Dahiwale aloo

Hi Readers,

This is yet another curry that is generally prepared during Navaratri. This has little sour taste due to the use of curd. Lets now have a look at the recipe.

Ingredients :-
 3 boiled and peeled potatoes
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 tbsp chopped green chili
Sendha namak/ salt as per taste
3 tbsp hung curd
1 tbsp cumin seeds (optional)
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tbsp red chili/paprika powder

Method :- 

Cut the potatoes into four parts each or into medium sizze depending on the size of potatoes. Heat a skillet and add little oil. When oil is hot, add potatoes and cook till the sides turn brown. Remove potatoes and keep aside. In same oil add cumin seeds ( optional). Now add  chopped green chili, salt and potatoes. Add red chili powder, curd and mix well. Add coriander leaves and serve hot.

Note:- I have not added turmeric but the dish looks yellowish after potatoes have been shallow fried.

Rajira ka Paratha( Amaranth flour )

Hi,

Yesterday, I had prepared yet another variety if Paratha on Maha Saptami. The Rajgira otherwise known as Amaranth flour. This flour is light compared to Buckwheat flour and is also derived from a fruit of plant. Lets now have a look at the recipe.

Ingredients :- 

1 Cup Amaranth/Rajgira flour

sendha namak/salt as per taste

1 boiled & peeled potato

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

1 tbsp chopped green chili

1 tbsp lemon juice

little water

1 tbsp oil

Method :- 

Mash the boiled potato, add flour, salt, chopped green chili, coriander leaves, lemon juice and mix well and form dough just like chapati dough. Heat a tawa/griddle. Divide the dough into four equal parts and roll each part into a thin paratha. Bake this in the griddle. Turn each sides and cook till light brown spots appear on each side. Add little oil and spread it over it, turn each side cook for 1 more minute. Remove and serve with chuttney or raita.

Singhare ke atta(Water-chestnut flour) ka Halwa

Hi Readers,

Today, I  had made another dessert on sasthi Puja of Maa Durga. This halwa is especially made during navaratri fast. Below, is the recipe.

Ingredients :-

1 cup Singhare ka atta

1 tbsp ghee

2 tbsp Jaggery

1 cup water

1/2 cup milk

roasted dry fruits

Method:- 

Heat a pan. Add Singhare ka atta and stir it continuously. When it starts turning golden brown, add ghee to it and mix ghee and flour. Take it out of pan and keep aside. In same pan heat 1 cup water and add jaggery to it. Mix it till it forms syrup. Add the Singhara flour prepared earlier. Add milk and dry fruits, cook till flour is cooked well and water has evaporated. Let it cool down, you can spread it over a plate in the required thickness and cut it into small small pieces. Serve it topped with dry fruits. 

Peanut chuttney

Hi Readers,

This is a chuttney or dip that is served along with food. since, I have prepared this for Navaratri fast I have used Sendha namak and less spice to it. You can add in more spices and give it more taste and aroma.

Ingredients :-

Roasted Peanut - 1/2 cup

4 tbsp hung curd

Sendha namak

1 tbsp coriander leaves

1 green chili

Method :-

In a blender add all ingredients and mix well till a smooth paste is formed. You can add little water if the paste is too thick. Serve with other fasting foods and enjoy.

Note :- This same Chuttney can be made in many ways. You can add tampering for more flavor and add lemon juice for more sour taste.

Singhare ka paratha(water chestnut flour paratha)

Hi Readers,

Here goes my next recipe to relish this festive season. Singhara ka atta is made of singhara/water chestnut which is proven to have lower blood pressure and is rich in flavonoids. Lets now have a look at the recipe.

Ingredients :-
 1 cup singhare ka atta
    1 large potato boiled, peeled and mashed
    1 green chili
sendha namak/salt as per taste
chopped coriander leaves 1 tbsp
oil to cook

Method :-
Mix all ingredients in Singhare ka atta, add water to make dough just like Chapati dough. Divide it into 4 parts.Heat a tawa. Using your hand try to flatten that dough ball into paratha shape or you can roll it using rolling pin and add to tawa. turn each side and cook over medium flame, till brown spots appear on both sides. Now add little oil and turn both sides. Remove and serve hot with curd and chutney.

samak ke chawal ka pulao

Hi Readers,

This Navaratri, I tried lot of varieties unlike any other year. I really loved the fasting & feasting this year, so many varieties. Three more days o go and I am super excited for it. I hope I can still make lot more varieties and enjoy the fasting food. Today, I had prepared Samak ke chawal ka pulao(this is actually a fruit from of grass that looks like a coarsely ground rice). Taste wise also it is similar to rice and it has many health benefits). You can simply cook like any dalia or steam it just like rice. I tried a recipe just to have a little variation and change n taste.

Ingredients :-

100 gms Samak ka chawal

1 potato chopped into small pieces

1 green chili chopped

sendha namak/salt as per taste

finely chopped coriander

1/2 tbsp pepper powder (optional)

1 tbsp ghee 

1 cadamom stick

1 clove 

1 tbsp cumin seeds (otional)

Method :- 

Heat ghee in a pan, add cumin seeds ( I have not added it, it is as per faith, some abstain from cumin seeds). If you want add it, let it splutter, then add green chili, potato and cook till potatoes turn little brown. Add Samak ka chawal, followed by pepper powder, sendha namak and add enough water to let it cook. Cook till Samak is cooked. Add chopped coriander leaves and serve with chutney.

Sabudana aloo Cutlet

Hi Readers,

This is another snack for feasting during Navaratri. It uses boiled potato and sabudana. Below is recipe for your use.

Ingredients :-
1 big potato boiled
1 cup sabudana/tapioca balls soaked in water for 2 hrs
sendha namak/salt as per taste
1/2 tbsp balck pepper powder
1/4 tbsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
little singare ka atta/ water chestnut flour for coating

Method :- 

In a bowl mix potato, chopped coriander leaves, pepper powder, red chili powder, sabudana/tapioca balls, salt. Make small small balls. Coat each ball with Singare ka atta/water chestnut flour. Ligtly grease a pan and bake these balls just like cutlet. Turn each side and cook till both sides turn brown. Remove and serve hot with pudina chutney.

Sabudana Thalipeeth

Hi Readers,

Thalipeeth is a Maharastrian dish and this one is made with Sabu dana/Tapoica balls. This contains potato and sabu dana as main ingredents. Lets now have a look at the recipe.

Ingredients

•Sago (sabudana) 1 cup

•Kuttu ka atta/Buckwheat flour 1/4 cup

•Potatoes,boiled and grated 2 large

•Green chillies,chopped 2-3

•Fresh coriander leaves,chopped 2 tablespoons

•Salt/Sendha namak to taste

•Roasted peanuts,crushed 1/2 cup

•Pure ghee 4-5 teaspoons

Method

Wash and drain sabudana, sprinkle a little water and keep it covered for forty-five minutes. Loosen the sabudana grains and transfer into a bowl. Add potatoes, green chillies, coriander leaves, salt and crushed peanuts,kuttu ka atta and knead well. Heat a tawa. With wet hands take a portion of the sabudana mixture and spread it on the tawa as thinly as possible. Make a few holes and put some ghee in the holes and also around the thalipeeth. Flip over when the underside is light golden and cook till the other side is cooked equally golden. Serve hot with any chutney of your choice. 

Creamy baked potato

Hi Readers,

Today, I had prepared an appetizer that can be prepared for Navaratri fasting too. I have used fresh cream in this dish, that can be replaced with hung curd.  Lets now have a look at the recipe.

Ingredients :-

3 small potatoes cut into thick roundel.

1/2 tbsp red chilli powder

1/4 tbsp black pepper powder

sendha namak/salt as per taste

little oil to grease

2 tbsp cream or hung curd

Method:-

Heat a griddle and add little oil to grease it. Add Potato pieces and grill it or you can do this over oven. Add red chili powder, salt and pepper powder. Turn and let it cook until both sides are properly cooked.

Before serving add the cream or curd and serve.

Apple Kheer

Hi Readers,

Today is the second day of Navaratri, so I had prepared another dessert, that can be prepared without cereal and pulses.  So, lets now look at the recipe.

Ingredients
•Apples 2 medium
•Milk 5 cups
•Sugar 1/2 cup
•Green cardamom powder 1/2 teaspoon
•Almonds 6 - 8
•Pistachios 6 - 8

Method
Bring milk to a boil in a thick bottom pan and simmer till it thickens. Thickly grate apples. Heat a pan, add the grated apples and cook on medium heat. Add sugar and stew till sugar melts and continue to cook till most of the moisture evaporates. Add some of the reduced milk and cook. As the mixture thickens add the remaining milk and cook till the kheer thickens some more. Add green cardamom powder, almonds and pistachios and continue to cook till the kheer thickens to the desired consistency. Cool and then chill before serving.

Kuttu ke atte/Buckwheat Paratha

Hi Readers,

Kuttu ke atte is used during Navaratri to make paratha, poori etc for the feast during Navaratri. Buckwheat flour is rich in Flavonoid Rutin which improves immunity.  So, grab a few of these paratha's and poori this season.

Ingredients :-

1 cup Kuttu ka atta/buckwheat flour

1 large size potato boiled

1 tbsp coriander leaves chopped

sendhe ka namak or salt as per taste

little water to make dough if necessary.

2 tbsp oil

Method :-

 Mix all ingredients except the oil to make a dough. Divide it into 4 equal parts. Heat a tava/griddle. Spread this ball directly on tava using your hand or you can roll them similar to normal roti or chapati using a little buckwheat flour for dusting. When griddle is warm, put this on it and let it cook till tiny brown spots appear on one side, turn to other side and cook similarly. Then add about 1/2 tbsp oil and turn both sides to equally grease both sides. Remove and serve hot. 

Sitaphal/Custard apple Basundhi

Hi Readers,

Here is another easy to make dessert on this auspicious Navaratri. This is made with Sitaphal or custard apple which is a seasonal fruit available during this time. Basundhi is a Maharastrian dessert that is made with milk.

Ingredients :-

500 ml Milk
3 tbsp sugar
2 Sitaphal de-seeded

Method :-

Boil milk , and then reduce flame to simmer and let s cook till, milk reduces to half its original quantity. Add sugar and sitaphal let it cook for another 5 mins then remove from heat. Serve chilled.

Aloo Tikki

Hi Readers,

Today, is the first day of Navaratri and I wish all my blog readers, a very happy Navaratri. This is the first day/night of saradiyo durga Puja. May Maa Durga bless everyone with happiness and prosperity. People in many parts of India observe fast during these nine days and break there fast after the evening prayer to Maa Durga. The food prepared for the people is generally with very few spices and oil. It is light for the stomach and is rich in minerals and vitamins. Eating lots of fruits and water is recommended. I have a common Indian snack that is prepared widely during these festive season. Its Aloo Tikki, normally Aloo ki tikki can have onions, garlic and ginger etc added to it, but during Navaratri, onion & garlic is not used. So, here is a simple recipe of it, that you can prepare and enjoy.

Ingredients :-

 1 large potato - boiled

 1 green chili

2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped

Sendha namak/salt as per taste

Method :- 

Smash boil potatoes, add coriander leaves, salt, chili and form small small balls. Heat a non-stick tava/griddle. Place these potato roundels and let is cook in medium flame. Add little oil and turn it. Keep turning and cooking tillboth sides turn brown. Serve hot with coriander chutney.

makhane ki Kheer

Hi Readers,

This time on the eve of Ganesha Chaturthi, I made this dessert. It was a fasting day for us as this time, Ganesha Chaturthy was on Monday. Thankfully, I had a holiday, but I could not make use of it like previous years, my Grandmom-in-law expired one month back and it is a mourning year for us. No big celebration, only Puja. One interesting incident happened yesterday. Since, we never used to get Ganesha Chaturthy holidays, I did not check my holiday calender. In fact on this 3 days long weekend I was quite occupied with official work. Still, I managed to make wonderful new experiments with various dishes. Yesterday morning my husband went to office and then he realized it was a holiday.

When he returned home, I thought let me check my calender and then make a move. Hurrey, it was a holiday for me too. Past two days was very hectic so I didn't wanted to go to office. I was so very happy. At that point, I just wanted to make something wonderful. We both went shopping for groceries so that I can make this new experiment. Well, this turned to be a tasty dish. Makhane(puffed lotus seeds) do not have any flavor of its own. However, this absorbs the taste of Ghee, milk, khoya to give a nice texture and taste.

Ingredients

•Puffed lotus seeds (makhanas) 1 cup

•Milk 1/2 litre

•Pure ghee 2 tablespoons

•Khoya/mawa 3 tablespoons

•Green cardamom powder 1/4 teaspoon

•Almonds,chopped 1 tablespoon

•Pistachios,chopped 1 tablespoon

•Kismis 1 tablespoon.

Method

Heat ghee in a non-stick pan. Pour the milk into a deep non-stick pan and let it come to a boil. Add the makhane to the first pan and sauté lightly.

 Take it off the heat. Add khoya and powdered sugar to the milk and let it boil on low heat.  Crush the makane , (I crushed half and left others as it is).Add the makhane and mix lightly. Add green cardamom powder, almonds and pistachios, kismis. Mix well and take it off the heat. Let it cool to room temperature and then keep in the refrigerator to chill. Serve chilled.

This is one of the dessert that is prepared during Navaratra's as this does not use any cereal or pulses in it. One good dessert for fasting.

Sabudana Kichdi

Hi Readers,

Today I am going to post Sabudana kichdi, this is a dish that is part of Navaratri feasting. This is easy to digest and instant energy provider, so this dish is made for the nine day long fast that people break n the evening with this.

Ingredients ;-  1- Sabu dana 250 gms, soaked for 4 hrs
2- peanuts - 50 gms
3- green chilli - 1 chopped
4- Sendha namak - sea salt as per taste
5- oil 1 tbsp
6- 1 small potato chopped
7- chopped coriander to garnish
8- ground black pepper

Method :-  Add oil to a pan. Add the green chilli, potato and peanuts. Cook till potato starts turning brown. Add Sabu dana and sendha namak and black pepper powder. Cook till Sabu dana is done. Add the chopped coriander. Serve hot with green chutney.