Arbi Stir Fry (Colocasia Stir Fry)

 

            Arbi Stir Fry is a quick and a simple stir fry to go as a side dish along with your rice or chapattis. It is a dry version which is both spicy and tangy due to the presence of red chili powder and lime juice. The spice level can be adjusted according to your preference. This yummy stir fry is absolutely a hit with curd-rice or sambar rice. 

          

          It takes a matter of a few minutes to dish out this delicacy if the arbi is already boiled and refrigerated to save time. Please note - there is no onion, garlic or ginger, so it is a perfect dish to be had during fasting, though ginger can be included if preferred. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing dish.

• 12-15 arbi (colocasia)
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/4 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2-3 green chilies
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

            Pressure cook the arbi in required quantity of water along with 1 tsp. salt for 1 whistle. 

            When cool, drain them and peel off the skin. Then press each of them with a potato masher.

            Heat oil in a pan and sauté the arbi along with salt and Kashmiri red chili powder till light golden on both sides. Transfer to a serving dish.

            In the remaining oil, sauté the curry leaves and green chilies for a few seconds and add them to the fried arbi. 

            Then add the lime juice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

            Serve as a side dish with either curd rice, sambar rice or dal-chawal. You can also enjoy as an appetizer with green chutney or tomato ketchup.

Pressure cook the arbi in required quantity of water along with 1 tsp. salt for 1 whistle. When cool, drain them & peel off the skin. Then press each of them with a potato masher.

Heat oil in a pan & sauté the arbi along with salt & Kashmiri red chili powder till light golden on both sides. Transfer to a serving dish.

In the remaining oil, sauté the curry leaves & green chilies for a few seconds. 

Add them to the fried arbi. Then add the lime juice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

Serve as a side dish with either curd rice, sambar rice or dal-chawal. You can also enjoy as an appetizer with green chutney or tomato ketchup.

Lobia (Cowpeas) Paniyaram / Appe

 

             Check out my version of Paniyaram / Appe made of Lobia (Black eyed beans) that are very crisp from the outside and soft inside. Healthy and nutritious, this is a no-rice recipe and is absolutely diabetic friendly. I have also added urad dal and this combo is a great substitute to rice. Serve them for breakfast along with any homemade chutney of your choice. They can also be relished for brunch, tiffin, lunch box meal, for a light dinner or as a tea time snack /  appetizer with tomato ketchup. It tastes yummy. 

       

           These Paniyarams are actually a snack on the go which can be dished out in a jiffy. They are quite filling and is a great kitty party / kids recipe too. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this wholesome one-pot dish and introduce something new to your family and dear ones. Who would deny a perfectly healthy, satisfying and a guilt free breakfast?  

Ingredients - 

• 1/2 cup Lobia
• 1/3 cup urad dal
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, copped
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1 tsp. idli podi
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• pinch of baking soda

Tempering - 

• 1-2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida

Other ingredients - 

• oil to grease the paniyaram chatti
• any chutney of your choice to serve

          Soak the lobia and urad dal in enough water for 7-8 hours or overnight. Rinse well & drain. 

          Grind into a smooth paste by adding required quantity of water. The batter should not be too thick or too thin. 

          Cover and keep aside for 5-6 hours to ferment. Again beat the batter well with a spoon. 

          Add the chopped onion, ginger, green chilies, coriander leaves, salt, idli podi and red chili flakes. Give it a nice mix.

          Heat oil in a tadka pan and temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds or till it stops spluttering.

          Pour this tempering into the batter and mix well. Just before cooking, add the soda and gently stir the batter.

          Heat a Paniyaram Chatti and pour a tsp. of oil in each cavity. Drop spoonful of the prepared batter in it and cook, covered, on a low flame for 3-4 minutes or till one side is done.

          Flip it over and cook the other side too. Make similar Paniyarams with the remaining batter.

          Serve them hot with coconut chutney or any homemade chutney of your choice for a soul satisfying and healthy breakfast.

Soak the lobia & urad dal in enough water for 7-8 hours or overnight. Rinse well & drain. Then grind into a smooth paste by adding required quantity of water. The batter should not be too thick or too thin. Cover & keep aside for 5-6 hours to ferment. Again beat the batter well with a spoon.

Add the chopped onion, ginger, green chilies, coriander leaves, salt, idli podi & red chili flakes. 

                      Give it a nice mix.

Heat oil in a tadka pan & temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida & curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds or till it stops spluttering.

Pour this tempering into the batter and mix well. 

Just before cooking, add the soda and gently stir the batter.

Heat a Paniyaram Chatti & pour a tsp. of oil in each cavity. Drop spoonful of the prepared batter in it & cook, covered, on a low flame for 3-4 minutes or till one side is done.

Flip it over & cook the other side too. Make similar Paniyarams with the remaining batter.

Serve them hot with coconut chutney or any homemade chutney of your choice for a soul satisfying and healthy breakfast.

Thecha Cheese Sandwich

 

         Calling all Thecha lovers, you will simply love this Thecha Cheese sandwich, where the bread slices are stuffed with the very popular Maharashtrian chutney along with cheese and pan grilled to perfection. 

          So simple and at the same time very yummy too. They are quite wholesome and a quick snack on the go. However, adjust the spiciness if preparing for little ones. Serve with tomato sauce or green chutney. So do give it a try by following an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

          Sandwich is typically a wholesome meal-on-the-go as it is super easy to prepare. You can mix and match with various ingredients that are easily available in your kitchen. 

          They can be enjoyed for breakfast, snacks, brunch or as a lunch box meal. In this recipe, I have made use of white bread. However, it can also be made with brown or multi grain bread as per your  preference. It is a great picnic or kitty party recipe too.

• 1 tsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 6-7 green chilies, roughly chopped
• 8-10 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves 
• 1/4 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 6 slices bread
• 3 cheese slice
• 2-3 pinches of pepper powder
• butter as required

          Thecha - Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds, garlic, green chilies and peanuts. Sauté till it turns slightly brown in color.

          Now add the coriander leaves and salt to taste. Give it a stir and switch off the flame. 

          Allow it to cool down. Then pound them in a mortar and pestle into a coarse consistency. Add lime juice and mix well. Keep aside. 

            Sandwich - Take two bread slices and spread a generous amount of butter on them. 

           Then spread some of the thecha on one slice and place a cheese slice over it. 

           Sprinkle some pepper powder and cover with another sliced bread. 

            Add some butter on a grilled pan and toast the stuffed bread on both sides, by pressing it lightly, till light golden in color. 

            Transfer to a serving plate and slice into half. Make similar sandwiches with the remaining bread slices and thecha mix. 

          Serve along with tomato sauce or green chutney for breakfast / tea-time snack.

Heat oil in a pan & add the cumin seeds, garlic, green chilies & peanuts. Sauté till it turns slightly brown in color.

Now add the coriander leaves & salt to taste. Give it a stir & switch off the flame. 

Allow it to cool down. Then pound them in a mortar & pestle into a coarse consistency. Add lime juice and mix well. Keep aside. 

           Take two bread slices & spread a generous amount of butter on them. 

Then spread some of the thecha on one slice.

                    Place a cheese slice & sprinkle some pepper powder. 

                     Cover with another sliced bread. 

                    Add some butter on a grill pan. 

                  Gently place the stuffed bread on the greased grill pan. 

Toast the stuffed bread on both sides by pressing it lightly till light golden in color. 

Transfer to a serving plate & slice into half. Serve along with tomato sauce or green chutney for breakfast / tea-time snack.

Mug Dhokla

 

            Dhokla, a traditional Gujarati snack is typically steamed but they come out perfect in a microwave too, in much less time. This is a very simple, easy to prepare and a completely hassle free recipe. In just three minutes, you have a healthy piping hot mug dhokla ready to be devoured as a breakfast option or any time of the day. A great comfort food, they turn out real soft and spongy. 

          Pour some flavorful tempering over it and enjoy them directly from the mug. Alternatively, you can slice them and pour the tempering over it. You can also add some green chutney and / or sweet tamarind chutney if preferred. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this yummy treat.

          These mug dhoklas are ideal for breakfast as an evening tea-time snack, or to satisfy sudden hunger pangs. It can be prepared either with besan (gram flour), sooji (semolina) or both combined. So this is the latter version.

          They are both wholesome and nutritious, and they can be packed as a lunch box meal too. This is an instant version that kids will definitely love and is ready in no time. With a slight hint of sweetness, tanginess and spiciness, they are a great party  treat too. 

Dhokla - 

• 1/2 cup gram flour (besan)
• 2 tbsp. semolina (sooji)
• 1/4 cup yoghurt
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. ginger-green chili paste
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tsp. eno fruit salt / 1/4 tsp. baking soda 

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 green chili, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1/4 tsp. red chili powder 
• 2-3 tbsp. water

Garnishing - 

• chopped coriander leaves, chopped
• fresh grated coconut

            In a mixing bowl, mix together all the ingredients (except eno fruit salt) mentioned under Dhokla. 

          Add required quantity of water and whisk it. Set aside for 10 minutes. 

          Add more water if required to form a batter of pouring consistency. Be sure that there are no lumps. 

          Add eno fruit salt and give it a stir. Pour into a greased microwave safe mug / cup. Fill only till 3/4 of the mug. 

          Microwave on high power for 2 & 1/2  - 3 minutes. Do the toothpick test to check if it is done. 

           Tempering - Heat oil in a tadka pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add sesame seeds, curry leaves and green chili. Switch off the flame and add the red chili powder and 2-3 tbsp. water. 

           Give it a stir and pour this tempering over the mug dhokla. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and fresh grated coconut. 

           Enjoy them directly from the mug just as it is or with green chutney / sweet tamarind chutney.

Note - 

          Alternatively, you can slice the dhokla and pour the tempering over it. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and fresh grated coconut. Serve along with green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney.

In a mixing bowl, mix together all the ingredients (except eno fruit salt) mentioned under Dhokla.

Add required quantity of water and whisk it. Set aside for 10 minutes. Add eno fruit salt and 1 tsp. water. Give it a stir. 

Pour into a greased microwave safe mug. Fill only till 3/4 of the mug.

Microwave on high power for 2 & 1/2  - 3 minutes. Do the toothpick test to check if it is done. 

Heat oil in a tadka pan & temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add sesame seeds, curry leaves  green chili. Switch off the flame & add the red chili powder and 2-3 tbsp. water. 

                    Give it a stir & pour this tempering over the dhokla.

     Garnish with chopped coriander leaves & fresh grated coconut. 

Enjoy them directly from the mug just as it is or with green chutney / sweet tamarind chutney.