tried and tested, “picky-eater friendly” recipes in their kitty. And this recipe barter did make my life much easier.

Hence, sharing one of those recipes here in my Guest Blog section seemed like a great idea .

The contributor is my dear friend Aarti who is a mum of a an incredibly intuitive 5yo and an HR professional, event organiser and a crusader. Positive, calm and humble are just a few words that describe this sweet friend of mine.

As to the recipe, as you may have guessed, it is a fusion between our desi Uttapam and videsi Pizza. The base is made with the traditional uttapam batter, keeping it healthy and gluten-free and topped with veggies of your choice and loads of mozzarella. Comes together in less than 15 minutes and tastes great piping hot or even cold!The recipe comes with a basic tomato sauce recipe too but you can always use store bought-tastes as delicious!

It was fun trying this pizza out in different shapes and as expected the heart-shaped ones went down really well 🙂

Thank you Aarti for sharing this keeper of a recipe.

And I am sure you guys and your wee ones would love it as much as we did!

Start off by preparing the basic tomato sauce by boiling finely chopped tomatoes with sugar (I used chopped jaggery for an added flavour).Cover and cook on a medium flame with intermittent stirring till soft and mushy, then add a pinch of salt and oregano and bring to boil. Then reduce flame to medium and thicken to a semisolid consistency with continuous stirring . Keep aside until cool. The sauce keeps well in an air tight glass jar up to a week if refrigerated, so you can make it in advance.

Here is an ultimate guide to making the perfect (multipurpose) batter for dosas and uttapams. Once you have the perfect batter, making your Uttapam Pizza is easy-peasy.

Another important tip is to grate your veggies (carrots, beetroots, red, green, yellow bell peppers work great) coarse and use freshly grated mozzarella. Believe me it makes all the difference. And speaking of latter, my loyalties lie with the one Marks and Spencers stores. The cheesiest mozzarella ever. It usually comes in slices but you can scrunch and grate it with perfect results.

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Uttapam Pizza

Ingredients

  • Tomatoes, coarsely chopped-1 cup
  • Jaggery or sugar-1 tbsp or as per taste
  • Salt-1/2 tsp
  • Oregano-1 tsp
  • Dosa batter (pancake consistency)-2 cups with salt added as per taste
  • Grated carrots or beetroots-1 cup
  • Grated bell peppers (red and yellow)-1 cup
  • Grated Mozzarella cheese-1 cup

Instructions

  1. To make the sauce, add the chopped tomatoes in a pan with jaggery, mix well and bring to boil
  2. Then reduce flame and add salt and oregano,mix well, cover and simmer with intermittent stirring and mashing till it reaches a semisolid consistency. Then transfer to a bowl and keep aside
  3. Then proceed to make the uttapam pizza
  4. Heat a thick bottomed girdle and spread some oil or ghee
  5. Pour almost 1/4th cup of prepared batter (pancake batter consistency with salt added as per taste), reduce the flame to medium and cover and cook for a minute or so
  6. You would start to see air pockets start to form and batter start to solidify
  7. Then spread the tomato sauce followed by grated veggies and cover on a low flame for another minute
  8. The base should be nice and crispy by now
  9. Sprinkle the mozzarella and wait for it to melt
  10. Let it cool for 5 minutes if packing in a lunchbox or serve hot if eating right away with a side of chutney or even as is!
https://onewholesomemeal.com/uttapam-pizza-by-aarti-mehrotra-mataney/

[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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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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]

Categories
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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Print
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/