Cilantro-Coconut Chutney/Dip; Meatless Monday

For time immemorial, Cilantro is the most commonly  used herb in India. It is used in chutneys, dips, sauces, and for garnishing. It gives the dish a nice flavor.I often make cilantro-coconut chutney to go with my dosas and idlis. It is healthy, delicious and super-easy to make. You can also make cilantro chutney without using coconut.

The recipe for that is slightly different as it is usually made by grinding cilantro using lemon juice so as to increase it's shelf life. With coconut, the chutney has a very short shelf life as the coconut goes rancid pretty easily. Unless it is for chaat, I like the coconut-cilantro chutney more as it has a very hearty deliciousness. Here is the recipe for the cilantro-coconut chutney made in my home.

Servings: Makes around 2 cups

Ingredients:

Cilantro: 1 bunch, leaves separated from the stems; stems discarded.
Freshly grated coconut: 1 cup
Green chillies: 2 small
Fresh ginger: 1 inch, peeled.
Garlic: 2 small cloves
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 grind them.When coconut is almost ground to a fine paste, add the cilantro 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:

For chutneys, it is best to pluck the cilantro leaves from the stem and use it. The use of the stem part in the chutney can make the chutney taste bitter.  Reserve the stems and use it in dishes like tomato saaru, dal and sambar. When added in this manner, the stems add flavor and aroma to the dish.

Tip for healthy living:

Making chutneys and dip using different vegetables and herbs is a great way to include soluble and insoluble fiber in our daily diet. Fiber helps prevent bowel irregularities and is essential for good gastrointestinal health and function. Dietary fiber also may help with feeling full and satiated and therefore eating smaller meals which in turn helps with weight control.

Food for thought:

The most satisfying thing in life is to have been able to give a large part of one's self to others. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Mushroom Masala ( mushrooms cooked in spicy tangy onion-tomato sauce).

Mushrooms are an all-time favorite in my home. We love mushrooms cooked in all possible ways: mushroom chilli, mushroom fried rice, mushrooms sautéed and served in stuffed omelette.. You name it, we like it!  Sometimes you crave for something spicy and tangy.  That made me nostalgic for batate song ( potato song). Unfortunately, I rarely eat potatoes any more. I decided to swap it with mushrooms instead and made mushroom song. For this I have used my mother's short-cut method of making potato song where she makes it with onion, chilli powder, coriander powder and  tomatoes.It came out super-delicious and now I often make it. This is such a simple and versatile dish that you could use other vegetables like green peas, dried beans, cauliflower, etc. For example: navy beans and cauliflower song tastes absolutely delicious!

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Mushrooms : 8 oz pack, washed and sliced into medium slices.
Onions: 2 medium, diced small
Tomato: 1 medium, diced small
Cooking Oil: 1 tbsp( I use coconut oil) 
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp ( optional)
Curry leaves: 1 sprig ( optional).
Kashmiri chilli  powder: 1 tsp( can adjust based on desired spice level)
Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp
Haldi ( turmeric powder): pinch
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves( cilantro): 4-5 sprigs for garnishing.

Method:

Heat oil in a frying pan/ wok on medium heat. Add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the curry leaves  and then the chopped onions, sauté until they turn almost golden brown. 

Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté until the tomatoes start leaving oil. 

Now add turmeric powder, coriander powder and sauté for 30 seconds. 

Then add chilli powder and sauté for another minute. 

Now add the sliced mushrooms, cover and  cook until the mushroom has reached the desired level of tenderness( around 5-7 minutes). Mushrooms don't take long to cook.Mushrooms also tend to give out water, hence there is no need to add additional water.

Add salt only after the mushrooms are cooked. Mix well. Turn off the flame.

Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Serve hot with rice/ roti/ bread.

Beet stirfry, mushroom masala, white rice and dal

Enjoy! I am taking this to Fiesta Friday # 64 at my dear friend Angie's! The wonderful duo of Loretta@ Safari of the mind and Ginger@Ginger and Bread are the co-hosts this week.

Cooking made easy:

In the above recipe,  you can switch the tomatoes with tamarind solution. This is true for most recipes that call for tomatoes. So, if you run out of tomatoes, no worries.. and vice versa.

Tip for healthy living:

The common home remedy for most bug bites is to apply a solution of asofoetida mixed with water. It usually reduces the itching and swelling.

Food for thought:

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page.Saint Augustine.

Moong dal dosa ( split moong-bean crepes);Diabetes Friendly Thursday.

My dear friend from the blogger world, Sonal Gupta has started this wonderful initiative called Diabetes Friendly Thursday( DFT) on her blog simplyvegetarian777. On Thursdays, recipes that are healthy and beneficial for individuals suffering from Diabetes are posted. I applaud her for taking this initiative and would like to contribute to this noble cause. Our body is a reflection of what we put in it. There are many a health conditions that can be prevented/controlled by eating the right kind of food.My today's recipe fits the bill as there are only 3 ingredients in this food and has no carbohydrate in this recipe and is a great way to kick-start the day with protein in the diet.

My kids are vegetarian. I therefore am always on the lookout for ways to get more protein into their diet. Lentils and beans are a great source of protein. On one of the food groups that I belong too on Facebook, Ms. Shymala Kini posted this recipe for moong dal dosa that I found very interesting. The batter has just one main ingredient : moong dal or split moong beans. There is no rice in this batter making the dosa exclusively made up of protein with zero carbs. The best part is that this dosa does not require fermentation. You can grind the batter and make dosas immediately. I now make it quite often  and love it. You could make real crispy crepes or make it soft, whichever way you wish. It is super-simple to make and tastes yum when served with chutney.

Servings:3-4

Ingredients:

Moong dal: 1 cup
Water: 1/2 cup ( may need less) 
Salt: to taste 
Oil: to grease the skillet.

Method:

Soak moong dal in water for 2 hours. Grind it to a fine batter in a blender/mixer or food processor.  The batter should be on the thicker side. Add salt, mix well.

Heat a griddle/ skillet/ tawa on medium heat until hot.

Apply oil on the surface of the skillet. Take a ladleful of batter, pour it on the skillet. Spread the batter thinly  by moving the ladle in concentric circles.

Let the crepe/dosa cook until it can come off cleanly from the tawa. You can apply a little oil to the edges and the center of the dosa. This helps it become crisp and take it off the skillet easily.

Flip the dosa and let it cook for a minute on the other side.

Remove and serve hot with any chutney of your choice.

Moong dal dosa served with coconut-coriander chutney.

Enjoy. I am bringing this amazing dosa to Angie's Fiesta Friday! The wonderful duo of Loretta@ Safari of the mind and Ginger@Ginger and Bread are the co-hosts this week.

Cooking made easy:

If you have leftover batter of dosa or idli, you can store it in the refrigerator to be used the next day. To keep the batter fresh, the next day just throwaway  the separated water that you see on top of the batter and dilute the batter to the desired consistency with some fresh water. This helps prevent the batter from tasting sour the next day.

Tip for healthy living:

Moong dal is skinned dried moong beans. Moong dal therefore is a superfood that is naturally low in fat and high in fiber. It has a low glycemic index and therefore is beneficial to diabetics.

Food for thought:

Men, as well as women , are much oftener led by their hearts than by their understandings. Philip Stanhope

Bhajani fish curry: super simple, ready in 15 mins!!

I am a member of a few food groups on Facebook. It makes for good sharing and learning experience. Quite often I note down recipes that seem interesting and save them in my "to try" list. But the truth of the matter is that seldom do I actually try any of them. I have so little precious time to cook, that I just make recipes that I already know, have been making for a while or experiment/change something in that familiar recipe. Trying some new recipe means I would have to spend a few more minutes figuring it out; precious time that I don't have!! I am sure all you foodies who are working moms would agree with me. Then again, every now  and then you come across that kind of recipe which tempts you to try it. This is one such recipe, which upon reading I figured was so simple that it was worth giving it a try. Boy! Am I glad that I tried it!! It is a ridiculously easy and simple recipe that the entire dish could be ready in 15 minutes or less! It is so delicious and flavorful that you cannot stop eating! I fell in love with this recipe. This recipe was shared by Mr. Prasad Naik who is a foodie who believes in sharing without any hesitations. I just fell in love with this recipe of yours Prasad Naik! So this post is dedicated to you. I would strongly urge all my readers to try this recipe atleast once!

 
Servings: 3-4

 
Ingredients:

Tilapia : 1 medium sized fish, cut into medium-size slices.( Any fish that cooks quickly can be used. Fillets are perfect).

For marination:
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Salt : 1/4 tsp
Black pepper: 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice: from 1/2 lemon

For the sauce/ masala:
Cooking oil: 1 tbsp ( I used coconut oil).
Onion: 1 big, chopped fine or puréed into paste in a food processor.
Garlic: 6-8 cloves, minced
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli powder: 1 tsp
Garam masala powder: 1 tsp
Cilantro ( coriander leaves): 1 cup + 1 tbsp for garnishing.
Salt : 1/2 tsp
Tamarind pulp: 1/2 tsp dissolved in 1 cup water.

 
Method:

Clean the tilapia, marinate it with salt, pepper powder and lemon juice and keep aside for 10-15 mins.

When the fish is being marinated, add the onion and garlic to the food processor and pulse it until it is chopped fine.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pot/skillet. Add the chopped onion-garlic mixture, red chilli powder, haldi ( turmeric powder), garam masala, cilantro and salt and let it sauté for 3-4 mins.

Now add the tamarind solution and bring it to a boil. Add the marinated fish pieces and let it cook for 5 mins or until the fish is cooked to desired consistency.

Garnish with cilantro.

 Serve hot with white rice!

Enjoy! I am bringing this to Fiesta Friday # 63. Julianna@Foodie on Board and Hilda@Along the grapevine are this week's co-hosts.
 
Cooking made easy:

I have used fresh fish slices in the above recipe. You could use any fish fillets like Tilapia, Salmon, which cook easily.

Instead of chopping the onions and garlic, if you have readily available onion paste and garlic pastes, you could use it. This makes the process even faster!

 
Tip for healthy living:

Whenever possible buy and use wild caught fish. The farm-raised fish have been found to have higher amounts of chemical residues in them.


 Food for thought:

Love will draw an elephant through a key-hole. Samuel Richardson

Kadai vegetable ( Mixed vegetable medley sautéed in freshly ground spices).

I am the kinds who salivates over vegetables. I love vegetables.

When I go to the farmers market, I temptingly look at the array of fresh veggies. Often times I have wondered how can someone drool over vegetables?? Well, I guess it is possible. I have to have atleast  1/3 rd of my plate filled with vegetable for every meal. Sometimes it is more than 1/3 rd!

I therefore am always on the look out for easy ways to make delicious vegetables. One of my favorites is kadai vegetables, which is basically sautéing your choice vegetables with some freshly roasted and ground spices. Pair this with some roti ( flat bread) or rice and dal and I am all set! It is super simple, super-easy and super-delicious! What more do you need for a weeknight dinner? By the way, kadai means wok in Hindi.

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

Carrots: 2 medium sized.
Red potatoes: 2-3 medium, cut into quarters.
Zucchini: 1 medium
Cauliflower florets: 1 cup
Jeera ( cumin seeds): 1/4 tsp
Onion: 1 medium, diced
Ginger: 1 inch minced
Garlic: 3-4 cloves, minced
Tomato paste: 1 tbsp
Dried red chilli: 2 medium
Jeera ( cumin seeds): 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp 

Garam Masala powder: 1/8 tsp

Kasoori methi( dried fenugreek leaves): 1 tsp
Salt : to taste
Sugar: pinch
Cooking oil: 1 tbsp
Cilantro ( coriander leaves) for garnishing.

To roast and dry grind:
Coriander seeds: 1 tsp
Cumin: 1/2 tsp
Methi seeds ( fenugreek seeds): 2 nos
Black pepper: 1/8 tsp

Method:

Dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds , methi seeds and black pepper and coarsely powder/grind it using a coffee grinder. Keep aside.

Cut the carrots, and zucchini lengthwise into 2 inch long pieces.

Heat oil in a wok/ sauté pan. Add cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add the red chillit, garlic, ginger and  onions, sauté for a few minutes. 

Add the haldi ( turmeric powder) sauté for 20 seconds,then add the tomato paste. Sauté until the tomato paste leaves oil. 

Add the vegetables in the order of the time required for them to cook beginning  with those that take the longest like the potatoes and cauliflower. 

When they are half cooked, add in the carrot strips and the zucchini strips the last.Add salt and sugar.  

When the vegetables have cooked, add the ground spices, a pinch of garam masala, the kasoori methi. Let it cook for a minute more.

Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro. 

Serve hot with roti or rice!

Enjoy! I am bringing this to you all ladies and gentlemen at the wonderful Fiesta Friday at its new home! Let the party begin!

Cooking made easy:

Any combination of vegetables can be used. You could use squashes, root vegetables .. Anything really.
To save time, I tend to cut the vegetable that takes the longest to cook first, add it to the pot and cook the rest in that order, adding each one as it is chopped.

Tip for healthy living:

There is no diet that restricts vegetable intake. Did you know that vegetables have no calories and therefore can be eaten in any amount.. Well pretty much. They are also very filling, making you fuller faster. They add value to the diet by providing all the required daily vitamins and minerals and much needed dietary fiber.

Food for thought:

Change is the end result of all true learning. Leo Buscaglia

Batate/ potato bhaji ( Seasoned potatoes with turmeric)

When you say the term "batate bhaji",  what comes to one's mind is yellow color potato cubes sautéed with some kind of seasoning. The potatoes are usually parboiled and diced into desired size pieces. They are then sautéed with onions, green chillies, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and of course turmeric. Some like to make it without onions, while others like a lot of onions( read my husband). Some like to cook it dry( that's me!:) ), while others like to add water to it and make it like a stew. Potato bhaji can be used for a myriad of reasons. It is most commonly eaten with Poori ( fried puffed Indian bread) for which most people prefer it to be cooked like a stew . It is also used as a stuffing/filling in crispy crepes and in samosas, where it is preferred that it is dry. There is hardly anyone who does not like batate bhaji. It is also a very economical dish as potatoes are rather cheap. Last, but not the least, it is quick and easy to make!:)

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

Potatoes: 3 medium
Onion: 1 medium, diced medium
Green chillies: 2-3, slit lengthwise into two.
Coconut oil: 1 tbsp
Jeera( cumin seeds): 1/2 tsp(optional).
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaf: 1 sprig ( optional)
Haldi( turmeric powder): 1 tsp
Salt: to taste

Method:

Wash the potaoes. Boil potatoes with peel on, with water on stove top until Al dente ( around 15 mins). Do not overcook the potatoes. You should be able to dice them. Once cooled, peel and dice them into small cubes. Keep aside.

Heat coconut oil in a sauté pan/ frying pan upon medium heat.Add the cumin seeds. After 20-30 seconds, add the mustard seeds. Once the mustard crackles, add curry leaves. Now add the slit green chillies and chopped onion. Sauté the onion until it is transparent. Add the turmeric powder, sauté for a minute. Now add the diced potatoes, salt and mix well. Cook on low for 2-5 mins until everything comes together and the potatoes are warm. Turn off the flame.

Garnish with fresh finely chopped cilantro leaves.

Serve hot with poori/chapati/roti or use as a stuffing in your masala dosa!

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

Boiled potatoes can be easily peeled using a peeler! You don't have to get your hands messy!

Tip for healthy living:

Whenever possible use organic potatoes as potatoes have been found to have the highest level of pesticides in them. This is due to the double whammy that potatoes get subjected to! They absorb pesticide present in the soil and also the ones that get sprayed onto the plant!

Food for thought:

Love is not something you find.Love is something that finds you. Loretta Young

Poori ( Puffed fried whole wheat Indian bread); Meatless Monday

Poori is a very common bread made in India. It is basically small chapatis/ rotis that have been fried and are usually puffy. The upside is that this is very tasty, I myself am very fond of it but I rarely make it as it is not very healthy. Why isn't it healthy? Because it is deep-fried in oil. So then why am I including this here??? Because once in a while indulging is not such a bad thing to do and it is really super-easy to make. The easy to make part caught your attention right? When I first started making chapatis and pooris, I always found making pooris easier than making chapatis. I always had a problem making perfectly round chapatis. Pooris are more forgiving.
Also there are many people out there who don't know how to make pooris!

Servings: 2-4

Ingredients: to make 6-8 small- medium sized pooris

Whole Wheat flour: 1 cup
Cooking oil: 1  tbsp
Salt: 1/4 tsp
Sugar: 1/2 tsp
Lukewarm water: 1/2 cup ( you may not require all of it).

Method:

In a bowl mix together the flour, oil, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center. Add water little bit at a time and make a nice, soft dough.

Knead well and make a ball. Apply oil to the outside of the ball. Cover with a damp cloth/ paper towel and keep aside for 30 min- 1 hour.

Pinch little portion of the dough to make small lemon sized balls.

Now roll out the balls to make small pooris.

Heat oil in a wok/ kadai on medium flame. When the oil is hot enough, drop the poori in it and with the back of a slotted spoon gently press it down into the oil.

This will help the poori puff up. When the poori puffs up and floats to the surface of the oil, flip it and let it cook for few seconds on the other side.

Now remove it from the oil and drain it on paper towels.

Serve hot with potato bhaji/ Chole/ or any side dish of your choice!

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

When rolling  out the dough, make sure that it is even and that you don't roll it out too thin. It shouldn't be too thick either. If it is too thin, it will not puff up and if it is too thick, the inside will not be cooked.

Tip for healthy living:

Whenever you find the urge to eat something unhealthy, for example: fried food like poori/ fried fish/ fried chicken etc. , pair it with healthy foods. For example: poori with some mixed vegetable dish, fried fish/ chicken with some healthy salad or vegetable stir-fry . This way you will have a balance in your diet and you will not be totally compromising your diet. Also, eat only one serving of the unhealthy stuff. This way you would have satisfied your craving without jeopardizing your health.

Food for thought:

Knowledge is power. Francis Bacon

Peanut Chutney

Peanuts or groundnuts as we call them back home , are known as " poor man's almonds". The reason for this is the fact that peanuts have the same amount of protein as almonds! Peanuts can be snacked on, used in seasonings and garnishes. Who doesn't like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?? I like them all. I like the crunch of the peanuts!  We make peanut chutney! Have you heard of that before ? It is a super-easy dip that goes great with dosas and idlis. I like to make this chutney at times when I don't have freshly grated coconut on hand. To be truthful, now-a-days I make this chutney more than the coconut chutney,not only because it is easy, but also because it is a great way to get protein into the kids and also because this chutney has a longer shelf life than the coconut chutney. Coconut chutney gets rancid in no time even when kept in the fridge, while this chutney remains fresh for a longer period of time.I am bringing this to Fiesta Friday# 61. It is now being hosted in it's new home.Both Selma and Margy are wonderful cooks,amazing bloggers and great co-hosts.

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

Peanuts: 1 cup
Garlic: 1 small clove
Green chillies: 2 small ( you can adjust based on your desired spice level).
Jeera( cumin seeds): 1/2 tsp
Tamarind pulp: 1/4 tsp
Salt: 1/4 tsp
Water: 1/2 cup

For tempering:( optional)
Coconut oil: 1/2 tsp 

Jeera/cumin seeds:1/8 tsp

Mustard seeds:1/2 tsp
Urad dal: 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 small sprig

Method:

In a food processor or blender/ mixer-grinder, grind together peanuts, garlic, cumin seeds, green chilli, tamarind, salt and water to a fine paste.

For tempering:

Heat oil in a small skillet/pan, add jeera, then mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter add urad dal and curry leaves. Turn off the flame and add this to the above ground paste.

Serve with idli/dosa.

Mushti polo served with Ghosale sheere chutney, dry garlic chutney powder and peanut chutney.

Can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

I make life easy by using salted, roasted peanuts that I munch on to make this chutney. That ways I don't have to store several different kinds of peanuts in my pantry.

While making this chutney, make sure you use enough water as otherwise the peanuts start letting out oil!

Tip for healthy living:

A handful of peanuts daily will contribute a significant amount of the daily required protein and essential fatty acids.Peanuts are believed to have the ability to reduce inflammation.They contain mono-saturated fatty acids like Oleic acid which is believed to reduce LDL levels in the body and increase HDL ( good cholesterol levels).They are a good source of vitamin E and the B-complex.It is also rich in minerals like manganese, calcium, potassium, magnesium and selenium.

Food for thought:

Quick decisions are unsafe decisions. Sophocles