Whole Wheat Sheera

Today is a very special day! It is my mom's birthday!! A very happy moment and I am nostalgic. Every new appliance that we would purchase would coincidentally be on this day and it become super memorable. Happy Birthday MA!

Today is also Ram Navmi, the birth date of Lord Rama according to Hindu Calendar. People visit temples and prepare sweets at home to offer God. Today being a Friday and my regular prayer day, I made one of the quick sweets for offering God. My mom used to make this too on busy days. I made a special sweet/ sheera as we call it using whole wheat flour. With very few ingredients that are available easily in the pantry, this prasad is ready in less than 15 minutes.

Ingredients (serves 2-3 people)

3 tbsp. ghee
4 tbsp. whole wheat flour
3/4 cup regular water
6 tbsp. sugar
Pinch of cardamom powder
Chopped nuts to garnish

• In a pan heat ghee.
• Add flour and mix well Roast till it turns brown in color and gives roasted flavor.
• Pour water gently while constantly stirring to avoid lumps.
• When water is absorbed and wheat flour forms a lump, add sugar, few nuts, and pinch of cardamom powder.
• Mix well till sugar dissolves and the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. This will take 2-3 minutes.
• Pour in a plate. garnish with chopped nuts. 
• Cool and cut into pieces!

Step-by-stp pictorial recipe:

In a pan heat ghee.

Add flour and mix well Roast till it turns brown in color and gives roasted flavor.

Pour water gently while constantly stirring to avoid lumps.

When water is absorbed and wheat flour forms a lump, add sugar, few nuts, and pinch of cardamom powder.

Mix well till sugar dissolves and the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. This will take 2-3 minutes.

Pour in a plate. garnish with chopped nuts. 

Cool and cut into pieces!

Enjoy!!

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Onion & Methi Sprout Paratha

When you have sprouts ready it is so easy to cook and add nutrition to your meal!!

Every weekend I soak beans and seeds and get the sprouts ready for the busy weekdays. Making sprouts is super easy. Just soak seeds overnight, remove water and lay them in a plate or a sieve covered. The seeds will germinate by themselves. You should rinse the seeds everyday to prevent them from drying and for roots to grow longer. In around 3-4 days you will have long and delicious sprouts.

You might have heard of methi or fenugreek leaves in thepla or paratha/flat bread, but in this recipe I used methi sprouts to make the flat bread more nutritious. Check this recipe to see how you can grow methi leaves. I already have a new batch of leaves growing which I will harvest and use in few days. You could also add methi leaves to this recipe instead of sprouts. They both are nutritious and delicious.

Ingredients to make 6-8 medium paratha
1 medium onion grated
1/4 cup raw methi seeds soaked and sprouted for 3-4 days
1 chopped green chili
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. red chili powder
1+1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup yogurt
1 cups whole wheat flour
2 tbsp oil
Dry flour for rolling paratha
Oil of shallow frying paratha

• Mix grated onion, sprouts, salt, chopped green chili, turmeric and red chili powder together and let it rest for 5-7 minutes.
• Add 2 tbsp. oil and 1/4 cup yogurt. mix well.
• Add flour to make a soft dough. You might need more flour depending on the moisture in your dough.
• Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
• Heat a flat griddle/tawa.
• Divide dough into 8 parts.
• Make a ball with each part of the dough. Dip into dry flour and roll into 6 in disc. Fold into fourths to form a triangle. Roll it again. Place on a hot griddle. Flip it when you see few brown specks. Apply a tsp. of oil. flip again and apply oil on the other side. Cook well. 
• Serve with yogurt and pickle.

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

 

Methi sprouts

Mix grated onion, sprouts, salt, chopped green chili, turmeric and red chili powder together and let it rest for 5-7 minutes.

Add 2 tbsp. oil and 1/4 cup yogurt. mix well.

Add flour to make a soft dough. You might need more flour depending on the moisture in your dough.

Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

Divide dough into 8 parts.

Make a ball with each part of the dough. Dip into dry flour and roll into 6 in disc. Fold into fourths to form a triangle. Roll it again. Place on a hot griddle. Flip it when you see few brown specks. Apply a tsp. of oil. flip again and apply oil on the other side. Cook well.

Serve with yogurt and pickle.

Enjoy delicious Methi Sprout Paratha!

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Spicy Red Chile Salsa

Last weekend was a Mexican Fiesta with my girlfriends. It was so much fun with lot of delicious food. What is Mexican food without spice and specially with all Indian ladies at the Fiesta, it was just apt. Also, I was thinking about Juan and Carlos, chefs at my workplace and how beautifully they would craft different salsas during the Mexican food day! I feel Mexican flavors are similar to Indian flavors...of coarse they do not add curry powder or garam masala but the variety of spice and chili peppers that they use in their cuisine is very similar to ours.

This spicy salsa is adapted from www.mexicoinmykitchen.com. Mely Martinez, the blogger of Mexico In My Kitchen is a teacher in the US who moved from Mexico few years back. I can totally relate to her passion for food and her culture. While looking for spicy ideas of salsa on Pinterest, I came across this recipe. This is a spicy salsa or in India we would call this garlic chutney. Similar flavor and perfect for my Indian palate!

Sunrise Mocktail made by a friend!

A beautiful handmade hostess gift I received! 

Ingredients to make Red Chile Salsa
5-6 dry red chilies (I used guajillo chile and dried kashmiri mirch combination)
4-5 cloves garlic
Salt to taste
1 cup water

• Roast dry red chilies on a hot griddle till it is warm.
• Put in a container with 1 cup hot water.
• Add pealed garlic cloves to the hot chili water. Soak it in hot water for at least 30 minutes.
• Grind soaking chilies and garlic together with the soaking water and salt.
• Add more water is needed.
• Serve with Mexican meal! Add to enchilada sauce for added spice or as a side with quesadillas.

 Here is stp-by-step pictorial recipe:

Roast dry red chillies on a hot griddle till it is warm.

Put in a container with 1 cup hot water.

Add pealed garlic cloves to the hot chilli water. Soak it in hot water for atleast 30 minutes.

Grind soaking chilies and garlic together with the soaking water and salt. 

Add more water is needed.

Serve with Mexican meal!

Disfrutar :)

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Mango Puran Pudi

Everyone knows I love mango. Fresh roti wih freshly cut ripe mango, aam ras and puri, mango murabbo, mango milkshake, mango lassi, mango mojito, mango icecream, mango barfi, anything with mango is my favorite. So why not Mango Puran Pudi...this was my experiment while I made puran pudi last weekend. I made a new batch of puran cooked with mango pulp. I should confess: this was just delicious!! Mango puran pudi is a unique idea and it is fun to make small puran pudi to be enjoyed as a sweet dish or a side in Gujarati Thali.

Puran Pudi is a stuffed flat bread. The stuffing in this is made of lentils and sweetened with sugar or gud and mashed together. Puran Pudi is a Gujarati a specialty and every region; be it Gujarat, Maharashtra or Southern Indian states have their recipe of cooking this during special occasions. Since it is the season of Mangoes in India, this recipe is perfect during Mango party! I used canned Mango pulp that is easily available in the Indian stores in the US. You can use fresh ones too.

I am publishing this recipe on the auspicious day of Gudi Padwa and Navratri, and wishing everyone best for themselves and their family!

Ingredients (To make 8-10 small puran pudis)
1/2 cup toor dal (split pigeon peas)
1 cup water
2 tbsp. sugar
1+1/2 cup mango pulp
1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
For the dough
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 cup water to make the dough
Dry flour for dusting and rolling puran pudi
More ghee to spread over cooked puran pudi

• Wash and soak toor dal in 1 cup of water for and hour.
• Remove water. Add 1 cup of water and cook over low heat till water evaporates.
• Add mango pulp and sugar and continue cooking while stirring occasionally till it forms a thick paste. It will further thicken and dry out on cooling.
• Add candamom powder and turn off the heat. 
• Make the dough: you can use whole wheat flour for this recipe. Or mix whole wheat and all purpose flour, oil, and water to make a soft dough. Knead it for 2-3 minutes.  Cover and keep it aside for 15-20 minutes. 

To make puran pudi:

• Divide the dough and prepared puran into 8-10 equal number of parts and roll them to form a ball.
• Take one ball of dough. Lightly dip into dry flour and roll to make a 3 inch diameter disc. 
• Place a ball of puran in the center of the disc.
• Bring the sides of dough together and seal them well.
• Gently press to flatten the ball.
• Sprinkle dry flour on the bottom and top of the stuffed dough.
• Gently roll it to form a 3 inch diameter disc.
• Place it on a medium hot griddle and roast on both sides till you get nice even brown spots.
• Remove from the griddle and apply more ghee. Use a spoon to prick puran pudi so that ghee seeps in well.
• Serve with more ghee! :)

 Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

Wash and soak toor dal in 1 cup of water for an hour. It will expand and cook faster.
Remove water. Add 1 cup of water and cook over low heat till water evaporates.
Add mango pulp and sugar and continue cooking while stirring occasionally till it forms a thick paste. It will further thicken on cooling

Add candamom powder and turn off the heat. Let the mixture completely cool. 

Divide the dough and prepared puran into 8-10 equal number of parts and roll them to form a ball.
Take one ball of dough. Lightly dip into dry flour and roll to make a 3 inch diameter disc.
Place a ball of puran in the center of the disc.
Bring the sides of dough together and seal them well.
Gently press to flatten the ball.
Sprinkle dry flour on the bottom and top of the stuffed dough.
Gently roll it to form a 3 inch diameter disc.
Place it on a medium hot griddle and roast on both sides till you get nice even brown spots.
Remove from the griddle and apply more ghee. Use a spoon to prick puran pudi so that ghee seeps in well.

Wishing you all a Very Happy Hindu New Year!

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