Colourful Nutritional Puris

Ingredients :

• Wheat flour – 2 cups
  
• Beetroot – 1 large
• Mint Leaves – 1 / 2 cup
• Salt for taste
• Turmeric powder
• Cumin seeds
• Water
• Oil for frying

Preparation Method :

1) Boil the Beetroot in 6-7 whistles in cooker. Peel it and grind the same.

2) Take Mint leaves and grind it to fine paste

3) Take wheat flour, add pinch of salt and roasted whole or crushed cumin seeds to it. Divide the flour in 3 parts.

4) Knead one part of flour by adding turmeric powder, second part by adding boiled and grinded beetroot and the third part by adding grinded mint leaves and keep for resting for 30 mins

5) Roll out big puris of all the 3 colours,

6) Firstly place green puri, then top it with yellow puri and finally red puri. Roll all the 3 puris tightly.

7) Cut it horizontally is small puri shaped dough.

8) Roll out each puri and fry the same to get colorful circled puris.

Health Benefits of Beetroot & Mint leaves

Beetroot can help boost longevity, from aiding weight loss to preventing chronic diseases, like cancer. Beets have a rich nutritional profile that provides a plethora of health benefits.  Beets are an excellent source of fiber, vitamin C & magnesium.

Mint is a great appetizer. The aroma of the herb helps activate the salivary glands in your mouth as well as the glands which secrete the digestive enzymes, thereby facilitating digestion. It also soothes the stomach in case of indigestion or inflammation. It is a potent remedy for relieving the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Corn Suji Dhokla (Shravan Mahotsav, Kitchen Queen, 2018 Vasai Contestant)

Ingredients :

• Fresh Corn - 1 Cup
• Suji (Rawa) - 1 Cup
• Fresh Curd -  1 / 2 Cup
• Salt to taste
• Green chili paste - 1 table spoon
• Eno - 1 pouch
• Few drops of lemon juice
• Oil for greasing

For Garnish

• Mustard seeds – as per requirement
• Oil - as per requirement
• Asafoetida powder – 1 Pinch
• Chopped Coriander – as per requirement
• Grated Coconut - 1 table spoon

For Serving

 Pudina Chutney

Preparation Method :

1) Add fresh corn to the curd and grind it finely

2) Take this corn batter in a bowl, add suji, salt, green chili paste and ½ cup water and mix it well

3) Before steaming add Eno, lemon juice over 3 tbsp of oil over it. When bubbles form, mix well

4) Pour the batter immediately into a greased tray and spread the batter evenly

5) Steam the batter in steamer for 15 mins or till the dhokla is cooked

6) Once batter is cooled, cut into square shape and season it with mustard seeds and asafoetida powder

7) Garnish with grated coconut and coriander. Corn Dhokla is ready to serve with mint chutney 

Suran (Elephant Yam) Halwa

Ingredients :

• Suran (Elephant Yam) – 500 gms (white Yam is preferred, as it’s less itchy)
• Shredded Coconut – 1 / 2 cup
• Jaggery – as required
• Lime juice – half table spoon
• Ghee – 2 table spoon
• Salt – 1 pinch
• Butter Milk – 1 cup
• Water – as required
• Cardamom powder – 1 / 2 table spoon
• Cardamom  powder – 3 pinch
• Cashews – 4 – 5 nos.
• Pistachios – 4 – 5 nos.

Preparation Method :

1) Clean the Suran (Elephant Yam) thoroughly, peel it and grate it.

2) Soak it in butter milk and keep it aside for 30 mins

3) Squeeze the suran and remove water from it

4) In a pan take ghee, add grated Suran and saute it for 3-4 mins

5) Cover the pan with lid for 5 mins and steam it. It should become soft by now. Do not add water

6) At times suran gets cooked quickly, hence keep a proper watch

7) Add coconut and jaggery, mix it well and cook it on medium flame. Let the jaggery dissolve.

8) Add lime juice. Till consistency is proper let it cook on medium flame. Do not keep the lid

9) Once done add cardamom powder, crushed / sliced cashews and pistachios

10) At the end add one spoon of ghee.

* This halwa should be always refrigerated

Note : At times if hands start itching after grating the suran, apply kokum (garcinia) or tamarind and keep it for 5 mins. Wash it off after 5 mins with water and soap.

Health Benefits of  Suran (Elephant Yam) 

Suran (Elephant Yam)  contain high carbohydrate, protein, vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and dietary fibers. They are known to help the digestive system, being high in fiber, can be used for weight loss also. Suran helps reduce LDL (the bad cholesterol) and are thus good for heart health.  It is helpful in improving immunity in the body. It is also useful in maintaining healthy hormonal levels in the body.

Upwas (Fasting) Thalipeeth

Ingredients :

• Singhara Flour (Ground water chestnuts) – 1 cup
• Rajgira Flour (Amaranth Flour) – 1 cup
• Potato – 1 medium sized
• Green Chili – 1 nos.
• Salt – as per taste
• Groundnut powder – 2 table spoon
• Water – as per requirement
• Oil for frying – as per requirement

Preparation Method :

1) Boil the potatoes, peel and smash it smoothly

2) Knead Singhara & Rajgira flour adding smashed potatoes, cut/grinded green chili, groundnut powder, salt and gradually adding water to it.  Let the dough rest for 30 mins

3) Take a medium size ball of the dough and start patting it over a oiled plastic sheet or butter paper. Make a hole with finger in the center. Thickness should be medium and not like chapati

4) Pickup the Thalipeet and drop it gently on greased pan, smear some oil over it.

5)  Cook the Thalipeeth from both the sides

6) Serve this delicious Thalipeeth with butter or curd

Health Benefits of Rajgira & Singhara :

Rajgira is a good source of calcium, protein and amino acids and is rich in iron, magnesium and Vitamin A, B and C too.

Singhara is rich in carbohydrate, fiber, vitamins and minerals. It has enough amount of potassium, which helps to counter the effect of sodium and good for lowering blood pressure as well as for heart

Parle G Biscuit Cake in pressure cooker

Ingredients:

• Parle G Biscuits – 10 12 nos.
• Cocoa Powder – 2 table spoon
• Powdered Sugar – 1 small cup
• Baking Powder – 1/ 2 spoon
• Milk – 1 or 1+1/2 small cup

Preparation Method :

1) Grind the Parle G Biscuits into powder in a grinder.

2) Add Cocoa powder, grounded sugar, baking powder to the powdered biscuits, mix it well

3) Add milk gradually to the mixture to form dosa like batter. Stir in one direction only.

4) Grease a mold, and pour the batter in it. Tap lightly to prevent forming of air bubbles.

5) Place a plate at the bottom of the cooker, preheat the cooker for 5 mins

6) Now place the mold in cooker and steam the batter for 30 mins without whistle, cooker ring or even water on medium heat.

7) Once cooker has cooled down open the cooker and demold the cake.

Yummy delicious Biscuit Cake is ready

Bathua Veggie

Ingredients :

• Bathuva Veggie – 1 bunch
• Moong dal -  3 – 4 table spoon
• Onion – 1 big
• Tomato – 1 big
• Gram flour – 1 table spoon

For seasoning : 

• Oil
• Mustard seeds
• Asafetida powder
• Turmeric powder 
• Chili powder
• Ginger garlic paste
• Salt

Preparation Method : 

1) Soak the moong dal overnight 

2) Wash and clean the Veggie 

3) Cut onion, tomato, and veggie and steam all 3, in cooker along with moong daal 

4) Add gram flour to the steamed veggie and smash it thoroughly with hands or a smasher.

5) Seasoning with oil, mustard seeds, asafoetida powder, turmeric powder, chili powder and ginger garlic paste to be given to this veggie

6) Add salt, jaggery and tamarind, allow it to cook for 5 mins  

7) If needed season the veggie again with oil and dry red chili

Health Benefits of Bathua Vegetable :

Rich in fibre and water content, Bathua also cures constipation, due to its laxative properties. It helps in digestion and boosting intestinal activity too. Bathua plays role of keeping liver healthy.

Stuff Designer Idli with Peas Pod Chutney (Won 1st Prize in Kitchen Queen, 2018 for Palghar District)

Ingredients :

• Ukda Rice – 1 portion
• Urad Dal – half portion of rice
• Green Peas – 1 cup
• Paneer – 1 / 2 cup
• Green Peas Pods – pods of 250 gms peas
• Salt – as per taste
• Green Chilli paste – as per taste
• Ginger – as per taste
• Oil – as per requirement
• Mustard seeds – as per requirement

Preparation Method :

Idli :

1) Soak rice and Urad dal separately overnight

2) Grind the rice and urad dal, mix it and keep it for fermenting for atleast 6 hours

3) Steam the Green peas, once cool, smash it

4) Smash the paneer and add it to smashed peas 

5) Add green chili, ginger garlic paste, salt to the smashed paneer and peas and keep it aside

6) Add salt to the Idli batter 

7) Greece the Idli molds, place small portion of this batter in the Idli mold 

8) Place a small portion of smashed peas and paneer on it 

9) Top it again with Idli batter 

10) Steam the Idlis for 20-25 mins 

11) Once cool, cut the Idlis in 2 halves before serving them with pod chutney

Pod Chutney :

1) Clean the Green Peas Pods, remove one side (vein) of the pods 

2) Roast them on low flame with 3-4 drops of oil on it 

3) Grind the Pods along with green chili, garlic and salt 

4) Sieve the chutney in a strainer

5) Top the chutney with chopped coriander 

6) Season the chutney with oil & mustard seeds. This will make the chutney crunchy.

Health Benefits of Green Peas & Pods

Green Peas contains ample amount of Vitamin A, manganese, vitamin C, fiber

Peas Pods has dietary fiber. 1 cup serving of green peas pods contains 1.6 gms of dietary fiber 

Green Nutritional Tikki

Ingredients :

• Green Chickpeas 250 gms
• Spinach – 10 leaves
• Carrots – 2 big
• Potatoes – 2 big
• Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tea spoon
• Green Chili paste – 2 tea spoon
• Rice flour for dusting
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Method :

1) Remove the outer cover of Chickpeas and steam them. Clean the Spinach, cut it and give a slight steam to it. Cut Carrot and potatoes into pieces and steam them

2)  Once all the main ingredients are steamed, smash it with hand or cut it finely in chilli cutter

3) Add ginger garlic paste, chilli paste & salt to the smashed ingredients 

4) Roll the dough in any kind of shape as desired, roll it on rice flour

5) Heat Oil on a pan and shallow fry them.  Green nutritional Tikkies are ready to serve.

Sweet Potato Halwa (Won 2nd Prize in Meri Paushtik Rasoi Contest, 2019)

Ingredients :

• Sweet Potatoes – 3 medium sized
  
• Sugar / Jaggery – 2 table spoons
• Ghee – 2 ½ table spoon
• Milk  – 2 table spoons
• Cardamom  powder – 2 pinch
• Cashews – 4 – 5 nos.
• Pistachios – 4 – 5 nos.

Preparation Method :

1) Boil the sweet potatoes, peel them and cut it in small pieces

2) Take ½ table spoon of Ghee in a pan, fry cashews to slightly golden colour and keep it aside

3) Take 2 more table spoon of ghee in pan, add cut pieces of sweet potatoes, stir and saute it properly till ghee leaves the edges of the pan

4) Add Jaggery / Sugar as per sweet taste required and saute again for 5 mins (note that sweet potatoes are already sweet hence jaggery / sugar needs to be used accordingly)

5) Add milk and saute it again for 5 mins

6) Once halwa is off the flame, add cardamom powder, crushed or sliced cashews and pistachios

7) Nutritional Sweet Potato Halwa is ready to serve 

Health benefits of Sweet Potato :

Sweet potatoes contains high amounts of fiber and potassium. They have more grams of natural sugars than regular potato but more overall nutrients with fewer calories. Sweet potatoes help maintain a healthy blood pressure and protect against cancer.