Tag Archives: Easy

Tendle Kajjubi Upkari | Ivy gourd – Cashewnut stir fry Konkani style

May 10, 2023 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 2 Comments

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Having grown up now (though I would love to be a child 😍), I realize how much my food choice has changed over the years. From loving hotel food as a kid to now, loving all the dishes that were made at home by my Amma and Grandma, recreating them in my kitchen and remembering my childhood memories with the dishes, I have come a long way. ❤️

Even though I still like to enjoy restaurant dishes occasionally, my comfort will always be the simple dishes that I make daily. We have pej or matta rice gruel for dinner and any kind of stir fry or upkari (as we call in Konkani) is a must with it.

So whenever I get good ivy gourd, I make this tendle kajjubi upkari which is an alternative to the famous Konkani dish called Tendle Bibbe upkari which is made with Bibbo or Fresh Cashews. They are available during our new year festival or Ugadi and in every Konkani household, either Bibbe upkari or Tendle Bibbe upkari is made.

Since I live in Qatar and we don’t get fresh cashews here, I make this upkari with regular cashews and it tastes delicious too. I made it yesterday and decided to share this easy recipe with all of you too. I know Konkanis already know this easy recipe but I am sure it will be new to atleast some of my readers.

So here’s sharing the recipe. Hope you all try and love this yummy dish. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Tbsp Coconut Oil

1 tsp Mustard seeds

A sprig of Curry leaves

3 Green chillies

About 20 Ivy Gourds/ Tindora/ Tendle (2 Cups sliced)

3/4 to 1 Cup Cashews (regular ones)

Salt to taste

2 Tbsp freshly grated Coconut for garnish

Step by step recipe:

1. Wash ivy gourds well, then chop off the ends and slice them as shown. You can slice one ivy gourd into 6 long pieces.

2. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, allow it to splutter. Now add curry leaves and green chillies. Fry for few seconds.

3. Now add the sliced ivy gourds and cashews together. Mix well.

4. Add little water ( about 1/4 cup) along with salt. Cover and cook on medium flame for about 10 mins. Check in between if the water has evaporated. Add little more if needed.

5. Once the ivy gourds change colour to light green and turns soft along with cashews turning soft too, the upkari is done. If water is remaining in the stir fry, just keep the flame on high and fry till the mixture turns dry. Now garnish with freshly grated Coconut. Done 🙂

6. Serve with rice meals or with congee (pej/rice gruel). Tastes so yum ❤️

Notes:

* The ratio of ivy gourd to cashew is upto you. We love cashew in this upkari. So I add 1 Cup for 2 Cups sliced ivy gourd. You can also add just a handful. Tastes good even then.

* Remember to cook both the ivy gourd and cashews till soft. Ivy gourd takes time to cook, so keep the flame on medium, add little by little water and cook till it changes to light green and soft.

* We Konkanis make this with Bibbo or fresh, tender Cashewnuts during our New year festival called Ugadi. But since I live in Qatar and am here during Ugadi, I make it with cashews.

* You can check all my Konkani recipes here:

All Konkani Recipes

Salads

Beetroot Raita

May 3, 2023 Healthy Cooking with Mitha Leave a comment

Here’s welcoming my favorite veggie as a child – Beetroot into the blog ❤️ I have never posted a recipe with beetroot before as my husband used to dislike it so much that we hardly bought it. Even if we bought it after my hundred requests 😁, it used to go into only two dishes:

* Amma’s Carrot Upkari, where carrot is replaced with beetroot, like how my Amma made and is my favorite dish with Beetroot.

* Restaurant style Vegetable Kurma, where I add Beetroot too which gives it a delicious flavour due to the coconut masala.

But still it was rare as he still did not like the flavour of beetroot at all. 😔

Then one day, I tried this Beetroot Raita as a quick side dish for Pulao and everything changed 😍 He said it’s the best dish he had ever tasted with beetroot and now he himself gets the veggie to make this raita (Happy me ❤️)

And the kids? Yes, they too love it for it’s Gorgeous colour and enjoy dipping it in their parathas and theplas.

So, finally our love – hate relationship with Beetroot turned into love, much to my delight, all due to this delicious raita. ❤️

Hope you all try it and love it too. It’s a very easy recipe. Happy and healthy cooking ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: (Serves 2)

1 Cup Yogurt/ Curd

3/4 Cup grated Beetroot (half a medium beetroot)

1 small sized Onion, finely chopped

1 Green chilly

2 Tbsp Coriander leaves

1 tsp Cumin powder / Jeera powder

1/2 tsp Chaat masala

Salt to taste

Step by step recipe:

1. Take yogurt in a bowl and mix with a spoon till it becomes creamy in texture and lump free.

2. Now add all the ingredients – peeled and grated Beetroot, finely chopped onion, green chilly and coriander leaves, jeera powder, Chaat masala and salt.

3. Mix well. Done 🙂

4. Serve with Pulao or with any meals. I also serve it with parathas or theplas and it tastes delicious. ❤️

Notes:

* I have used homegrown mint leaves in the presentation above which I fine chop and add to the raita sometimes. So if you have mint leaves, you can add it as well ( about 5 to 6 leaves).

* The yogurt we get here is thick. If you get watery curd, sieve it to make it thick and then add other ingredients.

* Alternately if you like slightly thin raita, you can adjust the consistency as you like.

* Chaat masala can be substituted with amchoor or dry mango powder.

Makes a great combination with:

* Easy Vegetable Biriyani

* Soya Chunks Pulao

* Amma’s Carrot Pulao

* Mooli Paratha

* Methi Thepla

* Bottlegourd Theplas

* Masala Oats Paratha

* Drumstick leaves Aloo Roti

Breakfast time, Idli Stand, Konkani Recipes

Idli Usli | Idli Upma | Seasoned leftover idlis

May 1, 2023 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 3 Comments

As a kid, whenever my Anama (grandmother) or Amma made idlis, I would ask them to keep some extra to make idli usli as breakfast for next day. The super soft hing flavoured idli usli with bites of green chillies in it was, is and will always be one among my most favorite breakfast. Childhood nostalgia. ❤️

Now in my kitchen, where I am the manager 😂😂, I purposely make a whole batch of idlis extra just to savour idli usli the next day. My family too likes it ( Thank God! 😁), so two days breakfast is set when I make idlis.

Even though I make it every couple of weeks, it never occured to me that I could share this easy recipe with all of you too. But yesterday when I was about to make it, the idlis in my steel case looked so beautiful that as I admired it, I thought why not share this recipe on the blog too. If it helps even one of you, I will be very happy. ❤️

So here’s me sharing this super easy, quick and very tasty recipe of Idli Usli, Konkani style. Hope you all try it and remember me while enjoying it. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

The Idlis used here are : Mallige idlis

Ingredients:

About 10 to 15 Leftover idlis (depends on how much you have)

1/4 tsp Hing/ Asafoetida

1 tsp Sugar

Salt to taste (be mindful as idlis already have salt)

For seasoning:

2 Tbsp Coconut oil

2 tsp Mustard seeds

2 tsp Cumin seeds/ Jeera

2 tsp Urad dal

A sprig of Curry leaves

3 to 4 Green chillies

Freshly grated Coconut for garnish

Step by step recipe:

1. Leftover idlis : I keep them in the refrigerator the previous night. Since they are cold and slightly hard, it’s easy to crumble them. You can also use idlis that are at room temperature. Fresh idlis need to be cooled completely before making usli.

2. Crumble them using hands as shown in the picture. Add salt ( be mindful as idlis already have salt) , sugar and hing.

3. Mix everything well and evenly with hands. Keep aside.

4. Heat coconut oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter. Now add cumin seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and green chillies. Fry on medium flame till urad dal turns brown.

5. Now add the crumbled idlis and mix well on medium flame. Cover and keep for 5 mins.

6. Garnish with freshly grated coconut and serve hot. Done 🙂

Notes:

* If you don’t have leftover idlis, you can make the same recipe using Thick Poha. Only addition is peanuts in the seasoning which needs to be fried till crisp. Rest recipe is same. I make this regularly for a light and tasty evening snack. In Konkani it is called Phova Usli.

* I make regular idlis using this recipe of Mallige idlis. They come out super soft and very tasty.

* Since I love Idli Usli, I make an extra batch of Mallige idlis and refrigerate. Next day morning for breakfast, I make Idli usli.

* In this recipe, you can adjust the seasoning according to how many idlis you have leftover. I even make the usli when I have 6 to 8 idlis. It serves two people.

* Do remember to add less salt as idlis already have salt in them. Hing gives a wonderful aroma in the usli. So don’t skip it. Sugar gives a good balance in flavours too. Just a little is enough.

* You can also check these seasoned breakfast recipes that I make often:

Chow Chow Bath (Upma and Sheera)

Batat Phovu

Muga Dali usli

Chane Usli – Godu Phovu

Kobi Pohe

Bhajjil Phovu

Undi – Piyava Gojju

* You can also check different varieties of Idlis in my Variety Idlis collection.

Chutneys

Red Capsicum Peanut Chutney| Red bell pepper chutney

April 6, 2023 Healthy Cooking with Mitha Leave a comment

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As many varieties of dosas and idlis that I make, I love to try different varieties of chutneys as well. Spicy chutneys are my favorite as they make such an amazing accompaniment to dosas. So when I tried this red capsicum chutney recently, it instantly became my favorite as it turned out spicy and delicious.

Even though red capsicums are sweet, the peanuts and red chillies give a wonderful flavour to this chutney which makes it a very tasty dip for dosas. A definite must try if you get your hands on red capsicums. ❤️

Apart from this chutney, I also make Tri colour Capsicum Salsa and fried rice with these capsicums but I must say, red capsicum chutney has won my heart with it’s flavours. Hope you all try and love it too. Happy and healthy cooking ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Serves 2 to 3 people }

1/2 a large Red Capsicum

1 medium sized Onion

4 Red chillies (adjust to taste)

2 Tbsp Peanuts

1 tsp + 1 tsp + 1 tsp Coconut oil (for frying and seasoning)

2 tsp Mustard seeds

2 sprigs Curry leaves ( for frying and seasoning)

Salt to taste

Step by step recipe:

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a small pan and fry peanuts in it on medium flame till the peanuts change colour and start to open slightly.

2. Remove it in the mixer jar and let it cool down.

3. In the same pan, heat 1 tsp oil and add roughly chopped onions, curry leaves, red chillies and roughly diced Red Capsicum. Fry well till onions turn translucent and capsicum turns soft.

4. Now transfer this to the mixer jar too and let it cool down.

5. Add salt and little water as needed to grind it to a smooth paste.

6. Now heat 1 tsp oil in the pan and add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Let mustard seeds splutter. Now remove from the flame and add the ground chutney to the pan. Mix well. Done 🙂

7. Serve with dosas or idlis. Tastes so yum ❤️

Notes:

* I have served it with Methi dosa or the regular way I make my dosas. Makes for such a great combination.

* Don’t add more than two spoons of peanuts as otherwise the chutney will have a nutty flavour than that of red capsicum.

* This ratio of 1/2 capsicum, 2 spoon peanuts, 1 medium onion and 4 Red chillies works perfectly for me. If you prefer less spicy, add 3 red chillies and then you can adjust the spice using red chilli powder.

* This chutney is very unique in it’s taste due to the sweetness of the capsicum, spice from the chillies and the nuttiness from the peanuts. A must try if you love different flavours in chutneys.

* Since oil is used thrice while frying and seasoning, add very little each time so that the chutney does not turn oily. You can skip oil while frying if you prefer less oil.

* This chutney is based on my recipe of Peanut Onion Chutney which tastes amazing as well.

* You can check my other chutney recipes too:

* Amma’s tomato chutney

* Coriander leaves chutney

* Sambarpalli leaves chutney version 1

* Sambarpalli leaves chutney version 2

* Hotel style Tomato Chutney

* Gooseberry or Amla Chutney

* Pudina lehsun Chutney

* Allam Pachadi or Ginger Chutney

* Walnut Chutney

* More than 30 Dosa recipes : Dosa Corner

* 21 Varieties of Idlis : Variety Idli Compilation

* “No rice” Dosa recipes Compilation

* If you have three coloured capsicums, you can try this: Tri colour Capsicum Salsa/ Salad

Curry house

Easy Tomato Curry | To eat with dosa, chapati and rice

April 1, 2023 Healthy Cooking with Mitha Leave a comment

After homegrown methi leaves, one produce that has been growing abundantly in our garden is the gorgeous red tomato 🍅. It’s also one of my favorite as I love the flavour it brings in my chutneys and curries.

During off season, I use it only in North Indian gravies but now that they are available in abundance, this tomato curry has been my first choice to make always. I made it as an accompaniment with dosas as a change for breakfast and we loved it so much that now I make it regularly to eat with chapatis and rice too.

The quantity of tomatoes that grows in our garden make me so happy and I want to share it with all of you too. Homegrown love 😍 Look at the variation in size and colours as some are yet to ripe. They stay well at room temperature and the green ones will soon turn red sitting with other ripe tomatoes. It’s a treat to see and use them daily. ❤️

Hope you all try and love this curry with tomatoes too when they are in season. It’s a very simple recipe but tastes really yummy specially with ripe tomatoes. Happy and healthy cooking ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

6 to 8 medium sized Tomatoes

2 medium sized Onions

1 inch Ginger piece

3 Green chillies

A sprig of Curry leaves

1 Tbsp Coconut oil

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Coriander powder

2 tsp Red chilli powder or to taste

Salt to taste

1/2 Cup Coconut milk ( I mix 2 Tbsp Coconut milk powder with 1/2 cup water)

3 to 4 Tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves

Step by step recipe:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add cumin seeds, curry leaves, finely chopped green chillies and ginger.

2. Now add finely chopped onions and fry till it turns translucent.

3. Now add deseeded and roughly chopped tomatoes. Add salt and mix well.

4. Allow tomatoes to cook well. It will leave water and the mixture will be watery. Now add turmeric powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder.

5. Mix well and allow the mixture to come to a boil. Now add coconut milk and mix well.

6. Cook till tomatoes blend well and the mixture thickens ie for about 5 mins. Check for salt and other spice powders. Adjust and then remove from flame. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Notes:

* This curry tastes really delicious as an accomplishment with dosas, chapatis, parathas and rice.

* I add 6 to 8 tomatoes as I have plenty of homegrown tomatoes. You can also use 3 to 4 as per what you have.

* For satwik version, skip onions and add hing instead in the seasoning.

* You can also add rasam powder for a unique flavour. I keep alternating between powders to give different taste each time.

* I also add a dash of pepper powder sometimes. Tastes yum too.

* I use instant coconut milk powder to make coconut milk. You can use fresh coconut milk or even skip it completely. But coconut milk gives a nice thick texture and flavour to this curry.

* For other tomato dishes:

Ammas Tomato Chutney

Hotel style Tomato Chutney

Eggless Tomato Omelette

Salads, Snacks

Tri colour Capsicum Salsa | Easy Capsicum salad/dip recipe

March 23, 2023 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 1 Comment

Tri colour Capsicums always attracted me when I went for grocery shopping but it used to be super expensive and I never felt like buying it. Recently Qatar has been growing a variety of veggies locally and hence we have been getting even expensive vegetables like Broccoli and coloured capsicums considerably cheaper. Also just see how fresh they are! 😍

So, whenever I get my hands on them, it’s either this salsa or fried rice. Both ways, it is consumed happily by my kids which is most important for me whenever I cook something. With salsa, I present it to them with nachos for evening snack and they munch it on happily. ❤️

Also, these capsicums are best when they are had raw with their flavours intact. Cooking them leads to make it soft and is not as fresh. So my preferable way to use these capsicums is by making this salsa which we have as an accompaniment with rice meals as well. Tastes so yum. ❤️

Hope you all try and love it too. Happy and healthy cooking ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1/2 a medium sized Green Capsicum

1/2 a medium sized Yellow Capsicum

1/2 a medium sized Red Capsicum

1 medium sized Onion

1 medium sized Tomato

3 Green chillies

1/4 tsp Pepper powder

Salt to taste

Juice of 1 Indian lemon or half of large lemon

Finely chopped Coriander leaves, for garnish

Step by step recipe:

1. Finely chop the three capsicums and add to a mixing bowl.

2. Now add finely chopped Onion, tomatoes and green chillies to it.

3. Add finely chopped Coriander leaves, salt, pepper powder and lemon juice. Mix well. Taste and adjust the lemon juice and salt as needed.

4. Done! Enjoy as a salad or as a salsa with Nachos. ❤️

Notes:

* The above measurement serves 4. If you are making for more people, just use three whole capsicums and about two tomatoes and two onions.

* You can skip green chillies if making for small kids. I remove green chillies before giving to my kids.

* You can also add a dash of red chilli powder for more spice but we love this as it is.

* I also serve it as a side along with rice meals and the salad gives a nice, fresh crunch to the meal.

* The other salads that I make regularly:

Mixed Bean Salad

Carrot Kismuri

Moong dal Kosambari

Cabbage Kosambari

Mixed Vegetable Salad

Khamang Kakdi/ Cucumber salad

Barley Salad

Banana Stem Salad

Purple Cabbage Coleslaw

Breakfast time, Healthy Meal Ideas, Snacks

Methi Thepla | Easy, soft, flavourful theplas with fenugreek leaves

January 18, 2023 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 2 Comments

As my son is sleeping after coming back tired from school, I have finally sat down to write this recipe of Methi Theplas which are his favorite 😍. He loves variety of dosas, bhakris, parathas and his recent love is this Methi Thepla. ❤️ It’s winter now in Qatar and we have fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves growing in our tiny kitchen garden, handled very lovingly by my husband. Here are the tiny yet pretty and very healthy leaves 😍

These leaves are plucked when my son demands for Theplas and love how homegrown leaves have an amazing flavour of it’s own. Farm to kitchen lifestyle is really the best way to enjoy and respect food. ❤️

Though I also make Alu methi and methi dal, these Theplas have become more regular as my kids love it. It’s also very easy to make and hardly takes 30 mins from start to finish.

They also stay well at room temperature for few hours and remain soft. So, in case there are leftovers, they still taste yum when enjoyed later.

Do try this delicious and healthy variation instead of rotis or parathas and you will definitely love it. Happy and healthy cooking ❤️

Ingredients: { Makes about 7 Theplas }

1 Cup = 240 ml

1 cup finely chopped Fenugreek leaves/ Methi leaves

2 Cups Wheat flour / Chakki ka Atta

2 tsp white Sesame seeds / Til

2 tsp Oil ( I use coconut oil)

1 tsp Red chilli powder

1 tsp Coriander powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

A pinch of Hing/ Asafoetida

Salt to taste

Approx 1/2 cup water to make the dough

Oil or Ghee to cook the Theplas

Step by step recipe:

1. Take finely chopped methi leaves in a large mixing bowl (I chop the tender stems too along with the leaves. You can chop only the leaves if the stems are thick). Add sesame seeds, red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, oil, hing.

2. Now add wheat flour and mix everything well. Add water little by little and form a soft dough just like chapati dough.

3. Now divide the dough into equal sized balls as shown.

4. Using dry wheat flour, dust each of the balls and roll just like chapatis.

5. Heat a pan and fry the Theplas, both sides while applying oil or Ghee. Cook till brown spots appear on either sides of the Thepla.

6. Enjoy hot Theplas with curd and pickle or even as it is. Tastes so yum ❤️

Notes:

* You can also enjoy them after a while as they remain soft for many hours. Hence they make an excellent lunch box option or to make and carry during traveling.

* Just pack them tightly in a steel box or a hot case.

* The ratio of 1 : 2 for methi leaves : wheat flour works well for me. If you change the ratio, it might be difficult to roll the Theplas.

* Remove thick stems from methi leaves before adding to Theplas. I add thin, tender stems finely chopped and you can never feel them in the mouth.

* Make sure to cook both sides of the Theplas well with oil or Ghee which makes the Theplas soft.

* I also make Theplas adding yogurt which is another method you can try. I make Bottlegourd or Dudhi/ Lauki Thepla that way. Here is the recipe : Bottlegourd Theplas

* For growing your own methi leaves, just sprout regular methi seeds and add them to soil. You can also grow in pots of you don’t have the space for direct soil. It takes about two weeks for methi leaves to grow completely once sowed in soil. I have shared the detailed blog on how to sprout methi seeds in this blog. You can check HERE.

Breakfast time, Konkani Recipes, Snacks

Batat Phovu| Kanda Batata Poha | Easy Breakfast recipe with rice flakes

December 4, 2022 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 4 Comments

Whenever I ask my husband what breakfast he would like to eat when there is no dosa or idli batter, he immediately says “Batat Phovu”. 😄 And to imagine that he used to simply dislike potatoes when we got married. I used to beg him to please get us some potatoes as it used to be my favorite vegetable. Yes, “used to be” 😂 Now I have joined him in not liking potatoes so much but he is slowly liking them in some dishes and one of them is this Batat Phovu. 😍

In fact, it is he who suggested me that I should definitely share this recipe on the blog while I was sceptical as this is quite a well known recipe. “Everyone makes this and everyone knows the recipe..”, I told him. “But don’t think anyone can make it as perfectly as yours!”, was his reply instantly. (This man really loves what I cook 😂😂)

So I decided to share the recipe on the blog. Because if it helps even one, I will consider my efforts worthwhile. Though I am not a perfect cook in any way, some dishes I cook comes out really tasty and Batat Phovu is one among them.

Here’s sharing the simple recipe for those who don’t know yet. Hope it’s helpful for you. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: {Serves 2 to 3 people}

1 Cup = 240 ml

2 Cups Thick Poha / Rice flakes / Beaten rice

2 Tbsp Coconut Oil

1 tsp Ghee

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Cumin seeds

2 Tbsp Peanuts

Few Curry leaves

3 Green chillies

1 medium sized Onion

2 medium sized Potatoes

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

A pinch of Asafoetida/ Hing

2 tsp Sugar

Salt to taste

2 Tbsp Coriander leaves, for garnish

2 Tbsp freshly grated Coconut, for garnish

Juice of 1/2 an Indian lemon

Step by step recipe:

1. Heat oil + ghee in a pan. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Allow mustard seeds to splutter. Now add peanuts, curry leaves and finely chopped green chillies. Fry for few seconds till peanuts get roasted.

2. Now add finely chopped Onion and fry till onions turn translucent.

3. Add peeled and finely chopped Potatoes and turmeric powder. Mix well and fry the potatoes for a minute. Now add few spoons of water. Cover and cook till the potatoes turn soft. Will take about 5 mins.

4. Meanwhile take Thick Poha in a bowl. Note to take thick variety of Poha and not the thin variety of Poha.

5. Now wash it well once or twice to remove impurities from it. Drain water completely after washing. Poha turns soft now. Add salt, sugar and hing powder. Mix well.

6. Once potatoes turn soft, add poha to it and mix well continually till the mixture combines. Cover and keep for 5 mins on very low flame.

7. Now remove from flame and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and grated coconut. Drizzle lemon juice on top. Mix well. Serve hot. Done! ❤️

Notes:

* We like the Poha soft and moist. So I wash really well and also cook after adding to the pan. If you don’t like it soft, you can wash only once and just mix in the pan and remove from flame without covering it.

* Batat Phovu is best had hot when freshly made. If kept for long, it tends to get dry. In case you have to make ahead, just sprinkle few drops of water while reheating before serving. That makes it moist again.

* You can skip potatoes if you don’t like and make simple Kanda Poha with only onions.

* Some people also add carrots, capsicum and peas to this making it Vegetable Poha which is even healthier but my family loves Batat Phovu the authentic way only. Just shared as I thought it’s a great idea.

* I add oil + ghee to enhance the flavour of the Batat Phovu. You can add only oil if you like.

* Thick Poha is used to make Batat Phovu and not Thin Poha. Thin Poha is used in dishes like Godu Phovu (sweetened rice flakes) and Bhajjil Phovu (roasted rice flakes).

* I mix salt, sugar and hing in the washed Poha instead of adding in the pan as I have seen it results in even mixing and tastes really good.

* The thick Poha I use does not need soaking at all and turns soft when I wash it twice. If your Poha is very hard, you will need to soak for few minutes to make it soft before use.

* You can also try my other Poha recipes:

Kobi Pohe (Satwik version of Pohe with Cabbage)

Poha Vegetable Cutlet

Instant Poha Idlis

Instant Oats Poha Dosa

Other Breakfast Ideas

Curry house

Easy Paneer Masala | Quick Paneer curry

November 25, 2022 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 1 Comment

Paneer is our most favorite and I regularly make different paneer curries and kathi roll with it. But the most commonly made is this super easy and very tasty Paneer Masala which I made one day when I had 15 mins to cook before we went out. This quick fix curry was loved so much by my family that now, I mostly make Paneer only this way.

This along with jeera rice or chapatis makes a delicious meal which tastes better than even restaurant ones. I love how homemade food has a comfort of it’s own which can never be found in outside foods, no matter from which fancy restaurant.

Hope you all try and like this simple yet delicious curry too. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

300 grams Paneer cubes

To fry and make paste:

2 ripe medium sized Tomatoes

1 medium sized Onion

1 inch Ginger piece

About 10 to 12 Cashews

4 Cloves

2 Cardamom pods

1 Tsp Ghee

Other ingredients:

1/4 Cup Curd/ Yogurt

1 Tbsp Ghee

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 Bay leaf

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Amchoor powder

2 tsp Coriander powder

2 tsp Red chilli powder

2 tsp Garam Masala powder

A pinch of Sugar

Salt to taste

Finely chopped Coriander leaves for garnish

Step by step recipe:

1. Heat 1 tsp Ghee in a pan. Add cloves and cardamom pods. Add Cashews and fry till brown. Now add roughly chopped ginger, onions and tomatoes.

2. Fry till the onions and tomatoes turn soft. Now allow it to cool.

3. Now add this to a blender along with yogurt.

4. Blend to a smooth paste. Now heat Ghee in the same pan. Add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Fry till cumin seeds turn brown. Now add the ground paste.

5. Mix well for few minutes. Then add turmeric powder, Amchoor powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, Garam masala powder, sugar and salt.

6. Mix well again continually for about 5 mins. Now add paneer cubes and cook on medium flame till paneer turns soft. Add water if needed to adjust consistency.

7. Remove from flame and garnish with finely chopped Coriander leaves.

Notes:

* I usually combine this with jeera rice or chapatis. For jeera rice, heat coconut oil and fry cumin seeds. Add rice, hot water and salt. Cook till rice turns soft. Garnish with coriander leaves.

* You can skip Amchoor powder if you don’t have. I add it since I have it. Yogurt and tomatoes are enough for the tangy flavour.

* A pinch of sugar enhances the overall flavour of the curry. So remember to add it.

* You can decrease the amount of cashews if you like a less thicker curry.

Other Paneer recipes that I make regularly:

Paneer Butter Masala | No Onion No Garlic

Dhaba Style Paneer

Restaurant style homemade Palak Paneer

Paneer Sukka

Vegetable Paneer Chilly

Paneer Hara Masala

Paneer Kathi roll

Variety Rice

Soya Chunks Pulao | Easy Pulao recipe

November 17, 2022 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 3 Comments

Qatar is hosting FIFA football tournament which starts in couple of days and will last a month. So the kids are having vacation till New year and both of them are so happy to get this break (from waking early and homeworks 😄). So to celebrate this holiday time, I wanted to make something special for my daughter who loves it when I cook her favorites, so made this Soya Chunks Pulao for lunch today to surprise her. ❤️

This Pulao is her all time favorite and she always enjoys extra helpings of it when I make it. I learnt this recipe from my husband’s aunt during my newly married days and this is a regular at my place since then, specially on husband’s lunch box days. With raita and a pickle on side, this is a healthy, delicious meal. ❤️

Also, before I forget, it’s a one pot, easy to make Pulao too with very simple ingredients. It’s simplicity is what makes it truly yummy. I have tried many soya chunks rice recipes but this is what we love the most. ❤️

Hope you all try and love it too. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1 Cup = 240 ml

1.5 Cups Basmati rice

1 Cup Soya Chunks

1 medium sized Onion

1 medium sized Tomato

6 to 8 Cashews

2 tsp Cumin seeds/ Jeera

4 Cloves

2 pods of Cardamom

1 Bay leaf

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Red chilli powder or to taste

2 tsp Garam masala powder

2 Tbsp Ghee

Salt to taste

4 Tbsp chopped Coriander leaves

Step by step recipe:

1. Soak Soya Chunks and rice separately in double the amount of water for about 20 mins. Soya Chunks will swell in size and become soft. Keep it aside.

2. Heat ghee in a pan, add cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom powder, bay leaf, cashews, onions and tomatoes in the same order. Fry till cashews turn slightly golden, onions and tomatoes cook well.

3. Now add tumeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala powder. Fry for few seconds.

4. Squeeze the soya chunks out from the soaking water and add along with rice and salt to the pan. Also add about 2 Cups of water. Mix well.

5. Now cover and cook on medium flame till the rice cooks well, turning soft yet the grains remain separate. You might need little more water depending on the quality of rice and the cooking range you use. Once cooked well, remove from flame and add chopped coriander leaves.

6. Mix well. Serve with raita and pickle.

Notes:

* I use the ratio of 1 Cup Soya Chunks to 1.5 Cups rice which turns out perfectly for me.

* Do remember to soak both the soya chunks and rice separately for atleast 15 mins so that the soya chunks turn soft.

* You can add chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies too in the pulav but I skip since my daughter does not like it.

* For Garam Masala, I alternate between different masalas from Catch brand which I love very much. Currently I am using Catch Chana Masala which has a delicious flavour.

* To make Raita, just finely chop onion, tomato, cucumbers, coriander leaves. Add curd/ yogurt, rock salt, amchur powder, jeera powder, little water and mix well.