"Everyday Cooking"- Oats Dosa

Recipe idea: Manisha Kute

Wondering what to make for dinner tonight..or perhaps just for a snack...want that to be healthy and nutritious and delicious all at the same time??? Manisha shared this recipe and it was pretty quick to make and best of all, my husband 'M' who is not a big 'oats fan' (actually he pretty much hates oats) could not tell, that the dosas were made with Oats!!!!
Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups 'Quick' cooking oats

2-3 green chilies

2 garlic cloves

1tsp ginger paste

1tsp Cumin seeds

1/4 cup chopped onion

2tbsp Rice flour

salt

oil

Optional: Spinach or other grated veggies

Method:
1) Add enough water to the oats to cover them completely. Let them soak for 1/2 hr or so.
2) Grind along with ginger, garlic, cumin, green chilies, salt and other veggies(like spinach).Add rice flour and mix.
3) Heat a non stick griddle. Brush with oil.

4) Place a table spoon full of batter and spread into semi thin dosa. Sprinkle with some finely chopped onion.

5) Cook on both sides till golden brown.

6) Serve warm along with Chutney/ Ketchup or just on it's own.
These dosas are pretty 'soft' in texture and can made a nutritious snacks/ meal for kids too. Just omit the green chilies!

"Aroma From a Guest Kitchen"-(Guest- Aarti Kumbhojkar)- Kadhai Paneer

Guest: Aarti Kumbhojkar
It is amazing how 'food' can bring people together! Through my interest in 'food'/ recipes /food science, I have come to know and have met so many people. Like it is rightly said, "Birds of a Feather Flock Together'!!!
I know Aarti since many years now, since we studied in the same school in Pune,India. But I can say, I really 'got to know' her in the past few months after moving to Columbus, due to our common interest in.....FOOD!!!
Aarti likes baking, trying out new foods and enjoys cooking herself. She shared this 'Kadhai Paneer' recipe with me for the blog....

Ingredients:

2 cups paneer cubes
½ cup diced onions
¼ cup diced green bell peppers
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 cup chopped red tomatoes
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon butter
Salt to taste
**4 tbsp Heavy Cream (optional)

Method:

1) Heat oil in a frying pan; add onions, ginger,garlic and sauté until the onions are tender. Add the tomatoes, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, red chili powder and saute until the water from the tomatoes have evaporated and become a thick paste.

2) Add green peppers and cover the pan and simmer it for about 5 minutes until the pepper are half cooked.

3)Add butter, salt, cardamom powder and sauté for few more minutes. Add the paneer pieces and kasuri methi.

** Can add heavy cream at the end to make it little gravy style.
Its totally optional though.

4)Serve with hot roti or phulka.
 

"Aroma From a Guest Kitchen"- (Guest- Arati Joshi-Sane)- Tiranga Paneer Tikka

Guest: Arati Joshi-Sane
I know Arati since 3 years now. Apart from being a very talented Kathak dancer....she has a muti-talented  personality and tons of enthusiasm!! Always ready to offer a helping hand for anything you need!
Last week got a 'taste' of her cooking talents...she had made an amazing spread for dinner- 'Tiranga Paneer Tikka' was on the menu as 'appetizers'.Loved Loved Loved it!!! Never have I eaten so much Paneer at a time!Clicked some pictures and got this recipe right away from Arati.....

Ingredients:
3 cups 'bite size' Paneer cubes (1 cup Paneer for each of the following marinade)
Tooth picks

Tiranga: 3 colored- red,green and white

Red Marinade:
Mix together-
2tbsp yogurt
3-4  tsp (Ready made 'garlic' chutney- found in Indian stores.Is bright red in color,has coconut, garlic, red chili powder etc)
salt

Green Marinade:
Grind together-
1/4 cup Cilantro
2-3 green chilies
1tbsp Yogurt
few drops lemon juice
salt,sugar

White Marinade:
Grind together:
1/4 cup Cashews
1tsp poppy seeds
1tbsp yogurt
salt, sugar

Method:
1) Marinate the Paneer cubes in the red, green and white marinades in separate bowls for 1-1 and 1/2 hours.
2) Take a toothpick and skew in 1 red, 1 green and 1 white Paneer cube.

3) Place on a cookie sheet either sprayed with cooking spray or lined with a foil.
4) Broil in the oven for 10-12 mins till golden brown. Oven temperature varies so keep checking on the skewers and take out of the oven as they turn golden brown.
 5) Serve IMMEDIATELY ....Hot hot hot with your favorite chili-garlic sauce or plain ketchup!!!

Enjoy the 'tempting-looking' Spicy Tiranga Paneer Tikka skewers with three different flavors-It is a feast for the eyes and the taste buds!!!

" Sweet Treats" - Filo Cups with Sweet Coconut, Raisins and Nuts

I love taking traditional recipes and using the ingredients involved, in different manner or presenting them differently.It can create a whole new dish or can brighten up the recipe so much that you end up making the newly created dish often rather than the traditional one!
Here is one example of this!

I love the 'Sweet Coconut' Karanjis that are typically made as dessert for Indian festivals. I took the 'coconut filling' idea from the karanjis, brightened it up with nuts and raisins and filled it in the buttery, crunchy filo cups!Now you have a whole new 'dessert' which is sweet-crunchy-eye pleasing-classy looking and tasty too!
Come on ...dig in with your Sweet tooth!

Ingredients:
1 box of Filo cups,pre baked( 15 cups)
3/4 cup fresh grated/ frozen coconut
1/3rd cup sugar(use less for less sweet filling)
1tsp poppy seeds
1/2tsp Cardamom powder
1/4tsp Nutmeg powder
1tbsp raisins
1tsp cashews
1tsp Pistachios
1tsp almonds
2 tbsp milk

Method:
1) Mix together coconut, sugar,milk, cardamom, nutmeg, raisin, poppy seeds and other nuts and cook on low flame till cooked and the filling is translucent and dry.Let it cool

2) Warm the Filo cups for 3-4 mins at 350 F for added crispness(as directed on the package)
3) Fill a spoonful of the coconut filling in the filo cups.Garnish with poppy seeds, sliced almonds and pistachios.

You will love the Sweet Coconut-Raisin-Nuts in the crisp Filo Shells!

"Sweet Treats"- Quick-Easy-Delicious homemade Saffron-Mango Icecream

Recipe Idea: Ananya Joshi
This was so far the BEST homemade ice cream I have ever had. Really....it was soooo creamy, smooth
,"non greasy',delicious and Best of all .....quick quick quick!!!! It took 2 mins to' make' the ice cream mixture and then 3-4 hrs to set it in the freezer! There was no mixing every 1/2 hour, no tedious work involved, no ice crystals.....and the results were still luscious and heavenly!!

Last time when I was at Ananya's house, her husband had made 'Anjeer icecream' at home with same recipe.It was so delicious and creamy, that I couldn't wait to try out myself....
It tasted just as good as 'Kaware Mango Icecream' back home in Pune. I wish I could send this homemade ice cream to my mom in Pune who just lovessssss Mango ice cream!

Ingredients:

This is all you need!
1) 1- 32oz can of  Mango pulp (found in Indian stores)
2) 1- 8 oz tub of Kraft Cool Whip
3) 1- 14 oz can of Sweetened condensed milk
4) 1 tbsp milk
5) Few strands of Saffron (Optional) 

Method:
1) Warm the 1 tbsp milk.Add the saffron strands to the milk to make 'Saffron milk'.Keep few strands for garnishing.
2) Mix to together Mango pulp, Cool Whip, saffron milk and condensed milk, till all the cool whips lumps are gone.
3) Pour into a freezer safe container and freeze!

Enjoy the cold-creamy-sweet Mango ice cream with hint of saffron!

"Appetizers"- Flattened rice(Poha) and Veggie Cutlets

Recipe idea by: Manisha Kute

It was our weekly playdate on thursday and I had planned on making 'Pohe'(Stir fried flattened rice) and Strawberry + icecream shake for the kids and their moms. I had soaked some extra 'pohe' and did not know what to do??? I asked my friend 'Manisha' who is quite 'resourceful' in recipes ...if she had any recipes with 'soaked pohe'. She gave me the idea of making these cutlets with veggies.
I used Cabbage-carrots-cauliflower-potato combo for the cutlets along with the soaked Pohe.

Ingredients:
1 cup soaked Pohe (wet the flattened rice with water, drain almost all the water and let sit for 1/2 hr)
1/4 cup each finely chopped carrots, cabbage, cauliflower
1/4cup mashed potato
1/4cup bread crumbs
1tsp ginger garlic paste
1tsp finely chopped green chilies
1tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt, oil to fry

 Method:
1) Saute the chopped carrots, cauliflower,cabbage and ginger garlic paste on little oil. The veggies should remain a little crunchy.
2) Add the above sauteed veggies to the soaked pohe and mashed potatoes.Add the cumin, salt, green chilies, bread crumbs,cilantro, turmeric and knead well.

3) Make the cutlets into 'boat' shape and fry on oil till golden brown.
4) Serve hot with your favorite chutney/ ketchup/ sweet chili sauce

These cutlets can also be used as 'burger patties'  to make Veggie burgers!

"Aroma From a Guest Kitchen"- ( Guest-Soniya Keskar)- Mango Pudding/Mango Cheese Cake

Guest = Soniya Keskar
I know Soniya, since we moved here to Coumbus,IN. Apart from being a very genuine person and a good friend, she (and I would say the whole of 'Keskar' family) is incredibly talented and enthusiastic.For 'E' and 'A's birthday party last month, they made this wonderful truck with Parle-G biscuits and chocolates.It was a big hit at the party! Kids just loved it!!!

Mango Cheesecake/ Mango Pudding in Graham Cracker Pie crust

Soniya made a amazingly delicious dessert for my friend 'S's send off party.She made this 'Mango Pudding in Graham cracker crust pie shell' It was a mix perfect between a cheese cake and a pudding. Everyone went 'head over heels' for the dessert!

Here is the recipe that Soniya shared with us:

Ingredients:

8 oz Cream Cheese ( I use Philadelphia Original Full Fat Cream cheese)

8 oz  Kraft Cool Whip (1 container)

16 oz Mango Pulp (Alphanso / Kesar Mango Pulp)

½ oz Knox unflavored Gelatin ( ½ oz = 2 envelops)

¾ cup Sugar  ( If the mango pulp is sweetened  you will need less sugar)

Few Kesar/ Saffron sprigs

1. Bring Cream Cheese and Cool Whip to Room temperature. Soften the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Add Cool Whip. Blend it with the hand mixer till you get even soft creamy texture. Add Mango Pulp and blend again.
2. Mix dry gelatin powder and sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add 1 cup bubbling hot boiling water over it and stir continuously till all the gelatin crystals melt. Let the mixture cool down to lukewarm temperature.
3. Combine sugar, gelatin mixture with cream cheese, cool whip and mango pulp mixture. Add Saffron for color and flavor. Blend it all together to get soft creamy mixture.
4. Pour the mixture  in a glass pie dish. Decorate it with almond halves or other dry fruits. Keep the dish in the refrigerator. It takes around 3 hours to set. 
5. I like to set it in a  ready made Graham cracker piecrust . This mixture makes two 9 inch round Cheese cakes.

Enjoy the cool smooth silky sweet Mango pudding with a hint of tartness of the cream cheese in the butteryness of the graham cracker crust.....nothing can be more satisfying to the taste buds!!!

"Appetizers"- Kothimbir Vadi / Cilantro Wedges

** Kothimbir Vadi Recipe Post from 2011 is updated with new pictures 

As we moved to Columbus, we have celebrated more 'sendoff's' than any other parties.Yeah seriously,the community is so mobile and transient here....people come and go frequently.You get to know someone, make friends and then you get to know that they are leaving Columbus in couple months. ...
So, my good friend 'S' is leaving this week.I had invited her family over for dinner. This traditional maharashtrian appetizer was on the menu.

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped cilantro along with stems
3/4 cup Gram flour/besan
1/4 cup rice flour
1 tbsp roasted Sesame seeds
1 tsp finely chopped green chilies
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Maharashtrian Goda Masala/ garam masala
Salt and sugar to taste

Water to make batter
Oil for greasing the pans and shallow frying.

Method:

1) Mix all ingredients and make batter like thick 'cake batter' consistency with only as much water as needed. Batter should not be too runny. 
2) Oil two 6 inch pans.Pour the batter in the pans. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top. 
3) Steam in a pressure cooker (without pressure) for 15-20 mins.
4) Let it cool.Cut into wedges

5) Shallow Fry in oil till golden brown.

Serve hot along with Ketchup/ Maggie Hot and Sweet sauce or just by themselves