Banana Chips | Kela ni wafer | Khadkhadiya | Low oil banana chips

This is my childhood favorite!! I also love how musical the name sounds "khadkhadiya"!! Probably you know about how me and my mom share the OCD of not letting kids eat outside food. Hence this was a one off treat for us. Though mom sometimes made potato and banana chips at home but cutting thin slices for chips using regular knife was a big pain.
But recently my friend M told me how they make these banana chips at home and then I decided to make it at home. Thankfully this time I had my trusty food processor to help me in cutting thin slices hence now it has become much more easier!! Alternatively you can use potato peeler to get really thin slices. I use it sometimes while making these chips in small quantity!!
Sometimes when we are in mood to eat healthy, rather than deep frying it, I make it in microwave. You can't tell the difference!! My only problem with microwaving is that it takes a lot of time..

Plantain Chips | Banana Chips | Khadkhadiya | Low oil chips

Low oil Microwaved banana chips / Plantain chips

Ingredients:
Raw banana (Plantains)
Oil for deep frying (if deep frying)
Oil for greasing the microwave proof plate (if microwaving)
Salt to taste
Pepper

Method for deep frying:
1) Peel the plantains. Then cut them into really thin slices. Use food processor or regular potato peeler for it.
2) Heat the oil for deep frying on high.
3) Once the oil gets heated, turn the heat to low and deep fry the chips till golden brown in colour.
4) Take out on tissue paper so that extra oil drains.
5) Now sprinkle salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!!

Method for microwaving:
1) Peel the plantains. Then cut them into really thin slices. Use food processor or regular potato peeler for it.
2) Grease a microwave proof plate, and spread the thinly cut banana slices on it. Brush a little oil on chips too. Make sure that you don't put one chip on another one for really crispy ones.
3) Now microwave on high for 2 to 3 minute. This time may vary depending on size of chips and type of oven. Keep an eye on them while microwaving otherwise they may get burnt.
4) Now sprinkle salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!!

Yeah, that easy and yummy!! Of course nobody can have only one!!

Plantain Chips | Banana Chips | Khadkhadiya | Low oil chips

Low oil Microwaved banana chips / Plantain chips

+techie ZM 

Tomato Soup...

With mercury dropping day by day, the frequency at which I make tomato soup is increasing. I love it when the soup is bubbling, I get all warm with anticipation!! And some home baked bread with soup is heaven on cold wintry nights!!
I am sure all of us have our own version of this quintessential soup.
Here is my version which keeps us warms and gives us courage to brave one more freezing night!!

Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

10 medium sized ripe tomatoes
Salt to taste
4 teaspoon sugar (adjust as per your liking)
1 teaspoon black pepper powder (you can increase or decrease as per your liking)
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon corn flour

Method:
1) Pressure cook or microwave tomatoes till they are cooked.
2) Once tomatoes cool down, peel them and make puree of them in a mixy.
3) Now strain the puree using a soup strainer.
4) In a pan heat butter, once it melts add corn flour and mix well. keep stirring.
5) Now add the strained puree to the pan and mix well. Add water to adjust consistency to your liking.
6) Add salt and pepper and let the soup boil for 5 minutes.
7) Now add sugar and let it boil for 3 more minutes.

Top it with a dollop of cream and serve with some bread or croutons...

Tomato Soup

Notes:
1) To make it healthier you can replace corn flour with oat meal..
2) You can add various herbs of your liking like oregano, thyme or basil.
3) Adding grated cheddar cheese to it makes it tastier...

Also don't forget to check out the give away @ IMC..You just have to give the name of your favorite dish and you may win a Rs. 500/- voucher from Just eat!!

+techie ZM 

Vanilla Cookies

Once I got the hang of cookie making, I started experimenting. And these cookies are result of one such experiment. You may remember me talking about my hubby's cardamom aversion, hence i baked chocolate cookies for him. Inspired by the Almond Cardamom Cookies, I baked vanilla cookies for him and Zini. I did few experiments with the amount of vanilla in the cookies and finally hit a bull's eye with the current recipe. And because i was baking them for Zini also i had to make them extra healthy!! Hence i went the whole wheat and jaggery way..

This essentially means that, these cookies are refined sugar free and are made of whole wheat!! I thought of calling them egg free, refined sugar free, nuts and whole wheat vanilla cookies..But when i read it, i realized how long the name sounded, so we will keep things simple by calling these vanilla cookies :)

Egg free, refined sugar free, nuts and whole wheat vanilla cookies...Phew!!

Ingredients:

1.5 Cups Whole wheat flour (once in a while you can use refined flour too. it's ok.)

3/4 Cup Jaggery powder (you can use the regular powdered sugar if you don't want to use the jaggery powder)

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup Chopped nuts of your choice (i used almonds, you can also use pistachio, walnut, cashew or any other nut you took fancy to)

3/4 Cup Butter

1/4 teaspoon salt (skip if you are using the salted butter)

2-3 tablespoon of milk (if needed)

Method:

1) Mix all the dry ingredients.

2) Now, add the butter. It really is important to keep it at room temperature.

3) Mix well and knead the dough. If needed add milk, little by little and knead.

4) Pre-heat the oven to 180 degree C.

5) Grease a baking tray.

6) Take the dough of the size of a lemon and flatten it using a fork to get the circular, cookie like shape and arrange on the greased baking tray.

7) Bake the cookies at 180 degree C for 20 minutes (time may vary depending on your oven).

8) I flip them at around 15 minutes (but i think even if you don't flip, there won't be much harm)

9) Take out and cool on wire rack. Store in an air-tight container and enjoy!!!

Notes:

1) As I said in the Almond Cardamom Cookies post, if you reduce the amount of butter and compensate that with milk, then your cookies will be hard. 

+techie ZM

Stuffed Karela (Bittergourd) - Gujarati Style....

Hey don't run away at the name of Karela!!! This is really really tasty!! And believe me you will be only too happy that you listened to my advice and decided to stick around :)
Even my toddler loves it!!! Calls it crispy karela and enjoys them!! Apparently i did the same when i was young (well, i still enjoy them :) and i still am young ok?!? maybe not as young as i used to be but still young ;)... i called them bharela Talela baandhela kaarela (Stuffed fried tied kaarela)!!!
My mom makes them by shallow frying...But recently i tried making them in my oven in grill mode!! And they tasted perfectly crispy!!! So now we use less oil but get same taste!!! Isn't it great?!?

Stuffed Karela....

Ingredient:

6 Karela (Bittergourd)
4 Tablespoon of Oil for shallow frying

For stuffing:
4 Tablespoon of besan (Bengal gram meal)
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
4 teaspoon of dhania jeera powder (Corriander + Cumin Powder)
5 teaspoon of oil
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 pinch of hing (Asofoetida)
4 teaspoon sugar (Now don't think that she is asking to add sugar because she is Gujju....It really adds to the taste and helps in masking the bitter taste of karela)

Method:

1) Wash and peel the karelas.
2) Now make a vertical cut on a side and remove all the seeds. Rub salt in each karela and leave aside for an hour.

Seeds removed, salt rubbed and ready to stuffed..

 3) Now get your stuffing ready. For that in a mixing bowl, take Besan,salt, chili powder, turmeric, dhania jeera powder, Sugar, Hing and oil. Mix well.You should be able to see some binding. If you don't get binding then add 1/2 teaspoon oil. But please don't overdo oil...
4) Stuff this inside the karela generously..

Karela stuffed and ready to be cooked...

5) Now, if you are making them in a pan then, tie them using a thread. Don't use a colorful thread to tie the karela, please go for white thread (why?!? If you remember Bridget Jones cooking a dinner for her friends, you won't be asking this question, but in case you don't then let me tell you, the thread may pass on the color to your food...So now will you please pick up that white thread?!?)
If grilling in the Oven then skip this step...

Karelas shallow frying in a pan

6) After tying properly with the thread, shallow fry them in a pan. Skip this if going the grill way...
7) If grilling then please grease all the karela using little oil and Put them in a greased baking tray. Put it on a high rack in a preaheated oven. (Skip if you pan fried the karelas)

Going to be grilled - i kept them in a baking tin

8) Grill for 10 minutes and change the side. Then again grill for 7-8 minutes. (But please keep an eye on them, if you think that some of them are done then take them out leaving the undone karela inside to be grilled further.)

Grilled Stuffed Karela....

Once Out, cut the thread (of course, we are not eating the thread :) ) and cut the karelas in bite size pieces and enjoy the crispy karelas with hot fulkas and Gujarati daal!!!

Sending the pic in step 2 (Of Karela in my hand) to Priya's Colour me green event...Hey Priya, i have one more thing in mind, if i do that will send that too your event otherwise i at least have one entry now :)

Notes:
1) You can also make these karelas in a non-stick pan with less oil. I don't do that coz i am not a big fan of non-stick cookware. But if you don't mind using it and want to reduce the amount of oil then go for it.

+techie ZM 

Black Carrot Kanji/ Kaali Gaajar ki Kanji

You remember i did a photo post for black carrots?! I thought of making carrot cake using those carrots. But my daughter, Zini, was not too well, hence i decided to make something else out of those black carrots.

So searching the net for the black carrots recipe led me to Sangeeta's blog and i saw the recipe of Black carrot kanji there. And i was immediately interested, coz i love everything that's fermented or pickled...And here was a unique drink which was fermented!!!

I decided to give it a try and believe me it was tasty, not to forget healthy (helps in digestion - probiotic)!!! I will definitely make it again :) Thanks, Sangeeta for sharing :)

So if you are like me and love fermented/pickled food then do give this one a try :)

Oh and in case you can't find black carrots in your city then you can use regular red carrots too to make this drink!!

Colorful Kanji!!!

Pickled Carrots & beets...

Ingredients:

Black Carrots - 3

Red Carrots - 3

Beets -3

Coarsely ground Mustards - 4 teaspoon
Regular salt - 3 Tablespoon
Rock salt (kala namak/ Sanchal) 3 Teaspoon
Water - 1.5 Liter (approx)

Method:

1) Wash and cut the carrots and beets in pieces.

2) Parboil them. (The original recipe doesn't say that but in comment section it was advised that the 1st timers do this to avoid spoiling it, and i was 1st timer :) )

Parboiled Carrots and beets...

3) Let it cool down. Don't throw away the water used for parboiling.

4) Now in a clean sterilized jar add the carrots along with the water. Please use glassware.Don't use metal or plastic vessels. (Hence i don't own the airtight glass jar, i used my corningware pan that has a lid on it. Also I was not sure how to sterilize, so i washed the cornigware thoroughly, wiped it dry and kept it in the sun to completely dry out for an hour. And then used it)

5) Add the salts and coarsely ground mustard and mix well. (The recipe said, mustard powder, but i thought of going the coarse way coz i do the same for my pickled green chilies and i like the way the coarse mustard gives a character to the pickle :) )

Coarsely ground Mustard...

6) Cover it using a lid. Every day using  a clean spoon, push the carrots in the water.

Covered and ready to be feremented....

7) Though the recipe said a week of fermentation time, mine got fermented in 3 days!! Sangeeta suggested that it might be because of warm weather in my part of country. She also added that if left for few more days, it will keep on fermenting!!!

Once it ferments  separate the carrots and the water. The fermented water has now become Kanji!! And the carrots and beets are now pickled, Yummm!!!

Sending this to Let's cook ~ Pickles at Simply Food...

Notes:

1) If you will see the original recipe, you will realize that mine is not exactly similar. I didn't use red chili powder. (I forgot *Hanging my head in shame*). Also i didn't add Sendha namak, coz i didn't have any. Also my proportion of water was different to suit my only available vessel...Despite all these differences, it tasted good!!! This means that it's a very forgiving recipe and should be tried :)

2) I even added the pickled carrots to my Veg Pulao (because i didn't have fresh carrots). I know i killed the good bacteria, but it tasted great!!!

+techie ZM

Vaati Daal na khaman

For me Khaman means Vati Dal na khaman...I hardly ever had the Nylon Khaman...But Vaati Daal na Khamans were a regular feature at home :) Both the variety of khaman look alike but taste very very different!!! Yes, this is called Khaman in Gujarat, am not sure why people in other parts of the country call khaman as dhokla?!?!

I find this khaman healthier compared to Nylon khaman( which is all juicy with sugar syrup)....

In Ahmedabad, there is a shop called Daas na Khaman...Khaman from this shop are my all time favorite, whenever i visit Ahmedabad, i have to have khaman from here!!!

Daas na khaman - Ahmedabad (Image from here)

But what when i am away from Ahmedabad??!! Of course, i have to make my own khaman. And i am very proud to report that after few trials and errors my khaman, now tastes as good as the Daas na Khaman, yippeeee.......

Vaati Daal na Khaman

So before i forget, i'll record the recipe here...

Ingredients:
For Khaman:
1 cup chana daal (Bengal gram)
1 tablespoon sour curd
1 pinch of meetha soda
green chili ginger paste 1/2 tablesppon
2 pinches of turmeric powder
1 pinch of Asofoetida
Salt to taste

For Tadka:
3 Tablespoon of oil
1 teaspoon of Mustard seeds (Sarson/Rai)
1 teaspoon of Sesame seeds (Til/Tal)
2 pinches of Asafoetida (Hing)
Cilantro - Cleaned and Finely Cut

Method:

1) Wash the daal and soak in water. While soaking water level should be little more than daal...

2) After 4 hours, grind the daal to a COARSE paste with little water.

3) Add the curd, mix well, cover and keep in a warm place for 7-8 hours for fermentation.Proper fermentation is the key to great taste. So ensure that it takes place....

4) Once fermentation takes place, add salt, green chili ginger paste, turmeric powder, Soda and Asofoetida. Mix well.

5) Now take a big pateela (deep pan), take water in it, put a stand inside(or a bowl on which you will be putting your khaman plate) put it on a medium flame. Cover it using a lid (Wrap the lid in a cloth to avoid soggy khaman).

Big Pateela/Pan before putting khaman plate - you can see the circular stand in center to keep the plate on it

After covering with a lid wrapped in a cloth

6) Grease a thali (deep plate), or dabba (or anything in which you plan to pour the batter for making khaman - But should be deep enough so that khaman can rise properly)

7) After the water heats, pour your khaman batter in the thali and put the thali inside the Big Pateela, on the stand (Or Katori, whaterver you chose).

8) Cover with the lid.

9) Steam the Khaman for 20 mins (or till the knife inserted in it comes out clean).

10) Once steamed take the plate out and let it cool. Once cooled, cut into square or diamond shape.

11) For tadka in a kadai, take oil, add mustard seeds.

12) Once they crackle, add Til, let them crackle then Add hing and turn the flame off.

pour the tadka on the cut Khaman.

Garnish with Dhania patta and grated cocounut/coconut powder and Enjoy with Chutney...

As i suggested in the recipe of Nylon khaman, in absence of the utensils mentioned, you can use your idli stand or Electric Rice cooker (or even regular cooker).

These khaman are not juicy like Nylon khaman. Also they are denser compared to them...I feel that this is kind of an acquired taste...Because, my hubby who initially didn't like these khamans (Instant khaman is still his favorite) has started liking these :)

+techie ZM

Winter Special - Sarson ka Saag with Makki Roti

This is North India's favorite food during Winters. Made of Mustard greens, this saag is rich in vitamins and minerals and also calories (due to butter and ghee)..... Traditionally eaten with Makki ki roti, this saag is sure to bring food induced Nirvana to any Punjabi (except my hubby though, who is more of a gujarati than Punjabi ;))....And after Bollywood endorsing this dish big time, everybody in India is curious about it.

My in-laws won't mind having this for lunch and then for dinner and then for breakfast and if still something is left then for lunch again!!!!! Well, to their defense i must add that the dish is tasty, i too enjoy it (though not for every consecutive meal :))

Again i understand (though i am not very sure) that it is made differently in different households. I make it the way my MIL makes it, with a little time saving modification. So here is the recipe....

Ingredients:

For Sarson Ka Saag

Mustard Greens (Sarson Leaves) - 2 big bunches

Spinach - 1 bunch (you can add Bathua leaves also, though i don't add it)

2 tablespoon of makki ka aata - Corn Meal (Different then regular corn flour used in soups)

5 Big Onions - Finely cut

2 Green chilies - Finely cut

10 garlic pods (yes 10!!) - Peeled and finely cut

1 inch ginger - peeled and finely cut

1 teaspoon garam masala

4 Tablespoon Oil

Salt to taste

3 tablespoon Butter or Ghee (I use fresh homemade white butter)

For Makki Roti

1 Cup Makki Aata - Corn meal (Different then regular corn flour used in soups)

salt to taste

water to knead the dough

Method:

1) Clean the Mustard greens.

How you do it is very important. 1st you take leaves along with tender stems. After that you have 2 options, either you throw away the bigger stems or you peel them and cut finely and use it. I go for the 2nd option as that way the taste improves, but it takes a hell lot of time to peel the stems. If you are strapped for time then you can go for option 1.

2) Clean the Spinach leaves. Mix them with Mustard greens and wash properly 4-5 times or till you feel they are clean.

3) Then after adding water to the leaves, pressure cook the leaves for 4-5 whistles on low flame. My MIL cooks it covered in a pan, but it takes 2-3 hours for the sarson leaves to get cooked. so i go for pressure cooking which is faster. I personally don't think it makes any difference to the taste.

4) Let it cool down and then grind together in a coarse paste in your mixer and transfer in a pan.

5) Cook it in the pan covered for 10-15 minutes.

6) Now add the 2 tablespoon of corn flour and salt in proportion of the paste and cook again for 20 minutes while stirring in between.

7) In a pan, take oil for tadka and heat it up, add finely cut onions, finely cut green chili, finely cut ginger and finely cut garlic to it. Add salt to the proportion of onions. Saute till the onions turn translucent. Add garam masala.

8) Add this tadka to the mustard green paste and mix thoroughly. Add 2 tablespoon butter or ghee.

9) Simmer it for 5 minutes and you are ready to serve the saag. While serving add a tablespoon of ghee or butter.

10) For makki roti, knead the dough by mixing makki aata, salt and water.

11) Now rolling Makki roti is a difficult tast. To get unbroken rotis, i use a wet kitchen towel and roll small makki rotis  on the towel (my neighbour and friend V taught me this trick and it works like a charm). To take the rotis off the towel take the towel in your palm and turn it over to put roti in your other palm.

Then on the hot tawa make rotis like regular rotis. Apply ghee or butter.

And Enjoy Makki ki roti with Sarson ka Saag....

+techie ZM 

Masala Oats

Recently i went to buy a water bottle for Zini, and i saw packs of homestyle masala oats by quakers. (Yeah i can go out to buy something and come back with something else ;) ) i thought of giving it a try and oh i loved it. So from now onwards, move over maggie as the masala oats are my new comfort food :)

But then one day i ran out of the masala oats packs, but i had simple white oats at home, so i thought of making my version of masala oats, and they too turned out yummy :) so now i am regularly making this :)

Ready to Eat - You can garnish with Dhania patta if you want to :)

How do i make it??? See for yourself..

Ingredients:

1 Big onion (Finely cut or cut in long slices -  i prefer finely cut)

1 small tomato (Finely cut)

1 small Carrot (Optional- Finely cut)

4 pods of Garlic - crushed or grated

1/2 teaspoon green chilli and ginger paste (i had it, you can finely cut the green chillies and ginger)

Salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon sugar (Optional - i like both the version, with and without sugar)

1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

Red Chilli powder (Optional)

1/2 teaspoon Dhania powder

1/4 teaspoon Turmeric

2 Cups water

1/2 cups oats

1/2 teaspoon oil

Method:

1) In a kadai, add the oil, onion, carrot, garlic, ginger and chilli paste.

2) Saute till the onions brown, then add tomatos.

3) Add Pepper, Chilli powder, Turmeric, Dhania powder and Salt. Keep stirring for 1 minute.

4) Add water, and then add Oats.

5) Now let the oats cook (Takes around 4-5 minutes).

6) Add sugar, if you want to...

And Dig in :)

Note: You can skip some masala or add some, you can experiment with it. And the measurements that i gave are as per my taste palate, you can change the amount of masala and other ingredients as per your liking and enjoy :)

+techie ZM