Daal Dhokli

A huge favourite with all generations. Usually a Sunday dinner dish. We all sat down on the floor for daal dhokli. It would be served in round shining stainless steel thaalis, propped up with a spoon, so that the daal dhokli would collect at one end. Then a huge dollop of ghee would be dropped into the daal puddle, a twist of lime and we would be on our way to gastronomic heaven. Ummmmm.

A Quick n easy Gujarati dish. A one dish meal that can be served with steamed rice and a kachumber.

FOR THE DAAL: 1 cup toor dal ,2 tbsp oil , 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, ½ tsp haldi,1 tsp red chilli powder, 2 tsp dhania jeera powder, 2 tsp salt, 4 pcs kokum, 1 tsp ajwain, 6 cloves, 6-8 curry leaves, a biggish lump of jaggery, 4 small round chillies ( any other non spicy variety will do as well). Pick and wash the daal. Soak it for 30 mins. Cook and mash the dal well.Its a great idea to whip the daal while it is still hot .

FOR THE DHOKLIS: Mix 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 tsp haldi, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ajwain seeds, 1 tsp dhania jeera powder and 2 tbsp oil. Using a little water at a time , knead the mixture into a soft and pliable dough.

Add 3 cups of water to the mashed/ whipped daal. Add salt, red chilli powder, haldi, dhania jeera powder and churn well. In a heavy bottommed pan heat 2 tbsp oil. Add ajwain, cloves, red chillies and curry leaves. Pour the daal carefully into the pan. Add kokum and jaggery. Check the salt. The daal will be extremely watery at this point.
Divide the spiced dough into 2-3 large parts.roll them into balls, coat well with dry flour. Dust the rolling board with dry flour place the ball and roll it out like a roti. It will be slightly thicker than the normal roti.Using a pizza cutter or even a knife, cut the dough into strips and then diagonally to form diamond shapes. Carefully lower these diamonds ( dhoklis) into the boiling daal. Continue till all the dough had been rolled out, cut and dunked into the daal.
Boil the daal , stirring gently ebery now and then till the dhoklis start floating. Check for the salt and adjust according to taste. The taste has to be sweet and tangy.
Serve with a dollop of ghee ( The ghee in the picture has melted away into the daal).This is a meal in itself , however one can serve rice once the dhoklis have been eatn up. A kachumber made with diced onions, tomatoes and cucumbers can be served along.

Bon Appetite.

Batate Pohe

The everyday non fussy breakfast dish with a twist.
Pohe or Poha , is a quintessentially Maharashtrian dish. Its a staple breakfast with variations with onions, potatoes, green peas and even brinjals ( aubergine) . My husband tends to have his quirks and so his poha has baby corn, broccoli, carrots, capsicum etc . My favourite is the vaangi pohe , Poha with brinjals.Its darker looking and spicier.There are many variations in the seasonings, but the procedure remains the same. Other spices added to Poha are sesame seeds, goda masala ( a maharashtrian spice mix), roasted peanuts ( singdana, groundnuts, monkeynuts). Here is the way AM likes them


3 tbsp oil,1/4 tsp mustard seeds, 2 green chillies slit, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 large chopped onion, 1 large chopped potato,4-5 baby corn sliced ( optional), 5-6 curry leaves,
1 1/2 cup poha ( beaten rice) , 1 tsp haldi (turmeric powder), 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, chopped corriander and dessicated coconut for the garnish ( Optional).Pick and wash the poha. Drain in a colander till semi dry.Sprinkle haldi, 1 tsp salt and sugar on it . Mix.

In a wok, heat oil and add mustard seeds. Add chillies, curry leaves, ginger. Add the onion and saute till light brown.
Add potatoes and baby corn, sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt, cover and cook on low heat till the potatoes are tender. Add the poha mixture , sprinkle 1/4 cup water, mix lightly and cover. Cook for 5 mins.
Garnish with corriander, coconut and a wedge of lime.

Dried Shrimp Kismur

A delectable Goan delicacy, Kismur is practically a salad. Vegetarians can substitute the dried shrimp with roasted red chilli papads , crushed. A brilliant side dish with hot phulkas.

1 cup dried shrimp, 4 tbsp dessicated coconut, 1 chopped white onion, 1 chopped green chilli, 1 tsp tamarind, 1/2 tsp salt.
mix the tamarind paste with a little water. Mix with the onions, coconut and salt.
Dry roast the dried shrimp on a low heat, stirring every few seconds so as to not burn them.
Mix the shrimp with the coconut-onion mixture. Enjoy the kismur with rotis. Another spicier option is to temper the kismur . Heat a tsp oil , add mustard seeds. When they splutter add the onion and red chilli powder. take off heat immediately , add coconut, tamarind paste, salt and shrimps. You can substitute the shrimp with dry roasted , crumbled mackerel, bombay duck or prawns. Vegetarians try the spicy red chilli papad , roasted & crushed.

Hearty Corn and Peppers Soup

A Rainy Stormy night.... Tired and cold. I am in no mood to cook or eat a regular meal. Just a soup should be great. But the kids will be back from the club , hungry and eager for a hearty meal. Here is just the right dish to suit us all.

Hearty corn and peppers soup

1 tsp olive oil ; 1 tbsp chopped garlic , half cup red onion diced ; half cup potatoes diced; half cup red peppers diced ; 1 cup sweet corn , 2 cups milk , 1 cup water , 1 vegetable stock cube,1 tbsp whole wheat flour, salt and pepper to taste. Corriander to garnish.

Heat oil , add onions , saute till soft. Add garlic , potatoes and peppers. Cook on low flame for 2-3 mins.
Add flour and sautee on low heat. Add milk , water, stock cube and corn. Cover and cook till vegetables are tender.
Add salt n pepper to taste. Garnish with Corriander.
Served with bread, makes it a hearty dinner. Happy Meal :)

Spinach Soup

How often do we feel like a light non fussy yet filling supper? A quick soup which feels like a gourmet treat.

4 tblsp spinach paste, 1 tblsp olive oil,2 cloves crushed garlic, 1 heaped tsp flour, 4 tblsp milk, 1 cup water, salt & pepper to taste.
Heat oil, fry garlic, add flour. Fry. take off heat , add water. Mix, add milk.Mix.Add spinach puree and put it back on the stove.simmer till well heated. Add salt and pepper. Put in your preferred topping and drizzle 2 tblsp milk over it. ENJOY.

Topping:
Croutons, cream crackers grilled with paneer/ cheese, garlic bread slices, roasted pine nuts ( chilgoza),sliced almonds.

Cooked and Presented by: Mandira Mehra

Semiyan Upma

My absolute favourite breakfast dish. I enjoy it as a lunch as well. Can be eaten on its own or with an almost liquid coconut- chillie chutney, tempered with mustard and curry leaves. Found in Breakfast menus in Goa, Karnataka, Tamilnadu.


1 cup semiyan ( shevaya, vermicelli),3 tbsp oil, a few cashewnuts broken, 1/4 tsp mustard seeds (rai), urad dal ( optional), 1 tsp grated ginger, 5-6 curry leaves, 3-4 dried red chillies, a pinch of asafoetida,1 tsp sugar , salt to taste. 1/2 cups hot water, chopped corriander ( optional), dessicated fresh coconut for garnish.
Heat the oil. Temper it with urad dal and mustard seeds, when they pop add asafoetida , curry leaves and red chillies. Add the cashewnuts and fry till pinkish brown.remove and keep the cashewnuts aside.
In the pan add broken semiyan. Saute on low heat for about 3-4 mins till the semiyan look opaque.
Add in the hot water, salt and sugar to taste. Cover and cook for 10 mins or till all water dries up.
Garnish with the coconut, corriander and cashwenuts. Serve hot with a thin coconut chutney or yoghurt. Just as good eaten on its own.

Stuffed chillies - Bharli Mirchi

Food for a rainy day. Something to spice up the normal daal-chawal. Or just curd rice.


100 gms of Bhavnagari green chillies ( firm springy to the touch, wash, dry , slit & deseeded)
4 tbsp besan ( chick pea flour), 1 tsp each of red chillie powder, dhania jeera powder, garam masala, salt, jaggery,amchur powder or tamarind paste.1/4 tsp haldi, mustard seeds , pinch of asafoetida, 2 tsp oil. Mix it to form a coarse crumbly mixture.
Stuff the chillies with the mixture. Firmly press in the filling.Heat 2 tsp oil. Temper with mustard seeds ( rai) and a pinch of asafoetida.
Cover and cook the chillies on low heat till the skin feels tender.
Serve hot as a side dish with daal - roti or daal chawal.Yummm. Let the skies rain down on us !

Upma

Mamma's recipes. Traditional breakfasts, fussy lunches, favourite side dishes, here are some of my favourite things.......to eat OFCOURSE!

UPMA

A traditional breakfast dish found in households in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa.

1 cup semolina ( sooji), 2 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp ghee, 1/4 tsp mustard seeds ( rai), urad daal, pinch of asafoetida, salt to taste, 1 tsp sugar, 2 dry red chillies,1 green chilli slit, 5-6 curry leaves, 1 tsp grated ginger ( optional),1/2 cup thick curds, cashews broken, dessicated / shredded fresh coconut, corriander leaves .




Heat oil in a heavy bottom wok / kadhai. When the oil is hot add urad dal, mustard, asafoetida, curry leaves, cashews. Fry till cashews turn a pink colour.

Remove and keep aside. In the hot oil add red and green chillies, grated ginger and sooji. Roast on a slow flame till the sooji turns a light pinkish brown.
Meanwhile boil 1 1/2 cups water.Gently add the hot water to the roasted sooji. add the whipped curds, salt, sugar. Stir , cover and cook on a low flame.Stir in the ghee.

Garnish with corriander & fresh coconut. Add fried cashews and serve.

Tempting Breakfasts

Certain mornings you get up cranky and dull. Nothing like a quick and gorgeous breakfast to pick up your spirits. This one is as simple as 1-2-3.

Porridge: 2 tblsp oats , 1/2 cup hot water, 1/4 cup milk. Sugar to taste. Cook the oats in water for 5 mins. Add milk, stir.Add sugar to taste. Add a dollop of your preffered topping.Serve.
Topping:
Fruit puree, melted jam( omit sugar), stewed fruit, marsh mallows, tutti frutti, dried fruits and / or nuts.
I used a mixture of cranberries and blue berries. I dont mix the topping in. Just leave it in , every spoonful tastes like a surprise.

Feels soooo special.