Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti Squash is a fall vegetable that is in the shape of a nice yellow oval. I first had this in an upscale restaurant in  Williamsburg ,VA. When I ordered this item from the menu, I thought I am going to get the spaghetti with squash vegetable. Little did I know that the spaghetti squash was a vegetable by itself and that on cooking, its strands come out like thin spaghetti! When my order arrived, it sure looked like a gourmet dish and I was instantly attracted to its thin strands. That day, I decided I have to learn how to make Spaghetti Squash. Now that the Fall season is in full swing, lots of squash varieties are easily available.

The challenge that one faces with spaghetti squash is the process of cutting into half as the exterior is pretty thick. To overcome this challenge, I resorted to finding an easy way of cutting squash, and came across an extremely useful link. Read more about it at https://www.teaspoonofspice.com/easily-cut-spaghetti-squash-spaghetti-squash-lasagna/

Spaghetti Squash contains fibers that when cooked, converts into thin strands. Hence the method of using microwave for couple of minutes before cutting and then halving it followed by baking it for an hour, releases the strands easily. This winter squash is quite tasteless, as such hence can be used in variety of ways. Mostly people use it as a spaghetti substitute, as if offers only 42 calories per cup of spaghetti squash,probably the lowest among all winter squashes. It is very rich in Vitamin B, Potassium and Magnesium and has a very high content of water.Hence it very useful for weight loss as well as for people suffering from hypertension and Vitamin B.deficiency.

The version presented here, has some more personal touch to it in terms of green chillies, olive oil, black pepper, green onion, broccoli and a hint of red bell pepper. Enjoy this unique gift of nature, that has so many benefits! Spaghetti Squash is so pretty in color, and the texture definitely wins more points as compared to other things in this lovely Fall dish!

 

Print Recipe
Spaghetti Squash
Spaghetti Squash - A spicier version of Spaghetti Squash wth easy technique of cutting the squash,
Spaghetti Squash
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 20 min
Cook Time 50 min
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 20 min
Cook Time 50 min
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Spaghetti Squash
Instructions
  1. Microwave the spaghetti squash for 1 minute. Cut the ends out. And with a sharp knife cut across the center. Though I cut vertically, somewhere else I read that cutting horizontally gives a longer spaghetti strands. So you can explore either of the options.
  2. Scoop out the seeds thoroughly.
  3. Lay the two halves on the aluminum foil in a baking tray. Bake for approx 30 min at 325 degrees.
  4. Switch the squash upside down and cook for another 20 min in the oven.
  5. Remove from the oven and use a fork to pick through the meat of the squash. This will release the spaghetti strands.
  6. Scoop out all of the spaghetti strands.
  7. In a wok or a large pan, heat the olive oil. Add green onions and green chillies and saute a bit.
  8. Add broccoli florets and saute for 5-6 minutes on high flame.
  9. Add red papers, salt, and saute for 3-4 minutes.
  10. Finally add the spaghetti squash to the mix and mix in all the vegetables, and cook for 3-4 minutes on high flame.
  11. Serve the Spaghetti Squash with some soup and bread or having it just by itself is quite tasty.
Recipe Notes

Tips

One more tool that can be used to cut easily is to poke toothpick all around and which will assist and guide you in cutting the squash easily and in proportion. A dash of lime and ginger may also taste good with this.

Topping of some grated cheese should also be a good addition, as might be baking it with grated cheese on top.

Instinct Factor

Cutting the spaghetti squash is the most challenging aspect . Once that is mastered, rest is very easy. Once this has been learned you will be tempted to use the spaghetti squash or the normal spaghetti and benefit from the high nutrient content and high water content in the squash.

Feel Factor

Felt triumphant on being able to cut the spaghetti squash with just the knife, as came across the pre- heating in microwave recipe later! It was mesmerizing to see the strands come out of the starch in the spaghetti squash, almost like a magic trick! Some spice of black pepper, green chillies, green onions and broccoli gave it a flavor of Pad Thai noodles, giving the spaghetti squash and exciting flavor. Its healthy, its light, its flavorful, its colorful and it is common sense to eat fall colored vegetables in fall season! Thoroughly enjoyed exploring, cooking, and tasting this exotic looking vegetable dish with a highly popular pasta name!

Govind Gatte Stuffed Dumplings in Tomato Gravy

Govind Gatte Stuffed dumplings in tomato gravy

The festival of colors Holi,which just went by is celebrated with much fanfare in the land of Rajasthan. My imagination takes flight and I imagine the royals of the land playing with colors in their elaborate costumes  and the exquisite castles filled with colorful dresses and colorful faces. At such festive occasions, the royal chefs must be busy cooking and inventing royal dishes.  and the courtyard maybe filled with  delicious sweets and snacks! One such royal dish is Govind Gatte Stuffed Dumplings in Tomato Gravy, a rich dumpling  gravy based entree, filled with richness of cashews, raisins and paneer. There is the ordinary Gatte recipe popularly known as Gatte Ki Subzi whose recipe I blogged earlier. The version detailed today is for those special moments and occasion to make them more memorable.

Differentiation between the two recipes relate to the shape, stuffing and the gravy, This is festive so it has been depicted in a triangle form, with stuffing and in a tomato yogurt gravy. It is softer and since they are blanched and fried, one can relish them as side snacks too!

The festive occasion at our end besides being HOLI was also a milestone birthday celebration, so found the perfect opportunity to try out Govind Gatte.  If short on time, the round shape gate is a which is a quicker shape for sure. The gravy has a nice tangy flavor and  one gets a similarity to malai kofta gravy and texture. This can be also cooked on aatham/chaudas menu of the Jain tithi and including this will make the menu more festive and royal for the guests and family.

Personally I enjoyed the kauri methi , raisins and cashew flavor in the Govind Gatte and the yogurt tomato mix gravy. Cone shape of Gatte make it so very festive and colorful and the perfect dish of color, taste and texture from the land of royals and color. The good part is one can make the uncooked Gatte in advance for a day or two and then cook them as desired. Alternatively fry them and have them as snacks with tea and they are really delicious to eat alone too! I am sure the person for whom this was made must be named Govind, and must be a well loved royal to have a dish on his name, from Jodhpur.

Enjoy the festivities and the richness that are ever present in the Indiau cuisine with Govind Gatte Stuffed Dumplings in Tomato Gravy!

Print Recipe
Govind Gatte Stuffed Dumplings in Tomato Gravy
A chickpea flour recipe of stuffed dumplings in a yogurt based gravy
Govind Gatte Stuffed dumplings in tomato gravy
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 10 min
Cook Time 30 min
Servings
people
Ingredients
For the Stuffing
For the Gravy
For the dough
Making of Gatte
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 10 min
Cook Time 30 min
Servings
people
Ingredients
For the Stuffing
For the Gravy
For the dough
Making of Gatte
Govind Gatte Stuffed dumplings in tomato gravy
Instructions
For making the stuffing
  1. Heat the ghee and add cashews and saute for 20 seconds, add raisins and saute for 30 seconds, add paneer, salt and chill powder and further saute for 40 seconds and remove from flame.
For making Gatte
  1. Mix all the ingredients and taste for spice and salt levels. Bind all the ingredients into a smooth dough.If need more water for dough add yogurt.
  2. Roll the dough into a long cylinder shape.
  3. Cut about 1/4 inch pieces of the dough. I was able to make about 22-23 pieces
  4. Make a ball of each piece and flatten it a bit between the palms and afterwards use the fingers to pat it and make it a little bigger. Fill about 1/2 tsp of the stuffing on it.
  5. Fold the edges of the dough inwards and make a con shape. If it s not easy to fold in a cone shape, first make a ball and then make a cone shape. Alternatively you can leave them as balls too. But typically this being royal, the cone shape associated was to make it extra ordinary.
  6. Boil about 3/4 liters of water and add salt, yogurt and ghee. Add the cone gatte to it, ensuring that the quantity of water is sufficient for it to be submerged completely.
  7. Boil the gatte for about 10-11 minutes till they are completely cooked and rise to the top.
  8. While the gate are boiling heat the oil in a pan, once it warms up, keep it on a low flame. As soon as the gatte are cooked, instantly drop them into the oil for frying.Once they are light beige in color, remove from oil and cool.
Making the gravy
  1. Heat the oil and asafetida, dried red chillies and cumin seeds and allow the seeds to get slightly brown. Add fennel seeds, coriander powder, chill powder,salt and sauté the ingredients on a low flame for about a minute till you get the roasted aroma of the chickpea flour.
  2. Add yogurt and continue to simmer the gravy stirring continuously as otherwise the yogurt will break.
  3. Once the oil starts separating out, add the Govind Gatte to the gravy and simmer on low flame for about 10 minutes, and add about a cup of water, so that the gravy does not thicken too much while its cooking.
  4. Remove from flame and serve immediately or before serving add some water to keep the consistency fluid and then warm and serve with bread, rice or puri
  5. Enjoy the royal feast at home with this royal dish of Govind Gatte, accompanied here with Puri, Dahivada, Moong and Kadhi. All items of a Jain aatham chaudas 🙂
Recipe Notes

Tips

The original recipe has mava powder which I replaced it with paneer,as I feel paneer is more healthier and tastier.

If you like kasuri methi, sprinkle about a tsp of methi powder in the gravy while warming before serving.

Instinct Factor

Getting the cone shape could be challenging so ensure that flatten ball of the dough is not too thin, as otherwise it will break while frying or steaming.

Feel Factor

Even though the list of ingredients are way too many, the making of the dish is relatively simple and it just fill your home with aroma of spices and one can easily fall in love with the crispy fried Govind Gatte as snack or the crisp yet soft Govind Gatte in the tangy tomato yogurt gravy. I have found another jewel of the Rajasthani cuisine that promises to be on our list of enchanting flavorful recipes.

 

 

 

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Temple Pongal Lentil Rice

Ven Pongal Temple

Temple Pongal Lentil Rice is the prasad one gets when one visits South Indian temples. The most famous south Indian temple is the Tirupati Balaji Temple in Andhra Pradesh. The temple is situated atop a hill and surrounded by seven hills around it. The access to the temple from the base of the city is a long winding road, and using the stairs/trails to hike up can take about 3-4 hours on foot. This is the most wealthiest of temples in India, with devotees giving large contribution as donations. This temple was what I visited post my marriage and coming from Jain household, was struck by the beauty, discipline and the utmost devotion expressed at various levels, from the learned priests to the the person working in the guesthouses over there. The temple prasad was just true delicacy, and having had my first taste of pongal as Tirupati Pongal, I am kind of spoiled by that.  A lot of restaurants serve this Pongal as Ven Pongal or Khara Pongal, but not many come close to the color, texture and taste of the original Tirupati Pongal. So on this day of Pongal, I took the time to recreate what I remembered from my visit many many years ago and hope Lord Balaji is blessing me on this attempt!

The texture of Temple Pongal Lentil Rice as I remember was more like porridge, and made out of small grain rice.  And I recollect the color as white base, and the taste of raw cumin and the yellow moong dal being seen clearly and of course dollops of ghee, cashews and black pepper!  A lot of recipes on the web talk about adding curry leaves. ginger and turmeric. However, I decided against it as that does not match with my visual memory. I could be wrong, but still wanted to make an attempt to recreate the blessings I received via the temple pongal in the way I remembered. And besides the logic that makes sense, is that this prasad would be made as simple as possible, considering the vast number of devotees that visit the temple. And the logistics of carrying curry leaves, ginger all way atop a hill and then the labor involved in cleaning and cutting would be a bit too much. Not using the added ingredients also helps me keep this recipe suitable to the aatham/chaudas menu, when green and root vegetables are not consumed in the menu.  There are some Jains who believe that the temple idol of Lord Balaji at Tirupati was originally an idol of Shri NeminathTirthankar. Whatever be the belief, the fact that today it is the most wealthiest temple and the most revered by devotees speaks volume for the faith of the devotee as well as the blessings obtained at the Tirupati Balaji Temple.

The Temple Pongal Lentil Rice is often cited as a complete meal as it has its content of grain, lentil and lots of protein via ghee and nutrition of cashews and black pepper. Black pepper was the original spice from India, used in place of red and green chillies. Pongal, festival of harvest in Tamil Nadu, is often celebrated by boiling milk over and Pongal also means boiling over.

Wishing all of you a Very Happy Pongal and loads of good wishes as you start a new year with optimism and good thoughts  with the prasad  of Temple Pongal Lentil Rice and blessings of Lord Balaji to guide you through the year!

 

 

 

Print Recipe
Temple Pongal Lentil Rice
Comfort and pure joy to eat this soulful rice and lentil recipe from southern India.
Ven Pongal Temple
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Passive Time 30 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Passive Time 30 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Ven Pongal Temple
Instructions
  1. Dry roast the yellow moong dal in a pan for 2-3 minutes on low flame till you get the aroma of roasting,
  2. Wash the rice thrice and soak with five and half cups of water for 30 minutes. After soaking, boil this soaked rice, along with its water. Add salt, peppercorns, cumin seeds and milk to it.
  3. Keep stirring in between so that the rice does not stick at the bottom. Halfway through add the roasted yellow moong dal.
  4. Once the rice and dal are cooked, and you have reached the desired consistency of the pongal, remove from flame. If the consistency looks to soupy, keep cooking till water is reduced.
For Tempering
  1. Heat the ghee in a small vessel, and add cashews and stir till they are golden brown. Add asafetida and remove from flame. Add this to the rice and mix well, and cook rice for another 2-3 minutes for the flavor to set in.
  2. Add the crushed pepper powder and keep stirring whole time, so that the rice does not set at the bottom.
  3. Serve warm with Shakkar Pongal or with coconut chutney or pickle or just plain is also very delicious!!. Plain yogurt serves a good accompaniment to Temple Pongal.
Recipe Notes

Tips

  • Small grain rice are crucial to obtaining the texture of the pongal as well as cooking on the stove is important so that you can get the right texture. I used the Spanish Goya Rice as  thats what I had at home and it worked well.
  • Ensure that the cashews do not get burned, and stay golden, which I missed out on.

Instinct Factor

  • Quite a bit of instinct involved in recreating this recipe by memory. I could be wrong, but I hope my readers from southern India will forgive me:)  Feel free to add red chillies, some coriander, if you want to add some more spice and fragrance.

Feel Factor

Happy to have the prasad of  Lord Balaji and invoke his blessings in some way! Texture was great according to my husband, who just loves this Pongal and any Pongal on earth. So much so that the Pongal restaurant in New York City, is his Mecca for this and we have to make a visit every time we are in NYC. So a compliment from him made my effort worthwhile.. Loved the cumin, black pepper and ghee flavor in this traditional temple recipe of pongal.

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Acorn Squash Pulao

Acorn Squash Pulao

Acorn Squash Pulao is inspired from the fall season during which we see farmer’s market and Whole Foods greet you with  different type of squashes  right at the entrance of the shops. The orange, yellow and green colored squashes in all different shapes and sizes, all loaded with the great amount of beta carotene and Vitamin A did present a challenge in cleaning and cutting! But the challenge was worth it, as the house smelled of fall fragrance, as the acorn squash with ginger, mint leaves and cinnamon.  I modified  the recipe of Kombucha Pilaf from Bon Appetit  and modified to the ingredients readily available with me. Sometimes great things are discovered when one is willing to experiment and use a little creativity, listening to your own heart’s inner voice.

On reading more about the various types of squashes, I found that the Kombucha Squash is the sweetest squash you can find and it is similar to Butter Cup Squash. These squashes can be easily used as replacement for sweet potatoes, so that is great thing for anyone wishing to avoid root vegetable, and yet not loose much of the taste of sweet potatoes.

In giving the Acorn Squash Pulao a little Indian touch, decided it to flavor with cinnamon, green chillies, and mint leaves and topped it with roasted and salted pistachios! Its a quick one pot meal that can be done in about 30 minutes and its a great mix of western and indian cuisine. When your kid asks if she can take it to school next day, means you have hit a home run!

Using very little oil, and filled with nutrients its a great addition to the daily cookbook during the fall- winter weather! Enjoy this journey  with Gourd Almighty Family and Acorn Squash!!

Recipes makes Acorn Squash Pulao for 2-3 people

Time to Cook – 25 min

Prep Time : 5-7 min

Ingredients

  • 2 cups peeled and shredded Acorn Squash
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  • 1 cup Basmati rice
  • 2 thai hot green chillies, sliced
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/3 cup sliced broccoli stem pieces (optional)
  • 1/2 tbsp sliced ginger ( heaped spoon)
  • 1 tbsp chopped mint leaves

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  • 2 tbsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • 2 cups of water to cook rice.
  • 12-15  roasted and salted pistachio for garnish

Method

  • Wash the rice thrice in lots of water and soak in four cups of water for 20 minutes.
  • Halve the acorn squash and peel as much as you can and then shred.
  • In a deep pan, put the oil to heat, and add cinnamon stick. Once the cinnamon stick doubles and flattens up, add green chillies and ginger and saute for two minutes.

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  • Add broccoli stem and saute for 2 more minutes.
  • Add shredded squash, salt and mint leaves and saute for a minute.

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  • Drain all the water from rice and add to the squash and saute for a minute.
  • Add two cups of water, cover and cook on low flame for 15-20 minutes, till the all water is absorbed and rice grain is well cooked.

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  • Serve hot and garnish it with roasted and salted pistachio for nutty flavor and  itts great to be enjoyed just by itself.

Acorn Squash Pulao

Tips

Using a pre cut version of squash is much quicker, but in that case will have to use the cubes and not the shredded version. I shredded with some skin remaining, and it tasted fine. And as they say, skins of the vegetables hold the most nutrients!

The spice level in this pulao is at a minimum, so as to retain the western feel of the recipe. You might want to double it up, if you want to give it a more Indian touch.

Instinct Factor

Keep relying on your instincts to create a recipe that your heart desirers! Using the skin as well as adding flavor that I thought would go well, turned out right in the end.

Feel Factor

A warm fragrant pulao that is a mix of western and indian cuisine, with the sweetness from squash and cinnamon and spice from the green chillies and ginger, and cooling flavor from mint leaves, all added a variety of flavors to this one pot quick meal recipe of Acorn Squash Pulao. This success has definitely made me want to try more recipes with squash, as they surely are loaded with lots of good nutrients that I find it difficult to get my family to eat, specially Vitamin A, so a great recipe find for sure and not to mention, the fact that I can get Vitamin A , without  having to eat roots!!

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Falafel Sandwich

Falafel Sandwich

Falafel Sandwich will definitely “fill” you up with all the protein you need and make you “feel” healthy for sure! How I wish there were more Falafel sandwich options as there are Subway sandwich options! That would be a real nice addition for those watching weight and trying to lose weight once you hit the middle age! Falafel has a very confused origin, but it favours Egypt, to be the most likely place from where it came, and there it is traditionally known as Tamiya. the word coming from Tam,meaning plenty, and tamiya is also a prominent part of the meals of Gujaratis of Sudan and East Africa! Tamiya though are made purely from Fava bean base. I took some time to cultivate this taste, as I definitely did not like the sesame taste as a young kid, as well as the taste of fava beans. My journey to becoming a Falafel fan started with the Cheap Food Eats  at Mamoun’s Falafel. The college kids in SOHO district in Manhattan, which housed the all night open joint of Mamoun’s Falafel are always on the lookout for good cheap eats.  I have an old school friend of mine to thank for introducing us to this gem.

Mamoun’s is an extremely small joint with hardly 2-3 tables to sit at MacDougal St in Manhattan. A video on the store can be seen at Mamoun’s at MacDougal. They claim to be one of first ones to introduce Middle Eastern cuisine and Falafel to New York. And their Falafel comes from chickpeas base, and hence I can see why it got such a vast popularity, that it has now four new locations in New Jersey and Connecticut! Way to go for a cheap filling, healthy food place, that 15 years back charged just $2.50 a falafel sandwich, and now is just $3:50! The quality has remained consistent over the years, and this is one place we really miss not going to.

So had to resort to making the same at home, and much easily done when using instant mix of Nirav’s Falafel mix, easily available at Indian Grocery store. The ingredients in the pack include, chickpeas, fava, sesame, onion, garlic and parsley and spices and salt. The whole story of the various versions of falafel as well as the making of falafel from scratch is well explained on this blog  http://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2011/01/falafel/ where she mention how originally this started as vegetarian base food only!

This is a very healthy recipe that satisfies your tastebuds, mind and replenish your body and muscles with the great amount of protein in chickpeas, fava beans and yogurt, and the ease with which this is made. makes it a much frequently had meal in our house. Another great point about it is,  it]S rainbow color meal, a principle I try to follow, to ensure the different nutrients are consumed via the different color of foods.

Check out the tips section for more options to the balls and sauces to get more unique flavors or get original and try the various version from scratch as detailed in the blogs mentioned above! This can be a very easy party menu, as it is simple to  fry the balls before hand and then slice everything and guests can assemble the falafel sandwich according to the sauces and garnishes of their choice. So why not have a fulfilling Falafel flavoured full on party at home?!

FALAFEL SANDWICH

Recipe makes 9  falafel balls

Time to cook 20 min

Ingredients

[/shopeat_ingredients]

  • 1 1/2 cup of Nirav Falafel Mix
  • Oil for frying
  • 1 1/4 cup of water
  • 1 cup shredded lettuce
  • 2 tomatoes thinly sliced into half circles
  • 1/2 cup cucumber sliced thin and then further sliced vertical like strips
  • 1 1/2 cup of hummus – my recipe detailed here Hummus Using Canned Chickpeas
  • salt to taste
  • 8-9 pita or 4 pitas cut into halves( Middle Eastern brand Pitas is what I prefer)

IMG_8772

For Tzatziki Sauce
  • 1 medium sized plain greek yogurt or any thick yogurt
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup grated cucumber
  • salt to taste
  • 2-3 pods of garlic crushed
For Hummus Recipe

Refer my previous recipe of  Hummus Recipe Using Chickpeas Canned or Soaked

Method

For Making Falafel
  • Soak 1 cup of Falafel mix with 1 cup of water and leave it to rest for 30-45 min.

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  • Heat oil for frying on high flame and then reduce it to medium
  • Using an ice cream scoop drop scoops of mix into the oil.

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  • Fry till golden brown and then flip and cook the other side.
    IMG_6177
  • Using a slotted spoon, remove the falafel balls from oil  and drain.

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For making Tzatziki Sauce
  • Mix all ingredients and serve.
Serving the Falafel
  • Cut the pita into halves, and insert your fingers in the half to create a pocket in the middle.

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  • Layer the bottom of the pocket with some hummus.
  • Layer some tzatziki sauce on top.
  • Insert couple of falafel balls.

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  • Top it with chopped lettuce, sliced tomatoes and thinly sliced cucumbers.

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  • Layer it again with some tzatziki and hummus and sprinkle of salt. Another way of serving is on  flat whole pita bread. with falafel ,  veggies and dressing and fold over and eat.
  • Or serve just the falafel balls with hummus and tahini sauce.  Bon Appetit!!

Falafe Sandwich

Falafel Sandwich

 

Tips

If the oil temperature is not right, the falafel balls will be uncooked, and not crispy on the outside and soft to bite. So medium heat, while cooking is essential.

If the mix is too dry, add little  water to make it to dropping consistency.

Instinct Factor

If you like sesame seeds on top, use 1 cup water only, and form balls with your hand and then roll it in sesame seeds and fry.

Additional toppings of pickled cucumber, spicy Sriracha sauce are good additions to the falafel sandwich.

I like the pocket pita sandwich but it is also served on a flat pita bread and layer things on top and then folded like a wrap.

Feel Factor

A sandwich of a different kind that is more protein based, cooling, healthy, and tasty as well! It is colorful, makes you feel like you are eating a pakora and yet feel healthy! Crunchy taste of the pakoras with the dressings of hummus, and yogurt based tzatziki is an interesting combination. A definite addition to my monthly menu for the huge protein components that are of high importance for vegetarian diet. And interesting enough. Falafel originated as a vegetarian sandwich and not a meat based so a definite another plus point for me!

 

 

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Pav Bhaji Vegetable Curry With Dinner Rolls

Pav Bhaji  Vegetable Curry with Dinner Rolls is a common street food of Mumbai, the city known as the business and finance capital of India, inviting millions to come and try their future. It is the needs of the old mill workers in and around Tardeo, that led to the creation of this epic street food that is loved by the poorest to the millionaires in India. Sardar Pav Bhaji at Tardeo holds the creation genius behind this super delicious dish that is curry based, has vegetables and is accompanied by bread. The key ingredient in the Sardar Pav Bhaji is the loads of Amul Butter used for the richness in the recipe. Its just sinful to not only eat the butter in your dish, but watch it melt alway in front of you! Almost a quarter stick per serving!!  The nearby theaters gave the Pav Bhaji more prominence, as people would often go there for dinner after watching a movie. The rate of Pav Bhaji has gone from 12 Rs to more than 100 Rs. now. More interesting information on Sardar Pav Bhaji can be read at Sardar Pav Bhaji This place also has been mentioned in Trip Advisor as well as as the top 10 places to visit for yummy street food in Mumbai. No wonder it still has about 30 minutes waiting. The place has remained the same in terms of size and scale since I started visiting 20 years back!! And I took my daughter to visit this place and it has made it to  her list of places to visit in Mumbai, every time she makes a trip to Mumbai!

The Pav Bhaji Vegetable Curry with Dinner Rolls is spicy with buttery gravy and garnish of lemon, coriander and shallots and a grilled butter roll to accompany. This makes it a wholesome, spicy, filling and one meal recipe that we had over the last thanksgiving! Hope that hints how important and how well appreciated is this recipe in our family!

Recipe makes for 4-5 people

Time to Cook 1 hours

Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients

  •  5 cups of chopped cauliflower
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped orange bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup chopped carrots

 

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  • 3/4 cup green peas
  • 5 potatoes

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  • 1 cup chopped tomatoes
  • 1 can of tomato puree/sauce(Hunt brand)
  • 2 1/2 cups chopped onion
  • 3-4 garlic pods
  • 1 1/2 inch ginger
  • 4 thai green chillies

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  • 1 cup oil
  • 1 big bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp pav bhaji masala(Everest Brand)
  • 1 tbsp garam masala(Everest Brand)
  • 2 tsp red chilli powder
  • 3 tsp black salt
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/8 tsp asafetida powder
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup frozen butter(Amul brand)
  • Dinner rolls or pav from Indian Store
  • 2 cups of water or more if needed.

Method

  • Boil the potatoes in a pressure cooker with about 4 cups water upto 5-6 whistles on medium high flame.
  • Soak the cauliflower in water and a pinch of salt for 15-20 min.

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  • Cool and skin the potatoes  and cut into cubes.
  • Boil the drained cauliflower, carrots, peas(if fresh) and capsicums to upto 3-4 whistles on medium high flame.
  • Heat the oil in a big deep pan
  • Add the bay leaf and asafoetida.
  • When the bayleaf turns brown, add the ginger and chillies and saute for a 2-3 min.

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  • Add chopped onions and garlic and saute till golden brown.

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  • Once the onions are golden brown add the potato cubes, and boiled vegetables.
  • Add tomato puree, fresh tomatoes, salt, frozen peas , red chilli powder, turmeric powder, pav bhaji masala, garam masala, and water and  butter. lemon juice and simmer for about 20 minimum with occasional stirring so that it does not stick at the bottom.  Once well cooked, you can blend it with potato masher, or hand blender.

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  • Grill the dinner rolls or pav in butter and serve the warm Bhaji with the Pav( Dinner Rolls)

Pav Bhaji Vegetable Curry with Dinner Rolls

  • Garnish  the Bhaji with with onions, fresh coriander, wedges of lemon/lime and added butter and serve them warm.Pav Bhaji Vegetable Curry with Dinner Rolls

 

Tips

The reason to soak the cauliflower for a few minutes in salt water, is so as to remove tiny insects that may be inside the cauliflower( following the Jain principle of least harm possible). Also it is always better to cut the potatoes in half and then pressure cook it.

I once observed someone using a Ragu’s tomato paste also as a base sauce gravy!

Jain Version-Replace potatoes with equal amount of boiled and grated raw bananas. Also replace carrots with red/orange bell peppers if possible. and add another cup of water to get enough liquidity and garnish just with coriander and lemon

Instinct Factor

Add brinjals, or any other vegetables to make it your version of Pav Bhaji Vegetables Curry and butter it up to the extent your instinct indicates !!

The consistency is neither thick nor thin- somewhere in between, so blending will be based to your liking. Generally I like to see some parts of vegetables rather than it be all blended.

Feel Factor

To recreate a recipe that is was invented in 1850 by Sardar Pav bhaji in Mumbai, is like trying to re-create a Mona Lisa in my home!! Needless to say that any version of Pav Bhaji Vegetable curry with Dinner rolls will bring a much wider smile than that of Mona Lisa! But am pretty happy that having lived next to that area for a long period and having visited often to this place, I was able to come close to the flavour that I remember of Pav Bhaji from this place. I often end up cooking this dish, when I have sudden guests, and I can only cook one meal. In that case it has to be Pav Bhaji Vegetable Curry with Dinner Rolls, as just throw in the vegetables and make a curry and accompany with bread!

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Vegetarian Gado Gado Salad

Vegetarian Gado Gado Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce comes from the cuisine of Indonesia, specially Java. A distant aunt of mine now no more,  was born and brought up in Java and she introduced  this recipe which  fits even the strict Jain diet! Gado Gado literally means “Mix Mix” so the dish involves mixing of a lot of vegetables and coating this with spicy peanut sauce! As I did some more research about this dish, I came to know that original version had many more vegetables such as spinach, green beans, cucumber, carrots, onions etc.. This recipe seems to be in the highlight, as even Bon Appetit, a prestigious cooking magazine talked about it recently, as I pleasantly so discovered. Read more about it at Bon Appetit Gado Gado.

Traditionally this dish contains tofu, tempeh, shrimp, but the version listed below is purely vegetarian which I have grown up eating and relishing and I just made this for a lunch event at my place, and everybody was super impressed with the color, texture, taste and health benefits of this dish,as well as the crunch from the fried rice papads, and not to mention something totally different from the usual menu!

The spicy peanut sauce is the key ingredient for this recipe to be so famous! The best peanut sauce is made from fresh red hot chillies, which at least in USA is not easily possible through the year! My mother in India often makes this in the winter months as the chillies are fresh then and stock it for year long consumption and the base recipe of the spicy peanut sauce comes from her! I have used dried red chillies, which also turned out pretty close to the original flavour and well worth the time! Eat it just as a salad, with brown rice or with bread and butter, or use it as a quick mix recipe!!

Enjoy this version of  Vegetarian Gado Gado Salad – a gem from the land of Indonesia and lose weight without losing taste and color in 2016!

Recipe makes for 10 people

Prep Time 1 1/2 hour

TIme to cook 1 hour

Ingredients

For the Gado Gado Salad

  • 2 kg cabbage chopped

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  • 2 1/2 cups long bean diced long (approx. 400 gems of long beans)

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  • 4-5 raw bananas boiled and skinned and diced

For the Spicy Peanut Sauce

  • 200 gms Kashmiri Red Chillies dried or  500 gms fresh

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  • 1 1/2 cups peanuts fried with skin
  • 1 cup plus 2 tbsp jaggery thinly diced or powdered
  • 5 big lemons
  • salt to taste

For the toppings

  • 12 Rice Papads ( Khichiya) Fried and crushed
  • Oil for frying

For accompaniments

  • Dinner Rolls and butter

Method

For the Salad

  • Put 7 cups of water to boil in a deep vessel and add salt.
  • Once the water starts to boil,add four fistful of vegetables of cabbage at a time and cook for about 8 min covered with lid. Strain the cooked cabbage with slotted spoon. Repeat till all cabbage is cooked.
  • After boiling all the cabbage, add the long beans with a pinch of sodium carbonate and salt. Open cook for 10 min.
  • Cut the raw  bananas to half and pressure cook them  with salt and 1 tsp turmeric powder for 5-6 whistles.
  • Cool the bananas.
  • Long slice the bananas into  halves  and then the halves into further three parts. Remove the center black part of the banana and then  dice them.

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  • Once all the vegetables have cooled, mix them.IMG_5142

For the Spicy Peanut Sauce

  • If using the dried chillies, soak them for couple of hours in lots of water so they become soft.
  • Remove the stems from the chillies and the seeds.
  • Fry the peanuts in hot oil with skin to brown color and drain will.
  • Once the peanuts have cooled,  first blend the peanuts with  skin red chillies.
  • Then add one and  half cup of water and chillies and blend for 6-7 min.
  • Then, add jaggery, salt and lemon juice and blend some more till the texture is smooth.

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  • If the texture is uneven or if you have missed out on removing the seeds, like I did,  sieve the mixture through a strainer and retrieve the smooth textured chutney, throwing away the dried seeds and extra fibre.

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  • Extra chutney/sauce can be preserved for long in the refrigerator for future use. The spicier version of this chutney is shown in the below pic in the bigger bowl to the right.

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For the sweeter version of this peanut sauce

  • Take about a 1 cup of the above mixed chutney and add 3 tbsp of jaggery powder, 2 tbsp sugar and  1/2 cup of water, juice of 1 lemon and mix well. The sweeter version is what I am used to having it since childhood, is shown on the left side in the above picture.

Frying Rice Papads

  • Heat oil to smoking level.
  • Fry the papads by pressing them with a slotted spoon on a medium high flame.

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  • Drain and cool for 10-15 min.
  • Using the pressure of flat palms, crush the papads gently.
  • Then crumble and gently and make smaller pieces.

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  • Store in air tight container till serving.

How to Serve

  • In a bowl put some mixed boiled vegetables, pour some spicy peanut sauce chutney and top it with crushed papads. Alternatively you can make put a little of both the versions of peanut sauce, which also tastes good.
  • Serve this with buttered dinner rolls or atop cooked brown rice

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Tips

While chopping cabbage, remove the thick inner white portions and buy a cabbage that is more green than white.

Remember to add salt while boiling all vegetables and turmeric while pressure cooking raw bananas.

One can also serve this with rice and the peanut sauce needs to be thick but pourable consistency and all the vegetables need to be coated with it to get the perfect taste,

Instinct Factor

Try any mix of vegetables instead of the above mix, to suit your taste.  The peanut chutney makes more quantity then needed, and this can be frozen for future use. Just add a tiny bit of water when re using it.

There are lots of other vegetables that one can add as also listed in the original non-vegetarian version in Indonesia. These include bitter melon, spinach , tofu,  french beans.

Feel Factor

A warm salad, a warm vegetable bhel, or a truly innovative crunchy colorful  healthy appetizer /entree, are some of the names that came to my mind while cooking and relishing this. My most favorite ingredient in this recipe is the spicy peanut sauce. for its color, taste and texture. The whole recipe gets a whole new spice kick because of this sauce and the dish has an extreme healthy look and feel. One can eat this alone or one can eat this with buttered bread or even rice, and I prefer the second option as it goes well and gives it a touch of a complete meal. The true taste of this delicious Vegetarian Gado Gado Salad from Indonesia lies in the steamed vegetables coated with the spicy peanut sauce, so for anyone having a  taste of Thai food, will find this appealing too and the fried rice papads giving an extra depth and taste to the salad! Musical name with a spicy kick is what makes Vegetarian Gado Gado Salad a truly delicious meal!

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Bhaidku Millet Rice Porridge

Bhaidku Millet Rice Porridge is a very traditional and very ancient meal from Gujarat India. It is a family favourite for us, having loyalists spanning for five generations starting from my great grandfather to my daughter! Talking about generations and their liking for Bhaidku Millet Rice Porridge, I am reminded of the story of the three bears and the porridge, and each of them relished their porridge just right! SImilarly over here one can get their Bhaidku just right in consistency and taste by adding water and/or milk and/or buttermilk. I wish we could enter this recipe that has such a great porridge texture in the World Annual Porridge Competition at World Porridge Competition.  Read more about a how a porridge should be cooked as well as different versions from famous chefs at Porridge Club Recipes. Hope some of them come across this ancient porridge version from India!!

And rightly so the history of millet goes as

Millet is thought to have originated in North Africa, specifically in Ethiopia, where it has been consumed since prehistoric times. There is even mention of millet in the Bible as an ingredient for unleavened bread. Millet is still an extremely important food staple in many Africa countries.

Since ancient times, millet has been widely consumed in Asia and India as well. The Indian flatbread roti is made from ground millet seeds. In the Middle Ages, before potatoes and corn were introduced, millet became a staple grain in Europe, especially in countries in Eastern Europe. The Setaria variety of millet was introduced into the United States in the 19th century. While millet has been used primarily for birdseed and livestock fodder in Western Europe and North America, it is now gaining popularity as a delicious and nutritious grain that can be enjoyed for both its unique virtues as well as the fact that it is a gluten-free grain alternative to wheat.

The majority of the world’s commercial millet crop is produced by India, China and Nigeria.”

This is one easy way to eat millet the highly nutritious grain, without much of an effort. The health benefits of eating millet can be read at Benefits of Millet.  A lot of people have dry grinders/blenders at home outside India, so this should be an easy process for them to pre grind the mixture of millet lentils and rice. Coarsely ground bhaidku millet rice porridge mix can be stored over a year or more in a freezer. And all you need is milk/yogurt as an accompaniment and you have a healthy meal in 20 minutes!! Enjoy your bowl of warm fuzzy eclectic porridge with this unique porridge recipe!

 

Recipe makes  servings for 2-3 people

Time to cook 20 min

Soaking time 30 min (optional)

Ingredients
  • 1 cup of bhaidku mix coarse powder from dry grinding of
    • 1 cup bajri millet seeds
    • 1/3 cup chilkewali dal split green lentils
    • 2/3 cup rice

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  • 1/3 cup ghee
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/4 tsp ajwain or carrom seeds
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 1/2 cup water
  • salt ro taste
Method
  • Heat the ghee in a broad vessel
  • Add carom seeds to it and let it

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  • Add the bhaidku mix. salt and turmeric powder and roast for 8-10 minutes on slow- medium flame making sure it does not burn.

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  • Close the flame and add milk and water and soak for half an hour

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  • Ten minutes before serving, heat up the mix on a medium flame and keep stirring till the fat separates and the mixture thickens.

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  • Serve hot with buttermilk or plain yogurt.
  • Enjoy the highly nutritious and a complete healthy meal!

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TIps

If you are short of time, you can avoid soaking in the milk and water. If you are able to soak you will get a better thicker consistency,

Salt to be added will be a little higher than normal as millet requires additional salt.

Instinct Factor

Can go with or without milk, while cooking. Replace milk with water, milk with buttermilk while cooking or cook in plain water and mix milk/buttermilk while eating.

Feel Factor

Simply heavenly food in a jiffy! The texture is like a porridge and tastes warm and fuzzy with a hint of sourness if you have used butter milk as an accompaniment! Brings smile on the face of my daughter, my father in law and myself!. I guess we all love the warm yellow color, roasted aroma and salty and colorful taste of Bhaidku Millet Rice Porridge.  This is also often made for senior people having trouble chewing and eating, and I have fond memories of my great grandfather relishing this is as his dinner almost 2-3 days in a week! It is definitely more tastier than an oatmeal porridge in my opinion as it has the edge of the carrom seeds and flavour of buttermilk and millet/lentil/ rice.

It is wholesome, nutritious, very ancient meal which is  a must for lactating mother and young infants. So many praises because of its combination of grains, lentils, and milk products, Bhaidku Millet Porridge is specially very good evening meal in the winter season. I often get my stock of the dry grinded mix from India and freeze it in  the  freezer so that the millet does not get bitter and can last for more than a  year.  Am always ready for this kind of porridge as an evening meal!

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Spicy Gatte Ka Pulao with Dumplings

On  the eve of Thanksgiving, I have lots to be thankful for, especially all the readers who visit my  blog and facebook page and cook and share the recipes listed here. One of the recipes that has got lot of attention, is the one I made over last Thanksgiving viz, Vegetarian Kabuli Pulao available at http://cookingbyinstinct.com/vegetarian-kabuli-pulao-layered-rice/.  And in appreciation of all the readers who have liked that recipe, I am very happy to present another type of spicy rice made often during Dushhara at our house which is Spicy Gatte Ka Pulao with Dumplings

Dushhara is the festival celebrating the victory of good over evil! Dush means ten,  hara means victory over ( ten headed evil Ravan was defeated by Lord Ram) or ten evil things within you(per Jain traditions). These ten heads of evil things within a person  according to Jainism are viz. lust, anger, ego, pride, selfishness, jealousy, injustice, material attachment, greed and lack of humanity. So Ravan can be an outsider or can be an insider within you!! I just had to share the picture of Ravana for festive feel!

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On this day of Dushhara, we make a combination of sweet rice and spicy rice. This time I decided to make Spicy Gatte Ka Pulao with Dumplings. The dumplings are spicy and made out of Bengal Gram flour and I like the fact that this pulao, the dumplings stand out  clearly against the white long grained rice! This delicacy comes from Marwari Cuisine and it is quite easy and quick to make.The spice in the rice comes from spices of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and paste of ginger and green/red hot chillies.  Its kind of complete meal when eaten with a yogurt accompaniment as it has lentil, rice and yogurt. The sweet rice is also known as Meethe chawal  and is detailed at http://cookingbyinstinct.com/meethe-chawal-sweet-saffron-rice/

Spicy Gatte Ka Pulao with Dumplings is a great recipe for a new and different version of vegetarian spicy pulao, specially as rice dishes are always well appreciated fat big dinners whether it is Diwali dinner or Thanksgiving dinner!!

Recipe makes for 5 people

Prep Time 10 min

Cooking Time 45

Ingredients

For the Rice

  • 2 1/2 cups rice
  • 3 big bay leaves
  • 1 tsp whole black pepper
  • 1 tsp cloves
  • 2 tbsp cashew pieces
  • 3 big round cinnamon sticks
  • 5 big cardamoms
  • 4-5 green thai chillies
  • 1 inch piece of ginger peeled (optional)
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 cup oil

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For the Gattas

  • 3 cup besan or  bengal gram flour
  • 8 tsp red chilli powder
  • 4 tsp fennel seeds or lucknowi saunf
  • 1/2 tsp ajwain or carom seeds
  • 4 tbsp curds
  • 4 tbsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • 1/8 tsp asofoetida
  • up to 2-3 tbsp water to bind

 

Method
  • Wash the rice thrice in plenty of water and soak in about 6 cups of water.
  • Make a ginger chillies paste in a mortar pestle.

For the Gattas

  • Mix all the dry ingredients into the flour and taste for salt and spice levels.
  • Knead a firm dough using just about 2-4 tbsp water

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  • Divide the dough into 6 equal parts.
  • Boil about 1 litre of water in a broad pan.
  • Add some salt to the boiling water.
  • Roll the six parts of the dough into an even cylindrical roll

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  • Drop the rolls into boiling water and cook for 10-12 min, till bubbles form on the outside.

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  • Lift the gattas with a frying ladle, and keep them aside, removing the excess water.
  • Once they cool, cut them into small pieces about half an inch thick.

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  • Heat the oil in a deep broad pan.
  • Add asafoetida to the oil.
  • After that add big cardamom, after a few seconds add cinnamon stick.
  • Once the cinnamon sticks flatten up, add whole black pepper, and a few seconds later add cloves.
  • Add bay leaves and few seconds later add cashews.

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  • As the cashew gets golden brown, add paste of ginger and chillies.

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  • Then add the cut gatta pieces and saute for 5 minutes

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  • Add rice after draining all water and saute for 2 minutes.
  • Add 4  1/2 cups of water, salt, stir and cook on low medium flame.

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  • Cover the pan and cook for about 20-25 minutes till almost all water evaporates.

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  • Serve with pickle, yogurt or kadhi(yogurt curry) or accompaniment of your choice.

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Tips

Ginger can be avoided if looking to cook pure Jain food, and in that case increase the chillies to 6-7 pieces.

This can also be made for Aatham Chaudas food for Jains by avoiding both green chillies and ginger. In that case add 2-3 dried red chillies to add spice.

In case the gatta dough gets too sticky due to excess water, rub some oil in your hands and over the dough and it will be easy to roll it.

Instinct Factor

One can check if gattas are done or not, by piercing a knife or fork in the middle and if it sticks, then it needs some more time to boil.

If you like your rice dish with the yellow color, do add 1/2 tsp of turmeric while cooking rice!

Feel Factor

To cook Spicy Gatte Ka Pulao with Dumplings  for the first time and get the approval of your in laws feels good! It turned out really nice and I like the white and brown combination, as the gatta or the dumpling stands out against the white grain of rice. The gatta and rice are quite spicy and very aromatic too due all fragrant eastern spices and the long grain basmati rice. The dumplings are soft to bite and fragrant with fennel seeds and spice, which is quite a contrast to the normal vegetables that one finds in a vegetarian rice dishes !! For a recipe that is not too time consuming and different, this is an excellent option and hence plan to  give this dish an inclusion into your monthly menu and not just special occasions!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gatte ki subzi Spicy Dumplings in Yogurt Gravy

Marwari food or Rajasthani Cuisine is famous for this Gatte ki subzi Spicy Dumplings in yogurt gravy. With the arrival of family, comes the joy of cooking authentic Marwari/Rajasthani cuisine. And what makes the effort even more worth while is the reward in terms of high appreciation of the efforts made.

I did have to rely for basic recipe from  Ms. Tarla Dalal, which I have adapted to our taste, to replicate the taste that I often savour on my trips to Jodhpur for this wonderful dish. The first time I was exposed to this cuisine was at the famous Chetana Restaurant  in Fort Area in Mumbai,which serves excellent Marwari and Gujarati Thalis. This version of the gravy and gattas is spicy and colorful with lot of different flavours and fragrance due to a variety of spices in it. Also it uses some gram flour in the gravy too, which makes it easy to cook, as compared to the other method where no gram flour is used. This way, this recipe also does not need that much of time attention, when multiple things are being cooked, and hence I tend to find this recipe practical and tasty too!

And I can say with confidence that this is very similar to the original taste to Jodhpur region, as that is  where my in laws are from, and they had two thumbs up for this recipe!!  Am happy to have been exposed to Marwari Cuisine, as it just helps me to extend my Jain Diet menu to interesting food dishes. and Gatte ki subzi Spicy Dumplings in Yogurt Gravy is  one that is easy to cook, quick to make, extremely rich in taste and looks ! Winning points in all categories for sure and definitely a recipe for a dumpling fan!!

 

 

Recipe makes for 4 people

Preparation Time: 10 min

Cooking Time: 25 min[shopeat_button]

Ingredients

For the gattas

  • 1 1/2 cup besan or  bengal gram flour
  • 4 tsp red chilli powder
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds or lucknowi saunf
  • 1/4 tsp ajwain or carom seeds
  • 2 tbsp curds
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • up to 2 tbsp water to bind

For the gravy

  • 4 cups curds, blended well
  • 2 tbsp bengal gram flour
  • 2 tsp jeera or cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp rai or mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp lucknowi saunf or fennel seeds
  • 1/4 tsp asofoetida or hing
  • 2 big bay leaves
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 big sticks of cinnamon
  • 3-4 cardamoms or elaichi
  • 6 tsp red chilli powder
  • 4 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder

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  • 1  1/2 cup of water
  • 6 tbsp oil
  • salt to taste

For the Puris

  • 2 cup atta
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • salt
  • water upto 4-6 tbsp  to bind
Method
For the gattas
  • Mix all the dry ingredients into the flour and taste for salt and spice levels.

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  • Knead a firm dough using just about 2-4 tbsp water.

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  • Divide the dough into 6 equal parts.
  • Boil about 1 litre of water in a broad pan.
  • Add some salt to the boiling water.
  • Roll the  five parts of the dough into an even cylindrical roll. Just thought of statistical calculation IMG_4247
  • Drop the rolls into boiling water and cook for 10-12 min, till bubbles form on the outside.

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  • Lift the gattas with a frying ladle, and keep them aside, removing the excess water.
  • Once they cool, cut them into small pieces

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For the gravy
  • Mix turmeric, chilli , coriander powders and salt into the blended yogurt .
  • Mix in 2 tbsp of water to the bengal gram flour and make a paste.
  • In a broad and deep pan, put oil to heat.
  • Add the spices one after the other, as they crackle or become brown and big, – bay leaves, cinnamon sticks,cloves,cardamom, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida and fennel seeds.

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  • Add the spiced yogurt to the seasoned oil and stir continuously
  • After 2-3 min, add the bengal gram flour paste.
  • Add salt to taste and boil for 10 min on medium high flame, stirring frequently.
  • Once the gravy boils, add the cut gatta and boil for another 8-10 min on medium-high flame.

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  • Garnish with coriander(optional)
  • Serve with puris, parathas or nan or any bread of your choice.

For the Puris

  • Knead the ingredients into a soft but firm dough and refrigerate the dough for at least half hour.

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  • Make a tbsp size dough balls, and using a roller pin, make 5-6 inches round circle for puris.

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  • Put oil to heat for frying.

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  • When the oil is well heated, insert the puri upside down and fry on high to medium flame and cook on both sides.

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Tips

Check if the gatta rolls have been cooked well by piercing a fork or knife into the roll. If the dough sticks to the fork or knife, then it needs a few minutes of further cooking.

The gravy will thicken a bit, if kept for more than an hour or so, so adjust the water before or add water while warming up to serve

Extra plain boiled gattas, can be eaten as it is, or fried a bit, and topped with salt and red chilli powder.

Instinct Factor

If the gatta rolls are sticking in your hand, apply some oil to your palms, for smoother finish.

What was a pleasure to watch was the hexagonal pattern forming in the gravy while being boiled. I just happened to watch and episode on TED talk on efficiency in nature, where hexagonal patterns are one of the most efficient patterns in nature which maximises the resources available to nature. Interesting and instinctive coincidence for sure!

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Feel Factor

Brings back the good food  memories from the Land of Rajasthan, the place for spicy colorful vegetarian cuisine!! Specially from the town of Jodhpur, my favorite, as far as food is concerned. This is definitely the place to  go on binge eating and people often do, as the water in this town is so conducive to overeating, if that is legit!

The Gatte ki subzi Spicy dumplings in Yogurt Gravy, makes one appreciate the spices of many different kinds and the fragrance of carom, bayleaf and cinnamon along with chilli powder and cloves, cardamom! It is so rich  one can relish this by itself, with rice as it has enough gravy or the quintessential puri or paratha.  And if you have left over, the left overs are going to taste even better as the taste further deepens over time.  These are my favourite dumplings from Indian Cuisine at the moment, and  is similar to the dhokli subzi in Gujarati Cuisine. If you are a dumpling fan, this is a must on your recipe list

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