Cornmeal Idli(Gluten Free) / Steamed Cornmeal Circles.

Again these cornmeal idlis were born out of necessity to make quick idlis without using rava/semolina.

As semolina/rava idlis are quick to make but they are made of wheat(my daughter is allergic to wheat), so to eliminate wheat from the recipe I replaced the semolina/rava with fine cornmeal but otherwise just followed the rava idli recipe.

There, I created a new quick recipe to cater to my daughters need for gluten free and my crunch for time.

I liked the beautiful natural yellow hue of these idlis, without any addition of turmeric powder/haldi powder.

These Idlis can be enjoyed by all and is not limited to just for people with gluten allergy only.

Sabudana Vada/Appe (Gluten Free, Fat Free) / Tapioca Puffs.

In this part of the world, we are still getting our share of snow :-(
I wanted to make something hot n crunchy for my son for after school snack, but was not at all inclined towards a deep fried snack.

Had just made a batch of boiled potatoes, so what better way to use boiled potatoes for snack other then make tikkis or sabudana vadas, I opted for the latter :-)

I made sabudana vada but in an Appe pan/ Aeblevisker pan. They turned out pretty good, crispy on the outside and soft n mushy on the inside.

My Appe pan is non stick so I made them without a drop of oil, they are totally fat free :-)

Enjoy these guilt free vadas !!

Ingredients

3/4 cup sago,(washed and soaked in water enough to cover the sago for 1 hour then drain any water, I used mini sago pearls called as sago seeds, the size of mustard seeds),

3/4 cup potatoes, boiled and mashed,

2 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts,

3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves,

1 green chilly minced,

2 tsp lemon juice,

1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera,

Method.

• Mix all the ingredients.
• Heat Appe pan(pan has many indents/depression similar to muffin pan) on medium heat.
• Make small balls of the dough and put in each indent of the appe pan.
• Let cook for 3 minutes then turn, so that it cooks on the other side.
• The other side will cook quicker, so cook may be 2 minutes on the other side.
• I got 18 Appe Sabudana Vadas from the quantity of ingredients mentioned above.
• Enjoy with whipped sweet yogurt, chutney or ketchup.

Note.

Can add a few drops of oil while cooking.

If you prefer a darker shade of browning for the vadas, cook a few minutes more on each side, but take care that they do not burn. I prefer mine just golden brown.

They were perfect snacks for my kids.

Cornmeal Dhokla(Gluten Free) / Steamed Cornmeal Squares.

As my daughter is allergic to wheat I have learnt to adapt many recipes and make them gluten free without changing the taste n texture of the dishes.
I make this cornmeal dhokla quite often instead of rava dhokla. It has the same texture as rava dhokla only it is gluten free.
Allergic to wheat or not, this cornmeal dhokla is liked by all.

Just replace cornmeal for semolina and use the rest of the same ingredients and same procedure to prepare as rava dhokla.

Sometimes I add grated carrot/cucumber / zucchini or green peas / corn thus giving it a slight twist.

Simple Bok Choy Bhaaji / Stir Fry.

I like any leafy vegetable, I buy any fresh greens that I can lay my hands on in a Chinese store and cook it just as Ma cooked any greens.

I walk in my mother's footsteps for this matter, she used to cook any kind of vegetables she could lay her hands on too.

Most of the leafy greens I cook is in a similar manner as Ma did with the "Goan trinity" of onion, green chilly and grated coconut. Adding any dal to it is optional , but it definitely enhances the taste and stretches the prepared dish a bit.

Another thing to note about simple goan vegetable stir fry is that there is absolutely no use of oil ( at least in my house). So basically it is fat free dish, now doesn't that sound good !!!!

This bok choy stir fry is prepared in the same way as the ghosali bhaaji / ridge gourd stir fry.

Ingredients
2 tbsp chana dal, washed and soaked in 2 tbsp water for 15 minutes(optional ),
4-5 cups chopped, bok choy,
1/2 onion, chopped,
1-2 green chilly, chopped,
3 tbsp grated coconut,
salt to taste,
pinch of sugar.

Method.

• Put all the ingredients in a pan.
• Cover with a lid and cook on medium low heat till the vegetable and the dal is tender.
• Add some extra water if the water dries up and the vegetable n dal is not cooked.
  

Note
Can use either chana dal or moong dal or omit it totally.

Sakhar Bhaat / Sweetened Rice

Sakhar Bhaat is one of the easiest n simplest sweet to make.

Cloves is the prominent spice n flavouring agent in this Goan sweet.

Ingredients

1/2 cup rice, washed and drained for 20 minutes,

1 tsp ghee,

1 tsp raisins,

2 tsp chopped cashew nuts,

1 tsp powdered cardamom,

5 cloves,

pinch of nutmeg,

pinch of saffron soaked in a tsp of milk or some orange color,

3/4 cup sugar,

2 and 3/4 cup water.

Method.

• Heat ghee in a pan on medium heat.
• Add the cloves and rice, saute till the rice is nice n toasty.
• Add the raisins and cashew nuts and saute a minute more.
• Add hot water , cover and cook till the rice is cooked/done.
• Add the cardamom, nutmeg, sugar, saffron milk or color and mix well (but very gently or else the grains of rice will break and become a mush).

Note.

Let the rice cook fully as the rice does not cook anymore once the sugar is added.

Ghosali Bhaaji / Ridgegourd Stir fry.

Ridge gourd is called " Ghosali " in konkani.

This is one of my favourite vegetables. It is a simple preparation with the "Goan trinity" of onion, green chilly and coconut. ( Yeah, I thought just as Cajun/Creole cooking has the trinity of onion , pepper and celery in all its dishes, the same way Goan cooking in my family also uses the 3 essential ingredients of onion, green chilly and coconut in everyday dishes, so I thought why not call it the "Goan trinity" ) :)
Ma cooked most of the vegetables without any oil. There were only selected vegetables for which she used the oil tempering(phodni).
No oil is used for this dish so it is practically fat free cooking !!


Peeled Ridge gourd (ghosali)

Ingredients

2 medium sized ridge gourd(ghosali),

2 tbsp moong dal,(optional),

1/2 onion , chopped,

1 green chilly, chopped,

2 tbsp grated coconut,

salt to taste,

pinch of sugar,

2 tbsp water.

Method.

• Peel the skin of the ridge gourd and chop it.
• Wash moong dal and soak in 2 tbsp water for 5 minutes.
• Put soaked dal along with water in a pan , add the rest of the ingredients.
• Cover and keep the pan on medium low heat.
• Stir after 5 minutes. Cook till the dal n the vegetable is tender.

Note.

Can use either moong dal or chana dal.

Use the ridge gourd peels to make chutney or thepla.

Ruby Red Strawberry Jam.

I used Ma's technique to make the pineapple jam. So now as strawberries are in season I thought of making strawberry jam. It turned out awesome. I specially liked the vibrant ruby red color of the jam.

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 cup strawberry pulp,

1 and 1/4 cup sugar,

2 tbsp lemon juice,

4 cloves,

2 pieces cinnamon sticks.

Method.

• Put the strawberry pulp in a pan and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.
• Then add the sugar and spices and cook for 15 minutes.
• Finally add the lemon juice and cook 5 minutes more.
• Take the pan off heat and let cool.
• Pour in a glass jar.

Note

This jam stays fresh at room temperature. The jam will thicken slightly after cooling.

Can omit the spices but I like the aroma of the spices and I feel it enhances the flavor of the jam.

Increase or decrease the amount of sugar according to the sweetness of the strawberries.

Make any fruit jam using the same method and proportion.

I added 1/4 tsp red chilly powder during the last minute, as I like my jam a little sweet, a little spicy, a little tart, more like murabba taste.

Shrikhand / Sweetened Yogurt.

Although Shrikhand is not a typical Goan sweet Ma made Shrikhand very often and it was a regular fare at my parents place.
It is a no cook dessert that is ideally eaten with puri. But we used to have it for breakfast with chappati. I know what a nice way it was to start the day with heavenly creamy shrikhand !!

Ingredients

2 cups yogurt,

3/4 cup powdered sugar,

1/2 tsp powdered cardamom,

pinch of kesar/saffron soaked in 1 tsp warm milk,

some chopped nuts(optional).

Method.

• Place a strainer in a bowl, line it with a cheesecloth. Put the yogurt in it and keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
• You should get about 1 cup of hung yogurt.
• Add the sugar, soaked saffron in milk and mix well.
• Sprinkle nuts on top and refrigerate.
• Serve chilled and enjoy with puri or chappati !!

Note.

The more longer you drain the yogurt the more thick and creamy it will become.

Can add 1 tbsp sour cream to get the same texture and taste as authentic shrikhand.

Mix some mango pulp in the shrikhand to get Aamrakhand(Mango flavoured shrikhand).

Event Participation.

This is my entry to Indrani's Summer Foods And Drinks Event.

And Srivalli's Thanda Mela.

Gluten Free, Egg Free Fluffy Pancakes.

What do you do when one child has wheat allergy and the other child is demanding to eat pancakes.....well, u go and buy gluten free pancake mix from the store(which is pretty expensive and require the use of eggs or egg replacer) or else you come up with a gluten free, egg free pancake mix at home.
My daughter gets her wheat allergies on and off so I came up with this pancake recipe. These are egg less pancakes too as for some time she was allergic to eggs too.
Usually gluten free pancakes require the use of guar gum or xanthum gum, but in this recipe I have not used any of those ingredients and yet not compromised on the taste or texture of the pancakes.
These pancakes have the same texture, look and taste as the regular pancakes. My both kids(6 and almost 3 years old) nor my hubby could tell the difference in the pancakes. They devoured them as regular pancakes :)
Thus I accomplished my mission of satisfying my sons demand for pancakes and also my daughters need of eating gluten free, egg free pancakes :)
The ingredients list is long but it is worth a try.

Ingredients
4 tbsp rice flour,
2 tbsp moong flour,
2 tbsp urad flour,
2 tbsp cornmeal,
1/4 tsp baking powder,
1/4 tsp baking soda,
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder,
1 tbsp sugar,
2 tbsp yogurt,
water or milk to make the batter.

Method.

• Mix all the ingredients.
• Heat a pan on medium heat.
• Pour 1/4 of the batter in the pan and let bubbles appear on the batter.
• Flip the pancake and let it cook on the other side for a minute.
• Repeat process till you finish the batter.
• Enjoy with maple syrup or fruit syrup.

Note

This quantity of batter yielded 4 medium sized pancakes. Can double the recipe.

Or else you can mix the dry ingredients in a big batch and store like I do and when you want to make pancakes just take the required quantity of the dry mix, add the wet ingredients and the batter is ready in a jiffy.

I used milk to make this batter.

Can use butter milk instead of milk to get buttermilk pancakes.

I use the same batter to make pancake puffs with success.

Can add one or more of the following to the batter for a variation - banana, blueberries, chopped strawberries, chocolate chips, chopped walnuts,chopped almonds, raisins, etc.

Crunchy Banana Chips

I have never in my life made banana chips at home but surely eaten a cartload or should I say truck load of them :)

Today I thought of making them at home. Had a plantain banana that I purchased from the grocery store a couple of days ago.

The chips came out pretty good and they were very easy to make. I had never made them at home with the fear of sprinkling water in hot oil. But today I overcame that fear !!

My son (who loves banana chips) tasted these chips(actually finished all the chips making many rounds in the kitchen and grabbing some chips on the way each time) and said they get 5 star(his grading goes from 1-5), and that next time I need to buy more bananas and make lots more chips :) so that he can take them for snack time in school. When my kiddo says that I should pack certain food next time for his school lunch or snack I know that it has met his approval. My 6 year old son is quite a foodie, guess he gets it from his mom ;)

Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients

1 plantain banana(raw),

1/2 cup water,

1/4 tsp turmeric powder,

salt to taste,

oil for deep frying(preferably coconut oil).

Method.

• Peel the banana, wash and soak in water for about 1/2 hour.


• Mix water, salt, turmeric powder and keep aside.


• Heat oil. Drain the bananas and wipe dry with paper towel.


• Slice the bananas into thin slices (using a mandoline) directly in the hot oil. Or else you can use a knife and make thin slices on a chopping board and then slide them into the hot oil.


• When they are 3/4 cooked, sprinkle a tsp of the water solution on the bananas in the oil.


• Hold a splatter screen over the oil after you sprinkle a tsp of the water solution.


• BE VERY CAREFUL !!


• The oil splutters in all directions.


• Take off the screen and mix the chips.


• Drain the chips onto a paper towel to absorb the access oil.


• Proceed with the rest of the banana to make the chips.


• There you go yummy crunchy banana chips ready to munch on !!

Note

Season the chips with red chilly powder,crushed peppercorn or any other masala blend for a variation after draining from the oil. I preferred them plain with salt only.

Frying the chips in coconut oil gives it the authentic taste.

Next time I will soak the raw bananas in water mixed with turmeric powder to get a more darker shade of yellow colored chips.

Tandlachi Bhakar / Goan Rice Flour Flatbread.

Today is my Pappa's Birthday.

Tandlachi bhakar is my Pappa's favourite dish and every year my Ma would make tandlachi bhakar for breakfast for my Pappa's B'day and their Wedding Anniversay.

As Ma is not here with us to make this I just wish that today I could be in Goa and I could prepare this tandlachi bhakar for my Pappa for breakfast(sigh).

When one stays overseas,on the other side of the world, this is the major disadvantage, one cannot go and be with one's parents in joy or sorrow as and when we feel like :(

Like my Pappa I too like this bhakar very much so I tend to make it sometimes, I could munch on these all day long :)

I used to make it a lot specially when my daughter was allergic to wheat and could not eat chappati. My daughter was allergic to wheat, eggs and soy so, I used to make everything gluten free and egg free from breads to cakes to pancakes to....u name it and I used to make it, well that's another story to dwell upon some other time.

Back to tandlachi bhakar which is nothing but humble rice flour flat bread made the Goan way !!

Ma made different kinds of bhakars,like rava,wheat,nachni,etc but this one was a regular fare at my parents place.

Ma had many banana trees in her backyard and so she used fresh banana leaves for a lot of things from roasting fish(bangda) in charcoal to lining the bhakar's while roasting them on the griddle. Oh ...those bananas leaves impart an out of this world aroma to the humble bhakar.

There are 2 ways of making the bhakar either

1)add warm water in the flour and mix or

2)boil the water and then add the flour to the boiling water.

The latter produces more softer bhakar.

And there are 4 ways of flattening out the balls of dough,

1) dip fingers in water and place the dough on the hot tava and quickly spread it out using your wet fingers,

2) take the washed banana leaf and lay it flat on the counter and then flatten the dough ball using fingers dipped in water and then gently lift the banana leaf along with the flattened bhakar and keep it on the griddle along with the leaf,

3) roll the ball sandwiched between thick plastic bags(like Ziploc) or foil.

4) dip a cheesecloth in water and rinse and lay on counter, then spread the ball of dough using fingers dipped in water, then flip the bhakar on to the hot tava and take/peel off the wet cheesecloth,

I like the banana leaves method but as I do not get fresh banana leaves here in Canada and I do not like the frozen ones, I prefer the third method.

Pappa, A Very Happy B'day To You & this bhakar is for you all the way from Canada !!

Ingredients

1 cup rice flour,

1 cup water,

salt to taste,

pinch of sugar or jaggery,

1-2 green chilly , chopped fine,

1/4 onion , chopped fine,

4 tbsp grated coconut,

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves(optional).

Method.

• Heat water in a pan. When boiling add salt,and the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
• Take off the heat and let rest for few minutes till cool enough to handle. Knead the dough for a few minutes to make it smooth.
• Meanwhile heat a tava or griddle on medium heat.
• Make 2 balls of the dough.
• Take a piece of foil and put the ball on it and put another piece of foil over it and then roll using rolling pin to make 3/4 cm in thickness(thick like a paratha).
• Lift the foil along with the bhakar and then flip the bhakar on the hot tava, foil side up, take off the foil and reuse to roll the next bhakar.
• Cover with a lid and let the bhakar cook for few minutes on one side, then using a spatula flip it on the other side and let cook till few brown spots appear and it puffs up like a roti.
• Take off the heat and apply a little oil or ghee and enjoy with dry khobra(coconut) chutney as in the picture.
• I prefer mine plain or dunked in hot tea !!!!!!! And so do my kids :)

Note

Sometimes Ma used to add dill leaves(shepo leaves) or grated cucumber to the dough.

I add chopped spinach leaves or grated butternut squash or zucchini to the dough for a change and extra nutrition for my kids.

1 cup yields 2 bhakars, you can double or triple the quantity as required.

Ma usually served it with green chutney or the Goan (khobarya chi chutney)dry coconut chutney as I have shown in the picture.

Update.

When my Dad read this post he reminded me that my mom also made this bhakar by soaking rice for few hours, then grinding it to a thick paste and then cooking it on a slow flame till it comes together into a ball. Add the rest of the ingredients (seasoning ) and then make the bhakars.

But that is a lengthy process so I think I will stick to the rice flour for now.

Kaarle Bhaaji / Simple Bitter Gourd Stir Fry

Karela is called "kaarley" in konkani. And I am a big fan of karela. I simply love the vegetable in any form.
This is a simple stir fry for everyday meals.

Marinating the karela in tamarind is Ma's tip for reducing the bitterness in karela.
She made karela kappa(fry) and karela bhaaji with tomatoes and potatoes, but she never squeezed the juice out of the karela. She always marinated the cut karela in tamarind pulp for at least 1/2 hour.

Ingredients
2 cups chopped karela(thinly sliced),
1 medium onion sliced,
1 tbsp tamarind pulp,
salt to taste,
1/2 tsp turmeric powder,
1/2 tsp red chilly powder,
pinch of sugar,
2 tsp oil.

Method

• Apply tamarind to the karela and keep aside for 30 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
• Add chopped onions and fry till tender and translucent.
• Add the marinated karela and fry till karela is cooked.
• Add the salt, chilly powder ,turmeric powder and sugar and stir till everything is mixed well.
  There you go the dish is ready to be savoured with chapati or rice and simple dal.

Note.

Increase the red chilly powder if you want more spicy. I personally prefer to taste some of the bitterness in the karela.

If you don't have tamarind then use lemon or lime juice.

Add chopped garlic and ginger for a variation.

Peanut Besan Ladoo/Peanut Chickpea Sweet Balls.

Ma had made peanut ladoos a few times for us. I remember her roasting and grinding the peanuts , she did not add besan but I added it as I was not sure if my kids would eat just peanut ladoos. I do not have her recipe but wanted to make the ladoos. And I had a lot of peanut butter to finish off so decided to make these, they turned out awesome and quick too.

HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY with Peanut Besan Ladoos.

Ingredients.

1 cup besan(chickpea flour),

1 tbsp oil,

1 cup icing sugar,

1/2 cup regular fine sugar,

1 tsp cardamom powder,

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder,

3/4 cup peanut butter,

raisins to garnish.

Method.

• Roast besan with oil on low flame till well cooked and raw smell goes away.
• Take the pan off heat, add peanut butter and mix well when warm.
• Then add the 2 kinds of sugars and cardamom and cinnamon powder and mix well.
• Take 1-2 tbsp of mixture at a time in hands add a raisin and roll tightly into a ball.
• Makes 20 small or 10 medium sized ladoos

Note.

Add nuts if you like.

I used crunchy peanut butter so did not add any nuts.

Can also use almond butter to make these ladoos.

Vaal Papdi Bhaaji/French Beans Stir Fry.

This is my 50th post on the blog.

And I would like to post this simple French Beans Stir Fry which is my Pappa's favourite bhaaji.

This vegetable was a regular item and was cooked at least once a week at my parents place. I guess this shows how much my Pappa likes the vegetable.

Usually in Goan kitchen one adds mustard seeds and cumin seeds for the tempering, but somehow I do not know why but Ma only added mustard seeds for this bhaaji. May be my Pappa liked it this way.

And also the vaal papdi was always just cut into pieces about 1 and 1/2 inches in length. My Pappa liked chunkier vegetables then finely chopped or minced, he said that the nutrients of the vegetables is retained when kept chunkier. Also this vegetable was always made nice and crispy. Of course according to his age now Pappa prefers fulled cooked vegetables. :)

Ingredients

2 cups french beans chopped,

1/2 onion chopped,

1 or 2 green chillies chopped or slit,

1 tsp oil,

1 tsp mustard seeds,

salt to taste,

pinch of sugar,

1/2 tsp turmeric powder.

Method.

• Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the chopped onion and green chilly, cook for few minutes then add the cut beans, salt, sugar, turmeric powder and a sprinkle of water and mix well.
• Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low and cook on low flame till the beans are cooked but not mushy.
  

Note

Cut beans to whatever size you prefer.

Add grated coconut if you like.

Mixed Dal Dosa/ Mixed lentil Crepes.

Mixed Dal Dosa served with Aam ras and mixed vegetable Stir fry.

Ingredients.

3/4 cup udit dal,

1/2 cup mung dal,

1/4 cup channa dal

1 tsp methi seeds,

salt,

pinch of sugar,

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves,

1 tsp red chilly powder,

1/2 tsp turmeric powder.

Oil to grease and drizzle on pan.

Method.

• Wash and soak dals and methi seeds for 4-5 hours. Drain and grind to a fine paste. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. (Pancake like batter.)
• Heat non stick pan and grease it slightly with 1/2 tsp of oil.
• Then pour 1/4 cup of batter and spread around thin like for a dosa .
  Let cook for a minute and drizzle some oil on the dosa and on the sides, then flip to other side with a spatula and let cook on other side for few minutes.
• Serve hot with chutney or ketchup or any vegetables side dish.

Note.
This is the best way for young kids to eat any kind of dals without a fuss.
Drizzling the oil on the dosa makes the dosa crispy.
This is a nice recipe to use up any small amounts of dals that you have in the pantry.
Can vary the amounts of dals.

Guilt-Free Bhaji(pakoda) Triangles/Chickpea Flour Triangles.

I know the name kind of makes u think what in the world is she talking about..................Bhaji(pakoda) and guilt-free???????

Well, the other day I felt like eating bhaji but did not want to indulge in the oily stuff, so thought ok, let me try this method.

And guess what it did work !!!!!!!!!!!! Yippee!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now there is no stopping me from enjoying these bhaji's any time of the day.

Ingredients

5 tbsp chickpea flour(besan),

1 tsp rice flour,

1/2 tsp ajwain seeds,

1/4 tsp turmeric powder,

1/2 tsp salt,

1 green chilly , chopped fine,

1/4 cup chopped onion,

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves.

2 tsp oil.

Method.

• Mix all ingredients except oil in a bowl, add few tbsp of water to make bhajiya batter.
• Heat 1 tsp oil in a 8 inch non stick pan on medium heat.
• Pour all the batter in the hot pan and spread(like a thick dosa).
• Let cook few minutes, take a spatula and flip the bhaji pancake.
• Drizzle 1 tsp oil on the edges of the circle and let cook on other side for 1-2 minutes.
• Turn off heat. Take the bhaji pancake off the pan and cut into triangles or squares and enjoy with some ketchup or chutney and a hot cup of tea.

Note

The rice flour makes the bhajiya crispy.

Increase green chilly to make more spicy.

This batter was sufficient to make one 8 inch circle.

These need to be eaten crispy hot or else they get soft.

Bhindi Bhaaji/Okra Stir Fry.

Bhindi is called " Bhene " in konkani. Ma made this bhenyachi bhaaji often, only she did not add amchur powder, she would sometimes add a couple of teaspoons of lemon juice.

Ingredients

3 cups bhindi, cut in a slant or angle,

1 onion, chopped,

1 tomato, diced,

5 cloves garlic, chopped fine,

1/2 tsp turmeric powder(haldi),

1 tsp garam masala,

1/2 tsp dry mango powder(amchur)/ 2 tsp lemon juice,

2 tbsp oil,

1tsp jeera(cumin),

1 tsp mustard seeds(rai),

salt to taste.

Method

• Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
• When hot add the jeera and mustard seeds, when they splutter add the chopped onion and saute well.
• Next add the tomato and bhindi and mix well.
• Add the rest of the ingredients, sprinkle a few teaspoons of water and reduce heat to low and allow the bhindi to cook till tender but not mushy.
• Sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves if desired for garnish.

Note

Can cut the bhindi in any desired shape, the end result and taste is the same.

Sometimes Ma made it using green chillies and omitted the garam masala.

Also at times she would add some fresh grated coconut to it.

Tomato Onion Bhaaji

Our meal of paneer bhaaji, masoor thondak, tomato bhaji and chappati.

This tomato bhaaji is a typical goan dish eaten with chappatis or bread(pao - this is in konkani for bread rolls) in the morning for breakfast.

My mom used to make this very often.

Ingredients

1 onion, diced,

7-8 tomatoes , diced,

1 green chilly, chopped fine,

3 cloves garlic, minced or sliced,

2 tsp oil,

1 tsp mustard seeds,

1 tsp cumin seeds,

pinch of hing,

2 tbsp grated coconut,

3 tsp goan garam masala or any garam masala,

1/2 tsp turmeric powder,

1 tbsp sugar,

salt to taste.

chopped coriander leaves for garnish.

Method

• Heat oil in a pan, add the hing, mustard seeds and cumin seeds.


• When they splutter add the chopped onions, garlic and green chilly and fry till the onion in translucent and cooked.


• Next add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt, sugar and grated coconut and mix well.


• Let cook for few minutes uncovered(if you cover there will be lot of liquid in the dish).


• Add chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with bread or chappati.

Note.

I prefer mine with bread as the bread soaks up the juicy liquid.

Can add chopped or whole cashew nuts.

Add more green chillies for spicier version. I tend to make mine less spicy because of my kids.

Paneer Bhaaji / Cheese Stir Fry.

My son simply loves paneer. Every time I make this recipe he will say "mom did u make cheese bhaaji". He calls paneer as cheese, which technically speaking is right.
I do make paneer pulao, paneer makhni, palak paneer, etc, but my son loves this simple paneer bhaaji the most. So this bhaaji is a regular fare at our house.

Ingredients.
2 cups diced paneer(cheese),
1/2 medium onion , diced,
1/2 cup diced bell pepper,
2 tsp oil,
1/2 tsp mustard seeds,
1/2 tsp cumin seeds,
1-2 tsp garam masala,
1/2 tsp turmeric powder,
salt to taste,
2 tsp dry kasoori methi leaves, crushed,fenugreek leaves),
1 tbsp lemon juice.
Coriander leaves to garnish.

Method.

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
Add the mustard and cumin seeds and when they splutter add the onions.
Cook till onions are translucent.
Next add the bell pepper, garam masala, turmeric, salt and mix well.
Add the chopped paneer and mix till everything is coated well with the spices.
Finally add the crushed methi leaves and lemon juice, mix, cover and keep for few minutes on slow fire.
Turn off heat and add chopped coriander leaves for garnish.

Note.
Add any colored bell pepper.
Add red chilly powder to make more spicy.

Participation.
This post is off to JFI-Paneer hosted by Trupti, an event started by Indira of Mahanandi.

Masoor Thondak / Masoor Curry.

I am a pressure cooker "freak" or "fan" whatever you may call it, I make anything from pulao to biryani to dals and beans, to chicken in the pressure cooker.

My favourite is my mom's Instant Chicken , cooked in the pressure cooker of course.

I have not yet experimented with seafood in the pressure cooker till now though, may be one day I might venture in that direction too........

I make most of my beans and channa in the pressure cooker, as that is the best shortcut when you want to have food on the table quickly and you have 2 toddlers around you all the time.
This recipe falls in one of those categories where I "dump" everything in the pressure cooker and pressure cooker for a couple of whistles and voila quick gravy with beans is ready to devour with simple hot phulkas/rotis(flat bread) or rice.

Anyways here is the recipe for the Masoor Thondak.

Ingredients.

1 cup masoor washed and soaked in water for about 20 minutes.

1 tsp oil,

1 tsp cumin seeds,

pinch of hing,

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine,

2 tbsp grated ginger,

2 tomatoes, chopped,

1/2 tsp turmeric powder,

2 tsp Everyday masala,

1 green chilly, slit,

salt to taste,

1/2 tsp sugar.

chopped coriander leaves for garnish.

Method.

• Heat oil in the pressure cooker, add the hing and cumin seeds and when they splutter add the chopped onions , garlic, ginger and mix well.
• Next add the drained masoor and the turmeric, everyday masala, salt and sugar.
• Mix well till everything is coated with the masala.
• Add about 1 and 1/2 cups of water and put the pressure cooker lid on with the whistle and pressure cook on medium high heat for 2-3 whistles.
• When you open the cooker adjust the amount of gravy consistency as you desire.
• Add chopped coriander leaves for garnish.
• There you go quick masoor thondak ready to eat.

Note

Can make any kind of beans, channa, lentils in this way.

Substitute any kind of garam masala of your choice for the everyday garam masala.

Add some more green chillies or red chilly powder if you like more spicy.