QUINOA PULAO

QUINOA PULAO is one of my favorite go to meals. If you are looking for a healthy, delicious and perfect meal, this recipe is a great way to work more veggies into your meals with quinoa. I have garnished with some "not so ripe mango" pieces, to give a tangy twist. QUINOA is a healthier substitute for rice. 

Ingredients

1.  Boiled quinoa - 1/2 cup
2.  Chopped onion
3. Grated garlic and ginger
4.  Green chilli chopped
5.  Green peas (boiled)
6.  Beans
7. Dry masala (salt, turmeric, coriander powder, dry mango powder)

Process

1. Add cumin seeds in a hot oil, when it starts crackle add onions and grated ginger and garlic. Saute for 1 minute.

2. Now add all the veggies and cook on low flame for 2-3 minutes till the veggies gets soft. 

3. Add dry masala and mix well. And finally add boiled quinoa to veggies and mix well. Garnish with fresh coriander. I have added some sweet mango pieces to give a spicy and sweet taste.

BEETROOT RAITA

Most of us love raita during the summer or along with Biryani. And we Indians always like to do experiments in the kitchen. Beetroots are a great source of Fiber, Iron and Vitamin C. And I love beetroot and done many experiments with this vegetable. Beetroot raita is one of them. This is a healthy vegetarian side dish that goes well with roti paratha or rice. I keep on making this, but never updated the recipe on my blog. I love it as a salad on hot summer days. It is made with chilled curd, shredded beetroots and some seasoning. 

The tadka on the top depends on your choice. You can skip the tadka step and keep it a simple raita. But tadka changes the taste of this raita, hence highly recommended. It is a gluten free recipe and vegan adaptable. The juicy sweetness of beetroots coupled with chilled curd and tadka, I bet you will eat this straight out of the bowl. I have skipped the tadka step here. Do try this out and share your views.

Ingredients

1. Beetroot - 1 
2. Curd - 2 cup
3. Dry roasted cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
5. Salt as per taste
6. Black pepper - as per taste
7. Curry leaves - 3-4
8. Mustard seeds  1/2 tsp (for tadka)
9. Green chilli (chopped) -1 
10. Oil / Ghee - 1 tsp
11. Roasted peanuts (optional)

Process

1. Boil the beetroot and peel it. Now grate it once its not hot any more. This method is much more easier then peeling and chopping raw beetroot. 

2. In a medium size mixing bowl whisk curd until smooth. Add 2-3 tsp water at a time to adjust the consistency. Add beetroot, roasted cumin powder, salt and black pepper and give a good stir. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Serve chilled.

The tadka step:

3. In a small saucepan, heat up the ghee. Once warm, add a pinch of hing, cumin and mustard seeds. When it starts to splutter add curry leaves, peanuts. Immediately followed by a tablespoon of water. Now add the tadka to the raita and cover it with a lid immediately. 

4. You can also add fresh herbs or boiled green peas (optional)

5. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving, raita is best served chilled. Stir well before serving. 

CHICKEN MANCHOW SOUP

Soften and warm your stomach with this hot and spicy Chicken Manchow soup in your meal. Manchow soup is a soup popular in Indian Chinese Cuisine due to its easy preparation and hot spicy taste. Manchow soup is usually loaded with crunchy vegetables. Remember to use chicken breast in this recipe, if you are a vegetarian, you can skip the chicken part. Veg Manchow soup is just as satisfying as the chicken variant. The two secret ingredients which give this Chicken Manchow soup that amazing street style Chinese flavor are chopped green chillies and a little chopped coriander (I missed the corianders). Manchow soup without crispy fried noodles is like a good biryani without raita. So, dont forget to add some fried and crispy noodles along. Use can also use chopped spring onions based on its availability. 

Ingredients

1. Oil - 2 tsp
2. Chopped garlic - 1 tsp
3. Chopped ginger - 1 tsp
4. Green chilli - 1.-2 or as per your taste
5. Spring onions (optional) - 1/2 cup chopped
6. Onion - finely chopped 1/4 cup
7. Cabbage - finely chopped 1/4 cup
8. Carrot - finely chopped 1/4 cup
9. Chicken breast - diced into half inch or smaller pieces
10. Soy sauce - 2 tsp
11. Vinegar - 1 tsp
12. Pepper powder - 1 tsp
13. Corn flour - 2 tsp
14. Salt as per taste
15. Crunchy fried noodles 
16. Chopped coriander (as per availability)

Process

1. In a heavy bottomed pan, heat oi and add ginger, garlic, onions and spring onions, saute for 2-3 minutes and add chicken breast.

2. Chicken breast will cook fairly quickly. Saute it for a minute or so on high heat and add veggies along with salt and 3 cup of water. Bring this to a quick boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer.

3. In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, pepper, corn flour and 1/2 cup of water till no lumps are visible. Add this to the pot and keep stirring till the soup thickens up. Add green chillies and simmer for 2 more minutes. Add spring onions and chopped coriander (if you are using) and turn off the heat.

4. Pour on soup bowls and top individual servings with fried noodles and serve hot. 

ALOO TUK - Sindhi Recipe

POTATO - Is there anyone who doesn't love Potatoes?

Potatoes are hands down, one of the most versatile ingredients on the planet and they are perfectly delightful in any form. Tried this super crispy Aloo Tuk which is a Sindhi specialty. They are super crispy and perfect for evening snacks, the outset crust is so crisp whereas the inside is soft. 

Ingredients:

1. Baby Potatoes - 100 gram
2. Oil - for deep frying
3. Salt to taste
4. Black pepper - 1 tsp
5. Chat Masala - 1 tsp
6. Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
7. Fresh coriander leaves (optional)
8. Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Process

1. Rinse and wash the potatoes nicely and cut them into two. In a bowl, pour water, add salt and dip these potatoes for sometime. 

2. Boil them for 4-5 minutes and then with the help of knifes, press them a little to give a proper shape (flatten). 

3. Heat oil in a wok for deep frying. Deep fry potatoes in medium heat till they looks crispy and tender. Fry them in batches. Remove from oil and let them cool. Fry them again in the same oil till they are more crisp and golden brown in color. While double frying, add a few potatoes at a time and avoid stirring unnecessary as the potatoes will break and soak too much oil. Also second time frying must be done on high heat so that the potatoes become crisp.

4. Transfer the double fried potatoes in a big bowl and add all the spices. Mix well by shaking the bowl till the potatoes are coated evenly with the spices. . Sprinkle with some fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with tea or coffee.

Note : You can serve these Aloo Tuk with simple Dal rice also. It goes well.

Date Palm Jaggery Milk Shake

Dates are a very healthy fruit to include in your diet. They are high in several nutrients, fiber and antioxidants, all of which may provide health benefits ranging from improved digestion to a reduced risk of disease. And two dates offer around 150-200 calories and will fire up your metabolism, stabilize your blood sugar, stop you reaching for the coffee and help your body produce vital melatonin later in the evening to help you sleep. By consuming at least two dates a day can boost your body with all this benefits.

I try to add two dates in my breakfast everyday since a long time, after knowing the benefits, may be not in the form of milk shake always. Today I have prepared this Date Palm Jaggery milk shake adding a little bit of Date Palm Jaggery (as the winter session is about to say GOODBYE, so I am using date palm jaggery in most of my dessert recipes these days). And the end result, we really enjoyed our milk shake. And you can also enjoy a virtual treat with these captures and please let me know in the comment section if you like the clicks. 

Ingredients

1. Dates - 4-5 (for 2 glasses of milk shake)
2. Date palm jaggery - 1/2 tsp (optional) - you can you honey or maple syrup also
3. Pre boiled toned Milk -  2 glass
4. Almonds - 3-4 

Process

1. Wash and clean the dates before using them. 

2. Put everything in a grinder and grind for a smooth shake.

3. Serve chilled or normal. You can add some pieces of almonds at the top for garnishing.