Category Archives: Gluten Free

Hondavo(Original)

Ingredients

  • 1           cup basmati rice
  • 1           cup long grain ice
  • 1/4        cup chana daal
  • 1/4        cup moong daal
  • 1/4        cup Toor Daal
  • 1           cup yoghurt
  • 1/2        cup water
  • 1           tsp ajwan(ajma)
  • 1           tablespoon Sesame seeds
  • 1           tsp chilli powder(optional)
  • 1           tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1           tsp freshly ground cumin(jeera)
  • 1/2        tsp turmeric powder
  • 1           tsp ground garlic
  • 1           tsp ground ginger
  • 1           tsp ground jalepino
  • 2           tbsp sugar
  • 1           cup sliced onions
  • 1/4        cup fresh chopped cilantro
  •              juice of 1 lemon or
  • 1/2        tsp citric acid
  • 1           tsp eno or baking soda

For Tempering(Vagar)

  • 1/2        cup vegetable oil(or oil of your choice)
  • 10         curry leaves
  • 1/2        tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/2        tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 1/2        tsp cumin seeds
  • 1           red chilli (dried or fresh)(optional)

For Decoration

  • 2           tablespoon sesame seeds
  •              a few onion rings
  •              a few cilantro leaves

Instructions

  1. Rinse and soak the rice and daal for 5 hrs or overnight.
  2. In the morning drain the rice and daal.  In a blender or a food processor puree this with yoghurt and water to a thick paste.  Let it stand overnight.
  3. In the morning add the rest of the ingredients except eno and mix well.
  4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Grease the baking pan with pam or butter.  Line the pan with baking paper.
  5. Make the vagara,
  6. Heat the oil in a fry pan.  When the oil is hot add curry leaves, and the rest of the vagaries ingredients.  When the seeds start to pop, add this to the mix.  Add the eno and mix well.
  7. Pour the mix in the prepared pan. decorate with sesame seeds, onion rings and cilantro leaves.
  8. Bake on the middle shelf for 1 hour till the top is brown and when you insert a bamboo stick it in the middle, it comes out clean.
  9. Serve with Garlic Chutney or Sambaro.

Hondavo IngredientsHondavo Ingredients

Taco Fiesta Potatoes

The base is made with roasted potato slices that are topped with a crunchy walnut taco meat,
cashew sour cream, and salsa.  If you do not have time to layer everything individually,
try plating the potato crisps on a large platter and layer everything all at once.
The walnut taco meat and cashew sour cream can be made a day or two in advance to save
some time.  The crisps also make a fun and kid approved dinner.

Taco Fiesta Potatoes          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients
2                                russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4” slices
1                                tbsp grapeseed oil(or oil of your choice)
                                  Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Walnut Taco Meat

1                                 cup walnuts toasted, (if preferred)
1 – 1/2                         tsp chili ipowder
1/2                              tsp ground cumin
1/4                              tsp fine grain salt
1/8                              tsp cayenne pepper

To Assemble

  • 1                       recipe cashew sour cream(recipe to follow)
  • 1/2 to 3/4          cup salsa
  • 2 – 3                  green onions, thinly sliced
  •                          freshly ground pepper
Make the Potato Crisps
  1. Pre heat the oven to 425 degree.
  2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Place the potato slices in a single layer on the baking sheet and drizzle them with oil.
  4. Rub the potatoes to disperse the oil evenly.
  5. Sprinkle the potatoes generously with salt and pepper.
  6. Roast the potatoes for 30 – 35 minutes, flipping them once halfway through, until tender and lightly browned.
  7. Allow the potatoes to cool for 5 minutes before assembling.
 
Make the Walnut Taco Meat:
In a mini food processor, combine the walnuts, oil, chili powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne and process
into a fine crumble.(You can also chop and mix the ingredients by hand if preferred) Set side.
 
To Assemble:
Top each potato slice with 1 teaspoon of the Cashew Sour Cream, followed by about 1 teaspoon each of
Walnut Taco Meat and salsa.
 
Cashew Cream
Cashew  Cream can be used in a variety of recipes as a substitute for dairy or even sour cream.
 
In a bowl, combine 1 cup raw cashews and enough water to cover them and soak for 8 hours or overnight
(for a quick soak method, put the cashews in a bowl, pour boiling hot water over them until the cashews are covered,
and soak for 2 hours).  Drain and rinse the cashews and transfer them to a blender with 1/2 to 1 cup water.  Less
water will give you a thicker sauce.  Blend on high speed until the cream is smooth.  If using the cashew cream for savoury
recipe, add a pinch of salt, if desired.
 
To make Cashew Sour Cream:
 
Add the following ingredients to the blender with the cashews and water and blend on high speed until smooth.
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt, or to taste.

Bhinda Masala on Rotla

Ingredients

Rotla

  • 1                cup Bajra (millet flour)
  • 1                tsp oil
  • 3/4             cup water

Bhinda Masala

  • 1/2             lb Bhinda (okra)
  • 3                tbsp oil
  • 1/4             tsp cumin seeds
  • 1                small onion, thinely sliced
  • 1                small tomato
  • 1/2             tsp dhana Jeera powder(coriander and cumin)
  • 1/4             tsp turmeric(haldi)
  • 1/2             tsp salt
  • 1-1/2          tsp green Masala
  • 1/2             cup yoghurt
  • 1                tbsp finely chopped onions
  • 1                tbsp finely chopped tomatoes
  • 1                tsp finely chopped cilantro
  • 1/2             tsp finely chopped jalapeño

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl add the bajra, rub in oil and make a soft dough with the water.
  2. Kneed it well.
  3. Divide the dough into 15 small balls.
  4. On a paper towel, flatten the ball into a 2-1/2 inch small rotla.
  5. Cook this on a preheated medium hot tawa.
  6. Cook till it starts to change colour, about 2 min, flip it over and cook for 2 min.
  7. You can cook a few small rotlas at a time.

Bhinda

  1. Wipe the bhinda with a wet cloth.
  2. Cut them in rounds about a 1/2″ thick.
  3. Rub 1 tbsp oil and bake it in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes. They should be a little crispy.
  4. Heat oil in a medium frypan, add the cumin seeds and sauté the onions till they are transparent.
  5. Add the chopped tomato, dhana Jeera powder, haldi, salt, 1 tsp green masala, mix and cook covered, on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times.
  6. Add the baked Bhinda, mix well and cook for 5 minutes on low heat.
  7. Mix half tsp green masala in yoghurt and leave it in the fridge.
  8. Mix the chopped onions, tomatoes, cilantro and jalapeño.

To Assemble:

  1. Just before serving, spread a tsp of Bhinda mixture on the rotla, sprinkle it with the tomato mix and serve with yoghurt.

Vegetable Pakora

Vegetable Pakora

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 1                  med potato
  • 1                  med onion
  • 1                  small eggplant
  • 1                  Jalapeño
  • 1-1/2            cups chana flour(gram flour)
  • 1                  tsp salt
  • 1/2               tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2               tsp freshly ground cumin seeds
  • 1/2               tsp ajwan
  • 1/2               cup chopped cilantro
  • 1                  cup chopped spinach leaves
  • 1/2               tsp baking soda
  • 3                  cups oil for frying

Instructions

  1. Peel the potatoes and onions. Thinly slice all the vegetables either with a slicer or by hand.
  2. In a medium bowl add chana flour, salt, black pepper, cumin seeds, ajwan, cilantro, spinach and1-1/2 cups of water. Mix everything together.
  3. Heat oil in a Wok on medium hot heat. The oil is hot when if, you put the handle of a wooden spoon in the centre and the bubbles form around it.
  4. Add the baking soda and mix well.
  5. Add the vegetables and mix.
  6. Drop the pakoras with a soup spoonfuls in the oil and fry about 10 at a time until golden brown or cooked about 3 minutes.
  7. Drain well on paper towel.

Serve with a hot Green Chutney and/or ambli(tamarind)

Serve as an appitizer or a tea time snack.

Hoummus

Hoummus is a Chick Pea Dip served with Pita Bread.

 Hummous

Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients

  • 1           can garbanzo beans 
  • 2           teaspoon salt 
  • 2           cloves garlic 
  • 3/4        cup tahini paste 
  • 1/2        cup lemon juice

For Garnish

  • 2                    tbsp chopped parsley  
  • pinch             cayenne pepper  
  •                       a few chick peas

Instructions

  1. Drain the chick peas and rinse it in cold water. 
  2. Puree the chick peas and garlic in a food processor or a blender. 
  3. Add the salt, tahini paste and lemon juice and mix well.
    If the mixture is too thick add some water, it should be a thick creamy consistency.
    Adjust salt and lemon to taste.
  4. Serve on a platter garnished with a pinch of cayenne pepper, parsley and the reserved chick peas.

Makati

Makati is a rice cake made with rice and coconut.  It is very popular in the coastal  areas in East Africa..  It is served with Kuku Paka or eaten on its own as a snack. This recipe was given to me by my friend, Mrs. Adam.

Makes 2

  • 1 1/2             cups Basmati rice
  • 1 1/2             cups  long grain rice
  • 1                   cup water
  • 1                   tsp quick acting yeast
  • 2                   tsp sugar
  • 1                   can(400 ml) coconut milk
  • 1                   cup milk
  • 1/2                tsp crushed cardamon seeds(elichi)
  • 1 1/2             cups sugar
  • 2                   tsp kas kas for decoration

Instructions

  1. Rinse rice and soak it overnight.
  2. In the morning drain the rice.
  3. Add 1 cup warm water, yeast and 2 tsp sugar.  When this starts to form add the rice, cardamon seeds and coconut milk and blend it to a very fine consistency.
  4. Add the milk, mix it well, pour the mixture in a large bowl, cover it and let it rest in a warm place for 5 hours(in the oven).  it will double in quantity. 
  5. Add the sugar and mix well. Let it stand for half an hour.
  6. Heat a 9” fry pan, spray it  with Pam or brush it with 1 tsp oil and 1 tsp butter. 
  7. The fry pan must be hot, add half the mixture,  cook covered on slow heat(Mark 4-5) for about 15-18 minutes.  Sprinkle 1 tsp kas kas..
  8. Put the frying pan under the grill on the middle shelf for about 8 minutes,  till it is golden brown on top.  Brush it with butter.
  9. Serve it hot.

Note:  I have used 2- 9” cake tins.

Vada(Wada)Daal Bhajiya

Vada is a savoury fritter-type snack from south India.  Vada is made with mung daal which is soaked overnight and pureed in a food processor with the herbs and then deep fried.  You can use a soup spoon, your fingers or a falafel maker to shape the vada..  Although vadas are deep fried, the finished product should not be too oily if prepared correctly, since steam build-up within the vada pushes all oil away.

Vadas are a snack food served with Amli(tamarind chutney) and coconut chutney.  It can also be served with chana batata.  Vada  tastes  good eaten freshly fried, while still hot and crunchy.

At home vada and passion fruit juice was a Saturday morning snack at small cafes.

Ingredients

  • 2              cup mung daal with skin
  • 1              medium onion
  • 2              tsp green masala
  • 1/2           tsp salt
  • 6              cups vegetable oil  for frying

Directions

  1. Soak daal overnight in  6 cups of cold water.
  2. Remove husks by rubbing, and washing several times with several changes of water.  Drain.
  3. Blend drained daal in a food processor.
  4. Blend onion in a food processor and add to the daal mix.  Add rest of the ingredients and mix well.
  5. Heat oil in a karia or a deep frying pan to medium hot.  The oil is ready when, if you put the handle of the wooden spoon in oil and bubbles start to form around  the spoon.  You can use a falafel maker,  or a spoon to slide the mixture into the oil.  You can use your damp hands to form a 1” ball and make round wadas or  flattened slightly into a patty.
  6. Fry on both sides  until golden brown.  The wada will puff up.  Drain on paper towel.
  7. Serve with coconut chutney and tamarind chutney.

Daal Bhajiya Mix

Daal Bhajiya Frying

Dhebra

This is iron and fibre-rich snack made with fenugreek leaves and bajro flour from Gujarat.  It is served as yoghurt plain or chutney as an afternoon snack.

If you are making it first time then you have to keep in mind that it is sticky dough and you have to be gentle with it.  Because of the bajro it will not be a perfect round, you will have rough edges.

This can be cooked over a tava or frying pan but then it is masala rotla, not dhebra.  Dhebra is best deep fried, so forget the healthy diet and enjoy it fried.

This is my grandmother’s recipe and I have used it for a long time.  You will find different version of this recipe.  This mixture has to rest overnight or at least 5 hrs.  If you make it instantly the texture will be different.  We had always used fresh methi in Africa, but it is not always available in the western countries so now I use the frozen methi.  Frozen Methi and bajro is found in an Indian grocery store.  You will also find different brands of bajri(millet flour), I use Jalpur.

Dhebra

 

 

Ingredients

  • 2             cups bajra no atta (millet flour)
  • 1             tbsp sugar
  • 1             tsp salt
  • ½            teaspoon haldi
  • ½            tsp crushed garlic
  • ½            tsp crushed green chillies
  • ½            tsp crushed ajma
  • ½            tsp crushed cumin
  • ½            tsp crushed black pepper
  • ½            tsp sesame seeds
  • 2             tbsp chopped cilantro
  • 1             cube frozen methi(fenugreek leaves)optional
  • 3/4          cup  yoghurt
  • 2             tbsp oil
For Frying
  • 3             cups oil for frying

For Decoration

  • 1/4          cup sesame seeds for decoration

For Serving

  • 1              cup yoghurt

Directions

  1. Put everything in a bowl and make a stiff dough with yoghurt.
  2. Leave it overnight or at least 5 hours.
  3. Make small balls about an inch round, roll this in sesame seeds
  4. With your fingers and on a kitchen towel, flatten the ball into a patty about 2” round.
  5. Deep fry this in a medium- hot oil. You can fry about 6 – 8 at a time.
  6. Serve this with Yoghurt
  7. You know the oil is hot when you put the handle of a wooden spoon in the oil and the oil bubbles around the handle.
  8. Use a coffee grinder to crush Ajma, Cumin and Black Pepper.
  9. You can make a chutney with garlic, Green Pepper and Cilantro.
  10. Use a little chutney in the yogourt and serve this with the dhebra

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