CHAPATI (PHULKA)

(for 4, serving 1 or 2)

Ingredients:

1 cup Whole wheat flour (or 1/3 white + 2/3 whole wheat)
1/2 cup Water
1/4 tsp salt

Method:

1. Put flour in a large bowl with half the water.
2. Blend the two together until it holds.
3. Beat and knead well until it forms a compact ball. Knead dough until it is smooth and elastic. Set aside for 30 minutes.
4. Knead and divide dough into 4 to 6 parts.
5. Roll each ball into atortilla like flat, about $\frac{1{8$" thick.
6. Heat an ungreased skillet.
7. Put phulka on it, and let it cook for about 1 minute (The top shouldjust start to look dry and small bubbles should just start to form).
8. Turn and cook the second side for 2/3 minutes until small bubbles form.
9. Turn again and cook the first side pressed lightly with a towel.
10. It should puff. Serve warm (maybe slightly buttered).

Note: -----Since the rolled out chappati's will dry out if they are left to standwhile cooking the others, you may choose to roll them out individually before cooking.

Besani Roti (Gram flour roti)

Ingredients:
200 grams Wheat flour
3 tablespoon Gram flour (besan)
1 Onion
3-4 Green chillies
1 tablespoon Fenugreek leaves
2 tablespoons Curds
250 ml Water
1 tablespoon Ghee
1/2 teaspoon Red chilli powder (optional)
1 tablespoon Butter

Method :

1. Chop the onion, green chillies & fenugreek leaves finely.
2. Beat the curds well.
3. Sprinkle some salt on the fenugreek leaves and keep aside for 5-10 minutes. Squeeze out water completely.
4. Sieve the flours.
5. Add ghee, chopped onions, green chillies, curds, salt(as per taste), fenugreek leaves and red chilli powder.
6. Mix well.
7. Add water gradually and make a smooth dough. Stretch and knead till pliable.
8. Cover with a damp cloth for about an hour.
9. Shape into round balls.
10. Roll them into discs about 2.5 mm thick.
11. Place on a hot tawa/griddle and cook till blisters appear on either surface.
12. Remove the tawa off the flame , place the roti on direct flame.
13. It will blow up into a big ball. Take off the flame.
14. Serve hot with a dab of butter.

Serves : 4
Time : 25 mins.

Saatvik Khaana series- Grilled potatoes

Hi friends
I am just doing one Art of Living course. And we were told to bring Saatvik Food, vegetarian food without eggs, fish, onion, garlic and much of masalas or spices.
So I thought why not start a series of saatvik khaana. Something which is quick and under 30 mins.

Grilled potatoes

Ingredients

4 Medium Potatoes
1 Finely Chopped Tomato
1 TBSP Cilantro chopped
1/2 tsp lime juice
1/4 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
salt to taste
1 tbsp Oil
Dry Mint leaves-powdered

Method

1. Boil Potatoes.
2. You may peel the skin of potatoes or let it be there.
3. Cut them in 6-8 pcs.
4. Mix oil and mint leaves in a bowl.
5. Add potatoes to it.
6. Mix Salt and pepper to it.
7. Transfer it to a baking dish.
8. Grill/bake potatoes in oven at 250 degree F for 8-10 mins.
9. Take them out. Add finely chopped tomatoes and Lime juice. Mix lightly.
10. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.
11. Serve hot with fulkas/chapatis or as a snack or starters.

vegetarian Dum Biryani

The recipe goes like this:

Ingredients for Savory warm water

Water: 5 Cups
Nutmeg powder: 1/4 teaspoon
Whole Cinnamon 3" Broken up: 1
Whole Cloves: 6
1 Black whole cardamom
6 green cardamons:
Fennel seeds: 1/4 teaspoon
Bay leaves: 3
Black peppercorn: 6
Salt: 1 teaspoon
1 2 Star Anise
1 Mace

Ingredients for Sweet aroma milk

Milk: 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Saffron strands: 6
Kewra Essence: 1/2 teaspoon
Rose essence: 1/4 teaspoon (not necessary)

Ingredients for Rice Layer

Ghee: 1/4 cup
Long grain Bamati: 2 Cups
Savory warm water

Ingredients for Vegetable layer

2 Tablespoons Ghee/Clarified Butter
Onions Chopped: 1/2 Cup
4 Cloves
Turmeric powder: 1/4 teaspoon
Cumin powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Potatoes Peeled and cubed: 1 cup
Carrots Peeled and diced: 1/2 cup (you may want to use carrot cut like chowmein also but essentially in biryani vegetable are chopped )
Cauliflower cut into small flowerets: 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Whole-milk yogurt: 1/2- 3/4 cup mixed with 1/2 - 1 tsp garam masala depending on how much is needed to coat the vegetables.
Water: 1/2 cup
Green peas: 1/2 cup
2 Tomatoes, Diced. (Not necessary)
1/2 cup Paneer Diced into small pcs. Or Grated.
10-11 Cashew
10-11 Makhana
1 tbsp Kismis
1 stick Cinnamon
3 Star Anise
You may use pineapple if you want to 1-2
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

Ingredients for Garnish layer

Ghee: 1/4 cup
Onions thinly sliced vertically: 1 Cup
Almonds sliced: 1/4 cup (not necessary)
Cashews halves: 1/4 cup
Fresh Ginger sliced into thin sticks: 1 Inch
Fresh Cilantro chopped: 1/4 cup
11-15 makhanas
Few Kismis

Method

Step 1: Savory aroma water.

1. Bring water to a boil, add Nutmeg, Mace, Cinnamon, Cloves, Black & green cardamoms, Fennel seeds, Bay leaves (Tej Patta), Black peppercorns, star anise and salt to taste.
2. Turn down heat to simmer.
3. Keep covered for 20 minutes.
4. If you want, you may put all the spices in a cheese cloth folded three times. This way you can remove the whole spices after the savory water is ready.

Step 2: Sweet aroma milk

Warm milk to 100º F. Add dry ingredients. Stir and cover.

Step 3: Rice

1. In a heavy bottom pan, heat ghee. Don't wash rice. Stir-fry rice till it turns opaque, then brown giving off nutty aroma.
2. Add 3 cups of savory warm aroma water.
3. Bring it to a boil. Simmer covered for about 10 minutes or till almost all the liquid is absorbed. The rice should be more than half way cooked. Keep it covered.

Step 4: Vegetables Layer

1. Wash and cut vegetables to your liking.
2. Heat a heavy bottom pan. Add and Heat ghee.
3. Add onions, and sauté till clear.
4. Add ginger, turmeric, cumin, cloves, cinnamon and rest of the spices mentioned in Vegetable Layer.
4. Continue stir frying but don't burn spices.
5. Add tomatoes till mixed properly with onions (if using tomatoes).
6. Add potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, salt and pepper. Sauté till the potatoes start to turn brown. Add yogurt and water.
7. Cover and simmer till the vegetables are tender. Stir in Green peas.

(I fried potates, cauliflower and paneer. kept some paneer for decoration)

8. Add Curd mixed with garam masala to the vegetables and mix properly.

Step 5: Garnish Layer

1. Now we need to prepare items for the garnish layer. Keep all items separate.
2. Sautee onions in Ghee till they are brown and caramelized.
3. Stir-fry Almonds and Cashews and makhanas so they start to turn brown. Add Kismis/Raisins at end.

Step 6: Creating Layers and Assembling

1. Choose a deep pot to assemble Biryani.
2. Remember the top and bottom layers are always Rice.
3. Lay a layer of rice.
4. Add a bit of savory water and milk in circular motion, add a layer of vegetables, add a "garnish layer".
5. Now start over with the layer of rice.
6. If it is the top layer of the rice, add the savory warm and milk as before and the garnish layer. Seal the Biryani pot with Aluminum foil.

Step 7: Dum the Biryani

1. Preheat oven to 425º F.
2. Place the Biryani pot in the oven for ten minutes.
3. Turn down the oven temperature to 275º F.
4. You can remove the pot after 15 minutes. You can also use this as a holding temperature for about one hour. Remove the pot from the oven 15 minutes before service. At the time of service, break the seal (remove the aluminum foil).

What makes a good Biryani? Everyone has there own little list. My list is simple and in order of priority follows:

1. Aroma. It should have both sweet fragrance and herbal warm aroma.
2. It should be savory, but not spicy
3. Finally, it should meet the age old test. Drop a handful of Biryani on a hard floor. No two grains of rice should be stuck to each other.

I don't remember if I used tomatoes or not. I think you can make both ways, using tomatoes and not using tomatoes.

;) Enjoy.

Bombay Pao Bhaji

Cuisine : Maharashtrian

Ingredients
4 medium Potatoes
4 medium Tomatoes
2 medium Onions
1/4 cup Green Peas (shelled)
1/4 small Cauliflower
Green Chillies 3-4
1/4 cup Fresh Coriander Leaves
1 medium Capsicum
1 inch Ginger
Garlic 8-10 cloves(optional)
Salt to taste
1 1/2 tbspsPav Bhaji Masala.
3 tbsps Oil .
3 tbspsButter .
Pav 8
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder

Method

1. Boil, cool, peel and grate potatoes.
2. Wash and finely chop tomatoes.
3. Wash and grate cauliflower. Peel and finely chop onion.
4. Peel ginger, garlic and grind to a fine paste.
5. Wash, halve, remove seeds and finely chop capsicum.
6. Wash, remove stems and finely chop green chillies.
7. Clean, wash and finely chop fresh coriander leaves.
8. Boil green peas in salted water till soft, drain, mash lightly and keep aside.
9. Cut lemon into wedges.
10. Heat oil in a pan and add three fourth quantity of chopped onions. Sauté till light brown. Add chopped green chillies and ginger garlic paste. Stir-fry for half a minute.
11. Add chopped tomatoes and cook on medium heat for three to four minutes, stirring continuously or till oil separates from the masala. Add grated cauliflower and cook for a while. Add peas and cook.
12. Add pav bhaji masala, tomato puree, mashed potatoes and one and half cups water.
13. Bring it to a boil and simmer for ten minutes, pressing with back of the spoon a few times, till all the vegetables are completely mashed.
14. Add salt to taste. Add chopped capsicum, stir and cook for a little while. Slit the pao, apply a little butter. 15. Sprinkle red chilli powder and toast slightly on a hot tawa. Garnish the bhaji with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with pav accompanied with remaining chopped onion and lemon wedges.

Virgin Mary

Ingredients
300 ml tomato juice
2 grinds of black pepper
2 dashes of Tobasco sauce
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
2 dashes of fresh lemon juice
1 bar spoon horseradish sauce (opt)
1 celery stick

Method
Shake all the ingredients over ice and strain into a highball filled with ice.
You can salt the rim by wiping it with a piece of lemon and then dipping this into a plateful of salt.
Garnish with a celery stick.

Kashmiri Rajmah Curry (Red kidney Beans)

Ingredients:

2 cups boiled Red Kidney Beans. (1 can SW Kidney beans)
2 chopped tomatoes (2 tbsp tomato paste)
1 chopped onion
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2" cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2-3 cardamons
1/4 tsp saunf (fennel seeds)
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp corriander powder
1/2 tsp red chillies powder (if desired. can also use 1 or 2 whole red chillies)
1/4 tsp amchoor powder
1/2 tsp jeera/ cumin seeds
Salt to taste
pinch of asafoetedia/ hing/ heeng
2tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp fresh chopped corriander leaves

Method
1. Heat oild in a pan.
2. add asafoetida.
3. add bay leaf, cinna stick, cardamons.
4. Add Cumin/jeera
5. Add Saunf/fennel seeds.
6. Add ginger garlic paste.
7. Add chooped onions or onion paste. Fry it till it gets tender and brown.
Add chopped tomatoes. Fry them till they mix easily with the onion. The consistency should be smooth like a thick paste. (If you are adding tomato paste, just add 2 1/2 cup water to it and let it simmer for 4 mins).
8. Now add all the masalas (garam masala, amchur powder, chilli powder, corriander powder).
9. Fry it for some 3 mins. If the mixture is thick add 1/2 cup water and let it simmer for 2-3 mins.
10. Add kidney beans. And add 1 cup water to it. If you want it thicker add less water. If you want curry to be thinner add more water.
11. Boil it for 5 mins.
12. Add Salt to taste.
13. Add chopped corriander leaves to garnish.
14. Serve Hot with white basmati Rice/ jeera rice/ herbed Jamine Rice.


2.

Grilled Potatoes

Ingredients

4 medium to large cleaned, unskinned potatoes (preferably red or Yukon gold)
1 onion, sliced
1/2 stick butter, sliced into 4 tablespoons
Dill weed
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 sections of aluminum foil (12 to 14 inches each)

Method

1. Pre-heat grill.

2. Slice potatoes into 6 to 8 pieces each.

3. Place potato wedges onto open aluminum foil sections; top with onions.

4. Sprinke with dill, salt, and pepper to taste.

5. Top each with a slice of butter.

6. Fold over top of aluminum foil loosely and crease, then fold up ends of foil.

7. Place on medium-hot grill.

8. Cook for 8–10 minutes. Check 1 packet after 8 minutes. If the potatoes are not slightly browned, cook longer. Potatoes taste best when slightly browned.

TOFU AND POTATO KEBABS

ingredients:

4 medium red-skinned potatoes
2 pounds firm tofu
Sweet and Savory Grilling Sauce or Teriyaki Marinade (recipes follow)
2 medium sweet red bell peppers, cut into l-inch squares

Method:

1. Cook or microwave 4 medium red-skinned potatoes until done but still quite firm. Allow to cool, then cut into 1-inch chunks.

2. Cut tofu into 3/4- to l-inch-thick slices and press between paper towels or a clean tea-towel to remove some of the moisture. After pressing, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch dice. Marinate in Sweet and Savory Grilling Sauce or Teriyaki Marinade for 30 minutes.

3. Alternate tofu and potato chunks with red pepper pieces on skewers.

4. Prepare grill. Brush the skewered ingredients with additional sauce or marinade used. Grill, turning carefully, until touched with charred spots, about 10 minutes total.

VEGAN SUBSTITUTIONS FOR ANIMAL PRODUCTS IN CAKES

SHORTENING OR BUTTER: Use soy margarine. Make sure there is no whey or other dairy product in the soy margarine.

DAIRY MILK: Try soy milk. This is available in your local health food store, food co-op, Asian store and some supermarkets.

EGGS: Use Ener-G Egg Replacer. If this binder is not available in your local health food store, write to Ener-G Foods, Box 84487, Seattle, WA 84487 and ask for their mail-order catalog. (There may be other brands of egg replacer you may be like better.)

BUTTERMILK: Place 1 tablespoon of vinegar in your measuring cup and add soy milk as required.

FROSTING: You can use a sugarless apple butter.

SWEETNER: Because white sugar may be whitened using animal bones, some people may not want to use it. Try a sweet juice instead of water called for in the recipe. For an even sweeter taste, use juice concentrate in the mixture. Also, try rice syrup.

IMLI SAUNTH chutney

Ingredients

100 gm imli (tamarind)
100 gm dry sticks of amchoor (dried raw mango)
400 gm gur (jaggery)
1 tbsp jeera (cumin seeds)
20-25 saboot kali mirch (balck pepper corns)
2" stick dalchini (cinnamon)
10-12 laung (cloves)
seeds of 4 moti illaichi (black cardamom)
1 tsp kala namak (rock salt)
1 tsp salt

Method:

1. Soak gur, imli & amchoor together overnight.
2. Boil for 15-20 minutes.
3. Sieve through a strainer.
4. Roast laung, dalchini, moti illaichi and saboot kali mirch. Grind together.
5. Cook the pulp and add all the spices.
6. Add salt & kala namak. Cook till it reaches a sauce like consistency.

NOTE: The left over imli pulp can be used to prepare delicious jal jeera. Add salt, poodina paste and enough water to the imli pulp & strain.

Chutney Pudi

This is a powdered chutney commonly prepared in large amounts, stored in air tight jars and used as and when required. When in a hurry to prepare chutney for dosas, if you have chutney pudi prepared well ahead, add the required pudi to a cup of yoghurt, top with tadka and serve. Tastes execellent.

Ingredients:
1 cup Chana Dal (Split)
½ cupUrad Dal
¼ cup Rice
½ cup Red Chillies Dried
¼ cup Dry coconut grated
1 tsp Tamarind
2 tspCorainder Seeds
2 tspCumin Seeds
2 tspOil
1 stalk tsp Curry leaves
Salt to taste.

Method

1. Heat one tsp oil in a pan and fry the chana dal, urad dal and rice seperately till you smell the aroma of the fried ingredients.
2. Heat the remaining oil and fry the coconut, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and tamarind seperately.
3. Grind each of the dals and rice seperately.
4. Grind the coriander and cumin seeds.
5. Grind the coconut and tamarind.
6. To this add the other powders and grind it once again till you obtain a well mixed fine powder.
7. Store it in an airtight jar. Tastes good with Mosaranna, Vaggarni Avalakki (Parched rice), sandwiches, etc.

DAHI VADA

Ingredients:

1/2 c Urad dal
1/2 Moong dal
1 c Yogurt
Spice to taste (raosted cumin and paprika/red chilli powder)
Oil for frying
1/4 c Milk
salt to taste

Method:

1. Clean dal, wash and soak in water for 4 hours. Blend in blender atmedium speed using the minimum amount of water required to keep pastemoving freely. Add salt and start heating oil.
2. Drop spoonfuls of batter in the hot oil using a large tablespoon. Fry until golden brown. Drop in water. Let it soak till ready to serve.
3. Beat yogurt with milk. Add spice according to taste. Squeeze out water from the vada and add yogurt. Serve.

Cheese Balls

Appetizers
20 servings

Ingredients
1 ea Stick butter, melted
1 c Grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 c Plain flour
1 c Rice Krispies
1/8 ts Cayenne pepper
1 ea Dash hot sauce

Method

Mix all ingredients well.
Mold in small vals (dime size).
Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes.
Watch carefully as they brown quickly.

Pina Colada

Ingredients

3 oz. Pineapple juice,
2 oz. Cream of coconut

Method

Blend with ice until smooth.
Serve in a Hurricane glass, garnish with a pineapple wedge, whipped cream & a cherry.