Sama ke Chawal ki Vegetable khichdi

sama ke chawal ki khichdi

Earlier I blogged about sama ke chawal ki khichdi which had only samak rice but this recipe also contains healthy vegetables which can be eaten during fasts. Addition of vegetables add to the taste as well as nutritive value of this tasty vrat ki khichdi. Remember we don't eat beans and peas (matar) in any form during Ekadashi, Janmashtami and Navratra fasts.

Recipe of sama ke chawal ki vegetable khichdi

1/2 cup sama ke chawal (samo rice/shyamak chawal/samak chawal/vrat ke chawal)

1 tbsp desi ghee (clarified butter)

Sendha salt (rock salt) - to taste

2 green chilies- chopped

Vegetables like potato, carrot, spinach, tomato, cauliflower and capsicum- chopped

 2& 1/2 cups of water

How to make sama ke chawal ki vegetable khichdi

1. Wash and soak sama ke chawal. In the meantime you can chop the vegetables. Drain the water from the rice.

2. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and add green chilies. Sauté for a minute and then add all the vegetables, salt and sama ke chawal along with 2 and 1/2 cups of water. (Idea is to add 5 times water as sama ke chawal).

3. Cook to 2 whistles. Open the lid of the cooker when pressure drops down naturally. Your sama ke chawal ki khichdi is ready.

Besan Wali Arbi Recipe

besan wali arbi

This recipe of besan wali arbi is one of my own recipes. Today I made them along with rotis and they turned out very tasty. If you like arbi in any form, they are worth giving a try.

Recipe of besan wali arbi

1/2 kg arbi (taro root/ colocassia)

2 tbsp besan (gram flour/ chickpea flour)

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)

1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp amchoor (dry mango powder)

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 inch piece ginger- grated or chopped

2 tbsp oil

How to prepare besan wali arbi

1. Pressure cook arbi for 1- 2 whistles. Peel and chop them into roundels.

2. Out of the 2 tbsp oil, add 2 tsp oil to a pan or a kadhai and add besan. Roast on a medium- low heat till nice aroma comes out of besan and it turns slightly reddish- brown.

3. Turn off the heat and take besan out of the pan. Add a little salt to the besan.

4. In the same pan, heat the remaining oil and add ajwain. When it changes color, add hing.

5. Add the ginger and sauté it lightly.

6. Add arbi, salt and turmeric powder and mix well. Roast on a medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.

7. When arbi appears well roasted, add remaining spice powders and besan. Mix well and cook on a low heat for 3-4 minutes.

8. Turn off the heat and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve besan wali arbi hot with roti, paratha or poori.

Kuttu ki Tikki (Buckwheat Flour Patties)

kuttu ki tikki

Kuttu ki tikki is a tasty dish which can be eaten during fasts as it is a 'falahari' food. I prepare them on Ekadashi fasts and offer them to Lord Krishna and have them as a prasad.

Recipe of kuttu ki tikki

1 cup kuttu atta (buckwheat flour)

3 medium sized potatoes (boiled, peeled and mashed)

2 green chillies- chopped finely

Sendha salt (rock salt)- to taste

Ghee (clarified butter)- to shallow fry

How to make kuttu ki tikki

1. Mix potatoes, green chillies and sendha salt to kuttu atta in a bowl.

2. Knead the atta using potatoes, no need to add water.

3. Pinch a lemon sized ball (peda) out of the dough and pat between your greased palms to make a tikki (patty).

4. Heat a non-stick tava (griddle) and smear ghee on it. Place this tikki on the tava and place rest of the tikkis from rest of the dough.

5. Roast kuttu tikki from both sides applying ghee. Place as many tikki on the tava as can be easily placed and prepare in batches.

6. Roast tikki till it turns reddish brown. Serve hot kuttu ki tikki with aloo ki sabzi or curd or both.

Bathua (Pigweed) ka Paratha

bathua ka paratha

Bathua paratha is a healthy and tasty dish of winter season since bathua or pigweed comes in winter. Like most green, leafy vegetables, bathua too has lot of nutritive value. Bathua ka paratha is a welcome change from the regular parathas. It’s worth trying out this winter.

Recipe of bathua ka paratha

1 cup atta (whole wheat flour)

250 gm bathua (pigweed)

1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp red chilli powder

Oil to shallow fry

How to make bathua ka paratha

1. Pick bathua leaves and discard the stems.

2. Wash the leaves thoroughly under running water. Squeeze them gently to remove excess water. Chop them finely.

3. Take atta in a shallow bowl and add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and ajwain. Add chopped bathua leaves.

4. Knead the atta into a firm dough adding little water, remembering bathua too has water but the dough should not be too hard.

5. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, covered.

6. Pinch a ball (peda) from the dough and roll out into a disc or paratha.

7. Heat a tava (griddle) and roast bathua paratha from both sides applying oil. Roast till brown-black specks appear on both sides. Similarly roast other parathas. Paratha should be roasted on medium heat.

8. Serve hot bathua ka paratha with sabzi or you can also have them with curd and pickle. 

Gajar Matar Recipe (Carrot with Green Peas)

gajar matar

This is a very simple and easy to make recipe of gajar matar ki sabzi. It's so simple that you can prepare it on a regular basis without much hassle. What’s more this sabzi tastes very good besides being nutritious.
Recipe of gajar matar ki sabzi

3-4 medium sized gajar (carrot)

1 cup shelled matar (green peas) -fresh or frozen

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp amchoor (dry mango powder)

1 1/2 tbsp oil

How to cook gajar matar sabzi

1. Peel, wash and chop gajar in roundels.

2. Heat oil in a kadhai (heavy bottomed vessel) and add cumin seeds. When they turn darker, add hing.

3. Add gajar, matar, salt and all the spice powders except amchoor and garam masala. Mix well.

4. Turn the heat to low and cover the lid of the kadhai.

5. Cook, stirring occasionally, till gajar and matar turn soft.

6. Add amchoor and garam masala and mix. Cook for 1 minute uncovered. Turn off the heat.

7. Take out gajar matar in a serving bowl and serve hot with roti or paratha.

Aam ka Khatta Meetha Achar (Sweet Sour Mango Pickle)

aam ka khatta meetha achar

Aam ka khatta meetha achar is an instant achar. You don't have to wait for days for it to be ready. Since this is mango season, why not make the most of it. Earlier I blogged about aam panna which is also made from raw mangoes. This sweet sour achar tastes absolutely delicious. The basic recipe of this achar was shared by my mausi (aunt), Mrs. Lata Mittal, in which I filled in the details.
Recipe of aam ka khatta meetha achar
1 kg kairi (raw mango/kaccha aam)
2 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
2 tsp saunf (fennel) powder

raw mango pieces marinating in salt

How to make aam ka khatta meetha achar/sweet sour mango pickle
1. Wash kairi thoroughly. Wipe with a clean cloth. Leave to dry completely.
2. With dry hands and dry potato peeler, peel all the raw mangoes.
3. Cut into small pieces and discard the seeds.
4. Mix 2 tsp salt into kairi pieces and set aside for 1 1/2 hrs, covered. You will find they have released water.
5. Put a kadhai on heat and add raw mango pieces along with the water they have released and sugar (Remember not to add any additional water). Turn the heat to medium-low.
6. Let it cook for a while stirring in between. When raw mango and sugar have released sufficient water, turn the heat to medium.
7. Let it cook till chashni (syrup) reaches 2 thread consistency. To test this, drop a few drops of chashni in a cup of water. If it settles down your chashni is ready.
8. Add red chilli, garam masala and saunf powders and mix. Let it cook on a low heat for 3-4 minutes.
9. Turn off the heat and let the achar cool down. Your aam ka khatta meetha achar is ready. Fill it in glass or plastic jar or bottle.
Note: 1. Your jar or bottle in which you fill the achar should be clean and completely dry and free of impurities.
2. There is no need to refrigerate this achar. It stays fresh for long.

kairi (raw mango)

Aloo Matar Mangodi ki Sabzi

aloo matar mangodi ki sabzi

Aloo matar mangodi ki sabzi is a Rajasthani dish and is popular among Marwari community. They cook mangodi or moong dal wadis in many different ways. Here is my take on this sabzi.
Recipe of aloo matar mangodi ki sabzi
1/2 cup mangodi (moong dal wadi)
2 medium (aloo) potatoes- peeled and cubed
1/2 cup matar (green peas)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tomato- pureed
1/2 cup curd (yogurt)- beaten
1 1/2 tbsp oil
How to cook aloo matar mangodi ki sabzi
1. Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker and add mangodi. Fry mangodi till reddish brown.
2. Turn off the heat and add 1 cup water to the pressure cooker. Close the lid of the cooker without turning on the heat.
3. After 15 minutes, open the lid and add cubed aloo and matar. Add 1 cup water, salt and all the spices except garam masala. Close the lid and pressure cook to 3-4 whistles. Turn off the heat.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a tadka pan and add cumin seeds. When they turn darker, add tomato puree and saute till oil begins to separate.
5. When pressure drops down naturally in the cooker, open the lid and add tadka (tempering). Add garam masala and cook for 1 minute.
6. Turn off the heat and add beaten curd. Take out aloo, matar, mangodi ki sabzi in a serving bowl and serve hot with roti or paratha.