Khaman Dhokla a Savory Steamed Cake

Dhokla can be eaten for breakfast or as a main course or as a snack. It is fluffy spongy and porous and a signature dish of gujarati cuisine. I served the dhokla with a sweet, spicy, tangy ginger tamarind chutney.

Ingredients

• 1 cup chickpea flour/besan
• 1/2 cup curd
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 green chillies fine chopped
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cooking soda or baking soda
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 sachet eno powder
• salt to taste

For tempering

• 1 tsp oil
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
• 1-2 springs curry leaves
• 1 tbsp grated coconut
• 2 chopped green chilli
• pinch of asafoetida/hing
• 1/4 cup water

Procedure
Mix the besan with curd and water until it is lump free with a consistency like idli batter, it should not be too flowy.Now add turmeric powder and soda and mix nicely, let is rest for 20 min

After 20 min the batter will rise, to this mix oil, lemon juice, salt, sugar, chopped green chillis and mix nicely. Meanwhile prepare your steamer or pressure cooker (place a bowl with water and then a plate which will hold the batter, I used baking tray instead of a plate).

Once the water starts bowling prepare the batter by mixing the eno to it nicely and pour into the plate immediately, because of adding eno you will find lot of bubbles in batter.

Steam for 5-7 minutes, remove the lid of pressure cooker and check with tooth pick, if it comes out clean your dhokla is ready for tempering. Switch off the gas and let it cool for 5 min, in the meantime prepare your tempering

Heat oil in a pan, add sesame seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, chopped green chilles, when mustard start spluttering remove from gas and add 1/4 cup water to this and pour this tempering over the prepared dhokla and also sprinkle the grated coconut. 

Let it rest for five more minutes and cut it into a desired shape and size and serve with tamarind chutney or hari chutney

Ginger Tamarind Chutney

Ingredients

• 1 lemon size tamarind
• 1 lemon size jaggery chunk
• 2 green chilli
• 1 spring curry leaves
• 1 tsp chopped coriander/cilantro
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 1/4 tsp jeera/cummin seeds
• pinch of turmeric
• pinch of asafoetida
• salt to taste

Make a smooth paste of all the above ingredients if required add little water and serve

Note:
1. Batter should not rest even for a min after adding the eno
2. If you prefer more sweetness in your dhokla then while preparing the tempering add 1 tsp of sugar to it. 

A Quick Snack with Sauteed Celery Flavored Mushrooms

If you are looking for a quick and healthy snack with a preparation time less than ten minutes !! then this would be the perfect recipe. I had made stir fry earlier with oyster mushrooms too and that has made me a big fan of mushroom stir fry.

Ingredients

• 1 cup slided button mushroom
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped celery
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Procedure
Heat oil in pan, add celery, garlic and fry for 30 sec , add mushroom and cook on a high flame for 3-4 minutes .Add salt, oregana and black pepper powder and stir nicely until mushroom is cooked with with a red tinge. Serve hot

Note:

1. Always cook mushroom in a high flame otherwise lot of water will retain in the pan.
2. You can also stuff this mushroom between a slice of bread and enjoy like a sandwich

Anytime Munch Rice Flake Mixture

Its summertime and the last place you want to be is the kitchen, kids are always demanding in these moments for a snack and there can be no better option to delight them with this light and crispy popular snack mixture.

Using microwave is a healthier option to prepare this snack without compromising on the taste

Ingredients

• 2 cups superfine rice flakes/chivda/atukalu/aval
• 1/4 cup peanuts
• 1/4 cup roasted dal
• 2 tbsp rice bran oil
• 3 springs of curry leaves
• 6-7 chopped green chillies
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cummin/jeera seeds
• 1/8 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp chat masala
• pinch of hing
• salt to taste

Procedure
Microwave the rice flakes stiring every one minute until it turns crispy in a microwave safe bowl for approximately 10 ten minutes. Keep an eagle eye else it may burn. Keep aside

Heat oil in a pan add cummin seeds,mustard seeds,hing and once it splutter add curry leaves, green chillies, peanuts and fry in a medium flame till peanuts roast properly.Then add the fried gram stir for 30 seconds and then the beaten rice, salt, turmeric, chilli powder , chat masala and stir until it blends completely

Let it cool and store it in a airtight jar to enjoy with a hot cup of tea anytime.

Savory Patra For A Special Evening Snack

Patra is a popular snack in the western region of India. It is known as Aluchya Vadya in Marathi, Patra in Gujarati and Patrode in the Konkan region of India.It is similar to a japanese sushi but made with taro leaves and filled with delicious chickpea stuffing.

This recipe was prepared by my SIL when I visited her recently. It was a lovely snack and got to pack some of these for my hubby back in chennai.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chickpea flour
• 1/2 finely chopped onions
• 1 tbsp chopped green chillies
• 4 tbsp chopped coriander/cilantro
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 2-3 tsp lemon juide
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• salt to taste

Procedure
Clean the leaves and mix all the ingredient and make a smooth thick paste and keep aside.

 

Reverse and flatten the taro leaves and remove the center vein lightly.

Take a lump of paste and spread evenly over the leaf, put another leaf on the top and continue the same with three leaves. 

Then roll the leaf from the pointed side until the other end and finally close the two ends and steam for 10 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once cooled cut them into one cm thick rolls and shallow fry with tsp oil until light golden brown and crispy.

Serve hot

Note:
1.This dish is a lovely side for steamed rice
2.You can store them in a freezer box for 2-3 months and fry when you need to.
3.You can also deep fry them if you want

Spiced and Flavorful Roasted Baby Potato

This simple and delicious recipe was shared by my SIL. It is a perfect appetizer. There is a interesting ingredient added to this dish that brings out a lot flavor, aroma and freshness ... fennel seeds or commonly known as saunf is the secret ingredient.

I am sure you would enjoy trying out this recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 kg baby potatos
• 1/4tsp cumin seeds(jeera)
• 1/4 tsp fennel seeds(saunf)
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp dry mango powder(amchur powder)
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp oil

Procedure:
Boil the potatoes ,remove the skin and keep aside.Mix all the dry spice powders in a bowl and keep aside

Heat oil in a nonstick pan ,add cumin seeds,fennel seeds and once cumin splutters ,add the boiled potatoes and saute in high flame till it turn golden brown,then add all the dry ingredients,stir nicely until all the spices coat the baby potatoes and immediately switch off the flame

Serve immediately

Note:
1. It can also be served with rice and roti as a quick side.
2. In place of baby potatoes you can use normal potatoes, boiled and cut into big chunks.  
3. Make sure you dont fry the potatoes after adding the spices.