Monthly Archives: January 2012

Tomato Chutney

Ingredients

  • 2                medium tomatoes 
  • 2                tbsp oil
  • 5                curry leaves
  • ¼               tsp mustard seeds
  • ¼               tsp fenugreek seeds
  • ¼               tsp cumin seeds    
  • 2                tbsp tomato paste
  • 1                tsp citric acid or
  • 1/4             cup lemon juice
  • ½               tsp salt
  • 1                tsp red chili powder (or according to your taste)
  • ½               tsp garlic paste
  • 1                tsp green chili paste
  • 1                tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions  

  1. Blend the tomatoes in a blender.
  2. Heat oil in a small saucepan. Add curry leaves, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds.
  3. When the seeds start popping add the tomatoes and rest of the ingredients.
  4. Cook stirring a few times,  till the oil separates, about 20 minutes.
  5. Let it cool.

Serve with Hondavo or Dokari

Hondavo(ondavo)

Mixed Dal and Rice  Handavo is a traditional Gujarati Savoury Cake, which is a nutritious meal in its own right when served with chutney.  This original recipe takes too long because you have to soak the daal and the rice for 5 hours and then you have to let it rest overnight before you cook it.  I do not know who came up with the instant Handavo  but this recipe is good.  My mum and grandmother always used the original recipe and that tastes different and better than the instant recipe. Hondavo is also known as Ondavo.

Eno (Eno’s Fruit Salt)

Eno is a mixture of Sodium Bicarbonate citric acid and tartaric acid.  You can substitute eno  with baking powder.

Hondavo can be served for a tea party, as a  light  lunch or mid afternoon snack.

Hondavo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  •  3                 cups Wheat lets (Sojee)
  • ½                 cup grated Zucchini
  • ½                 cup grated Onion
  • 1                  tsp freshly ground Ginger
  • 1                  tsp freshly  ground  Garlic
  • 1                  tsp freshly ground Jalapeno
  • ½                 tsp Ajwan
  • ½                 tsp freshly crushed Cumin
  • ½                 tsp freshly crushed Black Pepper
  • ½                 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1                  tsp Salt (salt to taste)
  • ½                 tsp Chili Powder (optional)
  • 2                  tbsp sugar
  • 1 ½              tsp Citric Acid
  •                     or
  • 4                  tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 2                  tbsp chopped Cilantro
  • 1                  cup yoghurt
  • 1                  cup water
  • 1                  rounded tbsp Baking Powder
  • 1                  rounded tablespoon eno

For Vagar

  • 1/2              cup oil
  • 10                curry leaves
  • ½                 tsp fenugreek seed
  • 1/2              tsp Mustard seeds
  • ½                 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2                  tbsp sesame seeds

For Decoration

  •                     a few onion rings and cilantro (for decoration)
  • 2                   tbsp sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. In a bowl put the wheat lets, Zucchini, onions, ginger garlic, jalapeño, ajwan, cumin, black pepper, turmeric powder, salt, chili powder, sugar, citric acid, I tablespoon cilantro,  yoghurt and water and make a thick mixture (like cake)
  2. In a small saucepan make a vagar.  Heat the oil, add the curry leaves, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds. When it starts to pop, take it and pour it in the wheat let mix.   Add baking powder and eno and mix well.
  3. Pour this in a prepared 9” round cake Pan. (9 x 3)
  4. Decorate with sliced onions, cilantro and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  5. Bake in a preheated oven (350 degrees) on the mid shelf for about an hour. ( put a bamboo stick in the middle of the Hondavo, if it comes out clean it is done).
  6. Let it cool in the pan for about ½  hour before you put it on a plate.

Serve it with Tomato chutney.

Salad Roll

Ingredients

  • 1              chicken breast, boneless and skinless
  • 1              tbsp oil
  • 1              tbsp green masala
  • 1/2           tsp salt
  • 1              carrot
  • 1/2           green mango
  • 1/4           English cucumber
  • 1/2           red bell pepper
  • 2              tbsp finely chopped cilantro
  • 1              tbsp finely chopped mint
  • 1              pkg rice paper wrappers

Instructions

  1. Rinse and cut the chicken into half inch cubes. Add the green masala and salt.
  2. Heat the oil and stir fry the chicken for about 5 minutes. The chicken should be dry. Let it cool completely.
  3. Peel and grate the carrots, mango, and cucumber. finely cut the red pepper in thin strips.
  4. Add the chicken to the vegetables and add cilantro and mint and mix well.
  5. Soak 1 sheet of rice paper in hot water for a minute. Transfer it onto a towel. Place about a teaspoon of the mix on the centre of the wrap, fold the other half over, turn both the sides in and roll it up.

Serve it with dipping sauce or peanut sauce.

Speculaas

Speculaas (German Spice Cookies) are considered the traditional St. Nicholas Cookie. 

Ingredients

  • 3                      cup all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2                tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1                      tsp ground cloves
  • 1                      tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8                   tsp baking powder
  •                         pinch salt
  • 1                      cup butter
  • 1 1/4                cup light brown sugar
  • 1                      egg
  • 1/2                   cup sliced almonds

Instructions

  1. Combine flour, cinnamon, cloves,  ginger, baking powder and salt onto wax paper.
  2. In a large bowl, of electric mixer, at high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg. 
  3. With a wooden spoon, stir in half of the flour mixture, then beat in rest of the mixture and the almonds, mixing with hands if necessary.
  4. Refrigerate, dough covered, several hours.  
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degree F.  Lightly grease several cookie sheets.  Remove one fourth of the dough at a time from refrigerate. 
  6. Roll out dough, one quarter at a time, on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut cookies with a cookie cutter. (Any size and shape you want).
  7. Place cookies 1” apart on a prepared cookie sheets.  Repeat with remaining dough.
  8. Bake for 15 minutes or until cookies are light brown around edges.
  9. Remove from cookie sheets to wire racks.  Cool completely.

You can use a cookie mold, to shape the cookies.

To Store:

Keep in a tightly covered glass jar or cookie tin in a cool dry place several weeks.

Mandazi

Mandazi (also spelled as maandazi or maandaazi, and also called mahamri or mamri ) is a form of fried bread that originated in Eastern Africa in the swahilli coastal areas of Kenya and Tanzania. It is still popular in the region, as it is convenient to make. It can be eaten with almost any food or dips or just as a snack by itself. You can freeze the leftover and heat it when needed.

Mandazi is similar to doughnuts, but has less sugar and  it has cardamom, so it does taste different.

Mandazi is either Triangle, round or oblong and when fried they are fluffy.

The locals in East Africa have this for breakfast. At 10.00a.m the venders come out in a cart to sell it. You can also get it in local Cafes.

We often have Mandazi and Bharazi(pigeon peas cooked in coconut milk) for brunch on a Sunday morning.

Makes 18

Mandazi

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 3                   cups White Flour
  • 1                   cup Sugar
  • 8-10              seeds Cardamom seeds (crushed)
  • 1                   level dessert spoon Baking Powder
  • 2                   tbsp oil
  • 1                   cup yoghurt
  • 1/2                cup water

Directions

  1. In a bowl mix the first 4 ingredients.
  2. Rub in the oil.
  3. Add the yoghurt and  enough water to make a stiff dough.
  4. Cover the bowl with plastic and leave it for 5 hours or overnight.
  5. Divide the dough in 4 and roll out each to ¼ inch thick. Cut into rounds with a 3” cookie cutter or you can cut rolled out dough into 6 triangles.
  6. Deep fry in med hot oil till golden brown.(Your oil is hot, when you put the handle of the wooden spoon in and the oil  bubbles around the handle).
  7. Drain it on Paper towel.

Vegetable Soup

Soup is generally a warm food that is made by combining ingredients such as meat and vegetables with stock, juice, water, or another  liquid.  There are a few different kinds of soup such as  clear soups, bisque, and chowder. Soups are similar to stews but have more liquid in them.

You can add grains, rice and lentils and paste to make it more filling.

When I was growing up, we only used fresh vegetables.  We did not have frozen foods. If we had to use beans and peas when they were not in season, we would use dried beans, soaking them overnight and boiling them in the morning and then using them. You can add any vegetable of your choice for this soup. 

Ingredients

  • 2                  tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 1                  med onion finely chopped
  • 2                  med tomatoes finely chopped
  • 2                  med potatoes peeled and cubed to 1/2 inch
  • 1/4               tsp dried Oregano
  • 1/2               tsp Salt
  • 1/2               tsp Black Pepper
  • 3                   cups frozen Mixed Vegetables
  • 4                   cups Water

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan heat the oil.  Add the onions and fry them till they are light brown in color(about 3 minutes)..
  2. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook them for a minute.
  3. Add the potatoes, oregano, salt and black pepper and  cook  for another minute. 
  4. Add the frozen vegetables and water. When the water starts to boil, turn the heat down to medium and let it simmer for about half an hour.

Serve with toast or crackers.

Mung Soup

It is cold and rainy outside and we have all had rich foods in the last few days, so I am making a soup.  This is a good healthy soup with no fat added and it is very filling.  This soup is very good if you are on a diet.

Mung Beans are:

  • Low in Saturated Fat, Sodium, and Cholesterol
  • High in Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Riboflavin, Folate, Copper, Manganese, Protein, Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Potassium

The nutritional value of mung beans makes them ideal for:

  • Weight loss
  • Maintaining optimum health

Mung Beans are a native of India.

They are small egg shaped and green in color.  They are commonly used in India, Pakistan, and southeast Asia.

Whole beans are generally prepared from dried beans by soaking in water for 5 hours and then boiling them until soft.  If you do not soak them, they will take longer to cook.

Makes 4 serving.

Ingredients

  • 1                  cup Mung beans
  • 4                  cups water
  • 1/2               chicken breast deboned and skinned.
  • 1                  small onion
  • 1                  small tomato
  • 1                  tbsp crushed ginger
  • 1/2               pkg frozen  spinach (3 oz)
  • 1/2               tsp salt(or to taste)
  • 1/4               cup chopped cilantro

 Instructions

  1. Soak Mung in 3 cups of water for about 5 hours.  If you do not soak the mung, they will take longer to cook.
  2. Rinse the chicken and cut it into very thin 1 inch strips.
  3. Finely chop the onions and tomatoes.
  4. Drain the water.  In a medium pot put the mung, add 4 cups of water, chicken, chopped onions and tomatoes, ginger, spinach and salt and cook this on med for 1/2 hour.
  5. Sprinkle the cilantro before serving.

Tamarind Chutney

The Tamarind tree is  huge  and spreading, rising up on a thick trunk covered in gray bark.  Growing up to 6 ft. high, its pale-green foliage sections of 10 –15  curry leaf-shaped leaflets provide a wonderful canopy of shade, punctuated by small cluster of red-striped, yellow flowers when in bloom.

Tamarind is a native to East Africa and Asia.  The Indians make a refreshing drink from it called Amli Panni and in Middle East a version with sugar added is sold in attractive cordial bottles.  A delicious confection is made in Asia from Sweetened balls of tamarind, rolled in sugar and sometime  spiced with chili.  Mexicans make a hard candy with the tamarind pulp filling.  Philippino make a hard candy as well.  Tamarind is one of the main ingredient in making Worcestershire sauce and Hp sauce.

Tamarind concentrate is a thick, black, molasses-type liquid, and is made by boiling the fruit and straining it to remove the fibers and the seeds.

Tamarind can be used instead of lemon juice in Asian soups, curries and  chutneys, naming a few.

This was one of the fruits the locals sold on the road side so, on the way home from school, we would buy the green tamarind, sprinkle it with salt and red chili powder and eat it.  It is tart.

Tamarind is also used as a dip for potato chips, fries, cassava fries and nachos.

Making the chutney is a little messy so I prefer to make it in a big batch and then freeze it.

   

 
Ingredients

  • 1                  pkt Tamarind(12 oz)
  • 1/2               lb Dates or 1 cup sugar.
  • 1/4               cup Salt
  • 1/4               cup Chili Powder
  • 8                  cups Water

 Directions

  1. In a Sauce boil Tamarind, dates and 4 cups of water.  Stir it around and break the tamarind block.  Let it cool.  Strain the liquid off, squeezing the remaining pulp.  Add more water and squeeze the pulp as dry as possible before discarding it.
  2. If you have a food processor use it to break the Tamarind block, (this is a faster way of making the pulp) after you have boiled  it.   (do not use the food processor if the Tamarind has seeds in it, It will break the blades of the food processor)
  3. Add the salt and chili powder and mix well.

This pulp will be quite thick and you should have about 8 to 10 cups.  You can freeze this in ice cubes or small containers and use it as required.  If you are using it as a chutney add equal amount of hot water(this will thaw the frozen cube instantly.

You can use equal amount of tamarind pulp for lemon Juice in your cooking.

Masala Paratha

Today I  invited a couple of friends for breakfast.  We will have Masala Paratha, Riata, Mango Chutney and Goor Kari(sweet mango pickle)   I am using wheat flour and Bajro flour(Millet flour ) Bajro is a very healthy flour.

The Paratha is an important part of a traditional Indian breakfast. It originated in North India and was then accepted in different parts of the Indian Subcontinent. Traditionally, people make it using ghee  (clarified butter) but nowadays some people use oil  for health reasons. Usually the paratha is eaten with chai and raita as part of a breakfast meal.You can also get stuffed paratha ,  which may be stuffed with potatoes, paneer (Indian cheese), onions, keema (ground meat), Lentils, or Spinach.  Foregoing  are a few examples.  You can also make sweet paratha, using almonds and coconut.

A paratha (especially a stuffed one) can be eaten simply with a blob of butter spread on top; with chutney, with pickles and yogurt; or with meat or vegetable curries. Some roll the paratha into a tube and eat it with tea, often dipping the paratha into the tea.

The paratha can be round, square or triangular.

Makes 10

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2                  cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2                  cup Bajro (millet flour)
  • 1/2                     tsp salt
  • 1                        tbsp Sesame Seeds
  • 1/2                     tsp freshly crushed Cumin
  • 1/2                     tsp freshly crushed Black Pepper
  • 1/4                     tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1/2                     tsp  crushed Jalapeno pepper
  • 1                        tbsp finely chopped Mint
  • 1                        tbsp finely chopped Cilantr0
  • 2                        tbsp finely chopped fresh or frozen Fenugreek leaves(methi)
  • 1/4                     cup oil
  •                           Water
  • 1/4                     oil for frying.

Directions

  1. In a medium size bowl put the 2 types of flour, salt, sesame seeds, cumin, black pepper, turmeric  powder, jalepeno, mint , cilantro and oil.  Rub the oil till the mixture is like bread crumbs.  Pour the water and make a stiff dough.  Kneed the dough for 5 minutes.
  2. Divide the dough into 10 equal balls.  Make a nice round ball.  On a floured surface flatten the dough with your hand and then roll it to about 7 inches.
  3. Cook this on the stove in a preheated tava(tava is a flat Indian frying pan),  on a medium heat.    If you do not have a tava use a frying pan.
  4. Cook both sides for about half a minute on each side.(You will see bubbles forming).  Brush it with oil and turn it.  Brush oil on the other side, cook each side for about a min and put it on a paper  towel to drain the oil.

Serve it with, Riata, Mango Chutney, or Goor Kari and tea.

Note:  You can make paratha with whole wheat flour only.