White Sandwich Dhokla

White Dhoklas are very easy, tasty and healthy breakfast or an ideal for tiffin pack. Here i have sandwiched the dhoklas with green coriander chutney, but feel free to use any other chutney of your choice..

Ingredients:

For White Dhokla
1 cup Rice
1/4 cup Sabudana (Sago)
1/4 cup split white gram dal (white Urad dal)
1/3 cup beaten curd
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp green chilly paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
1 sachet of Plain Eno fruit salt
1 tsp black pepper powder
2 tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste

For Sandwich
1/3 cup Green Coriander Chutney

For Tempering:
5-7 Curry Leaves
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 whole green chilly slit

For Garnishing, few fresh chopped coriander leaves


Recipe:

For Dhokla

• Soak Rice, sabudana, white gram dal in water for 4-5 hours. 
• Drain the water and grind the mixture by adding about 1/3-1/2 cup of water to a fine batter. Consistency of the batter should be thick, but of a pouring consistency.
• Transfer the grind batter in a large deep bowl, add beaten curd and whisk all until no lumps. Cover the bowl with a lid and keep it in warm place to ferment overnight.
• Heat sufficient water in a steamer. Grease two Round dhokla plates with oil.
• Mean while, add green chilly paste, ginger paste, black pepper powder and salt to taste. Mix all well.
• Stir bicarb soda, lemon juice and Eno fruit soda in a small bowl and add immediately to the batter.
• Whisk well all and pour the batter in to greased dhokla plates.
• Place the ready plates in the steamer. Cover with the lid and steam for 10-12 minutes on medium flame.
• Once done check with the knife to see if the dhokla is cooked. If it comes out clean, it is done.

For sandwiching with Green Coriander Chutney

• Take out the plates from the steamer. Allow it to cool slightly and remove the dhokla from plates.
• Place one layer on to the  plate and apply Green Coriander Chutney generously and cover it with other dhokla layer.

For Tempering:

• Now heat oil in small fry pan, add mustard seeds, as soon as it splutters, add heeng powder, currry leaves and slit green chilly. Pour the tempering on the dhokla.
• Garnish it with few fresh chopped coriander leaves.
• Cut in to squares and here you are ready to serve..

Paneer (Cottage Cheese) Shawarma Wrap

Shawarma is a roti wrap or a roll which is wrapped with Paneer or boneless chicken piece or a meat with spreads and sliced onions and tomatoes. Which is easy, healthy and quick if you are having all the ingredients handy. I myself tried it first time but find it really tasty and healthy other than spring rolls which are fried. 

Here i have used home made tomato paste and bell pepper paste as a spread on wrap. If running short of time, you can also buy tomato paste jar readily available in market. As it was not in a stock, so i made it by myself. Below you can see its recipe. If you end up making tomato paste in large qty, than can store in cleaned glass jar in refrigerator for months.

Ingredients:

Tomato Paste:

6-7 large size bright red tomatoes

3 pods of garlic

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 -1 tsp salt or to taste

Green Bell Pepper Paste

2 Green bell pepper Roasted on Gas Flame (1 large and other medium small)

1 1/2 tbsp Sesame seeds

Salt to Taste

1 1/2 tsp olive oil

1 small green chilly

For Marinating Paneer (Cottage Cheese)

100 gms Paneer (Cottage Cheese)

2 tbsp thick creamy Curd or Yogurt

1 3/4 tsp Tomato Paste

2 tsp Bell pepper paste

1 tsp ginger- garlic paste each

1 tsp Red chilly powder (adjust the spice level to your taste)

1 tsp Pickle powder or paste (optional.. I bought ready pickle mix powder packet that is used in making pickles, if you do not have, can skip)

1 1/2 tsp olive oil

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp lemon juice

For Wrap

1 Cup whole wheat flour

1 cup Maida/APF

1 tsp Instant dry yeast

1 tbsp Olive oil

3/4 cup warm water

1/2 tsp sugar

salt to taste

For Garnishing and Serving:

1 Large Onion Sliced

1 large Tomato Sliced

1 cup of freshly chopped green Coriander leaves.

Recipe: 

1. For Tomato Paste 

In a heavy vessel pan, boil tomatoes with tsp of salt. Boil until its outer skin can be peeled easily. Bring the boiled tomatoes out of water, peel all and puree all the peeled tomatoes in a mixer jar with garlic and olive oil until nicely pureed. 

Heat a pan, pour all the blended puree in to it and cook on medium-high flame for 20-30 minutes. Keep a watch and stir in between, Quantity will reduce little by the time. Later turn the flame to medium and cook until you get thick paste like consistency.. (Consistency should be similar to tomato catch up)

    2. For Green Bell Pepper Paste

Roast Green bell pepper greased with olive oil on a gas flame, until soft and shrinks a little.

Once roasted, Remove its seeds and chop roughly, blend in mixer jar with sesame seeds, small green chilly, olive oil and salt to taste. Blend until smooth.

   3. For Marinating Paneer (Cottage Cheese)

Cut Paneer (Cottage Cheese) in to finger size. Marinate it with ready Tomato Paste, Green bell pepper paste, thick creamy curd/yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, pickle powder or pickle paste, red chilly powder and salt to taste. (Save some tomato paste and bell pepper paste for spreading on wrap).

Mix all well. Cover and let it stand for 20 minutes.

In a Non stick pan, heat a tsp or little more oil, and shallow fry panner (cottage cheese) until light brown. If you want to avoid shallow frying, can also grill in Oven or on non stick grill pan on flame. (Save some marination mixture for spreading on wrap).

    4. For Wrap

Dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar, let it stand until mixture is frothy. (about 10-15 minutes)

In a large bowl, Mix Whole wheat flour and Maida/APF with salt and olive oil. Add Frothy yeast mixture to the flour and knead in to soft, smooth and elastic dough. Once Kneaded, Cover it with a tea towel and allow to rise until it doubles in volume (about 45min-1 hour).

Once it is proofed, deflate the dough by punching down. 

Pull out large lemon size ball of the ready yeasted dough and roll each dough ball with a rolling pin in to a round roti shape.

Roast all the rolled rotis in a non-stick pan with slight patches on both the sides.

Wrapping Shawrma...

• Spread a little of saved marinated mixture, tomato paste, bell pepper paste on roasted roti. Add 2-3 Shallow fried or grilled Paneer Fingers, sliced onions, tomatoes, freshly chopped Corriander leaves and Roll it. 
• Serve the Paneer Shawrma wrap or a roll in a plate with few more sliced onion and tomatoes.
• So here you are ready with your delicious and tangy Paneer Shawrama.
• Non Vegetarians can use Grilled and marinated boneless chicken and meat by replacing paneer that too will taste yummm...

Paneer Cutlet (Patty made with Cottage Cheese) and Sandwiches.

As monsoons around, this is a quick and healthy recipe for munching. A very easy recipe, where you wont stop eating one. The Cutlet or patties can be shallow fried or deep fried, but i myself prefer to have shallow fried Cutlets. Have a look below.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup Shredded Paneer (Cottage cheese) 

1 Medium boiled and mashed potato

1 medium small chopped onion

2 bread sliced (dip in water and crumble it in the mixture)

1 tbsp kasuri methi slightly crushed between your palms (dry fenugreek leaves)

2 tbsp besan (chickpea flour)

1/4 cup grated cheese (i used Parmesan cheese which was left out, but please feel free to use process cheese or cheddar cheese any of it)

1 tsp Cumin Powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala powder

1 tsp red chilly powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Ginger paste

1 tsp green chilly paste

Salt to taste and 

Olive oil or any other oil for shallow frying the cutlets..

Recipe:

• In a bowl, Mix grated paneer, boiled and mashed potato, chopped onion, bread dipped in water and crumbled a little, slightly crushed kasuri methi,  besan, grated cheese, cumin powder, garam masala powder, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, ginger paste, green chilly paste and salt. 

• Now give a usual Cutlet or patty shape.
• Heat a little qty of oil in a non stick pan for shallow frying the Cutlets /Patties.

• Shallow fry it on medium flame until light golden brown from both the sides with crunchy texture from outside and soft from inside.
• Serve hot with tomato ketchup or Green coriander or Mint Chutney.

Serving Tip:

Take two slice of a bread, Spread butter and Green coriander or mint chutney, and place Paneer Cutlet /Patty. Cover it with another bread slice for sandwich. 

Here is your Paneer cutlet Sandwich ready to serve. Or else you can Grilled the sandwiches too.

Enjoy..:)

Vegetable and Herbed Cheese Cake

When it comes to cheese cake, first thought that comes is sweet and delicious creamy heavy dessert. But here is a twist, I used veggies along with few dried herbs. This veggie Cheese cake is made up of three cheeses. For more details see the recipe below :)...and you too can enjoy this easy delicious veggie cake.

Vegetable & Herbed Cheese Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup finely grated carrot

2 1/2 cup finely grated zuchhini (Tori/Turai)

1/2 cup finely grated brocolli

1 cup finelly chopped onion

1 medium tomato sliced in rings

1 tsp garlic paste (I used garlic chunks)

3 tbsp Butter

1 tsp Oregano

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp basil

1 tsp mixed herbs

1 to 1 1/2 tsp grounded black pepper

3 tbsp Maida/all pupose flour

1 tbsp lemon juice

Salt to taste

2 1/2 cup Italian Ricotta Cheese (Click on the links for the recipe of ricotta cheese that I shared earlier)

1 cup Grated mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated processed cheese

4 large eggs

1 cup bread crumbs

Recipe:

1) Grease spring form pan with butter or olive oil and spread bread crumbs all over. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Mean while, grate zuchhini (Tori/turai), salt lightly and let its excess moisture strained ( keep aside for about 15 minutes).

2) In a pan saute chopped onions in  butter with pinch of salt, until translucent.

3) Now add Grated carrots, brocooli, zuchhini(Tori/turai), garlic paste, oregano, parsley, basil, Mixed herbs, lemon juice and flour. Stir for 8-10 minutes. Let it cool and come to room temperature.

4) Beat eggs, and slowly  fold in all grated chesses (I use mixer for this) . Keep beating in mixer until all is mixed well and bit fluffy.

5) Now in this cheese mixture, fold all veggie mixture (make sure, veggies are cooled down, else eggs in cheese mixture will scramble).

6) Add grounded black pepper and salt to taste. Pour this whole mixture in spring form pan.

Now bake this for 30 minutes at 200 degree Celsius in preheated oven.

7) After 30 minutes bring out for a minute and decorate cheese cake's top with tomatoes sliced in rings. Sprinkle bread crumbs on it.

8) Now reduce oven temperature to 180 degree Celsius and again bake for 30 minutes.

9) Once baked, let it stand for 15 minutes in oven. Than after Remove out and let it stand for further 10 minutes before serving. 

Punjabi Kadhi Pakodi (Baisakhi Special)

Ingredients:

Punjabi Kadhi Pakodi (Baisakhi Special)

Pakodis:

1 1/2 Cup Gram Flour (Besan)
1 Medium small chopped onions
1 tsp whole carom seeds (Ajwain)
1 1/2 tsp of dry fenugreek leaves ( Kasuri methi)
1 tsp Red Chilly powder
1/2  tsp turmeric powder
Pinch of baking soda
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Kadhi:
2 cups curd (dahi)
2 cups water
4 1/2 tbsp gram flour (Besan)
2 tsp Green chilly Paste
11/2  tsp Ginger paste
1 1/2 tsp Garlic paste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
4-5 Cloves (Laung)
Salt to taste

Tempering:
11/2 tbsp Ghee
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
Pinch of Asafoetida (Hing)
1 tsp of dry fenugreek leaves ( Kasuri methi)
4-5 curry leaves
1 tsp Red chilly powder
2 Whole Kashmiri Red chilly

Recipe:

Kadhi
In a deep Pan Mix curd with water, gram flour, green chilly paste, ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric powder and salt till smooth and no lumps. Now bring the mixture to boil. Mean while make pakodis.

Pakodis
In a bowl Mix gram flour with little water (to make thick batter), chopped onion, carrom seeds, dry fenugreek leaves, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, baking soda and salt to taste. Heat oil in a pan and once done deep fry pakodis till crisp and golden brown from outside. Use tissue paper for draining out extra oil. Keep aside

 Now once the Kadhi mixture comes to boil add pakodis in it. Now its time for tadka  (tempering). (keep simmering on a low flame, you will require a little water at this point of time about 1/2 cup, as after adding pakodis, kadhi becomes thick).

Tempering.
In a small pan pour olive oil, ghee and add cumin seeds, Once it splutters add hing, curry leaves (be careful
while adding curry leaves, as it pops up suddenly), dry fenugreek leaves, whole kashmiri red chilly and lastly, red chilly powder (While adding red chilly powder turn off the flame as it burns and turns black easily). Pour the tempering in simmering kadhi pakodi. Cook for few minutes after tempering. And serve hot. Garnish it with Coriander leaves. (I even garnish with hot ghee mixed with Red chilly powder, and pour it while serving)

Baisakhi Special (Kadhi Pakodi)

Notes: 1) It is advisable to make pakodis first so that it comes to room temperature before adding it to kadhi.
2) As in pakodi mixture itself we have used baking soda to make it soft. But if you do not want to use soda than after frying add pakodis immediately in water and let it remain until it comes to room temperature, it will turn soft. But it is advisable to add soda if possible.

Serves: 4
Time: 20-25 minutes (overall)