Kadhai Veg Tofu

Kadhai Veg Tofu

One of my favorite recipes and a very special to my heart.  As, I was craving spices and paneer after a long restricted low fat & less spices diet for almost an year due to  my gal bladder removal surgery in Sep 2015.  I didn't touch any kind of fat for 6months. And after 6months also i was not able to digest any fat easily. And being such a foodie indian, I use to even dream of spices. But, the moment i eat fat my liver will start crying and start giving me stomach cramps. And i realized i have to wait for my body to get use to of fat. Now, there is no way i would risk eating paneer. So, my foodie brain decided substituting tofu instead of paneer. And as i love the Kadhai masala. I has to be Kadhai Tofu with few veggies. 

It turned out very awesome. It's an amazing healthy entree for dinner parties too if you have any vegetarian fitness freak friends like me.  

Kadhai Masala Recipe:

Serving: 4 ppl

Ingredients:
4 pcs Kashimiri Whole red chilly or (2-3pc whole regular red chilly)
1 tsp. Fennel Seeds (Saunf / Variyali)
2 tsp. Whole Jeera
3 tsp. Whole Corriander Seeds / Dhania
1/2 tsp. black Pepper

Method: 

Roast all the ingredients dry in a pan and coarse grind it. And use them for Kadai Paneer dry or with gravy. I normally make masala right before I make Kadai Panner.

This measurement is for a serving for 4-5people of Kadai Panner. You can put more or less masala as per your spice preference.

Kadhai Tofu & Veg
Ingredients:

2 pack extra firm tofu
2 medium onion cut in cubes
1 big / 2 medium green bell pepper cut in cubes (you can use multicolor too)

2 medium tomatoes cut in cubes

3-4 medium or small chill chopped big
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp red chilly powder
Kadhai Masala
Salt to taste
1-2 tbsp of oil (I used olive oil)

1 tsp kasoori methi leaves hand crushed for seasoning 

Ginger Juliennes for serving.

 Method:

Buy extra firm tofu from market. I bought it from Costco. Need two out of 4 pack. Remove tofu from the box drain the water and then wrap it in a cloth or bundle of paper towel and press it under a heavy weight. (I used Mortel). Press the tofu for 30-45 minutes so the water gets soaked and tofu get well firm as paneer.

In a Kadhai or wok heat oil. Once heated add hing & Ginger garlic paste. Sauté it for 1minute on medium heat then add cubed onions, sauté them for 2-3minutes, add bell pepper & green chillies. Sauté for 2mins. Then add half of the Kadhai masala to it and stir it for a minute. Now add tomatoes and sauté them for 1minute and add turmeric, red chili powder, tofu, salt and Kadhai masala. Sauté it well. Cover the lid of wok or Kadhai for 2minutes so that masala Sips in well in tofu. Open lid sauté for 2-3minutes. Sprinkle kasoori methi and serve it hot.

Enjoy!!

P.S. You can add broocoli, bean and carrots to it too.

Multigrain broccoli spinach paratha with flex seeds

Multigrain Broccoli Spinach Paratha with flex seeds

Breakfast the most essential meal of the day. And since I am on such a dieting mode where I only think of eating healthy or feeding healthy. I intend to experiment new things which can be full of veggies, nutritions and low in GI (glycemic index). Also I am trying to balance out the breakfast in such a way that when I am hungry in next 2-3 hrs. I don't crave junk or carb. 

Today morning while looking in my refrigerator and checking the time on my microwave I realized I have only 20mins or max 25mins to make breakfast for both of us and leave for work. And so I decided to dump all I found into a 4cup chopper. It was just an attempt to make things quicker. But, it was a successful attempt. Everything. turned out very well in 20mins. (Cleaning excluded). Besides, when I sat down and ate the paratha after 45mins. It was such a satisfaction to eyes (as they look beautiful) nose (as the smell delicious), hands (as they very crunchy on outside and soft from inside), tounge (Bcoz it tasted out of world and I can feed it to anyone who hate broccoli and spinach. And they will love it) & to my stomach (as they were satisfying). I only ate an apple for snack before lunch. No junk munching. 

Not only foodies who always look for quick and healthy option will love it. But, you can feed it to a fussy kid or all your loves ones. so just give it a try and let me know. 

Here comes the recipe for healthy delicious mouthwatering and satisfying.
Multigrain broccoli spinach paratha with flex seeds

Serving: 2-3 people
5-6pcs of paratha   
 
Ingredients:
0.5 cup Multigrain Aashirwad Aata
1/4 cup jowar atta
1/4 cup white corn atta (Goya Masa Chi Flour for tortilla)
1 cup spinach (you can add more if you like more, it's just the water amount will reduce)
1.5 cup broccoli (you can add more if you like more)
1 piece green chilly (you can add more as per your taste)
1/4 inch choppers Ginger (only if you like taste)
Pinch of carom seeds
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
1/4 cup or less then half cup water
3-4 tsp Flax seeds 
To roll paratha:
1/4 cup Wheat flour or any flour to roll the paratha or you can roll them on plastic sheet. 

Method:

In a chopper or food processor chop broccoli & spinach. Now add green chillies and ginger to the chopper. Once all chopped add oil, salt, Carrom seeds. Blend for 10sec and add flour little by little to it. Once all the flour is mixed well with the greens. Add water if required. Mostly it does as the corn flour & jowar atta need for water. I added 1/4 cup water. Let the mixture start getting together and make a lump on dough on one corner. Now remove the dough and knead for a minute or may be two. To make soft paratha. But, the dough should be harder then Roti or chapati dough.
I didn't rest my dough at all as I made instant paratha for breakfast. If you want you can give dough 20mins rest or max 30mins. After that broccoli and spinach will start releasing the water. 
Now heat a non stick tava or regular one. You can roll the paratha either using flour or on a plastic sheet. I used a plastic sheet. Make a small round roll of one portion of dough. In a plate take flax seed. Now soak both the side of it in flax seed by pressing it on flax seeds. And roll the paratha. You can just dry roast them by cooking well on both side  . And then spread ghee or butter on it. Or you can just use oil like you use on normal paratha and roast it. (I didn't use oil. Instead I just spreader half teaspoon of ghee on piping hot paratha. And we had it. 
They are healthy and full of nutritions. You can have it for breakfast like us. Or anytime of the day. Enjoy!!

P.S. 1: You can make the same paratha by grating broccoli and chopping spinach with hands. And adding them to dough and kneading it by hands. If you don't have chopper or food processor or you don't want to use it.  

P.S. 2: You can add oats flour or quinoa flour too.

Tip: Ghee (clarified butter) has more healthy fat and amino acids then refined oil. Consuming  ghee in Roti, paratha, Khichadi or rice is a much healthy option. Our body needs Amino Acids to fight with white cells and cut unhealthy fat. It also increases energy. (Source: Celebrity Nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar)

Kheer (Rice Pudding)

Wish you all a very Happy Dushera! Dushera being a celebration of the triumph of Good over evil, it is celebrated across India with a lot of enthusiasm. The day before Dushera is the ninth day of Navaratri. Traditionally in my home, we have special pooja and we worship Goddess Durga with lot of love and faith. That day we make couple of traditional dishes to offer Goddess Durga as prasad. And one of them is Kheer or Rice Pudding. There are many different traditional ways to make Rice Pudding. I am sharing my version for making Rice Pudding, that I find to be quick and instant. 

Ingredients:

1 cup Rice

1-2 tsp. Ghee

4-5 cup Milk

1-1/4 cup Sugar / 1 6oz-8oz can condensed milk

1 tsp. Cardamom Powder

1 tsp. Nutmeg

10-15 pcs of Almonds & Pistachios

10-12 pcs of Raisins

8-10 pcs of Saffron Strings

Recipe:

• Soak 1 cup of Rice in water for 15-20mins. 
• Once the rice is soaked well, strain the water out of rice and add 1tsp. of ghee to grease it.
• In a pressure cooker add 1-1/2 cup of milk and heat it. 
• When the milk comes to a boil, add the greased rice into it and pressure cook it for 2 whistles at medium heat. 
• Meanwhile in another cooking pan, add 4 cups of milk and let it boil for 20 mins until it is reduced to 3 cups. 
• Stir the milk at short intervals so it does not stick to the bottom.
• Your rice must have been cooked by now. Let the pressure cooker get simmered completely.
• Open the pressure cooker and shift cooked rice in milk into the boiling milk.
• Stir well and let it boil for 2 mins.
• Let the pudding boil for 10-15mins or until the milk is blended well with rice and the consistency is changed to thick. 
• As you see that the Kheer or Rice pudding is almost done, add Cardamom Powder, Nutmeg Powder, Saffron to it. Mix Well.
• Garnish it with Almonds & Pistachios while serving it warm or Cold.

Note: 

1. Here you can add sugar or condensed milk. I used sugar as I was making it authentically for pooja.
2. You can add or decrease the amount of Sugar or Condensed milk as per your taste. The measurement given is according to my family taste and we don't like anything too sweet.
3. Make sure to keep stiring after adding sugar or condensed milk to it. 

Enjoy!

Wheat Flour Semolina Ladoo made from Gudd (jaggery)… Gujju Style;)

Ganapati Bapa Moriya! Ladoo's for Ganpati Bappa on Viserjan!

One more sweet dish / bhog dish. One of the family favorite.  Ladoo / Ladu (in gujarati) made from a wheat flour semolina, Jaggery, nuts, and clarified butter (ghee). From my childhood I remember this dish made by my mom during Ganesh Utsav and many other occasions. This dish isnot only made in my family. But it's made by hundreds of families in Gujarat. 

As they say Ganapati Bapa loves Modak / Ladoo….so do I and my family. The moment I get a thought to make them, my mouth starts watering. They are so easy & simple to make. As a child, I always felt, while helping my mom in kitchen, that rolling Ladoo is the most easy work. But before rolling them we have to do little process ahead.

As you all might be thinking Wheat Flour Semolina must be something we can buy from market. But that's not true. Actually one has to buy coarse wheat flour from the market and after a process you can make semolina out of it. My step by step recipe will explain you how to make "Semolina" out of wheat flour. 

In a bowl add oil and mix Coarse wheat flour by rubbing with your palm so that the oil is evenly spread into the flour. Now add milk or water (I have used milk) slowly into to the flour as required and form it into a dough. The dough should be not too soft or not too hard….it should be like a paratha / cookie dough. You can use food processor or dough maker to form the dough. Once the dough is formed make even parts of it and roll them in your fist. So the dough will be shaped in a fist form or balls. Now heat Ghee / Clarified butter in a frying pan and shallow fry the dough parts in it at medium heat until they turn into golden red color. Once all the fist shaped / rolled dough is cooked, break it into two pieces and let it cool for 10 minutes. Then put them into a dry mixing blender or food processor and grind it until it become even and fine like a Semolina.

Now as your Semolina is ready from wheat flour, remove it in a mixing bowl from the blender. Heat the ghee again and add jaggery(Gudd) to it. As the jaggery (Gudd) starts melting add Raisins, broken cashews into it. As the jaggery (Gudd) melts, it will start rising. Shut the heat off as soon as you see the jaggery (Gudd) rising. Let the mixture cool for 2-3mins and then add it into the Semolina flour. Add Cardamom powder & nutmeg powder into it. Start forming round even size ball or ladoo out of it. Garnish it with dry shredded coconut and saffron. 

Enjoy this delicious mouthwatering Ladoo:)

STEP BY STEP RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1 cup Coarse Wheat Flour

1 tbsp. Oil

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp. milk / water

3-4 tbsp. Ghee / Clarified Butter

1 cup + 1 tbsp. shredded or crushed Jaggery (Gudd)

 1/4 tsp. Cardamom powder

1/4 tsp. nutmeg powder

1 tbsp. Raisins (Optional)

1 tbsp. Broken Cashews (Optional)

1 tbsp. chopped Almonds (Optional)

1 tbsp. of Shredded dry / fresh coconut for garnish (Optional)

1 pinch of Saffron for garnish (Optional)

Instructions: 

• In Coarse wheat flour add oil and rub it with palm to spread oil evenly in flour
• Add milk / water as required to form the dough
• Make even parts of dough and form them into fist shape
• Heat Ghee or clarified butter / oil in a pan and shallow fry the fist shape dough
• Fry them till golden and red in color
• Once fried…Cool them to room temperature for 5-10 mins
• Blend them into a mixer / food process till fine semolina is formed
• Heat the leftover clarified ghee as required and add jaggery(Gudd) into it
• Add Raisings, Cashews and almonds into the jaggery mixture
• Heat them until the jaggery(Gudd) is raised and separated from Ghee.
• Cool it for 5-7mins.
• Add the jiggery(Gudd) mixture into Wheat Semolina 
• Add Cardamom & Nutmeg powder into it.
• Mix well and form round balls / Ladoo out of it
• Garnish them with shredded coconut powder & Saffron
• Enjoy!

Variation: You can make same Ladoo out of Sugar instead of Gudd (Jaggery). For Sugar Ladoo, do not heat the Ghee (clarified butter)....Recipe coming soon.

Also, You can also bake the dough like a cookie in oven at 180degree C for 25 mins or until the cookie dough is baked from inside and turns golden brown from outside. 

Vegetable Kadai Paneer Paratha...a treat for Paratha (Indian Bread) Lovers!

Vegetable Kadai Paneer Paratha...a treat for Paratha (Indian Bread) Lovers...........full of Low Calorie, Low Carb, Full of Fiber & Nutrients!

We all are familiar with Veg Kadai or Kadai Paneeer as a popular Curry entree in Indian Cusine. I have seen one of the two in almost every fine dining menu. Kadai Paneer or Veg Kadai is not only made in Kadai but also made with the flavorful and aroma-full KADAI MASALA. We love the dishes made out of Kadai Masala. So I have come up with a new dish which has Veggies, Paneer, Kadai Masala and it's also Paratha (some bread). I made this as a first meal of the day and so I was very careful to balance nutrients along with flavor. These Paratha's are Low in Calories, Full of Fiber with lots of nutrients and are also low fat and low carb. 

And to make them quick & reduce the labor I have used a food processor to chop all the vegetables, paneer & for binding the dough. It reduces not only your cooking time but more importantly, the efforts you need to put in to make healthy homemade Veg Kadai Paneer Parathas.

I have used homemade Kadai Masala and will share the quick recipe soon. But, you can also use the one you get in market. 

You can have Veg Kadai Paratha with Pickle, Salad or Raita. We had them with Strawberry Raita.

Ingredients:

1 cup Whole Wheat Barn Flour

1/2 cup Coarse Yellow Corn Flour

1 cup finely chopped Onions

1 cup finely chopped Bellpeper

1 cup finely chopped Cauliflower

1 cup finely chopped Carrots

1 inch Ginger

2-3 Green Chillies (as per taste....more if you like spicy)

1 cup Spinach and Tomato Puree (1 piece of plum tomato, ginger, green chillies & handful of clean spinach leaves)

3 tbsp of Kadai Masala (Recipe coming soon)

1 tbsp of yogurt / Amchur (Dry Mango) Powder / Anar Dana Powder (you can use any one of it for tanginess) 

1/2 tsp. Jeera (Cumin Seeds)

1/4 tsp. Ajwain (Carom Seeds / Thyme)

1 tbsp. chat masala powder

4 tbsp of Oil

Salt to taste

Recipe:

• In a bowl take Whole Wheat Barn flour & add 1 tbsp of oil to it. 
• Mix the oil in the flour and add coarse yellow corn flour to it. 
• Add Salt, Jeera (cumin seeds), Ajwain (carom seeds) to it. 
• Now start adding finely chopped onion, bell peppers, carrots & cauliflower to it. 
• Mix well and add a tbsp. of plain yogurt or amchur powder and chat masala powder to it. Start binding dough, adding ginger, garlic, tomato and spinach puree in the process. 
• Once the dough is formed grease your hands. 
• Make round balls of the dough. Duster the dough balls with whole wheat flour and roll the parathas with a rolling pin. 
• Heat a pan on stove and add a drop of oil to pan before placing the rolled paratha. 
• Cook paratha on one side and then flip it over. 
• Again cook it on other side. 
• Once it's cooked on both the side you can add couple drops of Oil or butter and roast them on both the ends by pressing with a spatula. 
• Adding oil or butter is optional. 
• You can also make oil free paratha by just pressing the paratha with spetula and roasting them tell they get crispy and red in color. 

Note: You can bind the dough with hands or use a dough maker or a food processor. I normally use food processor to bind the paratha or roti dough.

Also I roll the parathas medium sized and not too thick or thin. Rolling them thick makes them take longer to cook, while leaving them thin risks getting them burnt. 

I served them hot with green chilly, Salad and Strawberry Raita. (Recipe coming soon)

      

 

 

Dates, Almond & Cashew Ladoo (Diet: Sugar Free & Trans Fat free)

Quick Recipe - Dates, Almond & Cashew Ladoo (Diet: Sugar Free & Trans Fat free)

Hey Friends,

Bonapetitfoodies welcomes you all with a diet bite for people with a sweet tooth. I love sweets. But, don't eat them because of the calories. So I tried my mom's recipe for my sweet tooth. Its quick and easy to be made by anyone. If you don't like to spend hours in kitchen then this is one for you. They can be made in 10 mins, enjoyed in bite portions and yet satisfy your sweet tooth. Also, you can eat them while fasting during Ramzan & Navratri. 

Ingredients:

1 cup Pitted Dates

1/2 cup almonds and cashews (I have used more almonds and less cashews to avoid calories)

2-3 drops of Clarified butter (ghee) or Butter to grease your hand

Recipe:

In a blender or food processor blend Dates, Almonds & Cashew coarse. Do not blend them very fine. You would love its crunchy bites in your mouth. Remove them in a bowl and grease your hand with clarified butter or butter and make small mouth-melting size of balls or Ladoo's.

They are ready to serve your guest for Eid or eat them anytime.

Enjoy:)

Dabeli (Gujarat & Mumbai's Famous Street Food)

Hello Foodies!

Today I am going to share one of my favorite snack recipes with you. Dabeli!

It is a very popular street food of Gujarat and Mumbai. You can find Dabeli stalls almost in every city of Gujarat and in Mumbai as (Kutchi Dabeli). Everyone loves Dabeli. If it’s a 5 year child or a 50 year adult. People have it at anytime of the day.

The most wonderful part of this dish is it has all interesting ingredient. World most unique vegetable potato, fruits like pomegranate pearls and grapes, crunchy masala peanuts and salty nylon or thin Sev. Also it is served in a split bun called Pav in India. It’s delicious and filling. It is made with a perfect blend or spice, salt, sweet and tangy flavors all at a time. 

We love Dabeli in my family and I am sure once you try this yummy recipe and taste it you will also fall for it;)

Dabeli

 Serving: 5-6 People (Serving per person 2)

Preparation time: 15mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients for Dabeli Masala

5 medium peeled & boiled Potatoes 

1 large onion finely chopped

 2 large or 4 medium red tomatoes

3 tbsp. Dabeli Masala powder

1 tbsp. oil

1 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. or little more sugar (as per taste)

1 tsp. red chilly powder 

3 tsp. lemon juice

1/4 cup of water

Salt to taste 

Ingredients for Stuffing and Garnish: 

10 hamburger buns (Pav) or regular half cut buns (Pav)

1-cup masala peanuts (Moongphali) or spicy peanuts 

1/2 cup grated coconut (optional)

1-cup fresh pomegranate pearls 

1 tbsp. fresh pomegranate pearls

1-cup red, green or black grapes chopped in half

1 cup thin Nylon Sev for Dabeli spread 

1/2 cup thin Nylon Sev for garnish while serving Dabeli

1/2 cup of date-tamarind chutney / sauce

1/4 cup of spicy red chilly garlic chutney

1/2 cup of finely chopped coriander

1/2 cup finely chopped onions to serve on top

Method:

As mentioned for ingredients wash, boil & peel 5 medium potatoes. Then smash / crush them fine with potato crusher. Add salt, sugar, red chilly powder & 2 tbsp. of Dabeli masala powder to it. 

 

Now in a nonstick pan heat oil and butter. Once heated add onions to it and cook them till they get translucent, changes the color & start releasing the oil. Now add finely chopped tomatoes and cook them till they get soft and diluted into liquid or gravy form. Now add 1tbsp. of Dabeli masala powder and pinch of salt to the gravy and cook for 30 seconds or minute. As you see the oil starts releasing from the gravy add the masala mixed smashed potato mixture to it. Then add 1/4 cup water and stir it upside down. Now add lemon juice and stir it upside down till you see the masala is well blended in the mixture. and the texture of masala gets smooth or easy to spread even.

 

 

Now spread the mixture in the plate or blow evenly. Garnish it with chopped onions, pomegranate pearls, chopped grapes, nylon Sev and coriander leaves evenly on the spread as shown in pictures. 

 

 

Take a flat pan and heat it warm the hamburger buns with spreading little butter on topside of the buns. Now split or open the bun in half and spread red chilly and garlic chutney on both the side. Then spread sweet date tamarind chutney on each side and press the Dabeli spread on bottom side of bun. Garnish it with onions, pomegranate and Sev in a very little portion. Close the bun and serve it. 

 

 

You can also serve it with date tamarind chutney and chilly garlic chutney on side.