Besan ladoo recipe

Besan ladoo recipe - Today I am going to share a traditional besan ladoo recipe of Maharashtra. During the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, sumptuous sweet like besan ladoo for prasaad  in naivedya thali definitely would make a traditional delight. During Deepavali festival the aroma of besan ladoo spreads from every homes of Maharashtra.

This fabulous ladoo adds flavor to festivities too. This ladoo is very easy to make and the preparation is flexible. You can adjust the besan, ghee and sugar at any time to bind the ladoos perfectly. To make proper delicious ladoo, gram flour or besan must be fry properly. You need to fry them on low flame till they releases flavor and turn to light golden colour. 

If the besan is raw and not fried well, the ladoo gets spoiled very easily within short period. Otherwise this is a durable ladoo which can be stored for about a fortnight at room temperature and another ten days in the refrigerator. As the name suggests, besan is the basic ingredient of this ladoo which releases an excellent flavor and fabulous taste when fried in ghee. In combination with sugar, it turns into an absolutely beautiful and extremely delicious besan ladoos, perfect for a festive occasion. Check out some other ladoo varieties here.

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Palak pulav recipe - Spinach pulao recipe

Palak pulav recipe -  Today I am going to share with you all a very simplest, easiest and yummy palak pulao recipe. In India varieties of pulao is made using various vegetables and this pulao is one of them.  It is a healthy one pot meal made with well known leafy vegetable spinach in combination with rice. 

It is a perfect dish to make when you are running out of time to prepare so many things on busy days or in the morning rush, or you have unexpected guests .This is an ideal rice dish that you can pack  in the lunch box along with spicy side dish. 

Though its a very simple dish with few basic ingredients, its a complete meal in itself and fills the stomach. You can add other vegetables such as green peas, carrots, ivy gourds, potatoes and  you will get another version of tasty pulao. Check out other pulao and biryani varieties. Try and enjoy this delicious pulao with your favorite side dish.

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Til shenga chutney powder recipe - Peanut sesame seeds chutney powder

Til shenga chutney powder recipe - This til shenga chutney powder is a blend of peanuts, sesame seeds and dry coconut made to serve with parathas, theplas, phulkas, chapatis, rotis and even dosas. The method of preparation  is simple. Just roast and fry few ingredients and blend. An amazing chutney powder will be ready within few minutes.

This til shenga chutney powder contains essential flavors, texture and taste that you like. This chutney powder is definitely  something different than usual wet chutneys and  I really love it. An instant chutney can be made by mixing this powder with yogurt.

The oily chutney can be prepared by adding warm oil to this chutney powder which goes really great with all variety of rotis. You can also serve this til shenga chutney powder  as it is along with Indian flat breads.

The best part is that it is very handy and you can store it in an airtight container for about a month. Paratha, thepla, chapati, phulka, roti, rice items, dosa, idli, uttappa etc. etc. are our staple food. And we need chutneys to go with it. Chutney is my family's favorite side dish. I grind chutneys almost every alternate day to serve with our staple food. So, stock of such chutney powder fulfill my kitchen task and with the help of it, I can handle the chutney situation very easily. Check out some other chutney varieties in this space. Try and taste it. I am sure you will like it.

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Kaddu ka thepla recipe - Pumpkin thepla recipe

Kaddu ka thepla recipe - Today I am sharing with you all one more fairly spicy thepla recipe prepared with pumpkin and wheat flour. This mix and roll procedure is certainly a different method than the double roti style of pumpkin paratha which I had posted earlier. This is one of  our most favorite theplas and goes extremely well with chutneys, chutney powder and curd. 

It has a soft texture and alluring flavor. This is exquisitely fine, subtle and pleasing with a hint of mild spice powder. The perfect blend of yogurt, chilly powder, salt and besan turn the theplas in an array of fabulous dish. 

These theplas are suitable to pack in the lunch box. It is a perfect technique to serve good nutritious theplas with healthy ingredients combined into one  dish. The preparation of theplas doesn't need any great skill and  meticulous technique. Even a novice cook can make these theplas very easily. Do check out other paratha and thepla varieties.

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Tomato soup recipe

Tomato soup recipe - A comforting and soothing healthy drink to sip for all age people in all season. This is a tomato based thick variety soup served hot. This tomato soup is low in calories with full of flavors and taste which satisfy your taste buds.

The fresh pepper powder made by pounding the pepper in a mortar with a pestle adds a hot taste to the soup. Soup is a must liquid food, particularly during the rainy days. There are few specific kind of soups that can be made easily. Do check out some other  soup varieties.  

This hot tomato soup is made  by boiling  ingredients in water  and the flavors are extracted by cooking them soft. There are two types of soups that we can make,  the clear soups  and the thick soups. Thick soups are always my family's favorite, so I made this thick variety of soup by using corn flour as thickening ingredient and served it as a starter for the meal.  You may serve it with toast or toasted bread cubes. Try this soup and take a taste. You will like it.

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Rava dose recipe - Rava dosa recipe - Semolina Dosa

Rava dose recipe - Rava dosa is yet another breakfast dish of  South India. For breakfast we look forward to prepare classic dishes to serve. This rava dosa has a great texture and softness that makes a splendid breakfast dish when accompanied with sambar and chutneys. This is a very simple and easy to prepare dish which is a time saver in the morning rush. 

This is a comfort dish that keeps your stomach full for at least two hours. This is an ideal dish for the beginners that they can prepare it very easily. This dosa  batter doesn't need any fermentation. Once you make the urad dal  paste, the roasted rava can be added to it and you can prepare the dosa immediately. This is an alternative to rice dosa. 

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Baby corn pakoda recipe

Baby corn pakoda or pakora recipe - Today I have come up with a highly irresistible baby corn pakoda, an absolutely perfect evening snack with a hot cup of  tea, coffee, juice or lassi.

I made this zestful pakoda with the batter in combination with  all purpose flour or  maida and corn flour. The pakodas prepared in this batter have a distinct taste and unique texture, since pakodas made using corn flour really become more crispy. Chilli powder and lemon juice is also added and the taste is blend with these in pakodas. 

It is very common that evening tea or coffee is often enjoyed with savoruy snacks or fried pakodas. This baby corn pakoda is an ideal snack to relish after school or office.

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Dudde paays - Kumbalkayi payasa - Pumpkin kheer

Dudde paays or  kumbalkayi payasa recipe - India celebrates 68th Independence day  today.  Each Indian enjoys the happiness of  this day. This is the most memorable day for all of us. Wishing Each Indian A Very Happy and Joyful Independence Day.

Today I made this pumpkin kheer to celebrate the special occasion of Independence day. Pumpkin kheer is a very popular South Indian traditional dessert. An ideal sweet dish to make on some occasions and festivals. Traditionally, pumpkin is cooked in thin coconut milk, simmered with thick coconut milk and jaggery, flavored with cardamoms and textured with semolina. Coconut milk and jaggery together release an excellent flavor  when it is induced with cardamom powder.

I have used semolina or rava in the kheer for my convenience, as I do not like to grind small quantity of rice. However,  you can use rice instead of rava, for that, please read the note given below.  I made this kheer using yellow colour round variety of pumpkin, which has luscious dense orange colour flesh as compared to the oval shaped pumpkin which has dang and thin flesh.

Whenever I bring the pumpkin form vegetable market, I reserve a small piece of it to make this delicious kheer as I am having a strong preference and liking for pumpkin kheer. It needs few ingredients and can be made quickly. You can also make lauki or  white gourd kheer in this way. Pumpkin takes a very few minutes to cook. Therefore take care not to cook it too mushy to avoid the kheer turns into paste. While cooking the pumpkins, you need to check it in regular intervals. It should not be too hard. That may spoil the taste of the kheer.

For the best result, use hard and dense pumpkin that cut into evenly sized cubes. The time required for cooking the pumpkin may vary according to the size and quality of the pumpkin.  Usually this kheer,  is served with meal.

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Kaju makhan masala recipe - How to make cashew nut butter masala

Kaju makhan masala  recipe - Kaju makhan masala is a delicious creamy dish to relish with naan, roti, phulka, chapati, jeera rice and even steamed rice. Kaju Makhan masala is a North India's Punjabi speciality. It has rich gravy of cashews, onions, tomatoes, butter and fresh cream that is flavored with spice powder and the dish is different from the usual  kaju curry.

In fact, the thick gravy tastes better than the thin gravy, so  while making this dish, keep the gravy consistency thick and you'll experience the creamy taste when this dish is taken into the mouth. I also make paneer and  green peas makhan masala, mushroom and green peas makhan masala and mushroom and paneer makhan masala. In fact, kaju makhan masala is bit different than kaju masala. Kaju makhan masala is made by using butter and cream, whereas kaju masla doesn't contain cream or butter.

Usually, for the makhan masala, kajus are shallow fried in butter, but  I have just dry roasted the cashews as I don't like to add much butter or cream in our diet. Makhan  in hindi means butter. Cashews are easily storable at room temperature in all season throughout the year. This kaju makhan masala  can also be made on special occasions like birthday party, kitty party, potluck party, family get together and so on.

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Kharbuja rasayana recipe - Cantaloupe rasayana recipe

Kharbuja  rasayana recipe - Kharbuja rasayana is a delicious all season dessert, commonly made in Karnataka. Muskmelon in combination with  coconut milk make this dish an extremely pleasing dessert when sweetened with jaggery and induced with cardamom flavor. Traditionally, coconut paste is used to make the rasayana. But somehow, we like to have it in coconut milk rather than coconut paste.

Muskmelon, mango, banana and mashmelon (chibud) are most popular fruits to prepare this dessert. Muskmelon and chibud belong to the same melon family. Both have soft flesh with distinctive melon flavor. This kharbuja rasayana is alternative to chibud rasayana. I don't get chibud here. Chibuds are extensively cultivated in coastal parts of India. Both kharbuj and chibud are delicious fruits having a property for keeping the stomach cool.

In this dish, jaggery and coconut milk are team players. They both goes great in combination with muskmelon. The beaten rice ( poha)  is  immersed in the sweetened coconut milk to give a unique taste and texture to the rasayana. Then muskmelon pieces are added and induced with cardamom flavor. Even you can grind half of the muskmelon in a  mixer before adding it to the coconut milk. I make this rasayana specially on warm days.

To prepare a delectable rasayana, make sure to buy an oval shaped luscious muskmelon which has a distinctive  characteristic taste. There are many versions of traditional rasyana. All versions are so tasty. Rasayana prepared in combination with muskmelon and banana, mango and banana, muskmelon and mango are such a great dish to serve.  Serve this delicious rasayana as a dessert. It can be eaten as it is. It also goes well with pooris. Either way, this dish is fantastic.

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Kharbuja juice recipe - Muskmelon juice - Cantaloupe juice

Kharbuja juice  recipe - Chilled  muskmelon juice with a splatter of lime is the perfect refreshing drink to enjoy on a hot summer day. On hot summer days, we generally experience the feeling of dehydration and thirst due to over sweating . Musk melon juice prevents these problems. It cools the stomach and comforts the throat. Though its raining here, the atmosphere is still warm and I felt like having some sumptuous fruit juice. Therefore, I thought of muskmelon which is readily available.

Fruits are an essential part of our daily diet. They are really good to provide the required amount of vitamins and minerals. Muskmelons are low in calories, so weight watchers may eat this fruit regularly. It is  rich sources of dietary fibers and helpful in soothing the acidity and also keeps the stomach cool. Muskmelon has an abundant supply of potassium which helps to control blood pressure. It is a good source of antioxidants. It contains an excellent amount of  beta-carotene, potassium, vitamin A and C.

I have added lemon juice and sugar to the juice. Both are required to add an extra  taste to the juice. Well ripened muskmelon is more sweeter than the unripened melon. When you buy the muskmelon, make sure to buy  the  heavy weighing, oval shaped light golden colour  muskmelon. They have more succulent flesh and sweeter taste as compared to round musk melon which is less sweet. You can also make fresh fruit juice with watermelon, mango, strawberry, litchi, green grapes and black grapes. Besides the juice, muskmelon can be used for the preparation of delicious dessert like rasayana, kheer and payasa.

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Capsicum chutney recipe - Chutney for roti and parathas

Capsicum or bell pepper chutney recipe - Today I am going to share a very simple, easy and quick capsicum chutney recipe that can be prepared with few  basic ingredients. This capsicum chutney  is a great accompaniment to dosas, idlis, theplas and parathas.  Capsicums, green chilly, ginger and garlic are delicately roasted on stove flame and then blend them to a smooth  paste to make the chutney.  This chutney has mild smoky flavor.

Whenever I make dosa, idli, parathas or theplas,  I make chutney and capsicum chutney is one of them. To avoid extra oil in the chutney,  I have not added tempering to it. You can add mustard seeds, broken red chillies and asafoetida tempering to this chutney.  You can serve this capsicum chutney as a side dish to rice and curry. Even this chutney can be used to make bread sandwiches. I served it with the dal dosa that I had posted  the recipe earlier.

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Mix bele dose - Dal dosa recipe - Mix lentils dosa

Bele dose is a guilt free breakfast dish prepared with bengal gram (chana dal ), husked split green gram (moong dal), husked split black gram (urad dal ) and semolina (rava). Yogurt is added just to give a sour taste to the dosa. Urad dal and rice dosa is  a common breakfast dish in South India. But, this mixed lentils dosa is an interesting alternative to usual urad dal and  rice dosa. This is a healthy breakfast dish which provides both proteins and energy. Consuming  2 -3 dosas for breakfast,  provide sufficient energy balance till lunch.

I have used rava ( semolina ) in this dosa for my convenience. You can add soaked and ground rice paste instead of rava. However, the taste will remain same. If you choose to make it with rice paste, make sure to soak the rice for thirty minutes before grinding.

Some kids eat too little dal dishes or proteins rich food. For them this dosa is an ideal dish, since it is a dish in combination with various lentils and lentils are rich sources of proteins. Dosa and chutney are team players. This dosa goes great with capsicum chutney. You can serve it with choice of your chutney. Even chutney powder goes well with it.  If your kids refuse to eat dosa with chutney, you can serve it with fruit jam and honey.

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Matar shimla mirch sabzi recipe - Green peas capsicum sabzi

Matar or green peas and capsicum sabzi recipe - Today I have come up with a simple and easy matar, shimla mirch dry sabzi, which goes well with roti, chapati,  parathas, theplas and even pulao. There are different ways of making stir fry or dry subzis. This North Indian style matar, shimla mirch sabzi tastes well when cooked in its own moisture and oil. But you can add little amount of water, compromising with the taste.

In this subzi, after adding the spice powder, you need to stir it continuously to combine the ingredients in such a way that all the ingredients are evenly dispersed and well coated with the green peas and capsicums.

All the masala powder added in this matar shimla mirch sabzi help in enhancement of flavor of the subzi. Though the subzi prepared is dry, it released the spicy flavor and tasted yummy. You can pack it in the lunch box with the choice of your  Indian flat breads and even pulao.

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Hariyali chole masala recipe

Hariyali chole masala recipe - Today I am going to share a delicious hariyali chole masala recipe which goes great with parathas, theplas, phulka, roti, pulao or even rice.  This is an easy to prepare side dish which I make often and very different from the usual chana masala.

This hariyali chole masala is a delicious combination of  kabuli chana, green corianders and fresh coconut. We enjoyed it with  hot methi theplas along with crisp papads, curd and mango pickle. This recipe is a mix of both South Indian and North Indian style.  The combination of coconut with chickpeas is particularly South  Indian, while the use of coriander leaves  and spice powder is very North Indian. In India, chickpeas are one of the most important and popular legumes used to prepare various dishes like kadbuli chana masala, punjabi chole, chana usal, chana curry, salads and so on.

Chickpeas add unique flavor to the dish and it also contains ample amount of proteins. To add protein in your dish, use kabuli chana or small variety of brown chana in combination with any other legumes and vegetables. Roasted chana is also a healthy snack and kids love it for sure. Previously I had shared kabuli chana masala and chana usal recipes which are great side dish for Indian flat breads.

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Masala roti recipe - Spicy roti recipe

Masala roti recipe - Are you looking for a spicy roti recipe for lunch box, breakfast, lunch or dinner? Here is the masala roti that goes well with any dry subzis, chutneys, chutney powder, curd and raitas. This masala roti is alternative to parathas, theplas and chapati. I have used coriander powder, jeera powder, garam masala, chilli powder,  turmeric powder, besan and curd along with wheat flour. This mildly spiced roti can be roasted till crisp to store for three  to four days.

In case you like cilantro or mint flavor in roti, then add the same to the dough and get a different flavored roti. You can make wonderful masala lachcha paratha with this dough. Even you can dry the mint leaves in the oven and use the powdered mint leaves to sprinkle on the masala lachcha paratha and that also goes well with chutneys, chutney powder, curd, raitas and subzis. I will post that mint masala lachcha paratha recipe in due course.

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