Mango Ricotta Muffins

 

I had a jar of Kissan Mango Jam sitting pretty in my fridge for a long time. I decided to use it in the lemon-ricotta recipe. My Mango-Ricotta muffins were well received by friends and family.


Mango-Ricotta Muffins
Ingredients
Mix
2 cups All Purpose Flour
 3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Whip
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup milk
6 tbsp. melted butter
2 eggs
1/4 cup Kissan Mango Jam

1/4 cup white chocolate chips
Oil for greasing

Method
0. Preheat oven 400 F
1. Mix the dry ingredients and set aside.
2. Whip the wet ingredients using hand mixer.
3. Mix wet and dry ingredients till moist.
4. Add 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
5. Line muffin tray with muffins wrappers. Grease them with an oil spray.
6. Pour the mixture.

7. Bake for about 20-25 minutes.
8. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note -
1. Above recipe yields in about 15 muffins.




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Sandwich Masala

Some time back, a friend mentioned about a popular sandwich stall in Santa Cruz, Mumbai. I was even a lucky recipient of the signature sandwich masala powder. Generally when I make the street sandwich, I sprinkle a little bit of chaat masala or black pepper powder on the boiled potatoes. But after using this masala powder, I created my own version.

Mumbai Sandwich Masala
Ingredients
1 tsp cumin seeds, roasted
1/4 tsp cloves, roasted
1/2 tsp black peppercorns, roasted
A pinch of fennel seeds, roasted
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp Pink Himalayan salt or Rock Salt or Saindhav/Sindhav

Method
1. Roasted whole spices one after the other. Let it cool down completely.
2. Powder to a fine powder, mixing cinnamon powder and salt.
3. Store in an airtight container.

Note
1. Sprinkle this masala while making Mumbai Street Sandwiches.



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Vegetables in Green Curry

We Maharashtrians use green masala for making chicken, pomfret, egg, sprouts or even simple vegetable curry. The green masala is made by grinding a paste of cilantro, garlic, ginger, chilies and coconut. This time, I also added spinach to the gang , thus giving the curry, a deeper shade of green and a nutritional boost.

Khurma - Hirvya Masalyacha
Vegetables Green Curry
Ingredients
1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
3-4 small potatoes, halved or cut into chunks
1 1/2 cup mixed vegetables (such as green peas, green beans, carrots, corn etc)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

1 can coconut milk
salt to taste
1 tsp garam masala

Grind to a smooth paste
1 bunch spinach, boiled
1/2 onion
4-5 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2" ginger, peeled
4 green chilies or per desired heat

Tempering
1/2 tbsp. oil
1/2 onion, minced
1/4 tsp asafetida
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method
1. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add asafetida, turmeric powder and onion. Sauté for a minute.
2. Add all the vegetables and 1/2 cup water. Cook till the vegetables are semi-cooked.
3. Grind spinach with remaining ingredients.
4. Add this green paste, garam masala, water and salt to the vegetables.
5. Add water as needed. Bring to boil.
6. Switch gas to low. Add coconut milk.
7. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Note -
1. Do not overcook the vegetables. All the vegetables - especially cauliflower - should retain their shape.

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Palakwali Makke Di Roti - Spinach Corn Flatbread

Palakwali Makke di roti, Achar & Vegetable Korma

 

 

 

I love to sneak in vegetables in the traditional dishes. Many times these experiments turn out good enough to share on the blog. As I have mentioned before, I love using Mexican "Masa Harina" - (easily available in any supermarket) - for making our very own Makke Di Roti. I added some spinach to increase its nutritional value.

Palakwali Makke Di Roti
Spinach Corn Tortilla
Ingredients
2 cups Masa Harina (I use Bob's Red Mill brand)
1 cup shredded spinach
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp cumin seeds - (Optional)

Oil or butter for roasting

Method
1. Mix masa harina with salt, spinach, ginger-garlic paste and cumin seeds if using.
2. Make a well in the middle. Add hot water gingerly.
3. Knead into a soft dough. Cover and set aside for 1 hour.

4. Make 12 - 15 uniform balls.
5. Pat directly on a hot tawa/griddle or keep one ball between two plastic sheets and roll into a flat bread.

6. Cover and let it cook. Drizzle oil or butter.

7. Cook on both sides till brown spots appear.

Note -
1. You can also add 1/2 tsp ajwain/ajmo/owa in this mixure


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Damni Dhokla

 

 

Damni Dhokla is a unique dhokla from Gujarat where Handvo flour is made to make dhokla. Actually such interchange happens in Indian kitchens. My mom-in-law also uses khata dhokla flour to make handvo.

I spotted some pre-cut banana leaves while browsing our China town. They came handy as they serve as wrapper for making this dhokla.


Damni Dhokla
Multi grain Steamed cake wrapped in Banana leaves
Ingredients
Mix
1 1/4 cup handvo flour
1 cup buttermilk - preferably sour

Add
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Gujarati pickle masala/sambar powder
1/2 tbsp. ginger-green chili paste
salt to taste
1/2 tbsp. sugar or jaggery
1/2 tbsp. white sesame seeds
1 cup surti lilva
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp. oil

Garnish
A generous pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Oil for greasing/roasting

Method
1. Mix handvo flour with buttermilk till there are no lumps. Adjust the quantity of buttermilk. Cover and set aside in a warm place for about 8 hours.
2. Stir in all the remaining ingredients except black pepper powder and oil for roasting/greasing. Adjust water to get a smooth  idli batter consistency.

3. Line dhokla plates or cooker containers with banana leaves.

4. Grease them with some oil and pour handvo batter.
5. Sprinkle some black pepper powder on top.

6. Steam for about 20 minutes without using weight.

7. Let it cool down. Cut into squares or diamonds.
8. Serve with green garlic chutney.

Note -
1. Damni Dhokla is traditionally served after steaming. I , however, shallow fried it as a variation. This step of shallow frying is not necessary.
2. Instead of Surti lilva, you can use grated cabbage, grated bottlegourd/dudhi or even green peas.
3. Handvo loat/flour is easily available at the Indian stores.




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Pudinewale Aloo - Minty Roasted Potatoes

I am presenting those ubiquitous roasted taters with an Indian twist.

Pudinewale Aloo
Minty Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients
25-30 Fingerling potatoes, scrubbed, halved

Mix
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp turmeric powder


Grind to a smooth paste
10-12 fresh mint leaves/pudina
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3-4 cloves of garlic
2 green chilies (optional)
salt to taste

Garnish
A pinch of Amchoor powder
A pinch of chaat masala

Method
1. Preheat oven 400 F
2. Grease a baking sheet lightly.
3. Rub turmeric oil all over potato halves uniformly. Arrange them in a single layer.
4. Bake for about 15-20 minutes.
5. Take out and smear mint paste all over the roasted potatoes.
6. Garnish with amchoor powder and chaat masala.

Note -
Instead of fingerling potatoes, baby potatoes can also be used.



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Bangdyache Saar - Mackrel Curry

Serve this simple broth like curry with a heap of plain rice.

Bangdyache Saar
Mackerel Curry
Ingredients
3 Indian mackerels, cleaned,
salt to taste
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tbsp. garlic paste
1 tbsp. kokum AgoL (Kokam pulp)

Grind to a smooth paste
1/2 cup freshly scraped coconut
10 red chilies, roasted lightly
1 tsp. coriander seeds, roasted lightly

Tempering
1/2 tbsp. oil
2 tbsp. minced onion

Method
1. Clean and rinse mackerels.
2. Marinate with salt, turmeric powder, garlic paste and kokum agoL.
3. Grind coconut, chilies and coriander seeds to a smooth paste, adding water as necessary.
4. Heat oil in a saucepan. Sauté onion till soft.
5. Place marinated mackerels in a single layer.
6. Pour ground coconut paste. Add water.
7. Bring to boil. Adjust for salt.
8. Simmer for 10 minutes.
9. Serve with plain rice.

Note -
1. If AgoL is not available, use kokum. If Kokum is not available, use tamarind.
2. This curry has thin consistency. Adjust water according to your preference.
3. This curry should be hot and sour.


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