Showing posts with label gluten free. Show all posts

Amritsari Chhole

It is time for Tea Lovers like me to get excited, this dark vibrant Amritsari Chhole is cooked along with tea and spices.

Would I skip the chance to have TEA for lunch? Probably not!

When a recipe calls for Tea as an ingredient, I'm more than likely to try it out. There was no way I'd skip making this wonderfully vibrant Amritsari Chhole.

Chhole has always been a house favorite. When we go to any North Indian restaurant or may be just the food court at the mall, Raj consistently orders Chhole-Bature. Just to prove he isn't this predictable, he toys with available options, but eventually we do end up with a bowl of dark Chhole and a spaceship sized Batura on our table. That man, so predictable, I say!!

So come weekend, I made this dark spicy Amritsari Chhole with soft fluffly Puris. To make Amritsari Chhole, you need to soak the dried chickpeas or kabuli chana/chhole overnight. The next day cook it along with spices and a tea bag. It is this Tea that gives it that wonderfully dark handsome look.

I love to try out different types of teas - Green Tea, Darjeeling Tea, Fennel Tea and what not. But when it comes my daily cuppa Chai or Tea, it has to be Assam Tea. That dark bold tea boiled with milk and sugar, sometimes with added ginger is what I crave every morning and evening. It is this kinda tea, dark bold Tea that works best with this recipe as well. Light teas will not impart color or the depth of flavor that Amritsari Chhole is made up of.

If you don't have tea bags at home, just tie up regular tea powder or tea leaves in a small piece of muslin cloth and add it while cooking the chhole. You can make a similar pouch of the spices too and add it to the chhole.

Anardana or dried Pomegranate seeds powder is added for sourness in Amritsari Chhole. If you don't have it (I usually don't), just replace it with Amchur (dried Mango Powder) or tamarind juice. Also, in this recipe I have not used any ready made store bought Chhole Masala Powder, but I've used the Spice Powders that are available in every Indian Kitchen.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook, tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com. I'd love to see what you are upto.

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If you liked this, you may also like:

Chhole Palak - Chickpeas cooked in a palak / spinach based gravy.
Rajma - Red kidney beans cooked with a spicy tomato based masala.
Corn Tomato Bharta - Curry made with grilled or roasted tomatoes and sweet corn.

Amritsari Chhole

Amritsari Chhole is made by cooking Chickpeas/ kabuli chana along with tea, spices, tomato and onion.

Recipe Type: Main Course
Cuisine: North Indian
Prep Time: 8 Hours (Includes chickpea soaking time)
Cook time: 60 minutes
Yield: 2-3 Servings

Ingredients:

1 cup dried Chickpeas / Kabuli Chana
2 medium Onion
2 medium Tomato
4-5 cloves Garlic
1" piece Ginger
1 Tea bag
1 Bay leaf / Tej patta
1" piece Cinnamon / Dalchini
1-2 Green Cardamom
1-2 Black Cardamom / Badi Elaichi
2-3 Cloves
1 tsp Jeera / Cumin seeds
2 Tbsp Pomegranate seeds / Anardana or 1 tsp Amchur / Dry Mango Powder
2-3 tsp Coriander powder
2-3 tsp Cumin powder
2 tsp Red chilli powder
2 Tbsp Oil
1 Tbsp Kasuri Methi
Salt to taste
Water as required
A handful Coriander leaves

Method:

Soak the kabuli chana in 2 cups of water overnight.
Pressure cook the chana along with 2 cups water,tea bag, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, green cardamom, black cardamom and around 1 tsp of salt until soft. It took me around 3-4 whistles or around 10-12 mins.
Drain the cooked chana and preserve the water. Discard the tea bag, cloves, cinnamon and bayleaf.
Dry roast the anardana and grind into a coarse powder. If you don't have anardana, you can use amchur.
Grind the onion along with the ginger and garlic
Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds
Once they brown slightly, add the onion paste. Fry until all the water has evaporated and the onion turns slightly brown
Grind the tomato into a paste and add to the pan
Add all the spices to the pan and cook until the oil separates or around 8-10 mins on low flame
Add 1 cup of the water the chana was cooked in to the pan and simmer for 2 mins
Add the chana and salt. Add more of the cooking water if needed and simmer for another 5 mins.
Add kasuri methi and simmer for 1 minute.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves
Enjoy hot with puris or roti

MIL's Spicy Tomato Curry with fried Bhindi (Okra) [Video]

Spicy Tomato Curry with fried Bhindi / Okra recipe with video instructions. Spicy Tomato Curry is a quick vegan tomato soup that is served with pan fried okra. Spicy Tomato Curry is vegan, gluten free and fits a Jain diet.

In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe

How to make spicy tomato soup recipe at One Teaspoon Of Life www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

They say winter is over. While I love the promise of sunshine all through the day, I miss the chill in the air. Luckily, it is still chilly in the morning, so I'm enjoying the last few days with my jacket until it is stacked in the cupboard for the next 6-7 months until the monsoons bring on some more chill.

Winter may be over, and warm nights back on the calendar, but hey, that really does not stop me from enjoying hot meals. And speaking of hot meals, especially my Mother-in-law's Spicy Tomato Curry. This curry is perfect for winter nights or rainy nights when all you want is a bowl of spicy sour soul warming goodness. But don't let the weather stop you from enjoying something this delicious. Unless you live on the coast in a tropical country in the Northern Hemisphere, you still have a few days of cold nights left, use it to enjoy this Tomato Curry.

While the name suggests curry, this is really a spicy Tomato Soup flavored with cumin, thickened with chickpea flour (gram flour/ besan) and garnished with fried okra (bhindi). Isn't fried okra the BEST? Crispy crunchy salty and we can always pretend it is healthy, after all it is a vegetable. If I haven't convinced you to fry that okra, you can just as well be a health freak and grill it up until it is nice and charred. My mother in law sometimes adds boiled potato cubes to the curry as well, but okra is the family favorite.

This is probably the quickest and absolutely no fuss soup I know to prepare. So no fine chopping, no 100 ingredients, no exotic spices (unless you consider cumin exotic), no hours and hours of simmering. NADA!!! Just 3 main ingredients and barely 40 minutes to prepare. No chopping, just blending.

Making this curry is super simple. I pressure cook the tomatoes whole for 8-10 minutes or 1-2 whistles. Then allow them to cool a little, before peeling them and blending. Meanwhile, fry up your chopped okra or boil the potatoes. Heat oil in a kadhai or pot and add cumin seeds. When they brown, add in the gram flour and saute it well for 1 minute. Then add in the blended tomatoes. Add water if required. Season with salt and red chilli powder and allow it to simmer for 5-8 minutes. If it is too thin, add more gram flour. If it is too thick add water. Too sweet, then add a little tamarind juice or lime juice. Too sour, then you can sweeten it with sugar or jaggery. Just TRUST your taste buds more than anything. I like my curry hot, sour with full flavor of cumin. Add the fried okra or potato just before serving.

Serve it with some crusty bread and dinner is done! You can also serve it with rice, though then I'd recommend you keep it thick.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family!

Video Recipe

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Spicy Tomato Curry

Spicy and easy Tomato Curry or Soup made with fresh tomatoes, thickened with gram flour and garnished with crispy fried okra.

Recipe Type: Soup
Cuisine: Indian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Yield: Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

5-6 large Tomatoes
6 tsp Oil
1 Tbsp Gram Flour (Chickpea Flour / Besan)
1 tsp Cumin seeds (Jeera)
15-20 small Okra (Bhindi)
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder (Optional)
A handful of Curry leaves
Red Chilli Powder to taste
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

1. Pressure cook the tomatoes with 1 cup of water for 1-2 whistles or 8-10 minutes. If cooking in a pan, cook the tomatoes until they are soft. Reserve the water.
2. Peel the tomatoes and leave aside to cool.
3. Chop the end of the okra.
4. Heat 3 tsp oil in a small pan and fry the okra until they are slightly browned and crispy. Keep flipping the okra so that they cook evenly.
5. Once the tomatoes have cooled, blend into a puree with 1 cup of reserved water.
6. Once the tomatoes have cooled, blend into a puree.
7. Heat 3 tsp Oil in a large pan or pot and add the cumin seeds and curry leaves.
8. Once they brown slightly, add the gram flour and saute for 1 minute until the raw smell disappears.
9. Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder.
10. Pour in the blended tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Add salt to taste.
11. Let it come to a boil and then simmer for 5-8 minutes.
12. If the consistency is too thick, add more water. If it is too thin, add a 1 Tbsp gram flour mixed in water.
13. If the curry is too sour, add a little sugar. If the curry is not sour enough add a little tamarind juice or lime juice.
14. Add the crispy okra just before serving.
15. Serve hot with crusty bread or rice.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Corn Tomato Bharta

Tomato Saar

Tomato Gazpacho

Vegan Zucchini Spinach Frittata

What's next on your breakfast table? How about this light and fluffy Vegan Zucchini Spinach Frittata made from chickpea flour, zucchini and spinach!

How to make vegan frittata recipe at One Teaspoon Of Life How to make vegetarian vegan omelet recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

Breakfast time!

I've been eating clean this week. I've got some annoying breakouts on my face and I have gotta get rid of them. By clean eating, I mean no sugar, no greasy fried food, no processed food, basically no giving into temptation. So HARD, especially when people in office are getting sweets and chocolates pretty much everyday.

Instead I'm eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. At the start of the week I had oranges, apples, pomegranates and strawberry. Yummm. So fresh. I'm also on my way to making my first ever all natural orange face pack. Hope it works...

Even if you don't have any acne or other skin problems, just try this little trick my sister Gee taught me. Soak orange peels in a mug of water for 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Use that water to wash your face. Careful with your eyes though - keep them shut. That water has such a fresh fragrance of oranges, it will wake you up instantly and leave your skin smelling all orange-y for a good half hour. I'm not even a fan of oranges, but I definitely loved that fresh feel in the morning. If you have any such wonderful beauty rituals, leave me a comment.

Beauty tips aside for the moment. Let me get back to my clean green recipe - Vegan Zucchini Spinach Frittata. Frittata is usually a really thick omelet that is either baked or cooked in a deep pan on stovetop. This vegan zucchini spinach frittata is made from chickpea flour or gram flour (besan). lightness of the frittata is achieved by adding fruit salt (eno). If you don't find fruit salt, replace 1 tsp of fruit salt with 1/2 tsp of baking soda and 1/2 tsp of lime juice or citric acid. Allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes to let the baking soda react with the citric acid.

You remember this wonderful Vegan Zucchini Kale Lasagna I made last week? I still had some baby zucchinis left over from it, that I sliced into thin slices and used here in this frittata. It is clean and it is green, One green ingredient down, more to go.

I wilted some spinach with garlic and chopped that roughly and added it to the frittata for my second and last green ingredient. Toss in some chopped onions and tomatoes and we are all set to make the frittata. Here's the fun part now, you can flavor this frittata however you like. I kept it minimal and only added a pinch of turmeric and half a teaspoon of chilli flakes. You can add anything from herbs like oregano, thyme, basil to spices like cumin, fennel or carom. After all, you are the CHEF!

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family!

If you liked this, you may also liked:

Instant Ragi Dosa - Instant Dosa / Crepe made from ragi flour (finger millet flour) and semolina.
Beetroot Chickpea Pancake - Instant vegan pancakes made from beetroots and chickpea flour (besan).
Instant Wheat Dosa - Instant savory dosa or pancake made with whole wheat flour.

Vegan Zucchini Spinach Frittata

Vegan Zucchini Spinach Frittata is a pan fried vegan frittata (thick omelet) made with chickpea flour (besan), zucchini and garlic wilted spinach

Recipe Type: Breakfast
Cuisine: Indian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield: Makes 2

Ingredients:

1 cup Chickpea flour or Besan or Gram Flour
2 cups chopped Spinach
2 baby Zucchini
1 small Onion
1 small Tomato
2 Garlic Cloves
1/2 tsp Chilli flakes
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Fruit Salt or Eno
1 cup Water
4-5 tsp Oil
Salt to taste

Method:

Mince the garlic. Finely chop the onion and tomato. Slice the zucchini.
Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan.
Add the minced garlic and fry for 20-30 seconds.
Add the chopped spinach and fry until wilted. It may take around 2-3 minutes.
Take the chickpea flour in a large bowl.
Add turmeric powder, chilli flakes, salt, fruit salt and 1/2 cup water. Add more water if required. The batter should be loose and light.
Heat a small non stick frying pan and grease it.
Spoon half the batter onto the pan.
Sprinkle half of the wilted spinach, zucchini, onion and tomato. Alternately, you can add all the vegetables to the batter before spooning the batter.
Cook on low to medium heat. Spoon oil on the sides.
Once the first side browns slightly, spoon 1 tsp of oil on the top and flip the frittata.
Cook until the second side browns slightly. Remove from heat.
Repeat the same steps with the other half of the batter.
Serve hot.

Vegan Zucchini Kale Lasagna

I've had an Italian start to the weekend - Pizza for Friday night dinner and this awesome Homemade Vegan Zucchini Kale Lasagna for Saturday lunch.

How to make vegan gluten free lasagna pasta recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com How to make zucchini pasta recipe at One Teaspoon Of Life

I'll be honest, this is my first time trying to veganize a dish that has Cheese in it. I'm never vegan when it comes to Italian food either. I'm more than liberal with cheese, usually adding more than what the recipe calls for. I'm a big fat LOVER of cheese. I've been known to eating cheese cubes the way other's eat chocolate. Sometimes, I like it over chocolate...

So what converted me? While I'm not converted, I'm definitely trying to reduce dairy. I'm also very excited to try a new range of cheese that I can make at home. I've always wanted to make my own cheese - sounds super exciting. I've looked around endlessly for vegetarian Rennet, but I'm yet to find it in Bangalore. Bangaloreans out there, any tips? So I gave up the idea of making my own cheese except Cottage Cheese or Paneer. And now I can make my own cheese - no rennet or any bacteria needed.

When I stumbled upon a recipe for vegan Mozzarella, no one could stop me. I HAD to try it!

While my cheese wasn't as stretchy as Mozzarella is meant to be, it tasted good and added the required creaminess to the Lasagna. I did not use Pasta sheets. I make Lasagna very rarely and I usually end up throwing out half the box of lasagna sheets as they are way past their shelf life. So I did what everyone is doing these days - used vegetables as pasta. I see new recipes for Zoodles almost every other days.

Zucchini works so well in Italian food. Lightly steamed zucchini tends to have the al-dente texture that pasta demands. I used thinly sliced baby zucchini to replace the pasta sheets for the lasagna. I also used Kale as I like the pepperyness it adds. If you cannot find Kale, use spinach. I used raw Kale cut into large pieces, you can steam it to soften them and then use it. I layered slices of Tofu too. That's just cause I had it and I love the texture of Tofu. I know, I'm weird, but I really do love Tofu.

All that I talked about already is the texture component of the lasagna, the taste is entirely due to this super easy chunky Tomato Sauce. You've gotta try this sauce, even if you are not making the lasagna. I can have bowls of it with anything - Bread, Roti, Rice, Noodles. And it is so simple to make too. Just fry onions, garlic, carrots and peppers in olive oil. Add tomato puree and all the herbs and spices. Cook until you have a nice thick chunky sauce all perfect to layer on that Lasagna. Job done!!

Bake it until the cheese brown a little and the zucchini and kale are cooked, about 15 minutes. You have to eat this immediately, just because it tastes amazing when hot.

And if you are not a fan of vegan cheese, just replace the cheese with regular Mozzarella, I bet it tastes just as great.

Tag me on Instagram @oneteaspoonoflife when you make this recipe. Happy Lasagna Weekend to you, Ciao!!

If you liked this, you may also like:

Gobi Manchurian Pizza - Fusion pizza topped with fried Cauliflower and Indo-Chinese Manchurian Sauce.
Curried Brown Rice Zucchini Fritters - Fritters or Tikkis made with mashed Brown Rice and grated Zucchini. Spiced with Garam Masala and pan fried.
Eggplant Pizza - Pizza made with Eggplant as the base and topped with homemade tomato basil sauce and cheese.

Vegan Zucchini Kale Lasagna

Zucchini Kale Lasagna is a vegan and gluten free pasta dish made using zucchini, kale, vegan mozzarella cheese and a chunky tomato sauce.

Recipe Type: Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Yield: Serves 2

Ingredients:

5-6 baby Zucchini
5-6 large Kale leaves
100 gms firm Tofu

For the Vegan Cheese:

1/2 cup Cashew nuts
1/4 cup Tapioca Flour
1/4 tsp Mustard Powder
1/2 tsp Vinegar
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Water

For the Tomato Sauce:

1.5 cups Tomato Puree
1 large Onion
1 small Carrot
1/2 green Capsicum
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Sugar
2 tsp dried Basil
1 tsp Thyme
1 Tbsp minced Garlic
1 tsp Celery Salt
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

To make Vegan Cheese:

Boil the cashew nuts in 1 cup of water for 8-10 minutes until soft.
Drain and keep aside to cool.
Blend together cashew nuts, tapioca flour, mustard, vinegar and salt along with 1/2 cup water.
Heat a non stick pan and add the blended paste to it.
Stir continuously until it thickens. Adjust salt and water.

To make Tomato Sauce:

Heat olive oil in a pan.
Add finely chopped onion, carrot, capsicum along with minced garlic. Saute for 4-5 minutes.
Add tomato puree, celery salt, red chilli powder, basil, thyme and sugar.
Simmer for 7-8 minutes. Add water if required.
Add salt to taste and mix well.

To Assemble the Lasagna:

Take a deep baking dish and layer with chopped kale, sliced zucchini and sliced tofu.
Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper.
Spread the tomato sauce.
Spread the vegan cheese.
Similarly, make another layer of the vegetables, sauce and cheese.
Preheat the oven to 180 degree C.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the cheese browns.

Notes:

Replace the vegan cheese with regular Mozzarella for a non-vegan version.
In case you don't have Tapioca Flour, you can grind sabudana or sago pearls in a high power mixer to get a fine powder.
Kale can be replaced with spinach (palak). You can steam the kale or spinach before using it in the lasagna.
If you don't have celery salt, add chopped celery to the sauce along with the onions or just use regular salt.

Methi Rice Recipe

So how is Monday treating you?

I've always suffered from Monday Blues... more so these days as weekends seem to go off in a blur.

Come Sunday night, and I find myself wondering what I did in the past two days. Usually, it is just a lot of cooking, photography and cleaning. This weekend I added in an extra trip to a place called Pottery Town, hoping to buy some earthen pots to cook in. I've heard that the earthen pots enhance the flavor of the food cooked in them and I'm always in the forefront to try out anything that takes my food to the next level. And while the entire trip was futile, as we reached late and probably skipped the very section of the street we should have driven on, I've not yet given up hope. So if you stay in Bangalore and have visited Pottery Town/Lane/Road and know the best shops there to pick up pots for cooking, please leave me a comment, I highly appreciate any help I get to locate the place.

So this Sunday night when I did a little introspect, I realized I'm getting so involved in all this that I'm running out of time to do the thing I love next to cooking - Blogging!! I'm now consciously making a resolution to start managing my time better so I get enough time to blog.

While I spend most of my weekend cooking for the week ahead and making dishes that are slow cooked or have too many steps, my weeknight mantra is "Quick and Simple" with a very strong emphasis on the quick part. My work has a way of interfering with my evenings and a lot of it is unplanned so I'm usually scrambling for time on weeknights. So quick it has to be.

When I think quick cooking recipes, I always turn to Rice. One of my quick rice recipes is this Methi Rice. Methi, Menthe or Fenugreek is a small leaved green that is native to India. Usually slightly bitter in taste, it goes amazingly well with rice. I've been eating Methi Sabzi all my life like this Aloo Methi, but the first time I tried Methi Rice was at my aunt's place a few years ago. I loved it instantly. Spicy, fragrant, with the slight salty bitterness of Methi leaves, what's not to love in it?

There are 2 ways to make Methi Rice. You can cook it entirely in the pressure cooker or a single pot or you can make rice separately and the methi masala separately and mix the two together. For those weeknights when I need a quick fix, I make the pressure cooker version and on weeknights like today, when I have a little more time, I use the latter method. The recipe below is for the second method, but if you plan to make it in a single pot, just skip the steps to cook the rice. Make the masala as described below, and then add the rice and water and cook the rice with the masala until it is done.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Mint Rice - Mint Rice is a one pot dish of rice cooked along with a mint puree, vegetables and spices.
Mushroom Biryani - Mushroom Biryani is Basmati rice cooked along with whole spices and mushrooms.
Ghee Rice - Ghee Rice is a simple Indian rice dish where Basmati rice is cooked in ghee or clarified butter.

Methi Rice

Methi Rice is made by cooking rice along with methi or fenugreek leaves and a fragrant masala.

Recipe Type: Rice
Cuisine: Indian
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes
Yield: Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 cups Fenugreek / Methi leaves
1 cup Basmati Rice
1 medium Potato
1 large Onion
1 large Tomato
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 a Lime
4-5 Tbsp Oil
2 cups + 2 Tbsp Water
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash the basmati rice until the water runs clear. Drain and keep aside.
Boil 2 cups of water in a large pot. Add 1 tsp oil and 1/2 tsp salt to it.
Add the washed rice. Cover and cook until the rice is done.
Allow to cool, then fluff rice with a spoon or fork
Heat the remaining oil in a large kadhai or pan.
Add diced potato to the oil and stir fry until the potatoes are cooked. Remove from oil and keep aside. Alternately, you can boil the potato and then dice into cubes.
Add the cumin seeds the oil.
After the cumin seeds are slightly browned, add sliced onions.
Fry until onions turn golden brown.
Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are soft.
Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add washed and chopped methi leaves and 1-2 Tbsp water.
Cook until the methi leaves are completely cooked. Add sugar, salt and lime juice. Mix well. Fry for another 1 minute.
Add the cooked rice and mix until the masala coats every grain.
Cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes until the rice is at least warm.
Serve with raita.

Ghee Rice Recipe

Happy Republic Day to all my fellow Indians...

What did you do today?

I did exactly what I have been doing since I was probably 8-9 years old. We all gather around the TV at 9am, turn on Doordarshan and watch the Republic Day Parade. Times have changed, I've moved from a 12 channel TV that actually just had one station to telecast to one that has so many channels I lose the count, but the Republic day tradition remains unchanged. And I realised, it is not just in my house, but a lot of people of my generation still continue the tradition started by our parents.

Time stands still at the Amar Jawan Jyothi, eyes mist up when the President honors the soldiers with Ashoka Chakra and the chest swells with pride when the Armed Forces walk by in absolute synchronicity. Then come the fun floats with each state showcasing it's highlights. I loved Goa this year, such a peppy song being played. Then are the dances from children, stunts on bikes and the air force display. Of all the year I've watched, this year's bike stunt - especially one called the Christmas Tree gave me goosebumps!!

What a lovely show it was... melancholy, patriotism, pride, happiness, awestruck - all these feelings in a duration of less than 2 hours.

With all those emotions in me, I really wanted something simple for lunch today. Simple to make and simple in taste. This Ghee Rice felt perfect for the moment.

Ghee is to Indians what butter is to the French. Most Indian households will have a jar of ghee, mostly homemade, and sometimes store bought. Although ghee is indispensable to most Indian sweets, it has a special place in savory cooking too. Ghee is smeared on rotis, ghee is drizzled over rice, some people even add a tempering of ghee to curries. Ghee holds such a revered place in our lives that every festival meal served on a Banana leaf begins only after Ghee has been served.

Ghee Rice celebrates Ghee like no other dish does. Ghee Rice is a simple rice dish where Basmati Rice is cooked in rich flavorful Ghee. Nuts roasted in ghee are added to add texture and more richness to the dish. Unlike most of Indian cooking, Ghee Rice is a very mild dish. While spices are added to add fragrance, they are kept to a minimal, letting Ghee take the center stage. This dish is not hot or over-spicy,

Ghee Rice is best served with a simple dal. Try out this restaurant style Dal Fry or this mixed lentil Pancharangi Dal.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Mushroom Biryani - Basmati rice cooked along with whole spices and mushrooms.
Ginger-Garlic Vegetable Fried Rice - Vegetable fried rice tossed in ginger-garlic sauce.
Vangi Bhaat - Rice cooked with brinjal or eggplant and a few spices.

Ghee Rice

Ghee Rice is a simple Indian rice dish where Basmati rice is cooked in ghee or clarified butter.

Recipe Type: Main
Cuisine: North Indian
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati Rice
3 Tbsp Ghee
1 Onion
1 Green Chilli
1" Cinnamon
2-3 Cloves
2 Cardamoms
1 Bay leaf
5-6 Peppercorns
8-10 Cashew nuts
1.5 cups Water
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash the basmati rice until the water runs clear. Around 5-6 times. Drain and keep aside for 30 minutes.
Heat the ghee in a large pan.
Split the cashew nuts and add to the pan. Roast them until they are golden brown, then remove from the ghee and keep aside.
Add all the whole spices to the ghee and fry for 45-60 seconds on low heat until fragrant.
Add chopped onion and slit green chilli. Fry until the onion is translucent.
Add the rice and toast it gently for 30 seconds.
Add water and salt. Cover and cook on low to medium heat until the rice is cooked.
If all the water is absorbed and the rice feels undercooked, sprinkle 1-2 Tbsp water and cover and cook on low heat until rice is done.
Add chopped onion and slit green chilli. Fry until the onion is translucent.
Allow it to cool a little before fluffing it with a spoon.
Serve hot/warm along with dal.

Alsane Tonak | Goan Pao Bhaji

How to make goan bhaji pao, alsanyache tondak at One Teaspoon Of Life www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

You know that feeling when you soooo want to eat something, you can already taste it before you have laid your hands on it, but it is so far away that you cannot reach it? Disappointed?

I miss Pao!!

Pao, sometimes called the lifeline of Goa, is a bread that was introduced to Goa by the Portuguese settlers and is by far the best bread I've ever had. Pao, sometimes called Pav, is available almost all through the country, but no one makes it the way it is made in Goa. It has a crusty outside and a chewy crumb; a texture that is just incomparable. Pao is such an integral part of Goan cuisine, that the Government actually subsidizes the cost of Pao.

I've pretty much eaten Pao every single day I lived in Goa. I've bought it for my grandparents when it cost as little as 25 Paise and today, when it costs 20 times more. I still wait for the Poder (local Pao seller) to come on his bicycle fixed with a cane basket in the back, honking his way through the meandering little streets bringing bread to every local man.

Look at this variety of wonderful Pao that I picked up on my recent vacation to Goa.

How to make goan bhaji pao, pav bhaji, alsanyache tondak at One Teaspoon Of Life www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

Just this week, I was in Goa. It was a short 5 day vacation where I met up with family and haunted all our favorite food joints across the state. While Bangalore is cosmopolitan and you pretty much get everything here, except probably the purple yam. I miss those certain somethings, that I took so much for granted when I stayed in Goa - a simple cheesy Mushroom Capsicum sandwich; Gobi Manchurian made exactly how it is supposed to be, fresh and with no food coloring; Chocolate cakes with chocolate cream that are to DIE for; that too sweet, yet perfectly enjoyable Badam Milk that you have to drink standing outside on the road; Samosa which has little pieces of beetroot in it along with the potato; that garlicky Batata Vada and lastly, loads and loads of Pao Bhaji.

As much as I miss that wonderful Pao, I miss the coconut filled Bhaji too. It is pretty much my standard breakfast when I go to Goa. The Goan Pao Bhaji is very different from the Mumbai Pav Bhaji that is made with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables. The Goan Pao Bhaji is usually made with some beans and coconut. Sometimes with Mushrooms too.

Goan bhaji is also called Tonak with Alsane Tonak being the popular one around. Alsane or Alsande are red cowpeas. To make Alsane Tonak, these red cowpeas are simmered in a spicy roasted coconut masala.

To make Alsane Tonak, you need to coax the coconut gently to turn golden brown, before you grind it along with spices to make the Tonak gravy. This Alsane Tonak is not a recipe to be rushed, it encompasses the spirit of Goa - Relaxed, Sosegado... This is where you add all your love and patience into the otherwise simple gravy. The darker the color, the better the dish. However, don't burn it, trying to get it dark.

When you go to a restaurant and ask for a "Mixed Bhaji", you will get the Tonak served with a helping of a simple Potato Bhaji on the side. So if the spice gets a bit much, let your next spoonful be the salty turmeric potatoes.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Mushroom Cafreal - Another famous Goan curry made by cooking mushrooms in a coriander sauce.
Banana Blossom with White Peas - Dry Goan curry made with banana flower and dried white peas.
Misal - Spicy gravy made with sprouts from the western coast of India.

Alsane Tonak | Goan Pao Bhaji

Alsane Tonak is a Goan Pao Bhaji curry made by simmering red cowpeas in a spicy roasted coconut gravy.

Recipe Type: Side
Cuisine: Goan
Prep Time: 8 hours
Cook time: 1 hour
Yield: Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

1 cup Red Cowpeas, dried
2 cups fresh Coconut, grated
2 Onions, chopped
1 Tbsp Coriander seeds
2-3 Cloves
5-6 Peppercorns
0.25" Cinnamon
1 Bay leaf, dried
2-3 dry Red Chillies
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
4-5 Kokum Peels or Marble sized Tamarind
2-3 cloves Garlic
0.5" Ginger
4-5 tsp Oil
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

Soak the cowpeas overnight or for 7-8 hours.
Drain the water and cook the cowpeas with 2 cups of water and 1/2 tsp Salt until done. The cowpeas should not be mushy, they should still have a bite. If using a pressure cooker to cook the peas, keep it for only 1-2 whistle and then release the pressure immediately, else they will overcook.
Drain the water and keep aside. Do not throw out the water, we use it later in the recipe.
Soak the kokum peels or tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water and keep aside.
Heat 3 tsp Oil in a kadhai or pan and add half the onions.
Fry until the onions are translucent.
Now add the grated coconut and on low flame roast until the coconut turns golden brown. Stir occasionally to prevent the coconut from burning. This slow roasting takes time, almost half an hour.
When the coconut turns golden brown, add the cloves, cinnamon, bayleaf, peppercorns and dry red chillies and continue to roast for another 3-4 minutes.
Allow to cool, then add the turmeric powder and the water in which the Kokum or Tamarind was soaked and grind to a fine paste.
Crush the ginger and garlic into a coarse paste.
Heat the remaining oil in a pan and add the onions.
Fry until translucent. Now add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the ground coconut masala and mix well.
Add the cooked cowpeas along with 0.75 cup water in which it was cooked.
Add salt if required.
Allow it to come to a boil, then cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
Serve hot along with Goan Pao or bread.