One Day At A Time

An all time favorite snack - Potato Chips, but cooked in a microwave.  Less oily and not deep fried. Ingredients: Potato (Russet) - 1 big Salt Oil How to cook Crisp Potato Chips in a Microwave: In a big bowl, add about 1/2 tsp salt and mix well. Wash the potato well. No need to peel the skin. Thinly slice the potato using a knife or a mandolin slicer.  Add the slices to the salty water.  Set it aside for 15 - 20 minutes. Drain the water and rinse the slices in water 2 - 3 times, so that the water turns clear. Place the slices on a clean kitchen towel and pat them dry. Grease a microwave safe plate with cooking spray or oil. Arrange the slices on the plate. Grease the slices with cooking spray or brush each slice with oil. Sprinkle little salt and microwave for 2 minutes. Along with salt, you can sprinkle any other seasoning of your choice. Flip the slices and microwave for another 2 minutes or until potato slices turn slightly brown and crisp. Some slices ...

Regular readers might have read my previous posts -  Chicken Quesadillas and Mushroom Quesadillas . Recently, we have found ourselves a new favorite. Prawn (Shrimp) quesadillas seasoned with desi Tandoori Masala. Quesadillas with nutrient rich Guacamole makes it a tasty meal. Ingredients: Whole Wheat Tortillas - 5 Jumbo Prawns/Shrimps - about 20 Onion - 1 medium Green Bell Pepper/Capsicum - about 1/2 cup Sweet Bell Peppers - about 1/2 cup Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - few sprigs Garlic - 2 big cloves Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp Tandoori Masala - 1 tbsp Spanish Paprika - 1/2 tbsp Cayenne Pepper - 3/4 tsp Pepper Jack Cheese - about 1 cup Salt Oil How to prepare Tanduri Shrimp Quesadillas: In a mixing bowl, add ginger garlic paste, tandoori masala, Spanish paprika, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, salt and lemon juice. Add cleaned prawns and coat them well. Let the prawns marinate for about an hour. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F. Grease a ...

A desi Mithai  Badam Burfi with an Italian Cheese. This nutrient rich Almond Barfi tastes great and cooking it in a microwave will save you some time.  Traditionally, Khoya or Mava is used to prepare this sweet. But nowadays, I use Ricotta Cheese which works as the best alternative for our desi Khoya. Ingredients: Almonds/Badam - 1/4 cup Ricotta Cheese - 1 cup Ghee/Clarified Butter - 1 tsp Sugar - 2 tbsp Green Cardamom/Elaichi - 2 pods Saffron/Kesar - few strands Almonds for garnish - 2 How to prepare Almond Barfi in a microwave: Soak almonds in water overnight or for two hours. Soaking will enable the almond skin to come off easily. Drain the water and peel the almond skin. Grind almonds to a fine powder in a blender. Crush cardamom seeds and saffron in a mortar pestle to a fine powder. Chop 2 almonds for garnish. Grease a tray with few drops of ghee. In a microwave safe bowl, add ghee. Grease the bowl well with ghee. Now add ricotta cheese and mi...

During my last visit to our nearby Indian store, I picked up this Chana Jor Garam packet. Most Mumbaikars might know this as a chatpata snack. For some, Chana Jor Garam might sound new. These are flattened black chickpeas or chana flavored with a tangy blend of spices. You can enjoy these chanas like popcorn or savor it like Bhel  with raw mango, onions. Ingredients: Chana Jor Garam - 2 cups Onion - 1 small Tomato - 1 medium Lemon Juice - 1 1/2 tbsp Aamchur (Dry Mango Powder) - 1/2 tsp Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - few sprigs Shev/Sev - about 1/2 cup How to prepare Chana Jor Garam Chaat: Discard the seeds and the soft pulp of the tomato. Finely chop tomato and onion.  Finely chop coriander leaves. In a mixing bowl, add onions, tomatoes, lemon juice, aamchur, coriander leaves and little salt. Mix well. Add chanar jor garam and shev. Toss all the ingredients.  Add more lemon juice and/or salt if required. You can add roasted or fried peanuts, cashe...

Indian meals are generally served as a single course meal, which is popularly known as Thaali . A traditional Thaali includes rice, roti/flatbread, fried appetizers, curry, achar/pickles, raita, mithai/sweets and many more delicacies. For our weekday meals, I don't find time to cook such an elaborate menu. But I definitely make time for this Koshimbir . Ingredients: Mini Cucumbers/Kakdi - 4 Yogurt/Curds/Dahi - about 1 cup Roasted Peanuts/Groundnuts/Shenga - 2 tbsp Phutane/Dalia/Roasted Chana Dal - 2 tbsp Green Chili - 1 Coriander/Cilantro Leaves/Kothimbir - few sprigs Sugar - 1/4 tsp Salt How to prepare Kakdi Koshimbir: Grind roasted peanuts, phutane and green chili to a slightly coarse powder. Finely chop coriander leaves. Wash and grate the cucumbers. You can finely chop the cucumbers as well. No need to peel the skin. In a mixing bowl, add yogurt, salt and sugar. Mix well. Now add peanut powder, phutane powder and grated cucumbers. Mix all the ingre...

An easy and hassle free microwave recipe of Gajar or Carrot Halva using sweetened Condensed Milk. This 20 minutes Microwave recipe is a savior whenever we have friends over for dinner. By the time I am cooking the main course on the stove top, my dessert is getting ready simultaneously in the microwave. Ingredients: Carrots/Gajar (grated) - about 4 1/2 cups Sweetened Condensed Milk - 14 oz (396 gm) Milk - 1/4 cup Butter or Ghee/Clarified Butter - 1 tsp Pistachios/Pista - about 20 Green Cardamom/Elaichi - 2 pods (seeds only) How to prepare Condensed Milk Gajar Halwa in a Microwave: Peel and grate the carrots. Crush the cardamom seeds in a mortar pestle to a fine powder. Finely chop the pistachios. Preparing Gajar Halwa in a microwave is quite easy. Keep checking after every minute or two, to avoid burning. Wipe a microwave safe bowl dry. Grease the bowl with butter or ghee. Add carrots and microwave for 3 minutes.  Stir after every minute. Now add milk to the bowl. M...

Anyone who has seen Bollywood movies knows the famous combo " Sarson da Saag aur Makke di Roti ". A North Indian Mustard Greens curry served with Corn Flatbread. Today I made this Sarson ka saag and served it with Gehu (Wheat) ki Roti. I guess Corn Tortillas would be a good substitute for Makke di Roti. Ingredients: Mustard Greens/Sarson - about 5 cups Kasuri Methi/Dry Fenugreek Leaves - 1 tbsp Cilantro/Coriander/Dhania Leaves - about 1/2 cup Onion/Pyaaz - 1 big Tomatoes/Tamatar - 2 medium Garlic/Lahsun - 5 big cloves Ginger/Adrak - 1/2 inch piece Green Chilies/Hari Mirch - 3 Chickpea Flour/Besan - 2 tbsp Turmeric/Haldi - 1/4 tsp Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp (optional) Yogurt/Dahi - 2 tbsp Butter or Oil Salt How to cook Sarson da Saag: Wash Mustard Greens well. Finely chop the leaves and tender stems. Finely chop onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, green chilies and cilantro. In a big pot, add about 1/2 cup water and mustard greens. Cook it covered until the...

A simple stir fry of mixed vegetables with a mild coconut flavor and the natural sweetness of carrots. This stir fry does not require much oil and can be relished as a substitute for salad as well. Ingredients: Green Cabbage/Kobi/Pata Gobi - about 3 cups Carrots/Gajar - 2 big Green Peas/Matar - about 1 1/2 cups Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp Asafoetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp Turmeric/Haldi - 1/4 tsp Dry Red Chillies - 2 Green Chillies - 4 Curry Leaves/Kadipata - a sprig Coriander/Cilantro Leaves - few sprigs Shredded Coconut (fresh or frozen) - 2 tbsp Salt Oil How to cook Simple Stir fry with multiple vegetables: Thinly slice cabbage and carrots. Finely chop cilantro leaves and slit the green chilies lengthwise. Heat 1 - 2 tsp oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, asafetida, curry leaves and dry red chilies. When mustard seeds pop, add carrots and green peas. Sauté for about 2 minutes. Now add cabbage and cook the vegetables covered for about 2 minutes. Add green chillies, turme...

Our morning breakfasts are commonly idlis and dosas - Cucumber Dosa , Oats Masala Dosa , Paan Pole , Dudhe (Pumpkin) Idli and so on. A nutritious breakfast including various types of grains and vegetables, is a good way to start your day. Today's Ragi and Urad Dal dosa is also one of those. My Mother-in-law's South Kanara Dosa Recipe. These gluten free crisp crepes with a curry are perfect for lunch or dinner as well.  Our family favorite is Ragi Masala Dosa , with a simple Coconut Chutney and Potato Bhaji . Ingredients: Ragi/Nachni/Finger Millet Flour - 1/2 cup Urad Dal/Split Black Gram - 1/4 cup Salt Oil How to prepare Ragi Dosa: Soak urad dal in water for 2 - 3 hours. Drain the water and wash the soaked dal well.  Grind urad dal to a fine, smooth paste adding water. In a bowl, add ground urad dal and add ragi flour little at a time. Stir well until ragi flour is mixed well. Add little water if required. Batter consistency is same as any crepe ...