Cornmeal Idlis

Have you ever thought of making idlis using cornmeal? Yes, it is possible and is absolutely delicious! It is especially useful if you have not soaked your lentils for regular idlis and want to make idlis next day for breakfast. These idlis can also be made instantaneously without any fermentation! How cool is that??

You can make it with or without adding any vegetables into it. I like to add some peas and carrots into the batter . Some people also use chopped green chillies and grated ginger. I don't like that in my idlis. I would rather pair it with a spicy chutney. Also, I want my kids to eat this and they don't like it if there are chillies in it.

This is a easy recipe wherein there is no grinding involved. Yogurt/curd is used to make the batter. A pinch of baking soda is added. The batter is allowed to ferment for 2-3 hours. I like to make mine at night and leave it on the countertop, ready to be steamed in the morning. If you want to make it instantaneously, use eno fruit salt instead of baking soda.

Servings: makes 16 medium sized idlis

Prep time: 15 mins + 2 hours fermentation

Cook time: 10-15 mins

Total time: 2 and 1/2 hours including fermentation time.

Ingredients:

Cornmeal: 1 cup
Yogurt: 1 cup
Water: 1/2 cup ( may not need all)
Baking soda: a pinch ( optional)
Salt to taste
Coconut oil: 1 tsp + for greasing the pan.
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Urad dal (split matpe beans): 1/2tsp
Chana dal ( split chick peas): 1 tsp
Cashew halves: 1 tbsp

Method:

Dry roast the cornmeal in a sauté pan  it in a plate/ bowl and keep aside.

In a saute pan, heat oil . Add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the urad dal,chana dal curry leaves and cashew halves.Sauté for few seconds. Add the cornmeal.
Roast on low heat until fragrant( around 5-6 minutes). Turn off the flame. Let it cool down.

Take this mixture in a bowl. When cooled down, add the cooked peas and carrots, salt, baking soda and yogurt. Mix thoroughly.

 Add the water little by little, mixing well in between until you reach the consistency of idli batter.

Let if ferment for atleast 2 hours.

When you are ready to cook the idlis, grease the idli mold with ghee/ butter fill it with batter until 2/3 full and steam in the idli steamer / pressure cooker ( without using the weight) for 10 minutes on medium- high flame.Turn off the heat and let it cool down in the steamer for another 10 minutes before taking them out of the mold.

Serve hot with sambar/ chutney or both.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

To make these idlis instantaneously, just add eno into the batter instead of baking soda. Make the batter and steam it immediately. When eno is added to the batter, the batter should not be kept for a long time. It loses its ability to rise.

Tip for healthy living:

Incorporating as many vegetables into all your meals not only provides you with the essential nutrients and dietary fiber, but also reduces the calorie value of the meal thereby making it healthier.

Food for thought:

Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery. Joyce Brothers

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

Let us stay connected on Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | Instagram | Google+

Mint-Cilantro/Coriander-Coconut Chutney

Mint-Cilantro chutney is one of my favorite chutneys! It is a go-to accompaniment for must appetizers, be it kebabs, pakoras or bhajias! It is also great with almost all kinds of dosas & idlis. It is a perfect amalgamation of the fragrance and flavors of both herbs. This chutney can be made with or without coconut. 

I like to make it with coconut as it adds bulk to the chutney. When I make it with coconut, I usually do not use garlic or onion in it. I only use ginger and green chilies to spice it up. For the version without coconut, click here.

Servings: 10

Prep time: 15 minsCook time: 0Total time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Cilantro: 1/2 bunch, leaves separated from the stems & cleaned, stems discarded.
Mint: 1/2 bunch, leaves separated from the stems & cleaned, stems discarded.
Freshly grated coconut: 1 cup
Green chillies: 2-3 small, can be adjusted based on individual spice level.
Fresh ginger: 1 inch, peeled.
Tamarind: if dry marble sized. If using the pulp, 1/4 tsp.
Salt: as per taste
Water: 1/2 cup

Tempering: ( optional)
Coconut oil: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Method:

In a blender, add all the above ingredients except cilantro and mint and grind them.When coconut is almost ground to a fine paste, add the cilantro & mint leaves and blend it to a fine paste.
You could add a little more water while grinding as needed as per your desired consistency of the chutney.

Tempering ( optional):
Heat coconut oil in a small frying pan. Add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves and turn off the flame.
Add this tempering to the chutney.

This chutney could be served with samosas,rotis, fritters, rotisserie chicken, kebabs etc. It could also be used in sandwiches.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

It is a great idea to make this chutney and keep it in your freezer to use as needed. This chutney is not only a great as a dip but is also a great base for vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes and pulao and biryanis.

Tip for healthy living:

Herbs have plenty of medicinal value. It is an established fact that mint is a great digestive aid.

Food for thought:

Genius is the ability to renew one's emotions in daily experience. Paul Cezanne

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

Let us stay connected on Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | Instagram | Google+

Chole Chicken ( chicken with chickpeas )

Chole chicken??? Sounds weird right? Well, I agree that it sounds weird, but it tastes just fantastic! You have to try this dish to find out for yourself if I am telling you the truth.

Why did I come up with this dish? Quite accidentally actually. My little daughter has only now expanded her palate to include chicken. And she wants real chicken with bones that has been curried. Very interesting. One time, I was making Chole for my son's school family feast. My daughter comes upto me and requests for chicken curry for lunch. What was I supposed to do? That's when the idea struck. I kept aside some of the masala ( sauce ) that I made for the Chole . I had some chicken marinated in the fridge. I sautéed the masala and then added the chicken to it and cooked it until 2 whistles. Voila chicken curry was ready. Towards the end another inspiration struck and I added some chick peas to it. My daughter doesn't like to eat chick peas. I figured, with the chicken she would eat and she sure did. That was how Chole chicken was born!

This combination however is really not that novel. In Bangladeshi and Pakistani cuisine, combining chickpeas with chicken is common place. I strongly suggest that you try for yourself and see. I promise you, you will not be disappointed! It is a great side dish that pairs wonderfully with any kind of rice, bread or flatbreads.

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

Garbanzo beans/Chick peas ( Kabuli Chana): One 10 oz can
( you could also use 1 cup dried chick peas soaked overnight and then cooked to required level of tenderness).
Chicken: 2 lbs, drumsticks/thighs
Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
Salt: 1/4 tsp
Black pepper: 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
Cooking oil: 1 + 1/2 tbsp
Jeera( cumin seeds): 1/2 tsp
Onion: 1 large, chopped.
Garlic: 3-4  small cloves, chopped fine
Ginger: 1 inch piece, chopped fine.
Green chillies: 4, chopped fine ( you can adjust as per individual spice level).
Tomato paste: 2 tbsp ( can also use 1 fresh medium sized tomatoes).
Chole masala: 1 tbsp ( I use Everest or MDH brands) ( If you don't have Chole masala, kindly use the spices suggested in the "cooking made easy" section).
Red chili powder: 1/4 tsp
Kasoori methi( dried fenugreek leaves): 1 tbsp
Salt: as per taste
Sugar: 1/4 tsp
Water: 1 cup
Chaat masala: 1/4 tsp ( I use Everest brand)( optional).
Cilantro ( coriander leaves): 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp, chopped.

Method:

Marinating the chicken:
Clean the chicken thoroughly and cut it into big pieces. Marinate it with lemon juice, salt, black pepper and turmeric powder and keep aside in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Heat 1 tbsp cooking  oil in a sauté pan/ pressure pan. Add the garlic, ginger, sauté for a minute. Add in the chopped onions and sauté until the onions sweat. Add in the green chillies. If using fresh chopped tomato, you may add it now. If using tomato paste, DO NOT ADD at this stage. Once the fresh tomatoes wilt a little, turn off the flame and let the mixture cool down. Once cooled take it in a blender/food processor and pulse it to a fine paste. Keep it aside.

Rinse and drain the chick peas and keep aside.

Heat the remaining 1/2 tbsp oil in the same pan. Add jeera( cumin seeds). Sauté for 30 seconds. Add the ground paste and the tomato paste ( if you have not used fresh tomatoes earlier). Sauté for 4-5mins on medium flame until the tomato paste starts leaving oil.Add the Chole masala powder, red chilli powder and mix well. Add the marinated chicken, kasoori methi, coriander leaves, salt, sugar, and mix well. Add 1 cup water and bring the mixture to a boil. If using the pressure cooker, cover the lid with the whistle on. Reduce the flame to
medium-low and cook until you hear 2 whistles. Turn of the flame. Do not open until all the pressure inside has been released.

If using a sauté pan,  cover and let it simmer until the chicken has cooked to the desired tenderness.

Garnish with coriander leaves and chat masala.

Serve hot with rice/bread/flat bread.

Enjoy! I am bringing this to Throwback Thursday, Saucy Saturday and Angie's Fiesta Friday where  Josette @ thebrookcook and Lily @ little sweet baker are co-hosts. I know I am a little late for the party but I was busy having a birthday party for my daughter.

Cooking made easy:

If you do not have Chole masala or Chana masala spice mix, just add ( for the above recipe):

3/4  tbsp coriander powder,
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp garam masala

The Chana masala or the Chole spice mix has a lot more ingredients in it, but the above mix more than compensates for the mix. The most and best compliments I have received is when I made Chole/Chana masala without the spice mix and using the above substitutes. This and other experiences has over the years, now has me with minimal spice mixes in my kitchen cabinet. If you notice you basically need coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala in varied proportions in most dishes. So, why buy all the spice mixes and let them sit in your pantry??
Think about it.

Tip for healthy living:

Make your meals healthier by gradually increasing the proportion of protein, fruits and vegetables in your plate while reducing the proportion of rice/roti/ bread on it.

Food for thought:

Imagination is the eye of the soul. Joseph Joubert

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

Pakora kadhi with dill ; Meatless Monday

I often come across tantalizing pictures of pakora kadhi with rice in the various food groups. It looks so comforting. True Indian soul food. But I have never made it, until now. You see it is not something that is part of the South Indian Cuisine. It is an integral part of the North Indian Cuisine. I think for some reason I had a mental block when it came to making kadhi. Until now. Now, I wonder why I never made it before!!! Me who loves to try several cuisines, why didn't I attempt to make this dish before?? Well, I don't know.

Kadhi is basically a sauce/a gravy that is made by mixing together chick pea flour and yogurt , tempering it with spices and then cooking it. It is usually meant to be eaten with rice. When some kind of fritter is added to it,it is then called pakora kadhi. Something like the dumpling soup but without white flour . The impetus for my making kadhi was my blogger friend , Swati's post. I saw her post and I knew I had to make it. I made just a little bit, enough for 3-4 people. I had some cauliflower leaf fritters that I had made the previous night. I decided to use them in the kadhi. During my recent grocery shopping, I had picked up a bunch of dill. Upon my quest for newer recipes that use dill, I learnt that dill could be used in kadhi. I decided to try that too.. And dropped in some dill sprigs in there. It sure made the kadhi very flavorful.  Over all the kadhi was finger-lickingly delicious! I would definitely make this again as it is simple, easy and relatively quick to make. It definitely comfort food when served with piping hot rice.

Servings: 3-4 people

Ingredients:

Yogurt: 1 cup
Besan ( Chickpea flour): 2 tbsp
Haldi( turmeric powder): 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder: 1/4 tsp
Dill leaves: 1 cup
Salt: to taste
Water: 4 cups


For tempering:
Cooking oil: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Jeera( cumin seeds): 1/2 tsp
Methi seeds( fenugreek): 2 seeds
Hing( asofoetida): a pinch
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Whole dried red chilli: 1-2 nos

Method:

Add the yogurt, besan ( chickpea flour), chilli powder and haldi to a bowl. Mix together in such a manner that there are no lumps. Now add the water and mix well using a hand-held whisk.

In a thick- bottomed pot, heat oil. Once the oil is hot enough, add mustard seeds. 

Once the mustard seeds splutter, add cumin seeds, methi seeds, curry leaves and dried red chillies.

Reduce the flame to very low and add asofoetida powder. 

Now add the whisked yogurt-besan mixture to the pot. Cook on low flame until it just about starts bubbling, stirring constantly . Do not increase the flame. It might curdle the mixture. 

Now add salt, the pakoras and the dill leaves and continue to cook on low-medium flame for 10mins, stirring in-between until the kadhi thickens slightly.

Serve hot with rice.

Cooking made easy:

This kadhi can be made without the addition of any pakoras or dill leaves and would still be very flavorful. However, if you do decide to use pakoras, any kind would be alright. It is perfect for leftover pakoras or bhajias the next day!

Tip for healthy living:

Brushing your hair 100 strokes once  daily is believed to help grow longer and healthier hair.

Food for thought:

For success, attitude is equally as important as ability. Unknown

Baked Vegetable Samosas; Diabetes Friendly Thursday

We Indians love to eat. We have a good breakfast early morning, followed by maybe a snack around mid-day, then lunch around noon to 2 pm, an evening chai with some snacks and then dinner between 8 and 9 pm. There are some key points to be noted. All meals have to be cooked fresh. We Indians do not believe in eating leftover food!':(

Another important component of the  Indian culture is the "evening chai". I don't know if the British started this trend or it existed before the British rule, but drinking Chai in the evening with some snacks is quite important. Now most often these evening snacks comprise of fried food like samosas, pakoras( fritters), bhajias ( deep fried veggie pieces), chakuli, Chivda ( mixture) etc. Well, you see where I am going with this right?? A. Do we need this evening tea?? Well yes, even though physiologically, our body might not need the additional calories, habits and traditions are hard to break. Also, health wise, it is better to eat frequent small meals than large infrequent meals. So, what is the solution?? Of course, make the unhealthy, healthy! With this objective in mind team DFT brings to you " Unfrying  the fried Snacks!" The dedicated members of team DFT have discovered/ invented ways to make the same delicious snacks without deep frying them!

Creating Recipes with a Cause!
I am a proud DFT blogger. 

To learn about DFT, read this link. 

To view more DFT recipes, Click here!

As part of this effort, I am bringing to you the most popular of all Indian snacks: Samosas. Samosas can be eaten as snacks/ appetizer. It is basically like a pattie/ empanada with an outer flour layer that is stuffed with some kind of egg/meat/chicken/vegetable filling and then deep fried. There are very few people who don't love this. I have made a healthy version of it by bringing to you vegetables samosas that have been baked instead of being fried. Traditionally, the filling inside the vegetable samosas is made up of seasoned potatoes. To make it low in calories and starch and therefore diabetes friendly, I have swapped the potatoes with carrots cauliflower and cabbage. I have also used whole wheat for the outer layer( cover) instead of using maida ( all purpose flour). It is still just as tasty and delicious!! If you are worried about making the triangle shape, I have a super-easy method  for you. It also does not take too much time to make. Do try it and let me know your views on the same!

Servings: makes around 25 small ( mini) samosas.( serving size: 2-3 samosas per person ).

Ingredients:

For the outer cover:

Whole wheat flour: 1 cup
Fine sooji ( rava/cream of wheat): 1/4 cup
Coconut oil: 1 tsp+ 1 tsp ( any cooking oil can be used)
Lukewarm water: 1 cup ( may not need all)
Salt: to taste
Milk: 2 tbsp for brushing ( use almond milk for vegan option)

For the filling:

Coconut oil: 1 tsp
Chopped onion: 1 cup
Grated carrot: 1 cup
Finely shredded cabbage: 1 cup
Cauliflower florets: 1 cup
Green chilli: 1 medium, finely chopped
Garam masala: 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
Salt: to taste

 

Method:

For the outer cover:

Add the flour, sooji, salt, 1 tsp oil to a bowl. Adding water little at a time, make a soft pliable dough. Knead it well and shape it to a ball. When done, apply oil to the outside of the ball. Cover with a damp cloth/ paper towel and keep aside for 10-15 mins. In the mean time, prepare the filling.

For the filling:

Heat oil in a sauté pan/wok. Add the chopped onions and sauté until the onion turns slightly golden brown. Add the cauliflower florets , choppe chilli bits and cook on low flame until it is 3/4 done. Now add the chopped carrots and cabbage, salt, garam masala powder and cook until it is just tender. Do not overcook. Turn off the flame and add the lemon juice. Mix well and keep aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.

Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and keep ready.

Putting the Samosa together:

Pinch a lemon sized dough and shape it into a ball.

Then roll it into a 5-6 inch diameter circle.

Now using a sharp knife cut it into two equal semicircles.

Place a teaspoonful of filling at one end of the semicircle.

Bring the corners of the semicircle together and gently seal the edges with your finger all around.

Do the same with all the dough that is left. You should be able to make approximately 25 bite-sized samosas or 10-12 big samosas. You will definitely have left over filling. Use it as a filling for chapati wraps or as a side dish for chapatis.

Brush both sides with milk/almond milk and line them on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Bake at 350 deg F.for 35-45 mins or until light golden brown, turning it over once in between and brushing it again with milk.

Serve hot with cilantro/mint chutney or ketchup.I was out of cilantro chutney and had to use ketchup. Be wary of how much ketchup you use. Do not use more than 1/4 tsp ketchup for 3 samosas.

Tastes best when consumed immediately. I am bringing this to Fiesta Friday! I bet they love samosas too..

Cooking made easy:

Any kind of healthy vegetable with low starch content can be use as a filling.

The seasoning for the filling and the spice level can be varied based on individual preferences.

If you have issues rolling out a perfect circle, you can use a big plate with slightly sharp edges and cut out a perfect circle. You can also use a big cookie cutter ( if you happen to own a cookie cutter that big!).

Foot notes (Tip for healthy living):

Whenever possible use whole wheat flour as opposed to all purpose flour ( APF)/white flour or maida. At times, you may have certain issues with taste but remember, whole wheat flour is way healthier than the much processed all purpose flour that has been stripped of all it nutrients. All purpose flour or maida is made from heavily refined and processed wheat grains , while whole-wheat flour is made from wheat grains that are not that processed. One of the main differences between APF and whole wheat flour is the fiber content. The white flour is made by separating the fiber-rich bran from the wheat grains so much so that a 1/2 cup of white flour contains 1.3 grams of fiber while the whole wheat flour contains 6.4 grams. The recommended daily intake of dietary fiber is 28 grams a great percentage of which can be acquired by using whole grains in our meals.

We know that when it comes to diabetes, carbohydrates per se spike the blood sugar levels. While it is hard to stay away from all carbohydrates, it is always wise to choose carbohydrates with a lower glycemic index ( GI) which means that these food groups are absorbed more slowly into the blood stream thereby preventing the spiking and crashing of the blood sugar levels. Bread made with whole wheat flour was found to have a GI of 51 whereas that from white wheat flour has a GI of 71. Every little bit matters when it comes to regulating blood sugar levels.

Whole wheat flour also has a higher vitamin content  which includes folate, riboflavin, vitamins B1, B3 and B5. All purpose flour or maida is stripped of all these vitamins making it nutrient-poor. It has been found that 1/3 cup of whole wheat flour has 3 milligrams of niacin while 1/2 cup of APF or maida has only 0.8 milligrams!!

Disclaimer:


I am not a nutritionist or dietitian. My knowledge and information is based on my research and reading from different resources. Please consult your doctor or dietitian before making any changes to your diet.

Do try these other "Unfrying the fried snacks" from team DFT!

1. Sonal's Lauki Palak Pakoda

2. Shailja's mixed vegetable cutlets

3. Anu's green gram bonda

4. Chahat's Veggie bread rolls.

5. Prachi's pan-fried bread pakora

6. Paro's baked ribbon

7. Apsara's baked sweet potato chips.

8.  Swati's whole wheat moong dal samosas.

Food for thought:

When a thing is done, it's done. Don't look back. Look forward to your next objective. George C. Marshalla