Macher Bhappa Cake / Fish Cake Steamed.....

This is an excellent recipe to have with evening tea or as a starter. The fish is boiled and mashed with boiled potatoes and vegetables and then set in a steamer or steamed in any vessel till it sets. This recipe is a heirloom recipe from my aunty’s kitchen and recreated in my kitchen. It has a touch of Bengal as Kasundi is used in it.  It's a very healthy recipe as there is very less oil content which has come from Kasundi and greased container. For the bread crumbs, I have used whole wheat bread crumbs, you can also roast or crisp the leftover rotis to make the breadcrumbs.
For people who eats egg... you can substitute the fish with soya granules.
I am sure you will love my recipe as much as I did making it. I am sure you will try it out.

Ingredients
1 cup / 250 grams  Any Fish boiled, deboned and mashed ( Bhetki, Prawns, Kathla)
1 big size Potato boiled and mashed
1/2 cup finely chopped any colour capsicum
1 small Onion finely chopped
1 tsp Garlic minced
1/2 tsp Ginger minced
1/2 to 1 tsp Green chillies minced
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Pepper crushed
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/4 tsp Baking powder
1/4 cup Bread Crumbs
2 Eggs beaten
2 tbsp Kasundi ( Mustard Sauce )
1 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
1/4  tsp Mustard oil just to grease the container

Method
Take a mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients together very well, except for the oil. Take a greased baking pan. Pour the mixture in to the container and spread it. You can steam it in a steamer or take a wok, add water, place a napkin at the base. Place the container with the lid on. Cover the wok and steam it for 20 to 30 minutes or till the mixture has set. To check, insert a tooth pick. Cool it down. Cut it into pieces and serve it with more Kasundi.

Instant Kanchipuram Idlis

Instant Kanchipuram Idlis

I remember my best friend's gradmother Patti. Some of the people though they are no more in this world, they will always remain in my heart forever, she is one of them. As a teenager I use to visit my friend's house everyday, infact it was my second home. Patti use to make many Tamilian dishes and I picked up few of them from her, though few of the dishes are forgotten and few I remember. One of the dish was Kanchipuram Idlis. She used black lentils with skin and rice, soaked it over night and she use to ground it on a stone grinder. Then the batter was left to ferment overnight and it was seasoned with salt, some curry leaves, mustard seeds, chana dal, few peppercorn, few broken cashwenuts and 2 pinch of asafoetida. Then the rest of the process remained the same for making the idlis. She served it with coconut chutney and milagai podi which was again homemade. 

      Here I followed the recipe but since it is an instant idli, it was not kept for fermentation. I used Eno, but soda bicarbonate can also be added if there is no Eno. It helps in instant fermentation and incoperates air in the batter. I added desiccated coconut in the batter as I love it. Also I replaced rice with idli rawa and oats...

For the Seasoning 

Ingredients 

1/4 tsp Bengal Grams / Chana Dal

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Pepper Corn crushed 

Few broken pieces of Cashwenuts 

1 tsp minced Green Chillies 

Few Curry leaves

2 Pinch of Asafoetida 

1 tbsp Ghee 

Method 

Take a pan and add ghee in it. Let it. Heat add the chana dal, stir it for a minute. Add the mustard seeds, let it crackle. Add peppercorn and few Cashwenuts, stir it for a minute. Add the green chillies and curry leaves. Stir for another minute. Add asafoetida and stir it for few seconds. Remove it from the flame. 

For the Batter 

Ingredients 

1 cup Oats

2 cups Idli Rawa

1/2 cup Split Black Lentils with skin soaked for an hour

2 tbsp Desiccated Coconut

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Eno / Soda bicarbonate 

1/2 cup Curd

Water as required 

Seasoning 

1 tbsp Seasam oil

Method

Grind the soaked lentils in a grinder. Remove it in a mixing bowl, add oats, ldli rawa, coconut, salt, curd, seasoning and water as per required to make a batter. It should be dropping consistency. Add eno. Mix it and let it stand for 10 minutes. Take idli moulds and apply seasam oil on it. Add the batter and steam it till done. Serve it with chutney and sambhar.

Cornflakes and Jackfruit seed Chaat

Cornflakes and Jackfruit seed Chaat

This is a unique chaat.. An innovation in my kitchen for healthy snack. Since this is the season for Jackfruit, most of us like ripe Jackfruit. The seeds from the ripe Jackfruit are equally tasty and has health benefits. We make sabji and dal out of it, but this Jackfruit seed Chaat is very delicious and healthy to be served as evening snack. 

Ingredients 

1 bowl of Cornflakes 

3/4 bowl of Jackfruit seeds boiled, skin removed and chopped 

1 or 2 Green Chillies chopped 

2 tbsp of Onion chopped 

1 tbsp Coriander Leaves chopped 

2 tbsp Green Chutney (1 tbsp Coriander Leaves, 1 Green Chiili, Salt to taste and 1 small piece of Raw Mango, ground together) 

1 tsp Lime Juice

1/2 tsp Chaat Masala 

Method 

Mix all the above ingredients together and serve it immediately...

Raw Papaya Salad

Raw Papaya Salad

For the Salad Dressing
Ingredients
1 tbsp Lime juice
2 to 3 Thai Bird Chillies seeded and finely chopped
2 garlic minced
1 tbsp Thai Fish sauce
1 tbsp Brown Sugar
Salt to taste

Method
In a blender combine the lime juice, fish sauce, chillies, garlic, sugar and salt,  blend it. Set aside for 10 minutes.

For the Raw Papaya Salad
Ingredients
2 cups Raw Papaya shredded
1 Carrot shredded
1 Tomato cut into small strips
1 Onion finely chopped
2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped
2 tbsp Mint leaves roughly chopped
3 tbsp Roasted Penuts crushed
Salad Dressing

Method
In a mixing bowl, combine the papaya, carrot, onion, tomato, mint leaves and 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. Add the dressing and toss to combine thoroughly. Garnish with the remaining coriander leaves and crushed peanuts. Serve immediately.

Ripe Papaya and Carrot Soup

Ripe Papaya and Carrot Soup
Ingredients
1/2 cup  Papaya peeled and chopped
1 Carrot peeled and chopped
1 Onion chopped
2 Garlic Clove chopped
1 small stick Cinnamon
2 Cloves
4 Pepper corn
1/4 cup Milk
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 tsp Olive oil

Method:
Heat the oil in a pot. Add the onion, garlic, cloves, pepper corn and cinnamon,  saute it for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Papaya and carrot and saute for 2 more minutes. Add 2 to 3 cups of water. Cook for 10 minutes until the carrot and papaya are tender. Let it cool. Add the mixture into a  blender and puree until it is smooth. Pour the soup back to the pot. Add milk and salt,  stir well to combine, and simmer on  low flame for  5 minutes. Garnish with pepper powder and a spoon of milk. Serve immediately.

Whole Wheat Broccoli, Sprouts and Almond Bundt Cake with Almond Yogurt Frosting

I love naked cakes.. which are rustic and easy to make and delicious too... This is a very healthy cake which is an experiment from Su's Kitchen.. it is amazing in taste... as it is eatten it is gooey and has a mild  flavour of  broccoli and spouts. 

For the Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups of Whole Wheat Flour 
• 1 cup of Sugarfree 
• 1 medium size Broccoli florets 
• 1 small cup Mix Sprouts 
• 2 tbsp Curd
• 1/4 cup Milk 
• 2 tbsp Butter 
• 1 tsp Baking powder 
• 1 tsp Soda bicarbonate
• Few drops of Almond essence 
• 2 tbsp of Almond flakes

Method

Par boil the broccoli florets  and mix sprouts. Strain the water out. Take a blender add the broccoli florets and the mix sprouts. Blend it till it becomes a puree, add butter, Sugarfree and almond essence. Blend it once more. Mix the curd and milk together in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder and soda bicarbonate into the blender, now add the milk and blend it. The consistency should be thick dropping consistency. Add the almond flakes and fold the batter with a spatula. Grease a bundt cake mould, add the batter. Bake it at 180 degrees celcius for 35 minutes in a preheated oven. Cool the cake completely before frosting.

For the Yogurt Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 cup Hung Yogurt 
• 3 tbsp Milk
• 1/4 cup Sugarfree 
• Few drops of Almond essence 
• 1 tbsp Almond flakes

Method

Take a bowl, add the hung Yogurt, milk, Sugarfree and essence. Whip it, add the milk and whip it. It is a thick dropping consistency frosting. Drizzel the frosting on the cake. Sprinkle almond flakes on top.

Sprouted Moong and Corn Butter Masala Chaat

Sprouted  Moong and Corn Butter Masala Chaat

While my stay in Bandra and a stroll at Bandstand, I remember the Chana masala chaat vendor.. I use to enjoy the hot, spicy chana masala chaat he use to make... Special chana masala chaat had butter in it. It had green chana which was boiled and then sautéed in butter with onions, tomatoes and chaat masala... Lime juice and coriander leaves was sprinkled before serving and it was served in disposable eco friendly bowl with a thick paper cutting used as spoon...
Ingredients
1 cup Sprouted Moong
1 cup Corn
1 Onion finely chopped
1 Tomato chopped
1 small size Cucumber chopped
2 Green Chillies chopped
1/2 tbsp Raw Mango finely chopped
1/2 tbsp Nutralite / Butter
1/2 tsp roasted Cumin seed powder
Chat Masala to taste
Black Salt to taste
1 tsp Lime juice
Few Coriander leaves chopped

Method
Take a pan, add butter, add onion and chillies. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sauté it for another 3 minutes. Add the sprouted moong and corns. Sauté it for 5 minutes stirring it continuously. Add the cucumber, raw mango, roasted cumin powder.  Stir it and let it cook for 2 minutes. Add the chat masala and black salt and stir it. Add lime juice and coriander leaves before serving.

Healthy Crispy Baked MultiGrain Chakli

Healthy Crispy Baked MultiGrain Chakli
Ingredients
1/4 cup of each
Jowari Flour
Sattu Flour
Ragi Flour
Water chestnut Flour
Bajri Flour
1 cup Sago Flour
1 tsp Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tbsp Roasted Sesame seeds
Salt to taste
4 tbsp Oil
Oil Spray

Method
Take a mixing bowl. Sieve all the flours together. Add salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and roasted sesame seeds.  Mix all the ingredients together. Add oil. Mix the flour and the oil well. Pour  hot water little at a time and mix it. Knead to make a soft dough. Take the Chakli maker and add dough into it. Press the handle and give the Chakli round shape. Make rest of the Chaklies. Grease a baking tray. Arrange the Chaklies on a baking tray. Spray oil on the Chaklies. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees celcius for 45 minutes, turning the Chaklies in between after 15 minutes till golden brown in colour. Crispy Baked Chaklies are ready to eat. Once cool completely then store it in an air tight container.

Grilled Garlicky Herbed Gondharaj Sole fish with Baked Sweet Potatoes.

Grilled Garlicky Herbed Gondharaj  Sole fish with Baked Sweet Potatoes.

For the Baked Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
1 medium sweet potato, unpeeled, cut into thick wedges
1 tsp Melted Butter
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Pepper powder

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degree Celcius.  Put the sweet potato wedges on a baking tray and toss through 1tsp of melted butter, salt and pepper powder. Bake  in the oven for 45 minutes turning occasionally or until golden and tender. Keep it aside till the fish is ready. Keep the baking tray on top of the hot oven, so the sweet potatoes remain hot.

For the Sole Fish
Ingredients
4 pieces of Sole fish fillets
1 whole Pod of Garlic peeled
Few fresh Sage
1 small stem of RoseMary
2 Gongharaj Lemon Leaves
1 tbsp Gondharaj Lemon juice
1 tbsp Melted Butter
Salt to taste
Garnish with chopped Chives and Gandharaj Lemon slices

Method
Take a chopper, add  garlic cloves, Rose Mary, lemon leaves, lemon juice, melted butter and salt. Chop and mince all the ingredients together. Apply the minced ingredients on the fish. Marinate it for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celcius. Grill the fish for 25 minutes, turning the fish occasionally. Serve the fish with sweet potatoes and sliced lemon, sprinkle chopped chives.

P.S. Any lemon can be used if Gandharaj lemon is not available and any fish fillets can be used.

Cucumber and Coriander Health Drink

Cucumber and Coriander Health Drink
Ingredients
1/2 Cucumber or 1 small Cucumber cut into pieces
1 tbsp Coriander Leaves
1/2 tsp Coriander seeds
1/2 tsp Dry Wheat Grass powder (Optional)
1 tbsp Lime juice
Rock Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Pepper powder

Method
Take a blender add cucumber, coriander leaves, lime juice, coriander seeds, wheat grass powder ( Optional ) and rock salt. Add 1/2 cup water and blend it. Moist the rim of the glass with some juice.  Apply pepper powder on the rim. Pour in the juice in the glass. Garnish with coriander leaves and cucumber stick.

Drink it in the morning  an empty stomach. It detoxifies, reduces acidity and helps in digestion, cools your body during summer, antioxidant, reduces the risk of cancer, helps in weight reduction, protects your heart if drank every day.

Dahi Batata Puri

Dahi Batata Puri
Dahi Batata Puri is a popular Chaat dish available in the streets of Mumbai.
I have tried to make a healthy version of the Dahi Batata Puris.

Puris
Ingredients
Puri Papads

Method
Take 4 to 5 papads at a time. Microwave it for a minute. The puris are ready..

Sweet Chutney
Ingredients
2 tbsp Date pulp
1/2 tsp Tamarind pulp
Black salt to taste
1/2 tsp Roasted Cumin powder

Method
Blend all the above ingredients and keep it aside.

Green Chutney
Ingredients
2 tbsp Coriander leaves
1 tbsp Mint
1 tbsp Raw mango chopped
1/4 tsp Green chilli or as required
Rock Salt to taste

Method
Blend all the ingredients together in a blender and keep it aside.

To make Dahi Puris
Ingredients
2 Boiled Potatoes mashed
1 cup Curd beaten
2 to 3 tbsp Date Chutney
2 to 3 tbsp Green Chutney
1/4 tsp Roasted Cumin powder
1/4 tsp Chat Masala
1/4 tsp Sugar
Black salt to taste
Red Chilli powder to sprinkle
1 to 2 tbsp of Diet Sev
Few Coriander leaves chopped for Garnishing

Method
In a mixing bowl, take boiled mashed potatoes, add 2 pinch of roasted cumin powder and 2 pinch of chat masala. Mix it. Keep it aside. Add black salt and sugar in the curd and beat the curd. Take a puri prick from the centre and make a hole. Add a spoon of mashed potato. Arrange the Puris in a plate with stuffing in it. Spread the beaten curd on the puris. The spread the sweet chutney and the green chutney on the puris. Sprinkle diet sev, then sprinkle chat masala, roasted cumin powder and red chilli powder on the Dahi Bata Puris. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Saffron Mix Vegetable Quaker Oats Palau

Saffron Mix Vegetable Quaker Oats Palau
INgredients
2 cups Quaker Oats
2 florets of Cauliflower
4 French Beans
1/2 Carrot
1 small Piece of Ginger
1 Green chilli chopped
2 tbsp Boiled Corn
Few stands of Saffron (kesar)
Salt   to taste
1/4 tsp Garam masala powder  
1/4 tsp Cumin powder
1/4 tsp Fennel powder
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
2 Bay Leaf
2 Peppercorn
1 Cardomom
1 small piece Cinnamon
2 Cloves
1 tbsp Broken Cashewnuts
1/2 tbsp Raisins
2 tbsp Curd beaten
1/4 cup Milk
1 tbsp Ghee
Few drops of Rose essence
Few Rose petals and Almond flakes for garnishing

Method
Take a chopper and add ginger, chilli, carrot, French beans and cauliflower. Finely chop the vegetables. Take hot milk, add the saffron, Rose essence and 1/2 tbsp ghee in the milk. Keep it aside. Take a wok, add remaining ghee. Add bayleaf and  cumin seeds. Let the cumin seeds crackle. Add peppercorn, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. Stir it for 30 seconds. Add the vegetables, sauté it for 2 minutes on medium flame, add cumin powder, fennel powder, salt, garam masala powder, raisins and Cashewnuts. Stir it and add the curd. Stir it again and add 1/2 cup water.
Cover and half cook the vegetables. Add the Quaker oats and stir quickly Sprinkle water and keep stirring on low flame. The oats should be moist. Pour in the saffron milk and stir. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Garnish it with rose petals and almond flakes. Serve hot.

Spinach and Corn Delight

Spinach and Corn Delight
I have adapted this recipe from the book "The Landour Cookbook". The recipes in this book are over 100 years old. This recipes are taken from families residing along the hillsides. The intermingling of European, American and Indian flavours created a unique Anglo - Indian aroma which spread all over the hillsides.The missionary movement did not confined to schools.  In 1920s Mrs. Lucas, wife of the Pastor of Kellogg Church in Landour joined Mrs. Irene Parkar, the wife of Mr. Allen Parker, Principal of Woodstock School to form a Reading Club. They would meet every week. Soon in 1928 they compiled the recipes into a cook book.
Information source : The Landour Cookbook
Edited and Introduced by Ruskin Bond and Ganesh Saili

I have changed few ingredients from the original recipe Corn Delight. I have omitted potatoes and becon used in the recipe and added spinach, whole wheat flour, fresh cream, eggs, garlic and green chillies in the recipe.
Original recipe
Ingredients
2 cup Potatoes boiled and mashed
1 cup Corn
1/2 cup chopped Onion
1 slice Becon
4 cup Milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method
Mix all the ingredients well and cook. Flour can be add to thickened. Serve on toast.

My recreated recipe
Ingredients
2 cups Spinach chopped
1 cup boiled Corn
1 chopped Onion
4 Garlic cloves minced
1 Green chilli minced
1 cup Fresh cream
2 cups Milk
2 eggs
2 tbsp Whole wheat Flour
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method
In a mixing bowl, add cream, milk, salt, pepper, eggs and flour. Beat the ingredients. Take a pan, add onion, garlic,chilli, spinach and corn. Sauté it for 4 to  5 minutes on low flame. Add the liquid ingredients and on low flame whisk and stir it till all the ingredients combines well and thickens up. Toast English muffins or bread slices and top it up with Spinach and Corn Delight.

Oats and Dry Fruits Samosa Kolkatta Style

Oats and Dry Fruits Singara / Samosa Kolkatta Style
Eat healthy and live healthy... Enjoy food guilt free. This is a healthy snack made with oats and nuts. Oats and nuts are rich in minerals and vitamins. One must eat them regularly. This recipe is baked the use of oil is very less.....

Ingredients for the stuffing
1 big Potatoe cut into small cubes without peeling the potato
2 Green chillies Chopped
1/2 tsp grated Ginger
6 to 7 black Raisins chopped
6 to 8 Almonds chopped
4 Walnuts chopped
1 cup Oats
1/4 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Bhaja Masala (Roast 1 tsp of Cumin seeds, 1 tsp Coriander seeds and 2 dry Red Chillies and grind it into powder)
Rock Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Ghee

Method
Take a pot, add a glass of water and potatoes and boil it, when done keeping 1/4 cup water remove the excess water out. If the water is less then add water till 1/4 cup water is there. Add the oats and stir fast. It will soak in all the water. It oats should not over cook. It should be moist. If oats looks dry then  sprinkle water while stirring, add salt, garam masala powder, ginger, chillies, almond, raisins and walnut. Stir it till all the things combine well. Take it off the gas. Add the Bhaja masala and stir.

For the Dough
Ingredients
2 cup Wheat flour
1/4 cup Oat flour
Rock Salt to taste
2 tsp oil

Method
Combine salt and the flours together. Add 1  1/2 tsp oil. Mix it well, add water little at a time to make a semi soft dough. Knead it well for 5 minutes. Add the remaining oil and knead it. Cover and keep it aside for 30 minutes.

For the Samosa
Ingredients
Stuffing
Dough
1/2 tsp oil + 1/2 tsp Ghee mix

Method
Divide the dough into equal portions. Brush oil on the dough balls. Roll out a dough and cut into half. Take one half and take two corner ends of the dough. Get it in the centre, one side overlapping over the other side by 1/2 inch. Press the edge. It will become a triangle pocket. Fill in the stuffing and seal the edges. Repeat till all the samosas are made. Take a baking tray. Brush oil on the tray. Brush oil on the samosas too. Grill it for 15 minutes at 200 degrees in a preheated oven.  If required brush little more oil on the samosas. Turn and grill again for 15 minutes. If required turn and grill for 5 minutes more until crispy and brown. Serve hot...

Chana ar Oats er Jelebi in Apple Syrup(Cottage cheese and Oats Jalebi)

Chanar Jelebi is a very popular sweet dish of Bengal. Authentic Chanar Jalebi is made from mixing cottage cheese, sugar and All purpose flour or Samolina. Here I wanted to give a twist... It is then deep fried in ghee. I wanted to reduce the usage of ghee, so I used a pan and tried to shallow fry it instead of deep frying it. Then it is deeper in sugar syrup. I wanted to avoid sugar. So I used Apple juice. I reduced the Apple juice to 1/2 the quantity. Dipped it in hot Apple juice and let it stand for an hour... and the taste was Out of the world.

Chana ar Oats er Jelebi in Apple Syrup(Cottage cheese and Oats Jalebi)

Ingredients

1 cup Cottage cheese

3 tbsp of Oats or more 

1/2 tsp Sugarfree 

Pinch of Cardamom powder

Pinch of Rock Salt

1/2 tsp  Almond and Pistacho flakes for garnishing (Optional)

2 tbsp Ghee.

Method

In a mixing bowl, mix cottage cheese, oats, cardamom powder, pinch of salt and sugar free. Knead it very well  for 5 to 10 minutes to make a soft dough. Divided the dough into equal lemon size balls. Take a chana ball and smoothen it with your palm. While rolling check if it is cracking then add more oats and knead again. Place it on a flat surface and start rolling it back and forth with your palms. Do not put too much of pressure and try to keep the same thickness.  Make a 4 inches long rope and roll and give it a spiral shape. Prepare all the jalebis and keep them aside. Cover and keep as there can be crackes if expose to open due to air. Take a big pan, heat the ghee. Place the jalebis as many as possible. Fry and put it on the tissue paper. Then add it in the Apple syrup and soak it for an hour or more. Serve it hot and garnish with almond and pistachio flakes. (Optional)

P.S. Please use fresh full cream Cottage cheese to get soft and creamy texture and also odd cottage cheese will not bind properly and will cracke. If the Cottage cheese is made at home then drain the water completely before making the sweets.

Apple Syrup

Ingredients 

2 cup Apple juice 

2 tbsp Sugarfree (Optional) 

1 crushed Cardomom 

1/2 tsp Lime juice

Method 

To make the syrup add Apple juice,sugar free,  crushed cardamom and lime juice together and boil it till the quantity reduces to half.

P.S. I used 4 big size fresh apples to make the juice. Blend the chopped apples in the blender and strain the pulp out completely  as we require only the juice. This will not be so sweet; as I have not used Sugarfree.  If you want it sweet then you can also use ready made Apple juice or Honey. 

Mix Fruit Spread

Mix Fruit Spread
Here it is, a very healthy Fruit spread....
Ingredients
2 ripe  Plums chopped
1 cup Pineapple chopped
1 Apple chopped
1 cup Red Grapes seed removed
Few dry Cranberry
2 tbsp Honey or more as per the sweetness required.
P.S. It can be kept only for 2 to 3 days.

Method
Take all the fruits and blend it in a blender. Add1/2 cup water. Take a pot, add the fruit juice into the pot, on a low flame, stir the juice occasionally. Let it simmer till the juices reduces to 1/2 the quantity , add the cranberries and the honey. Cook and further reduce the juices till all the juices and the pulp of the fruit combines very well. Serve with toast.

Dahi Wala Bhindi Curry Healthy and Easy Okra in Curd Curry with very less oil.

Dahi Wala Bhindi Curry
Healthy and Easy  Okra in Curd Curry with very less oil.
Ingredients
1/2 Kg Okra cut into half
1 cup Curd
1 piece of Ginger
4 Green chillies slit
2 tbsp Gram Flour
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Garam masala powder
Pinch of Asafoetida
Rock Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp Coriander seeds
Few Curry Leaves
1 tsp Oil
Few coriander leaves chopped

Method
Take 1/2 tsp oil in a wok. Heat it, add the Okras and stir it. Sprinkle some salt. On high heat stir the Okras. Let it cook till it changes its colour. Take the Okras  out from the wok and keep it aside. 
Blend curd, salt, ginger, 2 green chilies, gram flour, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala powder in a blender. In the same wok, add the remaining oil. Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Let it crackle. Add curry leaves, 2 chillies and asafoetida. Sauté for 30 seconds. Lower the heat. Add the curd masala. Keep stirring as the gram flour will start to form lumps. Add 4 cup of water. Stir and let it simmer on low heat. After 3 minutes, add the okra. Cover and let it simmer for 10 minutes or till the rawness of the gram flour disappears. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Fresh Fruits and Dry Fruit Cake Loaf

Fresh Fruits and Dry Fruit Cake Loaf
This is an extremely healthy cake with no sugar and no oil at all. It's gooey and yummy...
Ingredients
4 tbsp of chopped Pineapple
1 small Apple chopped
1 Plum (not very ripe) chopped
10 to 12 Red Grapes seeds removed and chopped
6 Longan / Vietnamese Litchi seeds removed and chopped
1/2 cup Curd
1 cup Oats
1/2 cup Water Chestnuts Flour
6 Almonds
2 Walnuts
Few Black Raisins
Few Dry Cranberries
Few Dry Blueberries 
Few Almond Flakes
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Soda bicarbonate
Oil spray
P. S. If required then add 3  to 4 tbsp Honey. 
Method
Take Pineapple, Apple, Red Grapes, Longan (keeping few chopped fruits for garnishing), honey (optional),  almonds, walnuts, black raisins, baking powder, soda bicarbonate, curd, oats and water chestnut flour. Blend all the ingredients in a blender. Add milk if required to make it into a thick dropping  consistency. If it is watery then add more oats. Take take a bread loaf tin. Spray oil in the tin. Add the batter, garnish it with chopped fruits, almond flakes, cranberries and blueberries. Bake it in a preheated oven for 1 hour and more  at 160 degrees. Check it by pricking a toothpick. If it comes out clean then it is done. Let it cool and then slice it.

Healthy Chochos y Tostado

Healthy Chochos y Tostado
It is a delicious snack for in between meals. It is an Ecuadorian street food.
Chochos is a vegetarian dish made with lupini beans, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, limes and  tomato sauce. It is served with maiz tostado, plantain chips, avocados and hot sauce.

The original Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup of cooked lupini beans
1/2  Onion thinly sliced
1 Tomatoes thinly sliced
Juice of 1 Oranges
Juice of 1/2 Limes
1 small bunch of Cilantro finely chopped
1/2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp of Tomato sauce or ketchup
Salt to taste
For Garnishing
Maiz tostado OR Plantain chips OR Popcorn
Avocado
Hot Sauce

Method
Combine onions, tomato ,lupini beans, tomato sauce or ketchup, chopped cilantro, lime juice, orange juice, olive oil and salt. Let the lupini beans marinate for a couple of hours in the refrigerator before serving.Serve cold with maiz tostado, plantain chips, avocado and hot sauce.

Ecuadorian Hot Sauce
Ingredients
4 Green chillies
½ bunch of Cilantro leaves including the tender stem
3 Garlic Cloves
Juice from ½  Lime
1/2 Onion finely chopped

Method
Combine the hot peppers, cilantro, garlic cloves and lime juice in the blender. Add 1/4 cup water and blend well.Add the chopped onions and salt to taste.

Taking the idea from the original recipe
Here is my version of Chochos y Tostado

Ingredients
1/2 cup Soya beans boiled
1/2 Carrot boiled and cut into small pieces
1/2 Beetroot boiled and cut into small pieces
1/2 Onion chopped
1/2 Tomato chopped
1/2 Cucumber cut into small pieces
1 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped
1/4 tsp Lime juice
1 tbsp Ketchup (Home made) OR Store brought
1/4 cup Fresh Pineapple crushed in a blender

For Garnishing
1 tbsp Toasted Corn (Fresh Corn boiled and toasted on the skillet)
1/4 tsp Raw mango chopped
1/4 tsp Hot Sauce
Khakra Strips (Make Masalaup Chapati with out oil, cut into strips and microwaved for 2 minutes)

Method
Mix all the ingredients expect for the garnishing. Keep it in the fridge for 30 minutes. While serving garnish with toasted Corn, hot sauce, chopped Raw mango and Khakra strips

Healthy Instant Multi Grain Flour Dosa served with Lasuni Sattu Ki Chutney

Healthy Instant Multi Grain  Flour  Dosa served with Lasuni Sattu Ki Chutney.... No oil used at all....

For the Instant Multi Grain Flour Dosa
Ingredients
1/2 cups of each
Sago flour (Sabudana)
Amarnath flour (Rajgiri Flour)
Soya Flour
Ragi Flour (Nachni Flour)
Water Chestnut Flour (Singara Flour)
Bajri Flour
Jowari Flour
Oats
Rock Salt to taste
1/2 cup Curd
1/2 tbsp Eno

Method
Mix all the dry ingredients together in mixing bowl. Take the curd and add 1 cup of water. Mix it. Add to the dry ingredients. Add more water to make a thick dropping consistency. Whisk it so that no lumps remain. Let it stand for 15 minutes. Take a non stick skillet, add 3 ladles of the batter. Spread the batter on the skillet as thin as possible in to a round shape. Cook it on a low flame. Once the lower side becomes brown in colour, turn the side. Cook for another 1 minute. Serve it hot with the chutney.

Lasuni Sattu Ki Chutney
Ingredients
1/4 cup Chana Sattu
2 to 4 Green Chillies
3 tbsp Coriander leaves
1 small Onion chopped
1 small Tomato chopped
6 Garlic Cloves
Rock Salt to taste
2 tbsp Curd

Method
Blend all the above ingredients in a blender into a thick coarse paste. Add little water at a time if required while blending.