One Day At A Time!

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 ...

Soft and moist vanilla flavored egg-less cake made of sour cream and a tad bit of butter. Sour cream has lesser calories as compared to butter which makes this cake a delicious treat for calorie conscious foodies. Also, a perfect sponge cake for the holy month of Shravan.

A quick and easy North Indian side dish made of store bought Boondi and yogurt. Boondi is a fried snack made of chickpea or gram flour which is also used to stuff Pani Puri . Ingredients: Boondi - 1 cup Yogurt/Curds/Dahi - 1 cup Coriander/Cilantro Leaves - few sprigs Red Chili Powder/Cayenne Pepper - 1/4 tsp Cumin/Jeera Powder - 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp Asafetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp Oil - 1 tsp Kala Namak/Indian Rock Salt How to prepare Boondi Raita: Whisk yogurt, red chili powder, salt and jeera powder well in a mixing bowl.  Add salt keeping in mind that Boondi has salt too. If Kala Namak is not available, regular salt would work just fine. You can add 1/4 tsp sugar or jaggery too if you like. Heat oil in a small pan for tempering/tadka. Add mustard seeds and asafoetida. When mustard seeds pop, turn off the heat and pour this tempering in yogurt. Now add Boondi and finely chopped cilantro leaves to the yogurt. Let the boondi soak in yogurt for 20 - 30 mi...