Mixed Veg. Muthia (Steamed Veggie Dumplings)

 

           This is a very popular Gujarati snack which is served either steamed or fried. Healthy and nutritious, they are perfect for an evening tea-time snack or can be enjoyed as an appetizer with sauce or green chutney. The addition of mixed vegetables provides the required amount of iron, vitamins and dietary fiber to this dish. I also added some flaxseeds and chia seeds to make it extra healthy. So it is a complete wholesome snack. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

Dough - 

• 1/2 cup each of grated bottle gourd, cauliflower, carrot & bell peppers
• 1/4 cup each of fresh grated coconut & chopped coriander leaves
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup gram flour
• 1/2 cup semolina
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. sugar (opt)
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1-2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tbsp. flaxseeds
• 1 tbsp. soaked chia seeds
• 1 tbsp. crushed kasuri methi
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder

Tempering - 

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida 
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves 
• 1 tsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Dough - In a large bowl, mix together all the grated veggies along with some salt and keep it aside for 5-10 minutes. 

          Then add all the flours and the remaining ingredients. Make a dough by adding required quantity of water. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes.

          Apply oil to your hands and divide the dough into equal portions. Make long cylindrical rolls from each portion and steam on a greased surface for 20 minutes. When cool, cut into roundels, about 1" thickness.

          Tempering - Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds and cumin seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the asafoetida, curry leaves, sesame seeds and chili powder. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the steamed muthias and mix everything well so they are well coated. Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve as a tea time snack or as an appetizer with ketchup / green chutney. 

                                   Mix together all the grated veggies along with some salt.

                                  Keep it aside for 5-10 minutes. 

                                   Add all the flours 

                                  and the remaining ingredients. 

                       Make a dough by adding required quantity of water. Cover & let it 

                       rest for 10 minutes.

                     Apply oil to your hands & divide the dough into equal portions. Make long                                         cylindrical rolls from each portion.

                                  Steam on a greased surface for 20 minutes. 

                                  When cool, cut into roundels, about 1" thickness.

                       Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds & cumin seeds. After it stops 

                       spluttering, add the asafoetida, curry leaves, sesame seeds & chili 

                       powder. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                                 Add the steamed muthias & mix well so they are well coated. 

Garnish with coriander leaves. 

                   Serve as a tea time snack or as an appetizer with ketchup / green chutney. 

Mutton Liver Fry (Mutton Kaleji Fry)

 

          If you are bored of cooking mutton / chicken curry when you crave for some non-veg. stuff, then try out this mutton liver curry. It turns out extremely delicious and mouth watering. This is a semi-dry preparation that can be a great party recipe. It is also a dish made during special occasions like Eid celebration. 

          As liver contains a lot of proteins and vital nutrients, it is  considered as very healthy. It goes best with any Indian flat bread, especially with naan, tandoori roti or roomali roti. You may also relish it with jeera rice or pulao / plain biryani. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 400 gms. mutton liver, cubed
• 1 tbsp. lime juice/ vinegar
• 4 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves & roots, chopped
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• 1 tsp. amchur powder
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder

          Discard the thin membrane that is present on the liver (this makes the liver pieces soft and does not make it hard on cooking). Cut into small cubes and wash thoroughly.

          Then soak in water with a tbsp. of lime juice / vinegar in it for 15-20 minutes to remove any odour. Then rinse well again and keep aside. 

          In a small bowl, add the ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powder and some water. Mix well to form a paste. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan / kadai and fry the onion till golden brown. Then add the masala paste and sauté till the oil separates. 

          Now add the liver and coriander leaves. Mix everything well and continue to sauté, covered, on a low flame till it is almost dry. 

          Add the tomato paste, amchur powder, garam masala powder and salt. Give it a stir and cook, covered further for 2 minutes. 

          When done, switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with any flat Indian bread or with steamed rice / jeer rice. 

                     Soak in water with a tbsp. of lime juice / vinegar in it for 15-20 minutes to 

                     remove any odour. Then rinse well again and keep aside. 

                                  Heat oil & fry the onion till golden brown. 

                                  Add the masala paste and sauté till the oil separates. 

                     Add the liver & coriander leaves. Mix well and continue to sauté, covered                                           on a low flame till it is almost dry. 

                    Add the tomato paste, amchur powder, garam masala powder & salt. Give

                    it a stir and cook, covered further for 2 minutes. 

                                  Garnish with coriander leaves. 

                             Serve with any flat Indian bread or with steamed rice / jeer rice. 

Tindora Bharta (Mashed Ivy Gourd Curry)

 

           You must have had baingan bharta (mashed eggplant), a very popular Punjabi dish, numerous times. So how about trying out Tindora Bharta or Mashed Ivy Gourd Curry? It tastes equally yummy and is something quite unique. It goes very well with chapatti or any flat Indian bread. However, it can also be served as a side dish with dal-chawal, sambar/rasam rice or curd rice. So go ahead and give a new look to the Bharta by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 300 gms. Tindora, sliced
• 1 tomato
• 2-3 green chilies
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• salt to taste 
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi, crushed
• 1 tsp. amchur powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Pressure cook the tindora, tomato, green chilies and garlic for 2-3 whistles or till they are soft. Peel the skin off the tomato and mash everything well. Keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds and asafoetida. Then add the chopped onion and ginger. Sauté till light brown. 

          Now add the mashed tindora and all the dry spices. Mix  everything well and sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

         When done, switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve as a side dish with rice or chapatti. 

                      Pressure cook the tindora, tomato, green chilies & garlic for 2-3 whistles 

                      or till they are soft. 

                             Peel the skin off the tomato & mash everything well. Keep aside.

                                    Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds & asafoetida. 

                                Then add the chopped onion & ginger. Sauté till light brown. 

                      Add mashed tindora & all the dry spices. Mix well & sauté for 2-3 min. 

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

                                  Serve as a side dish with rice or chapatti. 

Dubki Kadhi

 

          This is a very popular dish from Chhattisgarh. It is a yoghurt based gravy with soaked and ground urad dal dumplings dunked in it. Dubki word in Hindi literally translates to dive. Hence the name. 

          It differs from the rest of the kadhi recipes of different states as the lentil dumplings are not fried. They are directly dropped into the boiling kadhi and cooked. So this dish is healthy and wholesome. This classic dish is very easy to prepare and is best enjoyed with jeera rice, plain rice, paratha, chapatti or tandoori roti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 1/3 cup urad dal (split black gram lentil)
• 1/3 cup yoghurt
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil 
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chilies 
• 1/4 tsp. fenugreek seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander-cumin powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Rinse the urad dal well and soak overnight or for a minimum of 3-4 hours. Drain well and grind along with a green chili and a pinch of salt to a fine paste without adding any water. Beat well and keep aside. 

          In a mixing bowl, take the yoghurt and 1 tbsp. of the ground urad dal paste. Whisk till it is lump free. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds and dry red chilies. After it stops spluttering, add the fenugreek seeds, onion, garlic, curry leavers, green chilies and asafoetida. Sauté till light brown. 

          Add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Now add the whisked yoghurt, 2 cups water and salt to taste. Once it comes to a boil, make small dumplings of the dal paste, using your hand or a spoon and drop them directly over the boiling kadhi. 

          Cover and cook on a medium flame for 10-12 minutes. Once done, the dumplings will surface over the kadhi. Switch of the flame now.

          Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot steamed rice, jeera rice or chapatti.  

                          Grind the soaked, one green chili & a pinch of salt to a fine paste without

                          adding any water. Beat well and keep aside. 

                        Whisk the yoghurt & 1 tbsp. of the ground urad dal paste. Keep aside. 

                                  Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds and dry red chilies.

                    Add the fenugreek seeds, onion, garlic, curry leavers, green chilies....

                                  .... and asafoetida. Sauté till light brown. 

                     Add the ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices mixed with some water. 

Sauté till the oil separates.

                                  Add the whisked yoghurt, 

                                  2 cups water & salt to taste. 

                        Once it comes to a boil, make small dumplings of the dal paste & drop 

                        them directly over the boiling kadhi. 

                    Cover & cook on a medium flame for 10-12 minutes till the dumplings will

                    surface over the kadhi. Switch of the flame now.

                                  Garnish with coriander leaves.

                        Serve with hot steamed rice, jeera rice or chapatti.