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Recipe: It’s Raining Snacks – Araikeerai Vadai

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The monsoon returns to South India around Deepavali and the festive season, yet it causes no dampener at all to our spirits of enjoyment and our desire to cook – especially when it comes to snacks. Vadais are deep-fried dumplings that are common in South India, and can be made in a number of ways. To make this type, I reached out for a delicious local green, known in Tamil as araikeerai and in English as spleen amaranthus. Deep-fried it may be, but the use of this regional spinach can give one the sense that this dish is at least remotely healthy! We absolutely love it at home, and eat araikeerai vadai more often than we do traditional Gujarati treats of a similar kind. I’m quite sure that once you try this recipe out, you will feel just as addicted too.

Spinach varieties are aplenty in Tamil Nadu, and araikeerai is currently in season. It is a protein-rich green, and is also great for digestion as it is rich in fibre. Iron, vitamin C and antioxidants are some of the other nutritious elements of this vegetable. I love to add a large amount to my vadai batter. I find it really enhances the taste. Araikeerai has a pleasant flavour, one that isn’t very distinct and doesn’t take away from the crunchy yumminess of the vadai. You may wish to substitute it in this recipe with a local, seasonal green of your choice.

As you may already have guessed, this is the kind of snack that sneakily convinces your children to consume more greens, a bit like the way this roasted tomato soup incorporates gourds and carrots, or perhaps more straightforwardly like this kid-friendly spinach and corn bake. I’m glad to say that it is also pleasing to the elderly, who can be just as fussy in their tastes as little ones. My octogenarian mother-in-law is crazy about araikeerai vadai, and it’s a frequent feature at home these days as she enjoys it so much.

As far as accompaniments go, a coconut chutney is traditional. I recently started making mine with a twist that was learnt at my new daughter-in-law’s home. I will share that recipe soon, to add to the collection of chutneys on this blog.

I said earlier that rainy weather doesn’t get in the way of our desire to cook, but actually, it is a little more than that. I have noticed that Indians have this thing – somehow, rain inspires us to prepare and consume more! All across the country, I have seen families whip up bajjis, vadais and all kinds of fried tastiness at the first sight of a drizzle. To be honest, I’ve never understood the association between the weather and the food made, but to me it feels like an extension of the festive season. Come January of course, everyone seems to run to the gym and talk about calories – but such is the cycle of life! In the meanwhile, during this season, we are free of guilt – and free to gorge on the good stuff.

Araikeerai Vadai

(Yield: Approximately 10 pieces)

1 cup chana dal (split chickpeas)

1 bunch araikeerai (equal to 2 full cups of spinach)

Salt to taste

1 onion (finely chopped)

1 green chilli (finely chopped)

1 tablespoon ginger and green chili paste

A handful of curry leaves

Oil for deep frying

 

Soak the chana dal for 4 hours or until tender to the touch. Drain the soaking water. Rinse.

Remove the stalks and chop the araikeerai finely. Rinse in running water.

Add the dal to a blender and grind coarsely. Do not add water. Put the ground dal into a bowl. To prepare the batter, add the salt, green chili, araikeerai, ginger and green chili paste, curry leaves and onions. Mix well. Allow this to sit outside for 1-2 hours, or refrigerate if frying later.

Heat the oil in a kadai. Once it’s hot, make discs the size of a lime and flatten them, using your palms. While making the discs, ensure that the edges are perfectly rounded. Drop each into the hot oil gently. Fry on a medium flame. If you feel the vadais are crumbling as they fry, add a spoonful of rice flour. Allow to cook on both sides, flipping them occasionally, until dark golden. Drain onto a paper.

Serve hot with a chutney or a dip of your choice.

I hope this delicious araikeerai vadai gives you something to look forward to on a rainy day – or any day, really!

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Recipe: More Chances For Moringa – Moringa Chutney

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Moringa leaves have made some appearances on my blog in the past, for instance in this omelette, as well as a suggested sprinkling across numerous other dishes. Moringa leaves are a very versatile green commonly used in South Indian cuisine, which happen to be considered a superfood. You may also know them as the leaves of the drumstick tree. Today, I want to share the recipe for moringa chutney, a tasty way to make use of this highly nutritious ingredient.

Moringa powder is also easy to make at home, if you have access to the trees. Just dry the leaves in the sun for five or six hours, powder and store. Remember to only use the leaves, and discard the stem. You can use it liberally across all kinds of dishes, to boost their antioxidant, mineral, amino acid and vitamin content.

Coming back to the chutney: I wanted to make it in a more traditional way. You may recall from my previous post, on roasted tomato soup, that I was nostalgic for the food mill method my mother would use. So this time, I decided to use the ammi-kallu, or grinding stone, to prepare this chutney. I do believe that it has come out extra flavourful because of the hand-ground effect. You can of course still get a delicious chutney with a modern blender.

I know it’s unfair to compare this moringa chutney to a pesto, but that’s what comes to mind for me. Like a pesto, it can be used in lots of different ways. You can have it as a dip with idli, mix it with a dollop of ghee onto rice, or even spread it on toast. The jar I made when I did the photoshoot for this recipe was wiped clean in two days, as my family found so many uses for it. It’s not a runny kind of chutney, which lets you get creative in terms of how you can use it.

Speaking of creativity, I was even thinking of bottling some and gifting it for Diwali, as a unique and surprising alternative to the usual Indian sweets. Perhaps that’s something you may want to do too, this festive season. I hope you’ll enjoy making and sharing this lovely moringa chutney!

Moringa Chutney

(Yield: One bowl)

1 tablespoon oil

¼ teaspoon asafoetida

4-6 shallots

1 teaspoon urad dal

3 cloves garlic

1 inch piece of ginger

6-8 curry leaves

2 slit green chilies

2 marble-sized balls of tamarind

1½ cups moringa leaves

½ cup shredded coconut

 

Add oil to a pan. Once it has heated, add the urad dal and asafoetida. Sauté until the dal is golden and well-roasted.

Next, add the green chilli, tamarind, garlic and ginger. Sauté for a few minutes.

Next, add the curry leaves. Sauté and add then add the moringa leaves. Sauté some more. Turn off the heat and then add the shredded coconut. I find this final ingredient tames the flavour a bit, and enhances it in its own way.

Add the above to a blender and make a paste of a thick consistency. If you are using a traditional kitchen tool, do so instead. Your moringa chutney is ready, and can be enjoyed as an accompaniment in numerous ways. If you are a fan of chutneys in general, you may also want to check out a few other variations I’ve shared, including lasun ki chutney, plum chutney and raw mango chutney.

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Recipe: The Taste Of Comfort – Roasted Tomato Soup

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Tomato soup is a staple among the variety of soups, and every single person I know has their own method. Each has their own recipe, with a distinct taste and particular flavourings – these could be Indian, Italian, Mexican or so on. At the end of the day, it’s their own favourite version of tomato soup, and this one – roasted tomato soup – happens to be mine.

Tomato soup is often a comfort soup to many, especially when one is ill or at home alone and therefore cooking lightly. But it is also ideal for when one wants to entertain and offer something homely to guests.

In that sense, it’s both familiar and versatile. You can dress it up or dress it down, depending on the occasion. You can also decorate it through garnishing and plating, and present it well. While it works just fine on its own, it can be an appetizer or had as or with an accompaniment. I like to have it alongside some kind of toast.

In terms of spices, I like to keep mine simple: salt and pepper are enough, and a dash of lime before serving adds more flavour. You may wish to add rosemary or some Italian herbs to season it, if you prefer. The secret to the taste in my recipe is that the tomatoes are roasted first. The roasting adds a really nice flavour to the soup, versus steaming or boiling. The colour itself is very inviting and looks lovely on a table setting.

Speaking of colour, there was a little trick I used to do with this tomato soup when my kids were growing up. While I retained the tomatoes as a base, I always added some kind of gourd (many are commonly grown in South India, and I tended to use a ridge or bottle gourd most often) or else a carrot to the soup. Both would blend in invisibly; in fact, the carrot would heighten the colour. This was how I got my children to eat even more vegetables than they knew they were consuming. Nowadays, they have become discerning adults, so I focus more on the flavours and presentation when serving them this dish, rather than on disguising nutritious ingredients! So red bell peppers are included instead, which flavour the soup nicely alongside the simple spices.

As for me, tomato soup was also a part of my growing years. What was interesting was that my mother used to make it with a food mill, by hand. We didn’t have a blender then, and soups themselves were an unfamiliar item and more exciting as a result. I can still remember watching her sitting down with the food mill to prepare the soup. It had its own fantastic flavour. In fact, she also used to make tomato ketchup at home, which I did for a long time as well. I may share that recipe soon too.

In the meanwhile, here’s my own warming and tasty take on the quintessential tomato soup.

Roasted Tomato Soup

(Serves 2)

1 red bell pepper

4 medium size tomatoes

Salt to taste

2 cloves garlic

¼ teaspoon black pepper powder

Garnishing of your choice

 

On an open flame, place the tomatoes and bell pepper in turn and roast them until charred.

Place these aside in a dish and allow them to cool.

Once they have cooled, remove the charred skin using your fingers.

Roast the garlic in a drop of oil. Add it to the blender along with the roasted tomatoes and bell pepper. Blend until you get a thick purée.

Pour the mixture into a pot and add a little water to the desired consistency. Add salt and pepper. Boil.

When ready to serve, add a dash of lime and garnish as you’d like to – perhaps with fresh cream or more pepper.

I hope you’ll enjoy this delicious roasted tomato soup. It’s perfect all year round, and is nourishing as well as soothing. Don’t forget to sneak in some extra vegetables – ones that don’t adjust the colour much – if you’re serving it to little ones!

 

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Recipe: Spiced For The Season – Indian Spice Biscuits

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I suppose that biscuits were originally an English concept, known as cookies in the USA and popular across the world. Here in India, we do have our own versions and adaptations. Take for instance the nan kattai, which I shared my own pistachio-rose rendition of a few festive seasons ago. It is believed to have been created by Dutch bakers in 16th century Gujarat. Similarly, all over India today, little bakeries utilize millets and Indian flavours to make their own biscuits, giving us treats like ragi cookies. All these inspirations put together made me decide to bake Indian spice biscuits, and to share the recipe with you too.

I feel that Indians give a lot of importance to spices in general, and this is in part because many of them grow in India and are either native or at least traditional in this part of the world. They hold a very special place in our cooking, which is why they appear in everything from meats to sweets. Nutmeg, mace, saffron, cardamom and cinnamon come to mind as common elements. I’ve chosen to use a few of these to flavour these biscuits.

It is the beginning of the festive season this year, and of culinary indulgences, so I thought this would be the perfect time to share this recipe. These biscuits go well with the mood and the weather, and are ideal to have at tea time. If you are seeking more recipes in this vein to serve at your special occasions, the archive has lots to offer.

Another reason why I chose to try out a new biscuit is because I realised that I love hoarding props. I have quite a large collection in my kitchen, and I wanted to use some of my cookie cutters out of that array.

Strictly speaking, it’s not really a new biscuit for me, just one I haven’t made in some time. When my daughter was living here, we often baked together, and this recipe was one of our usual choices. It was so lovely having her company, with her young mind and her penchant for ideas and innovations. Baking these made me miss her, and I think I will send her a care package with these home-baked Indian spice biscuits.

Baking also makes me miss my mother. As I have mentioned in numerous posts over the years, she attended a baking class when we were growing up, and this meant that we had all kinds of interesting treats at home. For instance, she made cornflake cookies, dipping the dough in cornflakes before baking. At a time when cornflakes themselves were an unusual concept for us, we were fascinated by these. I remember plucking the cornflakes and eating them separately. I remain deeply inspired by my childhood memories of my mother in the kitchen.

I hope these Indian spice biscuits become a part of many more happy memories – for my loved ones and I, and for you and yours.

Indian Spice Biscuits

(Yield: Approximately 20 pieces)

175 grams unsalted butter

75 grams powdered sugar (sifted)

55 grams custard powder

175 grams flour

¼ teaspoon cardamom powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon powder

8-10 strands of saffron

1 teaspoon milk

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

 

Preheat the oven to 170°.

Meanwhile, in a small cup, add the saffron and the milk and allow to steep.

Line a baking tray with a silicone mat. Set aside.

With an electric beater, beat the butter until light and fluffy. To this, add the sugar and then the custard powder.

Beat gently, and now add all the spices. Sift the flour and baking powder and add it to the mixture.

Mix gently using your hands. Cling wrap the dough and refrigerate for 5-10 minutes.

With the help of a spoon, or using your hands, make small discs of the dough. Place them apart on the prepared tray.

Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are golden.

Remove and cool on a wire rack before consuming.

These delicious biscuits have a beautiful flavour to them, one that I am sure will pep up your mood in the late afternoon. You may notice that they are also eggless, which makes them ideal for serving vegetarians. Here’s wishing you a wonderful festive season ahead!

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Recipe: Many Good Possibilities – Grilled Pesto Paneer

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Paneer is a great source of protein, especially for vegetarians (although unfortunately, not for vegans). It is an ingredient that is widely considered as being iconic of Indian cuisine. In fact, even within India I find that restaurants seem to offer fewer vegetables and greens on their menus and a wider variety of paneer options. This is probably because it is very versatile, and goes with any sauce or gravy. Personally, as much as I love it, I do reach out for paneer a bit less as it has a high fat content, and is made of dairy, which I find myself a little lethargic after consuming too much of. Which is easy to do, of course, given how delicious paneer is. As I’ve said before, all food is good within a limit. And this grilled pesto paneer, which is a fusion dish that further expands the possibilities of paneer, is very good indeed.

These paneer skewers make for a great appetizer and are a fun way to enjoy the ingredient as something other than a curry accompaniment to rice or breads. Another method you can try is making a paneer stir-fry with a pile of veggies, to be had as a meal in a bowl (this is quite a satiating breakfast).

When I decided to give basil-based pesto a go instead of the standard coriander, tomato or mint pairings that are typically used for paneer, and it turned out to be a hit at home. If you are a meat eater, this method will work just as well on chicken skewers too.

Using paneer and pesto together is a bit of a new innovation for me, even though I’ve been making the sauce for a long time and paneer for even longer. I struggled to make pesto initially, but have improved a great deal. I share this so that you don’t feel intimidated by it – many times, a recipe just takes practice. I have shared the recipe for this deliciously flavourful sauce earlier, and you can use the same one to prepare the grilled paneer. Here, it works as a marinade.

Of late, I have also been seeing a lot of basil in the markets in Chennai – both the Thai and Italian kinds. To be honest, I am not able to tell the difference on sight, but I ensure that I purchase the Italian basil when I am making pesto. I used to grow some at home too, but I haven’t been able to sustain that plant recently, so I am grateful that it is widely available.

An exciting discovery I made recently that I’d love to share with those of you in India is that I don’t have to buy imported pine nuts anymore. Pine nuts – a key ingredient of pesto – are grown in North India and are known in Hindi as chilgoza. A friend brought me some from Delhi and said they are quite easily available, and now that I know that I only need to ask for chilgoza, I’m going to stick to the regional variety for sure.

Pesto has recently found a notable place in my fridge as an always-there item, similar to my tomato purée. They are both multipurpose. They complement many dishes. The pesto in particular has a unique flavour and can be had in pasta, on toast, as a marinade and as a dip too. While I had been making it for quite a while as I said earlier, it only became a staple in my home when my son who lives in another city began to have cravings for it. He asked me to send it through visitors a few times recently, and I found myself making it a lot more frequently. Since there are so many ways to use it, it never goes to waste. Whether I’m tossing it into a main course or just dipping some cucumber or carrot sticks into it as a healthy snack, there are many reasons why it’s popular on a daily basis. It can also be a bit festive: this grilled pesto paneer is perfect for parties, or just for some novelty.

Grilled Pesto Paneer

(Serves 2-4)

150 grams paneer (cut into cubes)
2-4 tablespoons pesto
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small bell pepper (cut in cubes)

Place the paneer in a wide bowl and add the pesto. Gently massage the paneer, making sure it gets coated. Set aside and allow to marinate for 20-30 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven on grill mode for 20 minutes.

Alternate the paneer and bell pepper cubes onto a skewer. Brush with olive oil. Repeat on more skewers.

Place the skewers on a tray and grill until they are well done. Flip and repeat on the other side.

You may wish to grill the paneer on a pan if you are not using an oven. In that case, put the cubes on the skewer after the pan-grilling is done and serve kebab-style.

Enjoy this grilled pesto paneer hot. I hope you’ll find this preparation exciting. If you are a fan of paneer in general, you may also want to explore a few other recipes I’ve shared that make use of this tasty and trusted ingredient.

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brand poriyal

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I love the flavour of lemongrass. I find it very versatile: it shines in dishes like this vegan whole corn and lemongrass soup, in my early morning tea and even as a semi-decorative element in kachoris. This ginger lemongrass rice is just one of many ways that this wonderfully aromatic herb is used in my home.

Indeed, not only is it used in my home but it is also grown in my home, which means that I have access to fresh green lemongrass leaves whenever I desire them. I currently have this plant on my terrace so that it gets direct sunlight. It sits alongside my jasmines, which I am very proud of. Not only is the visual of them growing together very pleasing, but the natural fragrances that waft there in summer – with the flowers in full bloom giving off a heady scent, alongside the lemongrass – are really so beautiful.

Despite being a long-term fan of lemongrass, this ginger lemongrass rice is a new addition to my repertoire. My daughter is visiting and she loves to cook Thai food, which is what inspired me to bring the ingredient into a lightly stir-fried rice. The method for doing so is a little different, and you can see how to prepare it in the recipe below.

This rice is meant to be accompanied by a side dish, and you can experiment with a variety of cuisines. If I am serving this alongside an Indian dish, fresh coriander or a bit of cumin in the preparation will bring out complementary flavours. If I am pairing it with a Continental dish like a baked spinach (by the way, I will share the recipe for this soon), I may add mint instead. The lemongrass and the ginger remain constants. However you choose to accompany it, the rice itself will be quite flavourful, as well as fragrant.

I have shared quite a few rice recipes here over the years, from biryani to porridge to dessert. In South India, rice grows abundantly, and I’ve also discussed before how the regeneration of native varieties is important. I recently heard the environmental scholar Vandana Shiva speak in Chennai, and I feel moved to share her message. She spoke about how India must maintain our rich agricultural heritage, that farmers should have their own seeds and distribution network and not allow big companies to patent them (this is quite controversial – Monsanto currently has a monopoly on the world’s seeds). She also encouraged farmers to go pesticide-free and focus on seasonal produce, and said that organic food will become more affordable as more farmers choose these methods. It was a very enlightening talk, and these thoughts were on my mind as I prepared this dish. I hope that you too will explore more about these subjects. After all, they relate to our everyday lives and choices.

All said and done, rice is a staple in India, and while it contains sugars and starch, in the right quantities it does more good than harm. I hope we can all come together to be more mindful about our consumption. We can do good, too – even as we indulge.

 

Ginger Lemongrass Rice

(Serves 2)

1 cup rice

5 cups water

2 tablespoons grated ginger

A bunch of fresh lemongrass leaves

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Finely chopped coriander leaves (for garnishing)

I have used basmati for this dish, but I would recommend using any good South Indian or Asian rice variety. Do keep in mind my prior suggestions for additional ingredients depending on the side dishes you prepare to serve this with.

Rinse and soak the rice in a pot. Add the five cups of water. Add the lemongrass leaves and cook until the rice is tender. Strain and set aside. Remove the lemongrass leaves and discard them.

In a heated pan, add the oil. Now, add the ginger and sauté for a few minutes. Add the cooked, fragrant lemongrass rice along with the salt. Mix gently, allowing the flavours to spread into the rice.

Garnish and serve, along with any other dish. This ginger lemongrass rice will certainly elevate the flavours of its accompaniment, and vice versa. Enjoy!

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Recipe: Cool & Refreshing – Cucumber Raita

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Yoghurt, curd, dahi – whatever you want to call it, this essential dairy product is a staple at home with every single meal. It has been this way for many years. When I was growing up, my family would tease me about my love for dahi. It was often joked, “She will even have dahi with bread!” It’s true: I loved it so much that I would eat it in any form. Nowadays, I am equally happy just having it plain, without accompaniments. Sometimes, it’s nice to dress the dahi up and enjoy its versatility, and that’s when a recipe like this cucumber raita gets made.

Later, once I moved into my marital home, I discovered that curd was not a big part of their meals. It began to be included because of me, and gradually it became a staple here as well. So much so that my entire extended family on both sides have another running joke about how dahi should be kept ready whenever I’m about to visit.

Truly, it’s a lifelong love. I have shared in the past that my love for curd is the key reason why the vegan lifestyle is a challenge for me, and for those of you who have mastered it, I hope you’ll explore the many vegan recipes I’ve shared.

Plain homemade curd is my go-to. Greek yoghurt and so on were unknown to me while I was growing up, although I have explored it since. I’m happy to say that my simple, traditional homemade curd literally travels the world. There is a Spanish family whom we are close with, and they visit us every year. Each time, they take back a little bit of curd culture from my kitchen so that they can make their own Indian dahi when they are back home. My friend used to ask me for the recipe each time to jog her memory, but over the last five years, I’ve been able to simply direct her to the method that I published here. You can make it too, and the technique is right here.

Coming to the raita, I’ve made mine a little more exciting. Traditional cucumber raita is a two-ingredient dish, but I’ve added some spices, some mint and some garlic. This brings out a medley of flavours. You may want to try your own variations. For instance, why not replace cucumber with beetroot and watch the dish change colour? It will add quite a bit of novelty, especially when you are entertaining.

Cucumber Raita

(Serves 2-4)

 

1 cup grated cucumber

2 cups thick yoghurt

Salt to taste

2 teaspoons oil

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

A few curry leaves

2-3 pods garlic (cut lengthwise)

2-3 dried red chilies

Mint leaves (for garnishing)

Finely chopped coriander leaves (for garnishing)

 

A point to be noted is that you must be certain that the yoghurt is not sour. If you’re making it at home, follow the technique carefully to ensure this. If you are using it store-bought and find it slightly sour, adding a splash of milk will fix this.

In a bowl, grate the cucumber. Discard a little bit of the released water. Add the yoghurt and salt. Mix well.

In a hot pan, pour the oil to prepare the tempering. Add the cumin seeds to it. Then add the sliced garlic and allow these to turn golden. Once this is done, add the curry leaves.

Pour this tempering over the yoghurt. Garnish and allow to cool in the refrigerator.

As with all other raitas, this is meant to be served cold. It beautifully accompanies certain kinds of rice, such as biryanis, as well as Indian breads. I’ve also served it in a Lebanese spread, alongside pita bread and hummus. It’s quite versatile as a dip or side dish. If you enjoy this raita, why not try my banana-mustard raita too?

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Recipe: The Greatness Of Green Mung – Green Mung Chilla

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I recently travelled to see my son, and spending time with him reminded me of a conversation that we had a few years ago. He manages his own home and kitchen – as all my kids do, now that they have all stepped out to live their own lives as adults. Around five years ago, I had brought some grains along on one such visit and kept them in this son’s home. Subsequently, he told me, “Ma, these are very old. I’m going to throw them out.” I was not happy about this. I explained to him how every seed has a life of its own. Even a thousand years later, you could plant it and it would grow, and you could cook the pulses or dals. Seeds and grains have a power that is ingrained – pardon the pun – in every aspect of our life. From metaphors of sustenance and growth, as I have spoken of earlier to giving us our staple nutrition, they offer us so much. These thoughts inspired me to share another dal-based dish with you. This is a moong dal chilla, rich with the nutrients of green mung.

I’ve shared a recipe for chilla on this blog before, which you may have tried out. A chilla is a kind of Indian crepe, known by different names. I first encountered green mung chilla in Andhra Pradesh, when I was visiting cousins in Vijayawada as a child. There, it was known as pesarattu, and was eaten with upma or onions within its fold. When I think about it, the fact that this dal is a native of South India means that it has many different uses across the cuisines of this region. I take pride in the many wonderful ingredients, including rice and turmeric, that have been cultivated here through history.

Now of course, green mung sits on the world map as a superfood. Not only is it high in protein and iron, but it also has numerous healing properties and other benefits. When you’re recovering from a sickness, boiled mung water consumed in sips can help. It’s easy to digest. It doesn’t create a heaviness in the stomach, which makes it great for light meals.

More often than not, there’s sprouted mung as well as raw mung dal in my home. I sometimes sauté the sprouts for breakfast. At other times, I just grind the raw, soaked dal and have chilla for dinner – especially on evenings when I just want something light. Which brings us back to this recipe. You can make a chilla out of anything. Chickpea flour is an easy base and a quick fix. Green mung chilla takes longer as you have to soak it and grind it. I feel it is worth the extra time as due to the many health benefits described above. It also tastes great, as I think you’ll find out when you try it out yourself.

Green Mung Chilla

(Yield: 6-8 pieces)

1 cup raw green mung

Water for soaking

Salt to taste

1 inch piece of ginger

2 green chilies

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Oil for frying

¾ cup water (approximately)

 

Soak the green mung overnight in sufficient water for 8 hours.

When ready to prepare the chillas, drain the green mung.

In a blender, add the soaked mung, ginger, green chili, cumin seeds and two tablespoons of water. Grind coarsely.

Remove the batter into a bowl. Add salt and add enough water so that it still remains a thick batter. Let this batter sit at room temperature for an hour.

Then, heat a griddle, and splash a few drops of water to test that it’s hot enough. If it sizzles, the griddle is ready.

Mix the batter gently and drop a ladle-full onto the centre of the griddle. Using the back of the ladle, spread the mixture in a circular motion such that it spreads evenly. This is just like how you would make a dosa or a crepe.

Drop some oil to help the chilla fry up. Cook well on a medium flame until slightly golden. Flip it and allow it to cool for a few seconds. Then flip back, fold into halves and take it off the griddle.

Enjoy your green mung chilla hot, and serve it along with chutney or sambar. You may also want to add some toppings or vegetables, to round the meal out more and increase the nutrient and taste quotients. While it requires some prep, the green mung chilla is a simple and satisfying dish. I hope you’ll try it out!

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Recipe: Perfectly Essential – Gujarati Poha

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When people say Gujaratis are synonymous with dhoklas, I often think about how it is probably actually poha that’s a better symbol of our eating habits. Even though it is originally a Maharashtrian dish, Gujarati-style poha has been tweaked to suit our palates and makes such a frequent appearance at our meals that it is also quintessential to us. At any Gujarati home – including mine – on literally seven days of any given week, you are very likely to get to see, and of course taste, poha.

The Gujarati palate likes a bit of sweetness and a bit of tanginess in every dish, which is the tweak that this recipe contains. There is some sugar, of course. There is also a squeeze of lime and some green chilli paste. These additions bring in a perfect combination of three flavours: sweet, tangy and spicy.

Poha is, as established already, a staple. It is flattened rice prepared in a savoury way. It is a reliable dish, and made with easily accessible ingredients. It is basic, simple and nourishing. It is healthy and light on the system. It is versatile: good to serve to guests, good to have when unwell or recuperating, and even good at certain celebrations (such as the morning functions of weddings). It is mainly a morning dish, and it is ideal for an everyday breakfast too.

For me, poha is so essential that if it is served every day in my home, I must also have it at least on three days of the week when I travel abroad. Be it London or New York, I must have poha. I carry the ingredients with me and prepare it wherever I am. When I’m travelling, I like to make it in my own special way, by topping it with lots of vegetables. I do know that some people add green peas during pea season, but otherwise this isn’t typically Gujarati. I add the vegetables to suit my health and lifestyle requirements. In this recipe, I have used corn along with a handful of peanuts, to bring in more of the nutrition quotient that I strongly prefer.

Gujarati Poha

(Serves 2-3 people)

2 cups poha

1 medium size onion (finely chopped)

1 medium sized potato (finely cut)

½ cup corn niblets

1 tablespoon peanuts

1 green chilli

A handful of curry leaves

3 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

Salt to taste

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon sugar

Juice of 1 large lime

You may want to use the red rice variety of flattened or beaten rice to prepare this dish, but I like to use the thinner white rice variety. The advantage of it is that you don’t have to soak it for fifteen minutes to half an hour beforehand. You only have to rinse it. Do keep this in mind; if you use the thicker variety, you must soak and drain it.

Rinse the poha under running water and allow to drain, half an hour before cooking. Set aside.

Heat a kadai, and add the oil. Add the cumin and mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add the peanuts and then the onions, curry leaves and green chilli. Sauté until the onions are tender and then add the potatoes. Now, cover the kadai with a lid and allow the potatoes to cook on a low flame. Sprinkle a little water if required.

Next, add the corn and sauté until all the vegetables are tender.

Add the salt, turmeric powder, sugar and lemon juice and mix. Add the poha and mix gently. Sprinkle a little water and cover again for a few minutes.

Mix again gently and serve. You can garnish this dish with grated coconut and coriander leaves. As I mentioned, you can also top with vegetables for a greater nutritional boost. This will give you a re:store-tweaked, Gujarati-style poha!

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Recipes

Recipe: Another Delicious Staple – Adai

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As you may know, I straddle the worlds of being Gujarati and having been raised in Chennai. I believe that I’m more of a Tamilian than a Gujarati in many ways, or at least I feel that way at times (especially while I’m preparing or sharing certain recipes, like this one). Adai is a very traditional dish from Tamil Nadu, similar to the dosa. I didn’t grow up with it, but once I discovered it, it became a regular on my dining table. I like it a lot as it ticks all the boxes for me in terms of nutrition and taste. It is rich in protein but makes you feel like you’re eating carbs, which it in fact has very little of. It is very satisfying, in the ways that simple dishes can be.

I learnt this recipe from a friend, a few decades ago, and it has been a staple in my home for decades, so I was a little surprised myself that I hadn’t shared it yet. The story of how I got this recipe is that when my son was in kindergarten, there were a bunch of anxious moms waiting outside the school on Day 1 and Day 2 to make sure the kids settled in well. We got around to talking, and as many young mothers do, wound up exchanging recipes. That was how I learnt this adai recipe, and I still think of the friend I made way back when my son started school every single time I use it. I’ve been to her home many times over the years and eaten it there too.

Traditionally, adai is had with fresh butter and jaggery. That is still my favourite combination, even though I also prepare it with a variety of chutneys, a number of which you can explore on the blog. I suspect the traditional accompaniment is my preferred one as it’s sweet, so the Gujju in me kicks in!

I make different versions of adai, in the sense that I may pour it into a waffle maker for novelty, make a big one for dinner or a small one for a starter. Sometimes I even prepare it with a filling – for this, I’ve found that paneer works well. I also make the batter thick and make it like a pancake with raw, finely chopped vegetables, which gives it a different taste and improves the healthiness quotient. Adai in and of itself is quite nutritious, as long as you go easy on the oil. In the version below, I share the recipe for smaller adais topped with the goodness of vegetables.

Adai

(Yield: 10-15 pieces)

1 cup boiled rice

¼ cup tuvar dal

¼ cup yellow moong dal

¼ cup channa dal

¼ cup urad dal

1 onion

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon fennel

2-3 cloves garlic

2-3 dried red chilli

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

Salt to taste

½ teaspoon turmeric

 

Tempering:

1 tablespoon oil

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

1 onion (finely chopped)

½ teaspoon asafoetida

Coriander leaves

 

Sesame oil for cooking

Finely chopped vegetables (onions, carrots and coriander leaves) for topping

 

 

Soak the dals and rice for 6-8 hours in enough water to cover them.

Grind the soaked dals and rice in a blender along with garlic, cumin, fennel seeds and red chilli until coarse. Set aside.

In a kadai, add the oil. Then, add mustard seeds, cumin, asafoetida, curry leaves and finely chopped onion. Sauté on a high flame for 2 minutes and add to the coarse batter. Add the turmeric and coriander leaves to the batter. Mix gently. Your batter is now ready for making the adai.

To cook the adai, the method is as follows. On a heated flat pan, make small discs of the batter, spreading them a little. Add the sesame oil as required to cook. About 1-2 teaspoons will do.

Once the adai is golden brown on one side, flip gently and allow to cook on the other. Then, turn back to the previous side, and add the finely chopped vegetables as an optional topping. Serve with a chutney of your choice. If you decide to serve it with butter or jaggery, you can skip adding the vegetables.

I hope you’ll enjoy this adai, especially if you were already familiar with dosas and wanted to explore a variation on the same!

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