Breakfast porridge or kanji

Hello friends,

I was bored of cooking up the same Akuri and French toast for Sunday breakfast.  Hence today I tried to make a healthy bowl full of goodness i.e. Porridge. Porridge is a thick, warm type food especially prepared  for breakfast. We all till date remember the famous fairy tale - Goldilocks and the three bears, and all about that delicious porridge. Isn't it?

I made a really quick porridge ( kheer) with some easily available ingredients. The best part it that there was no added sugar in it. Instead I used natural sweeteners in the form of dates and raisins.

Let me also tell all my readers, that there is no right or wrong while preparing  a recipe. If you feel you want to add sugar or jaggery  in this recipe please go ahead and do so. These days people tend to be more health conscious than ever and want to have wholesome and healthy dishes instead.

Ingredients

To make two bowls of porridge

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1 cup fine jowar atta (read for options)
250 ml milk
I/2  tsp powdered cardamom (elaichi)
Few chopped dates
Handful of raisins
Honey to sweeten on table (optional)

Porridge can be made with  with rice, barley, oatmeal or any other grains like jowar, bajra or even millets.

Method

1. I had leftover jowar chapattis, so in a dry mixer the chapattis were ground to make powder like in the picture below. You can take grain you have at home. Make one cup of it.

2. In  a medium size deep bottom pan, add the flour and half the milk to bring to a boil. Lower heat to gentle simmer.

3. Add  the cardamom , cinnamon, chopped dates and raisins. Stir and cook till milk thickens.

4. Cover and leave until the consistency thickens. Add a little more milk every time the porridge's consistency thickens.

5. Switch off the gas and serve the porridge in bowls topped with chopped almonds.

Well some like it hot, some like it cold but definitely not nine days old.

Note - Add honey to sweeten on the table but I feel we all need to develop that light sweet taste instead of an overtly sugary taste our Indian palate is used too.

Happy Stirring and happy Sunday to all. 

Maharashtrian style stuffed brinjal masala

Hello Friends,

I want to narrate an incident before I start the recipe of the day. This is when l was newly married. I still remember the episode while I was buying brinjals at a vegetable market in Worli. The vegetable vendor asked me how I was going to prepare it. Baingan ka Bharta is what I replied. It's easy to prepare and turns out delicious, I added.
 She then shared a typical Maharastrian stuffed Brinjal recipe with coconut and peanuts.  She even shared a recipe to stuff dry masala in brinjals and cook it quickly without much fuss.

Previously I have shared a baingan bharta recipe with you. Today I am attempting to make the same stuffed version with peanuts and other spices. So let's get Cooking with Sweetannu.

 

Ingredients 


250 gms small brinjals 
3 tbsp oil 


For Masala Stuffing 

1 chopped onion 
2 tbsp peanut powder 
2 tbsp grated coconut
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp corriander powder
Juice of one lime
1 tsp sugar or jaggery
1 tap ginger garlic paste
Corriander leaves for garnish
Salt to taste

Method


 -->Wash and cut the brinjal as shown in picture, ready for stuffing. 


Preparing Stuffing

-->Take a pan, add one tbsp oil. Add onions and saute till translucent.

--> Add Peanuts to it. Dry Roast until they are nicely done.

--> Now add the grated coconut and ginger garlic paste to this and roast till it changes colour. 

--> Remove this mix in a plate.

--> To this mixture add dry spices, lime, salt and sugar. 

--> Stuff the slit brinjals with this mixture. 

--> In the pan now add 2 tbsp oil, place the brinjals in it.

--> Cover and cook the dish on low flame.

--> You can add half a cup of water if you feel the brinjals are sticking to the pan.

--> Let the water dry completely.

 Garnish with corriander and serve it with  it on the side with simple daal, rice and sliced tomatoes. 😋😋😋

Chicken Omelette

Parsis love their eggs in any form. Scrambled, poached, sunny side up, akuri and above all omelettes. Infact in my house no one can refuse an omelette for breakfast, lunch or dinner. And then all those ingredients we can add to enhance the flavors. masala, vegetable, garlic, mushrooms, cheese, sausage etc. 

Drooling na?

Today I cooked up a chicken omelette, using left over chicken bits from my previous dish and other ingredients easily available to me.  It turned out equally yummy. So note down the ingredients and get those eggs cracking.

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 100 gms  boneless shredded chicken. 
• 1 green chilly
• 1 onion 
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• Few fresh coriander leaves
• 1/2 tsp red chilly powder
• 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
• Salt to taste
• 1 cube grated cheese (optional)
• Ghee or oil for frying
• Few drops of milk

Method

1. Break four eggs in a large bowl and whisk well.
   
2. Shred the chicken, chop the onions, corriander leaves and chilly.
   
3. Now add boiled chicken, cheese and other ingredients and give it a good beating. 😂 You can add milk to this mixture in the end.
   
   
   
4.  Take a non stick frying pan and add oil to it. See that the oil is hot before you start preparing.
   
5.  Now pour two ladles of egg batter into the pan. Spread the egg mixture evenly in it and simmer the flame now.
   
   
   
6. Leave the eggs to cook for 1- 2 minutes on low flame.
   
   
   
   
   
7. Flip the omelette and cook on the other side.
   
8. Leave to cook for one more minute and serve immediately.
   
9. Serve with toast, butter, ketchup and a few vegetables on the side. Add grated cheese to the outer layer of omelette if required.

Note- Do not over cook the egg, as it gets rubbery and chewy

Easy Mooli Makkai Parathas

So do you often we face this problem in the kitchen. I am sure you will agree with me. We have leftover ingredients in smaller potions from other recipes, or just less quantity of vegetables and dont know what to make from it. Today I am in the same situation. I had some Makkai ka Ataa left over after making Makkai roti and Sarsoon ka saag in Winters and a big mooli that was about to start rotting.

So that morning Sujata and me  decided to combine the two and make an easy version of Mooli Paratha, not the stuffed version. This is alot  easier by adding the grated radish while making the dough itself. The best part of having a maid who loves to cook and experiment is that whatever you try turns up good. Here is the picture of the first paratha hot from the tava with a tad bit extra ghee, pickle and curd.

 Here is the recipe of Easy Mooli Makkai Paratha

Ingredients

1. 1 big raddish ( Mooli)
2. 1  chopped Green chilly
3.  1 tsp Anaar daana ( or aamchur powder) 
4. 2 tbsp chopped Corriander leaves
5. 1/2 tsp tumeric powder 
6. 1/2 tsp chilly powder
7. Salt to taste 
8. oil/ghee for frying
9. 2 cup Makki atta ( Not corn flour)
   
   Note- I used makkai atta, you can use wheat flour or even Nachni atta. Johar or rice flour is not suited for this recipe.

Method

1. Wash and peel  the raddish, now grate it with a grater. Keep aside for some time. The raddish will leave water that will be used to kneed the dough.

2.  In a mixing bowl add the flour, spices, salt, anar danna powder, corriander leaves and raddish. Mix it along with its water and a little oil.

3. Use a rolling pin to flatten the round palm size dough. Make round like a chappati. You may not get even edges because of the mooli. Dust with flour if it gets stuck while rolling.

 4. Heat a frying pan or tawa and place the paratha on it. 

5. Cook on both sides sprinkling oil or ghee on each side, cook till it is golden brown and spots appears.

6. While cooking you can also add cuts with your ladle on the paratha for it now to remain under cooked.  

And now the beat part, just enjoy it with some curd and pickle and lick your fingers. 

Quick Aloo Capsicum

Hi friends,
So after that chicken recipe yesterday let's get back to an easy vegetarian dish.Today I was feeling too lazy to go to the market.

Doorbell
Enters Sujata
She - Bhabhi, aap bazaar nahi gaaye ?
Me - Nahi, kal jaoongi.
She - Phir aaj kya pakana hai?
Me - Aloo aur capsicum hai, uski  sabzi  banate hai.

After all cooking up a good dish is not about many ingredients, we can make a lip smacking dish if cooked the right way.  Check the easy recipe below.

Ingredients

250 grams capsicum
2-3 potatoes
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp dhania - jeera powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp white or black vinegar
A pinch of sugar
2 tsp cooking oil
Chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste

Method

1. Wash and chop the capsicum and potatoes in half inch cubes.
2. Take a wok and put 2 tbsp oil in it. In hot oil add the jeera and let it give out an aroma.
3. Quickly saute the potato cubes in the wok. Don't allow the potatoes to stick to the bottom.

4. Add the chopped capsicum, dry spices and salt.
5. Cover the vessel and cook for 5-7 minutes. Open to check if done.
6. Now add the vinegar and sugar and stir in. Shut the gas and let it cool with lid on.
7. Once slightly cool add the chopped coriander as garnish.
8. Serve hot with roti. It can be enjoyed with plain dal - chawal and some mango pickle.

Cooking Suggestion

If the taste of vinegar is not liked, then substitute it for lime.
Also see that the capsicum is not over cooked. Make potato cubes smaller than the capsicum so they cook faster.