Rava Idli / Steamed Semolina Cake

We all love Idlis, but what if you don’t have batter in home. Here is a quick fix using semolina/rava, since this batter needs no fermentation process. Semolina/Rava Idli is a very popular south Indian breakfast dish. It is very simple to prepare and it is healthy too. Try this semolina/rava Idli in home, which will sure please you with its soft and fluffy texture.

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Semolina/Rava/Sooji – 1 cup

Curd – ½ cup

Carrot – ¼ cup

Baking soda – ½ tsp

Onion – ½ cup

Salt to taste

Water – ½ cup (adjust according to the batter consistency)

To temper:

Oil – 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Urad dal – ½ tsp

Chana dal – ½ tsp
Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Heat oil in non-stick skillet, Temper with mustard seeds, urad dal and chana dal. Add onions and saute till it turns translucent. Add carrots and give a good mix.

2. In a bowl, Take semolina/rava, Add curd, baking soda, salt and the carrot mixture to it. Add water little by little and form a batter.

3. Grease the idli moulds with oil and pour the batter in it. Steam for about 10 – 12 mins. Remove it and serve hot.

Sunshine Toast with Tomato Salsa

Eggs and bread are one of the great breakfast dishes.  Here’s a few tricks to make a perfect sunshine toast. It is easy, delicious and healthy way to start your day. Wake up at sunshine, have sunshine toast and enjoy it.

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

For toast

Bread slices – 2

Egg – 2

Salt to taste

Pepper – 1 tsp

Butter – 1 tbsp

For tomato salsa

Tomato – 1, finely chopped

Onion – 1, finely chopped

Garlic – 1 pod, minced

Cilantro – ¼ cup

Mint – ¼ cup

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Lime juice – 1 tsp

Sugar a pinch

Method:

For toast:

1. Beat egg, salt, pepper in a bowl. Using a glass or cookie cutter, create a hole in the middle of the bread, remove the center piece.

2. Cook the bread on butter greased non-stick skillet. Pour the egg mixture into the center of the bread.

3. Fry it on one side and carefully flip it over. Serve warm.

For Salsa:

1.Stir all the ingredients in a bowl and serve.

Salmon fish Fry

Salmon fry is an easiest and healthy low fat dinner recipe. It’s dark and spicy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Try this recipe and enjoy with family.

Nutrition Facts:

All types of salmon provide a good source of high quality protein and the heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids. Salmon is a good source of variety of vitamins and minerals. It is also a good source of calcium.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serving: 1 member

Ingredients:

Salmon – Center thick piece

Paprika/Red chili powder– 1 tbsp

Garlic powder – ¼ tsp

Oregano/ Omavalli – 1 tsp

Pepper powder – ¼ tsp

Salt to taste

Olive oil – 1 tbsp

Method:

1. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients except fish. Coat the fish with the mixed spices.

2. Refrigerate it for about 15 minutes.

3. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, cook the salmon for about 5 minutes on each side. Serve hot.

Healthy Baked Samosas with chana filling / Baked Triangle shaped pastry with chick peas filling

When you decided to go on diet, did you think you were saying goodbye to samosas forever? Well, guess what. It’s time to say hello again. These baked samosas are easier to make than regular samosas. It turns into something crispy, spicy and tasty too. These samosas are perfect on a rainy day. They are non-greasy and healthy too.

Nutrition Facts:

A regular fried samosa filled with potatoes contains about 308 calories. But these baked samosas contains about 130 calories.

Prep time: 45 mins + 10 hours for soaking chana/ chick peas

Cook time: 30 – 35 mins

Ingredients:

For Pastry:

Wheat flour – 1 cup

Salt to taste

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Water – ¼ cup

For Filling:

Chick peas/chana – 1 cup, soaked and boiled

Onion – 1, chopped

Red chili powder – 2 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 ½ tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Garam masala – ½ tsp

Pepper powder – ½ tsp

Cumin powder – ½ tsp

Raw Mango powder – ½ tsp

Olive Oil – 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Combine the flour, salt, cumin seeds in a bowl. Mix in the water and knead for about 3 minutes. Set aside.

2. Heat oil in a skillet, saute onions until it turns translucent. Add all the spice powders, salt and saute until raw smell appears.

3. Add in boiled chick peas and give a good mix until the boiled chick peas and spices blend together.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

5. Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll each into a smooth ball. Using your hands, form each ball in to a flat disk.  Roll the disk into a thin patty and cut the circle in half.

6. Take one of the half circle and make a cone shape starting at the center of the cut side to make the point of the cone and then overlap the edges together.

7. Put the filling in to the cone and close the cone, pressing the edges to seal it.

8. Place the samosas in the oven and bake for 30 – 35 mins. Serve.

Cucumber raita/ cucumber - yogurt dip

Cool, creamy and refreshing cucumber raita is just for cooling down the spicy taste of dishes. Raita is a fresh tasting combination of yogurt, cucumber, cilantro, mint, cumin and garlic. This flavored cucumber raita packs in a load of nutrients and is good for your skin.

Prep time: 15 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Cucumber – 1, chopped

Yogurt – 4 tbsp

Mint leaves – few

Garlic – 1 pod, chopped

Cilantro – few

Grounded cumin – ½ tsp

Grounded pepper – ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Cayenne pepper to garnish

Method:

1. In a bowl, beat the yogurt till smooth. Add the cucumber and all the dry spice powders, garlic, cilantro, mint leaves and salt.

2. Mix well and sprinkle few cayenne pepper at top. Serve.

Rajma / Red kidney beans curry

Today let us see how to make this Rajma curry. It is a traditional north Indian dish. Rajma curry is a blending of equal proportion of spices to the fresh Rajma beans. It is quite spicy too so watch out before giving to kids.

Nutritional facts:

About 1000 grams of boiled rajma beans contains 140 calories, 5.7 grams of protein, and 9.0 grams of fat and nearly 17.8 grams of carbohydrates.

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serving: 4 members

Ingredients:

For masala paste:

Big Tomatoes – 2

Garlic pods – 5

Ginger – 1 inch piece

Dry red chili – 6

Coriander seeds – 2 tsp

Other ingredients:

Oil – 1 tbsp

Green chili – 1, slit

Boiled Red kidney beans/ Rajma – 1 cup

Garam masala – ½ tsp

Salt

Cilantro to garnish

Method:

1. Add tomatoes, garlic, ginger, dry red chilies, and coriander seeds into a blender and blend it into a smooth paste without adding water.

2. Heat oil in pan, Add the ground paste and fry till the raw smell disappears and oil leaves the sides of the masala. It will take about 8 – 9 mins.

3. Add the green chili and enough amount of water, cook for about 5 mins.

4. Now add the boiled Red kidney beans/ Rajma and give a good mix. Let them cook for about 15 mins on a low flame.

5. Now add the garam masala, salt and cook for 2- 3 mins. Switch of the flame and garnish with cilantro.

6. Spicy and delicious Rajma curry is ready.

Dinner Menu 1 - Chapatis/Indian flat bread with Rajma/Red kidney beans Curry and Flavored Cucumber Raita

Chapatis are Indian flat breads made from whole wheat flour, water, salt and oil. Making chapati is a basic recipe, however it might take some patience and little finesse, but the effort is totally worth. My first few attempts in making chapatis didn’t result in the same thin and soft chapatis that my mom prepared. Mine were hard and crispy. I learned that to have great chapati is to have great dough and then knead it a lot.

Nutrition facts:

A small, 6 inch chapatti contains 71 calories, 3 grams of protein, 0.4 gram of fat and 15 grams of carbohydrates, including 2 grams of fiber.

Prep time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Total time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Serving: 2 cups of wheat flour yields 12 medium sized chapatis

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour – 2 cups

Water – 1 cup

Salt to taste

Oil – 2 tbsp

Method:

1. In a large bowl, measure out the flour and add enough salt to it.  A little warm water makes kneading easier and dough softer but room temperature works fine as well.

2. Mix the flour with your fingers adding little water at a time. First, they look like bread crumbs. A little more water and it slowly starts coming together in a moist dough.

3. Knead well with your fist and knuckles till it is soft for about 10 minutes.

4. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rest for 1 hour. Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat.

5. Tear off a piece from a dough, roll the dough around circular motion in your hands to create a ball. Roll the dough in the floor and then press the dough flat.

6. Star rolling them from inside out. As a beginner, your shapes might be everything other than round, a little practice will get you there.

7. Place chapatti on a hot skillet, within 10 seconds flip to another side. Let it cook for a minute rotting the chapatti every few seconds to ensure all the sides gets cooked evenly.

8. Once you see brown spots on both sides take it off stove. Serve hot.

Dinner menu

Rajma / Red Kidney beans Curry

Cucumber Raita/ Cucumber - Yogurt Dip

Baked Chicken Drumsticks with Grilled onions

Baked chicken drumsticks are full of flavor and easy to prepare. There are number of chicken marinade recipes, baking and grilling techniques. But did you know an easy way to get the rich flavor by just oven baking. Flavor is a mixture of traditional Indian spices like coriander powder, chili powder and cumin. Ginger and garlic added an extra flavor to the chicken. Baked chicken drumsticks is one such appetizer served in parties and family gatherings.

Prep time: 1 hour and 15 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

Chicken drumsticks – 4

For Pre – marinade:

Red chili powder – 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Lemon juice – 1 tbsp

For Main Marinade:

Yogurt – 4 tbsp

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp

Red chili powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Cumin powder – 1 tsp

Pepper powder – 1 tsp

Garam masala – ½ tsp

Fenugreek powder/kasurimethi - ½ tsp

Red color a pinch (optional)

Salt to taste

Oil – 1 tbsp

For making Grilled Onions:

Onion – 1, chopped

Chaat masala – 1 tsp

Lemon juice – 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Clean the chicken pieces and cut 2 or 3 long slits on each piece.

2. Apply salt, chili powder and lemon juice all over the chicken and keep aside for 15 minutes.

3. Make marinade with the ingredients listed under For main marinade. Apply it all over the chicken, making sure to apply well between all the slits and keep aside for 45 mins.

4. Preheat your oven to 400 F. Cook for about 40 – 45 mins till the chicken is tender. Remove from oven

5. Heat a griddle. Place onions and cook for 2 mins. Add chicken, chaat masala and lemon juice, cook for 10 minutes. This enhances the taste of chicken even more.

Nuts Cake

Nuts cake is a delicious dessert to enjoy any time of the year. It is best when served warm from the oven. The addition of cashews, almonds and walnuts give this cake a lovely texture. Just give a try and enjoy.

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 30 – 35 mins

Total time: 1 hour and 25 mins

Ingredients:

Eggs – 2

Sugar – ¾ cup

Vanilla essence – 1 tbsp

All purpose flour – 1 cup

Baking powder – ½ tsp

Almonds, cashews, walnuts – 1 cup, coarsely grounded

Butter – 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Sieve flour with baking powder and set aside. Butter a baking pan and dust it with flour on all sides.

3. In a bowl, add butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla essence, beat till they get creamy.

4. Add flour and mix well. Pour this to the baking pan and bake it for 30 – 35 mins.

5. Insert a tooth pick to see whether it comes out clean. 

Creamy Chicken Gravy without Oil, Onion and Tomato

Today I am going to share a different style of chicken gravy which my family felt very tasty. Only three steps to prepare this simple gravy. The catchy part is we don’t need basic ingredients like oil, tomato and onion, so it can be prepared with very minimal ingredients.  A simple chicken gravy, but low in fat and high in taste.

Prep time: 45 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 1 hour and 20 mins

Ingredients:

Chicken breast piece – 3, cut into small cubes

Cilantro to garnish

To Marinate:

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Red chili powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 ½ tsp

Garam masala – ½ tsp

Cumin powder – 1 tsp

Pepper powder – ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Thick Yogurt/curd – 3 tbsp

To Grind:

Dry red chilies – 5

Garlic pods – 4

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken with ingredients under “To Marinate” and set aside for 30 minutes.

2. Heat a non-stick skillet, add the thick gravy of marinated chicken and cook for about 10 minutes. Grind the dry red chilies and garlic to a paste and add to the chicken gravy.

3. Add some water and close the lid, cook for about 20 minutes. Garnish with cilantro. Delicious creamy chicken gravy is ready.

Fish fried with green masala

Fish fry is always easy to prepare and good for your waistline. Today, for a change I experimented a different flavor in fish fry. I marinated the fish with green masala which gave a good color and also a different delicious flavor.

Nutrition Facts:

Fish is low in sodium and saturated fat. It is also a good source of Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Magnesium and Phosphorus and it is a very good source of Protein, Niacin and selenium. They are the excellent source of Omega 3 fatty acids, which are essential to our diet.

Prep time: 25 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Fish – 2 pieces (I used Tilapia)

Cilantro – 1 small bunch

Mint leaves – 1 small bunch

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Green chilies – 3

Garlic pods – 3

Garam masala – ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Oil – 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Grind all the spices except oil and fish with small amount of water.

2. Marinate the fish with the grounded spices and let it sit for about 15 minutes.

3. Heat oil in a skillet and fry the fish till it turns golden brown on both sides, it takes about 15 minutes. Delicious fish fry is ready.