What's on Your Plate? Day #10 Aloo Tikki Chole Chaat

One of those days when its pouring outside and the craving for Chaat hits in. Well, we don't need an excuse to make chaat...ever! :D This Aloo Tikki Chole Chaat was heart warming and definitely a treat to the tummy. If you have canned chickpeas on hand, this is a fairly quick fix! 

Chole Masala:

2 (8oz) can chickpeas
1 tsp Oil
Salt to taste

To grind:
1/4 cup of cooked channa
1/4 tsp Turmeric
2 tsp Red chili powder (adjust to taste)
2 tbsp Corriander seeds
1/4 cup onion, cubed
4 pods Garlic, chopped
1” piece Ginger, chopped
1/4 tsp Black pepper powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala
2-3 curry leaves
A fistful fresh cilantro
4 Green chilies

Empty the chickpeas with liquid into a large pan. Bring to a simmering boil and turn off heat. Drain and set aside. If using soaked chickpeas, boil, drain and set aside.

Grind listed ingredients in a blender to a smooth paste. Heat oil in a pan. Add the ground paste and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the drained chickpeas and season with salt. Mix well and bring to a simmering boil. Turn off heat and use as needed.

Aloo Tikki - Click Here for recipe 

To assemble:

Chole Masala
Aloo Tikkis, prepared
1 tomato chopped
1 onion chopped
Chopped Cilantro
Mint chutney - click here
Tamarind Chutney(Meeta) - click here
Fine sev 

Place two tikkis in a shallow plate. Pour 1/2-3/4 cup of prepared chole masala, taking care to cover both the tikkis evenly. Drizzle mint chutney and tamarind chutney to taste, top with chopped onions, tomatoes and fine sev. Add chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.

What's on Your Plate? Day #9 Ghee Rice and Korma

This is something I make at least once a month (sometimes twice) as its a family favorite :) As the name suggests Ghee Rice does have a substantial amount of ghee in it, but that can easily be substituted with oil. But Ghee is what lends this dish it’s authentic taste so try not to substitute if possible. Korma is a combination of veggies cooked in a spicy flavorful gravy.

There are several ways to make Ghee Rice & Korma, since it is a fairy popular dish in Karnataka. This is one of the versions. 

Ghee Rice:

You will need:

1 cup Basmati rice, washed and soaked in water for 20 minutes
1/4 cup Ghee
2 Cloves
1” piece Cinnamon
2 Cardamom pods
1 Bay leaf
 1 onion, thinly sliced
3 green chilies slit
1/2 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
1/2 cup Green peas, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup small cubed Potato (peeled)
1 cup Water
3/4 cup Milk
Salt to taste 

Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add the cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf. Sautés for 30 seconds. Add the green chilies and sliced onions. Sautés until onions are translucent. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute until fragrant. Now add the green peas and potato. Also add the drained rice. Mix well and add the water, milk and salt. Combine well and close the lid and turn heat to high. Allow the steam to rise, place the cooker weight and turn heat to low. Cook for 9 minutes and turn off heat. Cool for 10-12 minutes, stir the rice and then serve.

Korma:

You will need:

To grind:
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Poppy seeds
3 cloves
1” piece Cinnamon
6 dry red chilies
6 pods Garlic
2 tomatoes, cubed
1/4 cup Cilantro
1/4 cup fresh Coconut, grated

Grind the above ingredients to a smooth paste. Set aside. 

2 cups veggies - Cauliflower florets, cubed potato, green peas
3 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
6 Curry leaves
1 onion, thinly sliced
Salt to taste
2.5-3 cups water

Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add mustard seeds and when it begins to splutter add the curry leaves. Add the sliced onions and saute until done. Add the prepared paste and saute for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Now add the veggies and the water.Season with salt and combine well. Place lid with cooker weight and turn heat to high.  Cook for 2-3 whistles. Turn off heat and cool before opening lid. Serve hot with Ghee rice. This makes a great accompaniment for Jeera Rice or Chapatis too.

What's on Your Plate? Day #8 Three bean Burgers

The boys were in the mood for something non-Indian and also wanted a break from Rice. Decided to make these three bean burgers, high in protein and packed with flavor. I used burger buns from ALDI, incredibly soft and very fresh. 

Three Bean Burgers

You will need: 

1 (8oz) can Red kidney beans
1 (8oz) can White beans
1 (8oz) can Chickpeas
1 tbsp oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 pod Garlic, minced 
1 jalapeño, deseeded & chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 canned corn, drained
2 tbsp chopped Cilantro
1/4 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Pepper
Salt to taste
1/4 cup regular bread crumbs

Burger buns, toasted with butter
Oil to cook burgers
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs (Japanese styled bread crumbs)

Burger toppings & sides -
1/2 cup onion thinly sliced, sautéed in 2tsp oil until browned
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced, lightly sautéed in oil
Cheese slices
Mayonnaise
Hot sauce
Guacamole - Scoop out the flesh of a ripe avocado, mash with a fork. Add chopped onions, tomatoes, chopped cilantro, corn (optional) salt to taste and little lemon juice. Combine well
Frozen Onion Rings/Fries - baked as per package instructions 

For the bean patties:

Pour canned beans into a pan with the liquid. Bring to a boil and turn off heat. Drain and rinse. Allow to drain well and place in a large mixing bowl. Mash the beans with the help of a fork or a potato masher.

In another pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil. Add jalapeños, green bell pepper, onions & minced garlic. Sauté until peppers are soft and onions are translucent. Add this to the mashed beans. Add oregano, salt & pepper. Add drained corn & regular bread crumbs. Combine well to form a firm mixture. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Divide the mixture into 8-10 portions, shape it into 1/2” thick discs and wide enough to fit the burger bun. Lightly roll each patty in Panko bread crumbs. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Place one patty at a time, cook 1-2 minutes on each side until brown and crispy. Panko bread crumbs make for a nice crispy exterior while the interior is soft and flavorful.

Apply mayonnaise on both halves of toasted bun. Add a few drops of hot sauce if you like things spicy, we do, hence all the spicy toppings 😃 Place cooked patty, top with a slice of cheese, sautéed onions and jalapeños. Place top half of burger bun. Serve warm. 

We had ours with a side of Guacamole & baked Onion rings. I left out the hot sauce & jalapeños for my boys, they enjoyed the mayo & sautéed onions. 

Hope you enjoy making these! :)

What's on Your Plate? Day #7 Spinach Mint Rice

 Yay it's Friday!! With everyone at home it has been a long exhausting week. Wanted to keep things simple and made a quick and easy rice dish.Packed with the goodness of spinach and veggies, this makes for a nutritious meal.

Spinach Mint Rice 

 
You will need:

3 cups cooked Basmati rice, cooled
1.5 cups assorted cut veggies - Cauliflower, carrots, Peas & Corn
2 cups packed Spinach leaves, washed
4 Green chilies
1/4 cup Mint leaves
1/2 cup fresh Cilantro
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste 

3 tbsp Oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/4 tsp Turmeric
2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Red chili powder (adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp Garam masala
Salt to taste
1-2 tsp Lemon juice 

Blanch spinach in hot water for 2 minutes, drain and run under cold water. Purée spinach with green chilies, mint leaves & coriander leaves. Set aside.

Boil veggies in water until done, drain and reserve.

Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and when it begins to splutter add sliced onions and sauté until done. Add ginger garlic paste and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add Turmeric, Coriander powder &  Red chili powder. Cook for a min and then add prepared spinach mint paste. Cook for 3 minutes and then add the cooked veggies & corn. Combine well and then add the cooked rice. Season with salt to taste and mix well. Add Garam masala & lemon juice. Give one final stir and turn off heat. 

Have a wonderful weekend! :)

What's on Your Plate? Day #6 Kadai Paneer

We’ve had a lot of rain earlier this week and it feels great to have some sunshine! Made Kadai Paneer & rotis for lunch.

Kadai Paneer

You will need:

2 cups Paneer, cubed
2 tbsp Ghee
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 dry red chillies broken into 1” pieces
1 onion, cubed
1 bell pepper, cubed
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
3 tomatoes, chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp Kasuthi methi, crushed
2 tbsp Chopped Cilantro

To roast & powder:
2 tbsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds

3 Dry red chilies 

4 Black peppercorns

Dry roast the above ingredients and powder using a blender or spice grinder. Set aside.

Heat oil & ghee in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and chilies. Add the bell pepper and saute for a minute. Now add the onions. Cook for a minute and add the ginger garlic paste. When the bell peppers & onions are 3/4th done, add chopped tomatoes. Season with salt to taste cook until tomatoes are mushy & fully cooked. Now add the prepared powder and the cubed Paneer. Combine well and cook for 4 minutes. 

Add chopped cilantro and turn off heat. Serve hot with rotis/chapatis.

What's on Your Plate? Day #5 Ugadi habba

A very Happy Ugadi to all my readers. This day marks the first day of our New Year.  A traditional meal to celebrate this special day. 

Step-by-step pics for Holige (Obattu)

Holige Saaru 

Beans Palya 

Kosambari

Rice

Mango Chitranna

Have a wonderful tasty year ahead! :)

What's on Your Plate? Day #4 - Egg Hakka Noodles

My boys love eggs & noodles and this makes it easy to sneak some veggies in as well. This makes for a quick meal any day. The eggs can be left out to make an all vegetarian version. We enjoy Indo-Chinese dishes at home, and I do like the texture and taste of Ching's Hakka noodles (available at Indian/Asian stores) 

Ingredients:

2 packs Ching’s Hakka noodles (Veg. or Egg)
4 tbsp Oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 carrot, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup cabbage, shredded
3 Garlic pods, finely chopped
1/2 tsp Black pepper powder

1/4 tsp Red chili flakes (optional)
Salt to taste
1 1/2 tbsp light Soya sauce
1/4 tsp White Vinegar
1/2 tsp Sesame oil
2-3 eggs
Chopped scallions (green onions)

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Break the eggs into a bowl and lightly whisk with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Once the oil is hot, add the eggs and stir to scramble. Cook on low heat, once done, remove into a clean bowl.

Cook noodles as per package instructions. Drain and drizzle little oil on the noodles. Toss and set aside.

Heat remaining oil in a Wok (or a wide pan). Add the chopped garlic and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant. Now add the carrots & bell peppers. Sauté on high heat for 2 mins. Now add the onions and lastly the cabbage. Cook until done. My boys don’t like it crunchy so I cook them through but you can cook until partially done. Now add the salt & pepper, vinegar and soya sauce. Combine and then add the cooked noodles & sesame oil. Toss well to combine. Lastly add the scrambled egg & toss. Turn off heat. Top with chopped scallions.

What's On Your Plate? Day #3 - Channa Bathura

There are several ways to make Channa for Channa Bathura. This is using canned chickpeas which is cooked with spices to add flavor. You can easily use soaked chickpeas and follow the same method. In a previous version, my mom uses a tea bag to flavor the gravy. In this method I use tea powder to flavor the chickpeas. 

Ingredients:

Pressure cook:
2 cans Chickpeas,drained(Garbanzo beans) or 2 cups Soaked chickpeas
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cloves
1” piece cinnamon
2 cardamom pods
1 tbsp Tea powder
2 cups water

For the Gravy:

1 large onion, pureed
1 1/2 cups Tomato puree
2 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
3 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Cumin powder
1 tbsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Red chili powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Kasuri methi
Chopped cilantro

Tie the spices & tea powder in a small piece of muslin cloth or a spice bag. Cook the chickpeas with the bag, onions & garlic for 2 whistles. If using soaked chickpeas, increase water by 2 cups and cook for 3 whistles and for 10 minuets on low heat.

Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan. Add onion puree and sauce until brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and sauce for a minute. Add the tomato puree, cumin powder, coriander powder and red chili powder. Combine and cook on medium high heat for 4-5 minutes. Remove spice bag from the chickpeas. Add the cooked chickpeas with the water. Combine well, season with salt and add kasuri methi, bring to a boil. Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add chopped cilantro.

Serve hot with Bathuras.

What's on Your Plate?Day #2 - Cilantro Mint Poha

A tasty twist to the traditional Poha. I often make Poha for breakfast and this is a variation to spice things up which can be served for Lunch or Dinner. 

Cilantro Mint Poha
Ingredients

2 cups thick Poha (Avalakki)
3 tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 onion thinly sliced
1 medium green bell pepper thinly sliced
1/2 cup Green peas, boiled
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
1 tsp Garam Masala
Salt to taste

Grind to paste:
1/2 cup Cilantro leaves
1/4 cup mint leaves
4-6 Green chilies (adjust to taste)
Water as needed

Soak Poha with enough water to barely cover the Poha. Set aside for2 hours or overnight. 

Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds & mustard seeds and wait for it to splutter. Add the thinly sliced bell pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft. Now add the thinly sliced onions, cook for a minute and then add the Ginger garlic paste. Sauté until onions are done. Now add the ground paste and peas, cook for 2 minutes. Add the soaked Poha (should have fluffed up) ,salt to taste and combine gently. Cook on medium-low heat for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garam masala and mix well. Cook for another minute and turn off heat. Serve hot. This can be served with a Cucumber Raita or on its own.

What's on Your Plate? Day #1 - Tuar & Masoor Garlic Dal

A lot has happened since December and even if you have been living under a rock there has been no escaping what's happening around us. Hope everyone is staying safe & more importantly staying home whichever part of the world you are in. Here in the US where we live, schools have been closed and companies have mandated work from home where possible. It’s been over a week of staying home and I’ll be honest, it has been an exhausting week coping with changed routines, home schooling my boys and making sure everyone gets their snacks & meals on time. Though the kids & hubby are relaxed with no rigid schedules and are not being rushed to be anywhere at any given time, my work on the other hand has only just begun!

The hardest part has always been deciding what to cook, once the decision is made though, I’m in and out of the kitchen fairly quickly. I figured having a list on hand will speeden things up and make the following weeks a little less stressful. Keeping this in mind I thought it would be good idea to post what I make in my kitchen everyday and in the process help others struggling like me in deciding what to make. Presenting “What’s on Your Plate ?” series, my humble attempt to bring food from my kitchen to yours!

I have been documenting what I’ve made this past week, I cannot assure you stellar food pictures but can certainly promise great tasting recipes! Hopefully this series will motivate you to cook, get your kids and family to join you in the kitchen, eat healthy home cooked meals and create special memories in this time of quarantine. Food has never failed to bring families together!

Kicking off the series with a heart warming Dal and a vegetable side - Tuar & Masoor Garlic Dal with Spicy Potato, Peas & Bell pepper. 

Tuar & Masoor Garlic Dal
Ingredients

Pressure cook:
Tuar dal 1/2 cup, washed drained
Masoor dal 1/2 cup, washed drained
1/4 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp oil 
3 cups Water

2 tbsp Ghee/Oil
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
3 Green chilies, slit lengthwise
Few curry leaves
6 pods Garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Red chili powder (cayenne) 
Salt to taste
Chopped cilantro

Soak the dals in water for 15 minutes. Add turmeric and oil and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Cool and set aside. 

Heat ghee (or oil) in  a pan. Add cumin seeds. Then add the green chillies,  curry  leaves and chopped garlic. Cook until garlic is done, but not brown. Add the chopped and saute until soft and translucent. Then add the chopped tomatoes,  cumin powder and red chili powder. You can omit the red chili powder or adjust to taste. Cook until tomatoes are done and then add the boiled dals. Combine well, season with salt and bring to a simmering boil. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Top with chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice or rotis. 

Spicy Potato, Peas & Bell Pepper: 
Ingredients:

1 large potato, peeled & cubed
1 cup bell pepper, cubed
1/2 cup Peas (frozen or fresh) 
2 tbsp Oil + 1 tbsp
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tsp Ginger Garlic paste
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Red chili powder (Cayenne)
Salt to taste
Chopped Cilantro

Boil peas and set aside. Heat 2 tbsp of oil, add the cubed potatoes and cook until potatoes are crisp. Flip occasionally to allow cooking on all sides. Remove to a plate. In the same pan, add more oil and heat. Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. When it begins to splutter, add the ginger garlic paste and cook for a few seconds. Add the cubed bell pepper and cook until soft and done. Now add the cumin powder, coriander powder & red chili powder. Add the cooked potatoes and combine well. Season with salt. Cook for 2 minutes. Turn off heat, top with chopped cilantro. Serve hot. 

Hope you enjoy making this heart meal!