Beetroot Curd Rice

 

            There is nothing like having a bowl of this humble Beetroot curd rice for a simple lunch when time is a constraint. It is not only wholesome, colorful and soothing to your tummy, but it also tastes yummy with any pickle of your choice, papad or chips. A little bit of curry leaves podi or any gun powder sprinkled over it does wonders to this lovely dish. It is simply divine. In fact I can have it everyday and this happens to be one of my comfort food and it tops the list. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing one-pot meal.

• 1 cup cooked rice, mashed
• 3 tbsp. yoghurt
• 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 2 whole dry red chilies
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp. urad dal 
• 1 tbsp. tuvar dal / chana dal
• 1/2 tsp. whole peppercorns
• pinch of asafoetida
• 2 tbsp. beetroot, grated
• 1 tbsp. roasted peanuts
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Mix the rice with the yoghurt, salt and water. Set aside.

          Heat oil in a tadka pan and temper with whole dry red chilies, mustard seeds, urad dal, tuvar dal, green chilies, curry leaves, asafoertida and peppercorns. Sauté till the mustard seeds stops crackling.

          Then add the ginger and beetroot. Sauté for a few more seconds.  

          Pour this tempering over the beetroot curd rice. Mix well.

          Add the roasted peanuts and chopped coriander leaves. Give it a stir. 

          Serve as it is or with papad, chips or pickle for a wholesome and a heathy one-pot meal / breakfast. 

                  Mix the rice with the yoghurt, salt

                 and water. Set aside.

Heat oil in a tadka pan & temper with whole dry red chilies, mustard seeds, urad dal, tuvar dal, green chilies, curry leaves, asafoertida & peppercorns. Sauté till the mustard seeds stops crackling.

                   Then add the ginger 

                 and beetroot. Sauté for a few more seconds.  

                   Pour this tempering over the beetroot curd rice. 

                         Mix well.

 Add the roasted peanuts & chopped coriander leaves. Give it a stir. 

Serve as it is or with papad, chips or pickles for a wholesome & a heathy one-pot meal / breakfast. 

Mango Shrikhand / Aamrakhand (Maharashtrian Dessert)

 

           Mango Shrikhand is a traditional Maharashtrian dessert prepared with hung yoghurt and mango puree for an awesome after meal dessert. It is a favorite mango dessert during the mango season. This dessert is also called Aamrakhand and is apt for special occasions and festivals like Diwali, Gudi Padwa, Ganesh Festival, etc. It simply tastes heavenly if served chilled. 

            It is a very easy dessert and can be made in no time if you have the hung yoghurt ready sitting in your refrigerator. Rose water or Kewra water may be added if preferred.

            You can also enjoy this Shrikhand with poori for a comforting meal. So go ahead and treat yourself to this delicacy by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this popular no-cook dessert.

• 1 cup mango puree 
• 400 gms. yoghurt 
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• a pinch of saffron soaked in 1 tbsp. milk
• few mango cubes to garnish
• 1 tsp. chopped pistachios to garnish
• 1 tsp. dry rose petals to garnish
• few strands of saffron to garnish

           Pour the yoghurt in a cheese cloth and place it on a strainer. keep a bowl underneath and refrigerate it overnight. The thick hung yoghurt is used for this recipe. 

           Transfer the hung yoghurt to a mixing bowl. Add the mango puree and sugar.  Mix together and pass it through a sieve to avoid any lumps.

           Add cardamom powder and saffron milk. Give it a mix.

           Serve chilled, garnished with mango cubes, chopped pistachio, saffron and dry rose petals.  

                     Transfer the hung yoghurt to a mixing bowl.

                     Add the mango puree and sugar. 

                         Mix together.

                   Pass it through a sieve to avoid any lumps.

               Add cardamom powder & saffron milk. Give it a mix.

Serve chilled, garnished with mango cubes, chopped pistachio, saffron & dry rose petals.  

Mango Bhapa Doi (Steamed Mango Yoghurt)

 

           Mango Bhapa is a most irresistible Bengali dessert that is very easy and quick to dish out. It can be set overnight the traditional way, steamed or baked. Today I would like to share the steamed version. Absolutely a hassle-free dessert, it is a pure bliss and a total hit at any in-house party or any special festive occasions.

         

           This Bong dessert is super easy to prepare as you just need to combine all the ingredients and steam to perfection. It is that simple. So this totally yummy and melt in the mouth delicacy is simply to die for. 

           A few variations can be made by adding your favorite fruit to make it more flavorful. Garnish as desired and enjoy it chilled. So check out an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this chilled delicacy. 

• 400 gms. full fat yoghurt
• 1 cup mango puree
• 1/2 cup condensed milk
• 1 tsp. rose water
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• pinch of saffron
• few chopped mangoes, strands of saffron, chopped pistachios & dry rose petals to garnish

            Pour the yoghurt in a muslin cloth and place it on a strainer. Keep it on a bowl in the refrigerator overnight. The thick hung yoghurt is used for this recipe.

            Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the mango puree, condensed milk, cardamom powder, rose water and saffron. Combine everything well. 

             Pour into small containers or ramekins and cover with aluminum foil. 

             Pour some water into a pan and place a steamer over it. Bring the water to a boil. Then carefully arrange all the ramekins over the steamer.

           Cover with a lid and then steam on a low flame for 12-15 minutes. Keep aside to cool down before refrigerating it.

           Serve this chilled delicacy, garnished with chopped pistachios, few chopped mangoes, dry rose petals and saffron. 

Pour the yoghurt in a muslin cloth & place it on a strainer. Keep it on a bowl in the refrigerator overnight. The thick hung yoghurt is used for this recipe.

                      Add the mango puree, 

                   condensed milk, cardamom powder, rose water 

                    and saffron. Combine everything well. 

                       Pour into small containers or ramekins.

Cover with aluminum foil. Pour some water into a pan & place a steamer over it. Bring the water to a boil. Then carefully arrange all the ramekins over the steamer.  

Cover with a lid & steam on a low flame for 12-15 minutes. Keep aside to cool down before refrigerating it.

Serve this chilled delicacy, garnished with chopped pistachios, few chopped mangoes, dry rose petals & saffron. 

Mithai Shrikhand

 

               Shrikhand is a traditional Maharashtrian dessert prepared from hung yoghurt and flavored with saffron and cardamom powder.  So here is my version of this amazing chilled dessert prepared with some leftover modak. In this way, you can make good use of them and come up with this amazing fusion type of Shrikhand.

               In this recipe, I made use of  kesar modak. You can use any other leftover sweets. So a great combination of some leftover sweets and yoghurt makes for this yummy Shrikhand. Garnish with a pinch of saffron, some crushed sweets, chopped nuts, dry rose petals, saffron and a sprig of mint and you are ready to savour it. 

             Do try this absolutely simple, easy and a yummy dessert with just two main ingredients - hung yoghurt and few leftover sweets. The end result is this creamy dessert that is best relished, chilled. I have not added any sugar. You may if you wish. I flavored it with cardamom powder and rose water. You can try with any other flavour of your choice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this chilled homemade delicacy in a fusion style.

• 500 gms. yoghurt
• 4-5 mango & kesar modak, mashed
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. rose water
• a pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp. water / milk
• some crushed sweets, chopped mixed nuts, saffron, dry rose petals & mint

          Pour the yoghurt in a cheese cloth and place on a strainer. Keep this on a bowl in the refrigerator overnight. The thick hung yoghurt is used for the recipe. 

          In a bowl, whisk together hung yoghurt and the leftover mashed modak. Pass it through a strainer to remove any granules. 

          Now add the cardamom powder, saffron water and rose water. Mix well and refrigerate for some time.

          Serve this amazing Shrikhand, garnished with chopped nuts, dried rose petals, saffron, crushed modak and mint.

                        Pour the yoghurt in a cheese cloth & place on a strainer. Keep this

                        on a bowl in the refrigerator overnight. 

                               In a bowl, whisk together hung yoghurt & the mashed modak.

                                 Pass it through a strainer to remove any granules. 

                           Add cardamom powder, saffron water & rose water. Mix well & 

                           refrigerate for some time.

                         Serve this amazing Shrikhand, garnished with chopped nuts, dried 

                         rose petals, saffron, crushed modak and mint.

Chukauni (Nepali Yoghurt Potato Salad / Raita)

 

          Chukauni is a Nepali style raita or salad prepared with yoghurt, boiled potatoes, sliced onion, green chilies, coriander leaves and few basic seasonings. This appetizing dip is then tempered with few fenugreek seeds, red chilies and mustard seeds in mustard oil. This takes this dish to a next level. However, the main highlight of this yummy preparation is the addition of some roasted and powdered sesame seeds. 

               Chukauni, which is tangy, creamy and spicy is a very popular dish from the Palpa region in Nepal. It is served with steamed rice, chapatti, batuk or sel roti. It can be enjoyed either warm or cold. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this simple, yet comforting dish. 

Ingredients - 

• 1 cup yoghurt
• 1/4 cup water or as required
• 1 medium size potato, boiled & cubed
• 1 onion. sliced
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp. sesame seeds, dry roasted & ground
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. lime juice

Tempering - 

• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1-2 dry red chilies
• 1/4 tsp. fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder

          In a bowl, take yoghurt, water, salt to taste and lime juice. Whisk for a smooth texture. 

          To it add roasted sesame powder, roasted cumin powder and red chili powder. Give it a stir. 

          Then add the boiled and cubed potato, sliced onion, chopped chilies and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well. 

          Heat oil in a small pan and temper with fenugreek seeds. dry red chilies and mustard seeds.

          After it stops spluttering, switch off the flame and add the turmeric powder. 

          Give it a stir and immediately pour this tempering over the prepared Chukauni. 

          Serve this amazing Nepali raita with steamed rice, chapatti, batuk or sel roti.

                       In a bowl, take yoghurt, water, salt & lime juice. Whisk for a smooth texture.

                        Add roasted sesame powder, roasted cumin powder & red chili powder. 

                        Give it a stir. 

 
                           Add the boiled & cubed potato, sliced onion, chopped chilies and

                           chopped coriander leaves. 

                                  Mix well. 

                        Heat oil in a small pan & temper with fenugreek seeds. dry red chilies

                        & mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, switch off the flame and

                        add the turmeric powder.  Give it a stir.   

           

                              Immediately pour this tempering over the prepared Chukauni. 

                 Serve this amazing Nepali raita with steamed rice, chapatti, batuk or sel roti.