Popular Recipes

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Puffed Sorghum / Popped Jowar Chivda

"Add a variety of whole grains to your diet".....was the message I gained from 'food' books I was reading.Really what has changed...how many types of grains are we eating compared to our 'traditional diets' (back in India)?? Jowar, Bajra, Nachani (Ragi) ....all very traditional grains to our diets....hardly make it to our daily meals now.
I found this Puffed Jowar Chivda, was a simple, yet tasty snack to add as a 'adding whole grain ' to the diet agenda. And, I remember my grandmother making these as snack, before the whole 'Pop Corn' culture came!
Ingredients:
4 Cups Puffed Sorghum/Jowar ( Found in Indian grocery stores)
1/2 cup peanuts
10-12 curry leaves
1/2tsp mustard seeds
1/2tsp turmeric
1/2tsp red chili powder
4tsp oil
1/4tsp Hing/Asafoetida
salt and sugar to taste

Method:
1) Heat oil, add the mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
2) Add the peanuts, curry leaves and fry till the peanuts turn golden.
3) Add the turmeric, hing, red chili powder and the puffed sorghum.Toss till mixed well.
4) Take off the heat .Let it cool. Store in air tight container.





Monday, March 25, 2013

South Indian Fiesta!! Semi-homemade Puliogare and Pesarattu with Tomato-Ginger Chutney

Need I say..I LOVE South Indian food?? With all the Idli and Dosa recipes I post....you know it by now...I love that cuisine!! My friends A, P,V and T have a lions share in that. I have had the most deliciousssest of the foods cooked in their kitchens!
In the past couple weeks, I cooked these delicacies for a birthday and a baby shower and thought of sharing them with you all!
Semi-Homemade Puliogare :
It's the small things that make a BIG difference. I bought the MTR Puliogare powder and I love that stuff.So yummy..it's perfect! I jazzed up the rice with a 'tadka' of extra peanuts, urad dal, chana dal, red chilies, curry leaves and the colorful festive Pomegranate! Small additions making it look and taste more 'mouthwatering'!
Ingredients:
1 Cup long grain rice
4-5 tsp MTR puliogare powder
4tsp Peanuts
2tsp Urad dal
2tsp Chana dal
1/2tsp mustard seeds
2 Dried Red chilies
few curries leaves
Chopped cilantro
1/4 cup Pomegranate seeds for garnish
salt
4tsp oil

Method:
1) Wash the rice, drain and keep aside for 30 mins.
2) Boil 2 cups water.Heat 1tsp oil, saute the rice for 2-3 mins. Add the boiled water and some salt (very imp!!...makes the rice tasty).Let it cook till all the water is gone and the rice is cooked.Turn off the heat.Keep it covered for 5 mins. Then spread it on big platter to cool off.This way the grains will remain separated.Let it cool completely. You can cook the rice a day before too and store in refrigerator.
3) In another pan, heat 3tsp oil, add the mustard seeds, peanuts.Fry for 1 min.Add the curry leaves, dal,red chilies and fry till dals are golden.Add the MTR Puliogare powder,mix. Add the cooked rice, mix.Adjust for salt.
5) Before serving, garnish with chopped cilantro and pomegranate seeds.


Pesarattu with Tomato-Ginger Chutney:

 I had my first Pesarattu at 'P's house. I loved how healthy and easy to make this dosa was..and ever since this 'light green dosa' is a staple in our kitchen!
Ingredients:
1 Cup Green whole moong
1/4 cup rice flour
1/2 inch piece of ginger
1tsp cumin seeds
1-2 green chilies
salt
oil

Method:
1) Soak the green moong for 8-10 hrs. Drain the water. Let them sprout for a day or two.
2) Grind together sprouted moong, ginger, cumin, chilies. Make into fine paste.
3) Add the rice flour, salt and mix
4) Heat a non stick pan/tawa, brush lightly with oil (I use a small piece of paper towel dipped in oil an drub it on the tawa).
5) Place a large spoon of batter and spread into a dosa. Let it cook on low-medium flame till it crisps up.
 6) Roll it and serve with Sambar and chutney
Sambar recipe:http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2012/12/brown-rice-idlis-and-dosa.html
 Green Peanut Chutney: http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/05/for-little-tummies-spinach-dosa-with.html


 Pesarattu Uttapa:
With same batter, make Uttapas with chopped onion, green chilies,cilantro and sliced tomato in the center!




 Tomato-Ginger Chutney:
Ingredients:
2 large Ripe red tomatoes chopped
1/2 inch piece of ginger
2 red chilies
3tsp urad dal
1tsp chana dal
3tsp roasted chana dal(daala/pandharpuri dal)
1tsp mustard seeds
1/2tsp cumin seeds
salt
2tsp oil
8-10curry leaves

Method:
1) Heat 1 tsp oil, add 1/2tsp mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin, half of the curry leaves, red chilies, roasted chana dal etc and fry. Add the tomatoes and fry for few mins, till they are cooked and most of the water evaporates.Add salt, ginger piece.Let it cool completely.
2) Grind into fine paste.
3) Tadka: Heat 1tsp oil, add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, drizzle over the chutney.











Tuesday, March 19, 2013

"Whole Wheat" Almond and Chocolate Chip Cookies

I agree to Lisa Leake, from "100 Days of Real Food" : There is "Traditional Junk Food" Versus "Artificial Factory made Junk Food". At home, even if you bake with things like butter, all purpose flour, sugar...which most don't consider 'healthy'....you still are doing much better than eating a cookie from a store with 20 ingredients/ additives/ chemicals...you can't spell and don't know what they do to your body.
 And then there is that 'concept' that processed foods have built into us. For eg: a store bought bread...is extra fluffy ..soft ...looks 'picture perfect'. But a bread baked at home...may not come out as "picture perfect' and fluffy and soft. Well...at the factory they added all those conditioners and other chemical additives to make your bread that way. At home...you are eating "pure"....a bread..like bread should be!! But in our minds..the texture and 'look' of bread is "like the store bought"...

So....Spring break started and we needed some 'activity' to keep the Lil' ones busy!

We managed to bake a 'Healthier Version" of  Chocolate Chip Cookies!!!

Ingredients:(Makes 24 cookies)
 1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup Almond powder
1/2 cup All purpose flour
1/2 cup Sugar
1 Stick unsalted butter (slightly cold)
2eggs
1/3 cup Chocolate chips
1/3 cup Peanut butter chips(optional- you can double the chocolate chips and leave out peanut butter chips)
1/2tsp Baking soda
1/2tsp vanilla extract
1/4tsp salt

Method:
1)  Sieve together whole wheat flour,all purpose flour, salt and baking soda.
2) Beat the butter with electric beater for 3-4 mins until creamy.This is important!!Add sugar and eggs and beat for another minute or so.Add the vanilla extract and mix.
3) Add the sieved flours,almond powder and beat till blended.
4) Add the chocolate and peanut chips and mix
5) Chill the batter in refrigerator for 15-20 mins. Pre- heat the oven to 375F.
6) Place spoonfuls of batter onto a ungreased cookie sheet. For 'better looking' cookie..make the batter into rounds and press.I just leaved the batter as is.

7) Bake for 8-10 mins till golden. Do not let them burn on bottom.Let them cool.
 The cookies will puff up, are crisp on the bottom, little soft in center and delicioussss ....as cookies should be:))







Monday, March 18, 2013

A Sizzling Good Read:: 'In Defense of Food' by Michael Pollan

I tried to get this book from the library but had to wait over a month to get my hands on to it.Meanwhile, I was getting too impatient and I finally ordered a copy for myself from Amazon:)
Today I am done with it....and have mixed opinion about-- whether I know more now...or whether I am all the more confused about "What to eat"??

The book says, there is no clear evidence that a "low-fat" diet is the key to good health. There are all those 'low fat' and "no fat" foods available in the market ....and yet we still have heart diseases and obesity. Eliminating fats..may not be a good thing to do after-all.
For that matter ...any 'Fad" diets should be questioned.Adding one nutrient or subtracting another may not be helpful after all.
So...like they say---- MODERATION is the Key!!!

What the book makes clear:
1) Stick as much as possible to your 'traditional' diet!!! Less westernization/processed foods in the diet.Your genes/enzymes are designed to work on the food that you traditionally eat. If your vary too much...your body will suffer.

2)  Eat 'variety' of foods--to cover the whole spectrum of Nutrition. More diverse your diet in terms of veggies,fruits, whole grains....the more nutritionally you will benefit. Instead of thinking of food as mere 'combination of nutrients'...think of it's 'completeness' to provide nutrition.

3)  "Non traditional' foods...a product of food science experimentation...may not be the best thing to eat. Their effects on health are yet to be proven. The 'food labels' are often deceiving....they boast of things..they don't provide or have.

It was a nice read overall...and it kept my mind occupied for days!!
Looking forward to next one--"What to Eat" by Marion Nestle.











Friday, March 15, 2013

Homemade 'Oats and Nuts' Granola/ Cereal

So when my favorite cereal (Quaker Life), which I thought wasn't too 'Sugary' and was 'Multigrain', got a 'C' rating on Fooducate (a cool App to scan groceries and know what's really in them), because  of being 'highly processed', has 'low fiber' and has the additive- Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)...I decided to make my own blend of Granola/Cereal...with all the goodness..free of additives...low in fat and sugar... to 'Start the day with the Right Bite"!!


What I added...And Why???

Oats: 100% Whole Grain
Puffed Rice: For crunch(has low calories per serving)
Almonds: Mono unsaturated fats, protein
Pistachio: Oleic acid, vitamins and minerals, lowest fat nut
Wheat bran: Fiber
Flax meal:Antioxidants, minerals, fiber
Chia seeds:Omega 3 fatty acids
Olive oil- unsaturated fats, crisp up the cereal
Light brown Sugar and honey- Sweetness
Cinnamon: highest anti oxidant strength,helps lower 'bad' cholesterol
Dried cranberries: Sweet-tart flavor, Vitamin C

Ingredients:
This granola won't be as 'Crunchy' as the store bought one....well.....because it isn't loaded on sugars and fats!!


3 Cups Quick cooking oats/ you can use whole oats too (any 100% whole grain oats)
1Cup Puffed Rice (puffed brown rice would be great!!)
1/2 Cup chopped Almonds
1/2 cup chopped Pistachio
1/2 cup Light brown sugar
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2tbsp Unprocessed Wheat bran
2tbsp Flax meal
1tbsp Honey
2tsp Chia seeds
2tsp olive oil
1tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp salt
Canola oil Cooking spray

Method:
Preheat oven to 300F
1) Mix the oil, sugar,salt, cinnamon and honey.
2) Add rest of the ingredients except the cranberries
3) Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.Spread the cereal mix on the sheet and spray it with cooking spray.
4) Bake the cereal for 60-70 mins until toasted, mixing and turning it every 15 mins. The nuts should turn slightly toasted.DO NOT LET IT BURN!!
5) After cooling, mix the dried cranberries and store in a container.
Start your day with a spoon full of "Goodness"!! 













Thursday, March 14, 2013

Chicken Kheema Wraps

Chicken Kheema is one of my favorites!! From Appetizers to Entrees...it can make delicious meals!! Some examples of "Chicken Kheema" as star of the dish:
1) Chicken Kheema Pav/ Indian Sloppy Joes
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/02/fusion-cuisine-indian-sloppy.html

2)Asparagus Chicken Kabobs
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2012/05/appetizers-asparagus-chicken-kababs.html

3)Chicken Kheema Ball Curry
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2012/04/everyday-cooking-chicken-meat-ball.html

4)Chicken Kheema Goli Pulav
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/11/everyday-cooking-pulav-with-chicken.html

5) Baked Chicken Kheema Balls
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2009/11/appetizers-chicken-kheema-balls-minced.html


 Last weekend, with the Chicken Kheema I had, we made these wraps for lunch. With the whole wheat chapati and the spicy kheema....these are sure to be the best lunch ever!!!



Chicken Kheema Recipe:

http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/02/fusion-cuisine-indian-sloppy.html

Wraps made with chapati dough:
2 Cups Whole wheat flour
salt
water
oil

Garnishes:
Maggie hot and Sweet Ketchup
Chopped Onion and Cilantro

 Method:
1) Mix flour, salt and water and knead into  a semi soft Chapati dough.
2) Roll out the Chapatis and roast lightly on a hot tawa.
3)  To each chapati, apply 1tsp Hot and sweet sauce.Place 2-4 tsp cooked Chicken kheema, chopped onion and cilantro filling in the center and roll the wrap.
4) Warm the wrap with few drops of oil on a hot tawa. Wrap into aluminum foil and serve Hot!!






Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Yogurt- Strawberry frozen bars

You decide to diet and eat 'healthy', but those sweet cravings aren't going anywhere are they??? And then the Lil' ones at home still need a weekend treat...right???
This was a perfect little bar...which wouldn't 'undo' all the exercise of the week, but still make the lil' ones jump with joy:)  'A' wouldn't even share a 'lick' of this bar with anyone!!!
Ingredients:
8-10 Fresh Strawberries
1 Cup fresh yogurt
4-5 tsp sugar (adjust according to the sweetness of the strawberries)
few drops of Vanilla essence

Method:
1) Wash the strawberries and cut of the leaves.
2) Blend together yogurt,strawberries, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
3) Pour into 'kulfi' / Popsicle moulds and insert sticks

 4) Freeze for 5-6 hours until completely frozen.
5) Run the mould under warm water to remove the Yogurt-Strawberry bar!

 Enjoy!!



Monday, March 11, 2013

The Sizzle From a Guest Kitchen: (Shruti Sanas-Jadhav) ::Cheese Cake with Strawberry Sauce

A Sizzle From a Guest Kitchen:
A section in the blog wherein, I connect with my friends and fellow foodies through their recipes and their kitchen!
Today a dear friend - Shruti, who now lives far away, and I cannot visit her, shares her 'star' recipe with me. Like you would remember your moms kitchen with the amazing 'aromas',the special aromas of the 'weekend' meals,your grandmas 'spicy stuffed eggplants' ......I recollect a friend's kitchen with their certain 'special dishes'. I remember the aroma of  a Spicy Chicken Curry, The Best Chicken Biryani ever and many more from Shruti's Kitchen!!
Today she shares : Cheese Cake with Strawberry Sauce

 Here is the recipe Shruti send me:
Here is my version of cheese cake, as the normal cheese cake recipe needs almost 5 packs of cream cheese , I have tried with one pack. Sufficient for 3-4 people unless u r making for a party. :)) njoy.
Cheese cake with strawberry sauce
Ingredients:
Cream cheese - 1 (8ounce) pack
Egg - 1
Sour cream - 1/4 cup
All purpose flour - 2 tbsp
Graham Cracker - 10
Butter - 2 tbsp
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Vanilla - 1 tsp
sugar - 1 tbsp for crust
Salt - pinch
Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Method :
Preheat the oven at 325 F
In a 7 inch spring form pan grease it with butter and put it aside. Now grind the graham cracker to form crumbs. mix in the melted butter and 1 tbsp sugar. Now put this mixture in the pan and press it with hand or bowl.
In a big bowl, take cream cheese and mix the sugar, beat it for 1 min. Now add the egg, sour cream, flour, vanilla, lemon juice, salt and mix just until combined. Do not over mix.
Pour this mixture in the pan and bake for 40 mins.
After baking the cheese cake will be slightly giggly in center and light brown on border. This is perfect. Cool the cake for 6 hours before serving. Pour the chilled strawberry sauce for added flavor n taste.
Strawberry sauce recipe:
Fresh strawberries - 500 gm
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Salt- pinch
Corn flour - 1 tbsp
Cut the strawberries in quarter.
Mix everything in a saucepan and heat this mixture for 10 minutes until sauce is juicy and thick. Cool it before chilling. And serve with any dessert of your choice.



Friday, March 8, 2013

Celebrating 300th Blog Post!!

A very special blog post- It's the 300th Blog post and today happens to be Women's Day!!!
Happy Women's Day to all you beautiful ladies, who make Sizzling good food for their families and thanks for visiting 'TheSizzlingPan' and encouraging me.This blog means a lot to me and you make it a 'happier place' for me!!!
So, for the 300th Blog Post...I wanted to try something NEW...which I hadn't cooked before...some new ingredient...some new dish...something brand new for myself and my family!!

Quinoa Veggie Upma:






I had never tried or made Quinoa before, but had heard a lot of good things about this mighty little whole grain.It looks similar to 'Jowar' but very much smaller grain size.It has a High protein content, low in fat, rich in iron and many more reasons to include in your diet. More about Quinoa nutrition:
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/healthnutrition/qt/Quinoa-Nutrition-Facts.htm
I had a pack from Jungle Jims in the pantry, and couldn't wait to try it!

I used the Quinoa to make the very familiar 'Upma' with carrots and peas,so that it will be easy to accept this new grain in the family!!

Ingredients:
1 Cup Whole grain quinoa
1 and 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup Chopped onion
1/4cup Chopped carrots
1/4cup green peas
1/4cup corn kernels
1/4cup roasted peanuts
2-3 green chilies chopped( add more or less to adjust spiciness)
 2 tsp oil
1tsp Cumin seeds
1/2tsp Mustard seeds
1/2tsp sugar
1/2tsp ginger paste
4tsp lemon juice
salt
Cilantro for garnish

Method:
1) Wash the quinoa 2-3 times with water.Drain the water. Boil 1cup quinoa in 1and 1/2 cups water and little salt for 15-20 mins until cooked. It will fluff up.I covered it with a lid and stirred occasionally.
2) Heat 2tsp oil in a pan. When it heats up, add mustard,cumin,onions.Saute for 2 mins.Add other veggies,ginger paste and chilies.Let them cook.Add the roasted peanuts and fry for few more seconds.
3) Add this to the cooked quinoa and mix.Add sugar,Squeeze lemon juice on top.
Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve hot!!!




Wednesday, March 6, 2013

'Fat Free- Whole wheat -Triple Chocolate-Almond' Muffins

As I was writing a 'name' for these muffins....I realized they have the longest name ever!! LOL! But couldn't help putting all the 'good stuff' they have, in their good name and hence the name- "Fat Free"- Whole wheat -Triple Chocolate-Almond Muffins!!
They are made with Whole Wheat flour and Almond powder, have 'Applesauce' in them to act as moistener and binder and NO added fat i.e butter/oil!! The triple chocolate is- Cocoa powder,mini semi sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips.The biggest 'hurray factor' for me.....E loved them...and had them with breakfast 2 days in a row:))
 By the way...did you know?? A store bought food, labeled 'fat free' is not necessarily fat free? It can have upto 0.5 gms of fat per serving! So if you eat more servings, the fat can add up. Also, if you are just looking at 'Number of calories' on the food label....KNOW this--
According to FDA regulations, calorie information on packages must be accurate with a margin of error of 20%. Which means you could be off by as much as 100 calories on a 500 calorie entree !!

Actually,last year, I tried a similar recipe-

"Fat free" and "Good for you" Chocolate-Banana-Walnut Muffins

http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2012/04/nutritious-and-delicious-healthy-and.html
But since,'M' hates bananas, I had to improvise the recipe and 'minus' the bananas in the recipe. But let me tell you, the bananas make the muffins really moist and yummy.So for all those who don't mind either the bananas or the egg in the recipe...go ahead and try out the above recipe!

**For a 'Banana less' and 'Eggless' version use this::
The biggest 'hurrray factor ' for me.....E loved them...and had them with breakfast 2 days in a row:))
Ingredients: Makes 12 muffins
1 Cup Whole Wheat flour
8 oz Applesauce( I used store bought- but homemade would be excellent!)
3/4th cup sugar
1/2 cup Powdered almonds
1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4cup milk
2tsp Flax seed powder (Optional! It's just to give 'boost' in nutrition and a little more 'nutty' flavor)
1tsp baking powder
1tsp baking soda
1tsp Vanilla essence
2-3 tsp water
few White chocolate chips
1/4tsp salt

Muffin liners(aluminum)
Non stick cooking spray

Method:
1) Pre heat the oven to 375F
2) Place muffin liners in muffin pan.Spray with non stick cooking spray.Since the muffins have no added fat,they will stick to the liner,therefore spray with non stick cooking spray and use aluminum liners.
3) Sieve together- whole wheat flour, baking powder,soda, cocoa powder,salt.
4) In a mixing bowl, mix apple sauce,vanilla and sugar.
5) Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.Add the almond and flax seed powder.Add the milk and 2-3tsp water as needed to make batter.
6) Fold in the mini chocolate chips and mix gently.DO NOT OVERMIX!! Otherwise the muffins will be tough and chewy.
7) Pour into muffin liners till 3/4th full. Add few white chocolate chips
8) Bake at 375 for 17-20 mins.Till a toothpick inserted will come out clean.
Indulge into a Chocolaty and Nutty goodness with less guilt!!














Tuesday, March 5, 2013

A Sizzling Good Read:: "Food Rules" by Michael Pollan

With this Book, I am starting a new section in the blog called --      "A Sizzling Good Read", wherein, I will be sharing the book which I am reading/ have read and talk about it!

"Food Rules" by Michael Pollan.....64 Rules about 'What to eat and What to avoid' written in a very simple language!!

 Very simple "rules' that are easy to understand and that will stay with you while making "right' food choices.
E.g. He says, If it came from a plant,eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't!!
So true.... the more processed the food...the more it is likely to be 'bad' for your health.

A must read for a anyone who wants to eat 'better'!


Monday, March 4, 2013

Avocado Parathas

Everyone has heard the buzz about the 'Health benefits of Avocados' and want to incorporate more of them in their diets. Though they are a 'high fat vegetable'(85% of its calories come from fat)...don't you worry...they are "Good for you fats". Here is the link to know more about  health benefits of Avocados: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=5
I love to eat Avocados...in the form of "Gaucamole"...with chopped onions, tomatoes, green chilies, cilantro and squeeze of lemon juice....Spread on the baked Tostitos or even better.... "Microwave toasted Papad"!!!

The other day, my friend "Soniya Keskar" gave me a brilliant idea of making "Avocado Parathas". Since both "E" and "A" are not huge avocado fans...this was a great way to incorporate it in their diet!!
The parathas came out really soft due to the 'fats' in the avocados and looked slight 'yellowish-green' with tiny specks of avocados and cilantro.

Ingredients:
2 cups Whole wheat flour
1 'medium- ripe' avocado
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1tsp Red chili powder ( add more or less)
1/2tsp cumin seeds
1/4tsp Garlic paste
1 green chili finely chopped
Salt
water if needed


Method:
1) Slit the avocado length wise. Twist both halves in opposite direction. Take out the seeds. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Scrap all the 'green' flesh near the skin too.The healthy goodness lies in here!
2) Mash the avocado with your hands.Add the rest of the ingredients and make into a "chapati like dough'. Add little water if needed to make the dough. No need to add oil.The avocado already has 'fats' to make the parathas soft. Keep the dough aside for 30 mins.
3) Knead the dough again and roll out into parathas. Roast the parathas on a heated 'tava'
4) Serve hot along with Chutney/ Pickle/ Ketchup or Gaucamole!!