Fried Dhokla

          Khaman Dhokla is a traditional Gujarati steamed savoury snack, which is wholesome, healthy and yummy.  They can be served with green chutney as a tea-time snack, for breakfast or as a lunch box meal. This is an instant version prepared out of besan (gram flour), yoghurt and few other flavouring agents.

          Now the problem comes from the leftover dhoklas which we tend to reheat and have. This becomes boring at one point. So how about serving them in a different avatar? Just shallow fry them till crisp and and serve as an appetizer with any chutney of your choice, sauce, dip or mayo. It tastes just amazing.

• 8-10 leftover dhokla pieces
• 2-3 tbsp. oil 
• any chutney to serve

          Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the dhokla pieces till golden brown on all sides. Serve as an appetizer with any chutney of your choice.




Note - Check below for the Dhokla recipe - 

Khaman Dhokla - 

• 1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
• 1 tbsp. sooji (semolina)
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. of turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. ginger paste
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped or ground
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. eno fruit salt
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida (hing)
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• extra lime juice, sugar and a pinch of salt or to taste
• 1 tbsp. fresh coconut, grated
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

           Mix together besan, sooji, yoghurt, salt, ginger paste, green chilies paste, lime juice, 1 tbsp. oil, sugar and turmeric powder with enough water to form into a batter of pouring consistency. Keep aside for 30 minutes.

          Add eno fruit salt to it and mix well. Pour into a greased steel container and steam for 20 minutes on a medium flame. When cool, cut into desired shapes.

         Heat remaining oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add sesame seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves and green chilies.

         Saute for a few seconds and switch off the flame. Add 1/4 cup water, extra lime juice, sugar and a pinch of salt. 

          Mix everything well and pour on the steamed Dhoklas. Garnish with coconut and coriander leaves. Enjoy with some green chutney. 

Stuffed Rice Paratha

          Parathas or Flatbread are the most popular and favoured breakfast in Northern regions of India. They can be plain or stuffed parathas. So here is one for you to try. A stuffed rice paratha, made with some leftover rice. I also added some chopped spinach (instead of coriander leaves), fresh chilies, grated ginger and few other basic seasonings. 

          Serve them with either yoghurt, pickles or butter for a sumptuous and a wholesome meal. They are not only ideal for breakfast, but for brunch, lunch, dinner or as a lunch box meal too. So check the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

Stuffing - 

• 1 cup leftover cooked rice
• 1 tsp. flax seed (opt)
• 1/2 cup spinach, shredded
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1-2 fresh red / green chilies, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. chaat masala
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder

Paratha - 

• 1 & 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
• pinch of salt
• pinch of red chili flakes
• oil to shallow fry

          Stuffing - In a bowl, combine all the mentioned ingredients and divide into 3 equal portions. keep aside.

          Paratha - In a mixing bowl, mix together flour, salt to taste and chili flakes. Add required quantity of water, little at a time and knead into a dough. Cover with a wet cloth and keep aside for 10-15 minutes.

          Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Roll out each into a small disc, just like a poori, by dusting some flour. Take a poori and spread required portion of the onion stuffing. 

          Cover with another poori and roll out into a paratha. Make impressions along the edges with a fork. Make similar parathas in the same manner. 

          Heat a tawa / griddle and shallow fry the parathas, one at a time, by drizzling some oil. Cook on both sides till golden brown in colour. 

          Transfer to a serving plate and serve along with chutney, yoghurt, pickles or just plain butter.

                                Mix all the ingredients & divide into 3 equal portions. 

                    Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Roll out each into a small disc, just
                    like a poori, by dusting some flour. 

                              Take a poori & spread required portion of the onion stuffing. 

                   Cover with another poori & roll out into a paratha. Make impressions 
                   along the edges with a fork.

               Heat a tawa & shallow fry the parathas, one at a time, by drizzling some
               oil. Cook on both sides till golden brown in colour. 

                                Serve along with chutney, yoghurt, pickles or just plain butter.

Chanar Paturi (Paneer / Cottage Cheese cooked, wrapped in Spinach Leaf)

           Paturi is a traditional Bengali style of steam cooking in a banana leaf. Generally fish is cooked in a paturi style, but let me share a vegetarian version of paturi made with paneer and cooked, wrapped in spinach leaf instead. It is an extremely easy, simple and an unique recipe that is so yummy and goes well with hot steamed rice. 

          This is a perfect weekend lunch with your loved ones. A drizzle of some extra mustard oil to the end product enhances the flavour of the dish. So do give it a try by following a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this divine delicacy in a new avatar. 

          In fact Paturi is an old recipe which is not much heard of. But such dishes are still prepared in few Bengali homes. 

          Besides steaming, it can also be pan fried. This is how our grandmothers use to traditionally make paturi. Sometimes it is also cooked, wrapped in pumpkin leaves that is simply out of this world.

• 200 gms. paneer, mashed
• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut 
• 2 tbsp. mustard seeds
• 2 green chilies
• 10-12 cashew nuts / 2-3 tbsp. poppy seeds
• 2 tbsp. yoghurt, well beaten 
• salt to taste 
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• few extra fresh green / red chilies 
• few large spinach leaves, washed & pat dried

        Grind the cashew nuts, mustard seeds, green chilies and coconut to a smooth paste. Mix along with yoghurt, salt, turmeric powder, 2 tbsp. mustard oil, coriander leaves and paneer. 

          Take a spinach leaf and place a small portion of the paneer mix in the centre along with a chili and fold it. Do the same with rest of the paneer mix.

          Arrange the parcels on a greased tray and steam for 5-10 minutes. Serve with hot steamed rice for a great weekend lunch. 

                  Grind cashew nuts, mustard seeds, green chilies & coconut to a paste. 
                  Mix with yoghurt, salt, turmeric powder, 2 tbsp. mustard oil, coriander
                  leaves and paneer. 

                  Take a spinach leaf & place a small portion of paneer mix in the centre
                  along with a chili.

                                Carefully fold it. Do the same with rest of the paneer mix.

                                  Arrange the parcels on a greased tray.

                                  Steam for 5-10 minutes.

                   Serve with hot steamed rice for a great weekend lunch. 

Kashmiri Saag

          This is a simple and a quick Kashmiri style spinach stir fry. It is also healthy with lots of garlic in it. Few prominent Kashmiri spices like cardamom, dry ginger powder (sonth), fennel powder and asafoetida are used in this recipe. It is cooked in mustard oil for an authentic touch. You can relish this yummy saag with roti / chapatti or steamed rice. 

          Spinach has a lot of health benefits as it improves the blood glucose level in diabetic patients, is rich in vitamin K, A and C and contains a lot of iron, protein, minerals and fibre. 

          So it is recommended to include greens like spinach, etc in our daily diet. So what better way than to prepare this super easy Kashmiri saag and relish as desired. 

• 2-3 bunches of spinach, washed, drained & chopped
• 1-2 tbsp. mustard oil 
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2-3 cardamoms
• 7-8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. fennel powder
• 1 tsp. dry ginger powder

          Heat oil in a pan till it reaches smoking point. Reduce the flame and temper with red chilies, cumin seeds, cardamom and garlic. Saute till the garlic changes colour. (Reserve some of the garlic pieces for garnishing).

          Add all the dry spices and give it a stir. Now add the chopped spinach and continue to cook on a medium flame till all the moisture has been absorbed.

          Switch off the flame. Transfer the saag to a serving dish and garnish with the remaining fried garlic. Serve as a side dish with roti / chapatti or plain steamed rice for a great comfort meal. 

Dhuska (Jharkand Street Food)

          Dhuska is a traditional and a very popular breakfast of Jharkand State that is also enjoyed as a snack. These are deep fried mini pancakes, almost similar to mini dosa, prepared out of ground rice, chana dal and urad dal. They are also sold as street food along with ghugni (chickpeas). It is very easy to prepare and goes well as a kitty party or a picnic recipe. So check the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this yummy delicacy.

• 1 cup rice
• 1/2 cup chana dal (Bengal Gram)
• 1/4 cup urad dal (split black gram)
• 2 green chilies
• 1" ginger
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves
• oil to deep fry

         Soak the rice, chana dal, urad dal and cumin seeds overnight. Grind along with green chilies, ginger, salt and required quantity of water into a paste. (The batter should be of pouring consistency).

          Add turmeric powder, asafoetida and coriander leaves. Mix well and whisk for 1-2 minutes.

          Heat oil in a pan and drop a small ladleful of the batter in batches. Cook on one side, then carefully flip it over. When done, drain on a kitchen towel. 

          Make similar dhuska with the remaining batter and serve with ghugni (chickpeas curry) or any side dish. I enjoyed with chana madra.

                             Grind rice, lentils, cumin seeds, salt & some water into a paste. 

                    Add turmeric powder, asafoetida & coriander leaves. Whisk for 1-2 min.

                                Heat oil & drop a small ladleful of the batter in batches.

                                Cook on one side, then carefully flip it over. 

                                When done, drain on a kitchen towel. 

                    Serve with any side dish.

Lemon Rice (South Indian Breakfast)

         Lemon Rice is a very common breakfast in South India, but it can also be had for lunch or dinner too. It is also offered in temples in the form of prasad / offering. Very yummy and easy to prepare, it is often carried along while travelling and also serves as a lunch box meal. So it is a very good way to use up your leftover cooked rice. Best had with some fried / roasted papad or chips. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 whole dry red chili
• pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 1 tbsp. chana dal (Bengal gram)
• 1-2 green chilies, slit
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• juice of half lemon or to taste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• coriander leaves to garnish

           Heat oil and temper with red chili and mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add asafoetida, urad dal, chana dal, green chilies and curry leaves. Saute for a few seconds.

          Now add the turmeric powder and salt. Mix well. Next add the cooked rice and stir fry for 2-3 minutes on a medium flame. 

          Then add the lemon juice and give it a toss. Saute for a minute. When done, switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with papad or chips for a great comfort meal.
     

                   Heat oil & temper with red chili & mustard seeds. Then add asafoetida,
                   urad dal, chana dal, green chilies & curry leaves. 

                                Add turmeric powder & salt. Mix well. 

                                 Add cooked rice & stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

                                 Then add lemon juice & give it a toss. Sauté for a minute.
     

                              When done, switch off flame & garnish with coriander leaves. 

                                Serve with papad or chips for a great comfort meal.