Sabudana Kheer

/span> While moms may go to any length and breadth to make their children happy, they end up ignoring themselves. Whenever we are fasting together, my mom in law prepares a lavish fare as she knows I'm a foodie. But when she is fasting alone, she makes excuse that she is fasting strict and will break her fast next morning. 

I guess when parents get old, we children need to become their parents. It's a kind of role reversal. One can't ignore one's health.

So, when MIL was taking a nap, I soaked sabudana chupke se 

And prepared Sabudana Kheer for her in the evening.

Do I have to tell how happy she was?

Small joys of life! :)

Ingredients

Milk - 1/2 litre

Sugar - 1tbsp (I have shown the spoon used in pics)

Sago/Sabudana - 1/2 Cup Soaked for 5-6 hours

Fox Seeds/Makhana - A handful, roasted

Green Cardamom/Elaichi Powder - 2tsp

Chopped Nuts - For garnishing (Optional. I haven't used nuts as I prefer the kheer without them)

Method 

1. In a heavy bottomed pan, boil the milk. I have used a kadai here for a very weird reason. At weddings, I notice Halwais with their kadai full of milk, which they serve with Jalebis! Also, I had just prepared carrot kheer for my son in the kadai so you may notice some red carrot strands in my kheer!

2. Once the milk boils, reduce the flame and add the soaked Sabudana, stirring continuously.

3. Grind the roasted Makhana in mixie to a coarse powder. Just one small blend will give you the desired result. 

4. Add the makhana powder and elaichi powder to the milk and mix well.

5. Once the kheer begins to boil (this time at low flame) and begins to reduce, add the sugar and mix well.

6. Mix well and cook on medium flame for another 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously and tadaaa! The kheer is ready!

Trust me, there cannot be an easier way to earn brownie points from your fasting mom or mom in law!

Happy Navratra!

5 minute Papad in gravy

Why on earth would someone want to eat a subzi made of Papad? This was my first reaction when I came to know Papad too can be used to prepare a main course dish! I have always loved my Papads super fresh and super crunchy and the thought of making them into a soggy dish with gravy prevented me from even giving this dish a try.

But few days ago, while cleaning my fridge, I found a Papad packet that was taking its last breath. In the name of Masala Moong Dal Papads, all the packet was left with were crushed leftovers of what was once a nice round papad. Now I didn't want to throw it all in the dustbin. So, my wise kitchen guru mom in law suggested why not give the Papad ki subzi a try for today's lunch? 

I am glad I am a dutiful daughter in law who never ignores her mom in law's advise! Lol! The dish came out so well that I now plan to include it in my list of quick fixes when I am out of grocery or need to prepare a tasty curry in 5 minutes.

If you are still apprehensive, I suggest you give it a try. The papads melting in your mouth like malai soaked in the yum gravy will steal your heart!

Here's how I prepared the 5 Minute Papad in Spicy Sour gravy

Ingredients (Serves 2)

Moong Dal Papad - 2-3 No.

Onion - 1 large

Ginger - 1 small piece

Garlic - 3-4 pods

Green Chilly - 2 no./as per preference

Tomatoes - 2 medium, pureed

Curd - 2tbsp

Oil - 1tbsp 

Asafoetida/Hing - 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 1tsp

Turmeric Powder/Haldi - 1 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder/Dhaniya - 2tsp

Salt - to taste

Green Coriander leaves - Few, chopped for garnishing

Method

1. Crush the Papad with hands into rough mouthful pieces.

2. Dry roast the Papads into a kadai till they turn slightly brown. Remove and keep aside.

3. Prepare a paste of the onion, ginger, garlic and green chilly.

4. Heat oil in a kadai. I have used mustard oil however, you can use vegetable oil as well.

5. Add asafoetida, cumin seeds.

6. When the cumin seeds begin to crackle, add the onion-ginger-garlic-green chilly paste and saute on medium flame.

7. When the paste begins to turn golden in color, add turmeric paste, coriander powder and salt. Mix well.

8. Add the tomato puree and saute.

9. When the mixture starts leaving oil on sides, add just a spoonful of curd and mix well. Since I wanted to let the Papad cook in the curry I decided to add the curd in the end else it would have curdled.

10. Add the roasted, crushed Papads. Mix well.

11. Add some water and give the gravy a nice boil. 

12. Garnish with fresh green chopped coriander leaves. Turn off the flame and add the curd.

13. Serve hot with Chapati/Rice. I enjoyed the dish with Bajre Ki Roti and Cauliflower stuffed Makai Ka Parantha

Easy Eggless Carrot Omlette For Kids

I loved Omelettes as a kiddo. They were an answer to my midnight hunger pangs during exam time. However, last year, an hour spent in Mumbai traffic jam behind a crammed up Poultry truck prompted Mr. Hubby and I to give up eggs.

These days I am trying to introduce various flavours to my toddler son as I believe, introducing varied flavours to kids by the age of five develops them into less picky eaters. While I wanted him to relish a nice fluffy Omelette, I found a way out to do so the eggless way! The best part is one can also play hide and seek successfully with veggies and the little prankster will happily eat it all without any fuss!

Sounds like a relief to the moms na! So let's get started...

Ingredients (Makes 4 Omelettes)

Gramflour/Besan - 2 tbsp

Carrom Seeds/Ajwain/Ova - 2tsp

Asafoetida/Hing - a pinch

Coriander Powder/dhaniya - 1 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Black Pepper Powder/Kali Mirch - 1tsp

Carrot - 1 small, finely chopped

Onion - 1 small, finely chopped

Green Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp, chopped

Water - For the batter

Refined Oil - To toast

Method

1. In a bowl, take gramflour. Add asafoetida, coriander powder, carrom seeds, black pepper powder and salt to taste. (Asafoetida and carrom seeds are excellent for digestion).

2. Add water and make a slightly thin batter. Remove any lump.

3. Add the chopped onions, chopped carrots and chopped coriander leaves and mix well. The batter will thicken a bit so adjust consistency to that of a dosa batter.

4. Heat an iron tawa/nonstick pan sufficiently. The way to a perfect Omlette is to have a sufficiently hot and greased pan. Personally, I am trying to do away with non stick cookware hence I stick to my good old iron tawa.

5. Using a round spoon, pour a spoonful of batter on a greased tawa and spread using circular movements.

6. Flip over the Omlette when one side is done and cook the other side as well. Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes till the Omlette turns crispy from one side.

7. Tasty and healthy eggless omlette is ready! Serve it with ketchup/green chutney or as my son prefers, just like that!

Mixed Vegetables in Indian Style Poppy Seed Gravy

Each time I relish a white gravy dish at a party, I secretly aim to prepare it back home. But the good old onion tomato gravy is a comfort zone for us Indian women! Quick, easy, tried, tested and loved by everyone, how can things go wrong with the tomato gravy?

But then, I HAD to come out of my comfort zone. So this Sunday afternoon, the Rajma, Chhole and Shahi paneer were ditched for vegetables in poppy seed (khus khus) gravy. It wasn't tough at all, rather easier and richer than the tomato gravy. As for my family, well...their happy faces said it all!

So, here's the recipe. Do try it out. Also, you may wanna google the health benefits of poppy seeds for some motivation!

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Cauliflower - 1/2, cut into mouthful size florets

Potatoes - 2 medium, diced

Green Peas - 1 cup (I use a small katori)

Capsicum - 1 large, diced

Carrot - 2 medium, diced

Poppy seeds/khus khus - 3tsp

Cashews - a handful, chopped (You can increase the quantity as per preference)

Nutmeg/dalchini powder - 1tsp

Onion - 1 large

Green chilies - 2

Ginger - 1 small piece

Desi Ghee - 2tbsp

Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1tsp

Asafoetida/Hing - 1/2 tsp

Clove/Laung - 3-4 no.

Black pepper powder - 1tsp

Green cardamom powder - 1tsp

Full cream milk - 250ml, boiled

Salt - to taste

Method

The Poppy Seed Paste

Soak poppy seeds and cashews in 1 cup warm milk for about half an hour. Then grind the mixture into a fine paste. Add the nutmeg powder. Keep aside.

The Vegetables

Heat ghee in a kadai. Roast the potatoes. 

Once the potatoes turn golden brown and soften a bit, add the remaining vegetables (cauliflower, capsicum, peas and carrots). 

Add some salt as it will help soften the veggies. Add cardamom powder. Saute well. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes our till the veggies soften a bit. Take care not to overcook the vegetables else they will break and get mashed once they go inside the gravy. Keep the vegetables aside. 

Onion Paste 

Blend the onion, ginger and green chilies into a fine paste. Keep aside

The Gravy

Heat ghee in the kadai. Add asafoetida, cloves and cumin seeds. (You can see a pea here since I used the same kadai in which i sauted the vegetables).

Once the seeds splutter, add the onion paste and saute on medium flame for about 2-3 minutes.

Add the sauted vegetables. Mix well.

Add the khus khus cashew paste and mix well on low flame (since poppy seed paste tend to thicken the gravy in no time!)

Add salt and black pepper powder. Cook for 2 minutes on low flame. 

Mixed vegetables in poppy seed gravy is ready!