When you want a twist to your usual plain chapathis, you should try this. Adding methi and some spices to the chapathis makes it totally different and so flavorful.... 
The monotonous flat bread is gone and is replaced by something special... accompanied by a nice gravy, it makes for a special meal....
| Methi Chapathi |
Preparation time : 15 min Cooking time : 2 min per chapathi |
| Simple, Plain Gravy |
Preparation time : 10 min Cooking time : 15 min Serves : 4 Ingredients: Onions - 3 medium sized, chopped, divided use Tomatoes - 2 medium sized, chopped Green chilies - 2, slit Garlic - 6-8 flakes Cashew nuts - 2 Tbsp, divided use Cooking oil - 3 tsp Curd - 3-4 Tbsp, optional Salt - ½ tsp or as per taste Sugar - ¼ tsp Ginger Garlic paste - ½ tsp Coriander pwd - ½ tsp Garam masala pwd - ½ tsp Red Chili pwd - ½ tsp Grated coconut - 2 tsp Method: • Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and sauté half of the cut onions, garlic till golden brown • Add the cut tomatoes and cook till done • Cool it, add to it coconut and half the cashew nuts and grind to a puree • Heat the remaining 2 tsp oil in a another pan, and add ginger garlic paste and slit green chilies • Add the remaining cashews, chopped onion, and stir till golden brown • Add red chilli powder, garam masala powder and coriander powder • Now add salt, sugar and the ground paste prepared in 3 and bring to boil • Add water if the consistency is too thick and boil for 3-4 min, stirring intermittently. • Switch off the flame and add the curd if using and mix well. • Serve it with any flavored rice and enjoy Variations: • Curd is optional – It gives a different taste with and without it • Coconut can be omitted |
Finally I decided to make Manchurian out of it, as D, me and Hima’s parents would love it, but for her I decided to give the fried soya chunks with just tomato sauce. And through out the cooking time I took, she has ran into the kitchen every 2 minutes asking if the ‘Chota Bheem food’ is ready!!
She ate it with delight and so we ate the Manchurian. It did come out pretty well, in a perfect consistency and taste.| Soya Manchurian |
Preparation time : 20 min Cooking time : 20-30 min Serves : 4-5 Ingredients: Soya chunks - 2 cups Milk - 2 tbsp Crystal salt - ½ tsp Boiling water Oil to deep fry For batter: Corn flour - 2 Tbsp Rice flour - 1 Tbsp Maida - 2 Tbsp Orange food color - a small pinch, optional Red chili powder - ½ tsp Salt - ½ tsp Water For Manchurian sauce: Cooking oil - 1 tbsp Onion - 3 medium sized Capsicum - 1, slit into 1” thin strips Garlic - 4-5 cloves Green chilies - 8- 10 (I didn’t have chili sauce, so used chilies) Ajinomoto - 1 pinch, optional Salt - ½ tsp, vary acc to taste Vinegar - 1 Tbsp Soya sauce - 1 Tbsp Tomato ketchup - 2 Tbsp Pepper powder - 1 tsp, optional (adjust as per your taste) Corn flour - about 1 Tbsp, based on the required consistency Method: • In a big vessel, bring water to boil and when boiling, add crystal salt and milk • Dump the soya chunks into the vessel, cover and keep aside for 10 minutes • After 10 mintes, repeat the process in another vessel of boiling water for 10 more minutes. Check if they are soft, by breaking up one. • Drain the soya chunks and squeeze out the excess water. If needed, pat dry on a clean kitchen towel For sauce: • Meanwhile in a wide pan, heat 1 Tbsp oil and add chopped onion, garlic and green chilies • When done, add capsicum and sauté for a few seconds - don’t over cook the capsicum, retain the crunchiness • Add salt, sauces, ajinomoto if using and stir • Mix corn flour in water without lumps and add to the pan - adjust the consistency to your preference Frying the soya chunks: • In a skillet, heat oil for deep frying • Ina small bowl, mix the flours, salt and chili powder for batter and add water to make into a thin paste. It should be of running consistency - not too thick not too thin • Take the softened and drained soya chunks, dip it in the batter and deep fry in oil, 6-8 at a time on medium flame till golden brown • When done, keep on a kitchen towel to drain excess oil • Repeat with the rest of the chunks • When done, add these to the prepared sauce, heat slightly again • Adjust salt and pepper as per taste and optionally garnish with some more sautéed onions or chopped scallions and serve hot • Goes well with fried rice as an accompaniment, or as a starter as is Tips n Tricks: • The batter, if too thick makes the Manchurian balls hard, and if too thin, doesn’t get the crisp texture and may absorb more oil • The quantity of sauces used can be varied as per your taste - no hard and fast rule on the exact measures • Adding milk while soaking the soya chunks eliminates the odor in it |
When colleagues started going ‘healthy way’ and started having granola for breakfast regularly, I too was tempted with it. If not for breakfast, I can at least have it for snaks between meals. (err.. I am a foodie, as you know by now and I need a good breakfast to start my day). But every time I saw the pack in the counter in the super market, I would not be convinced to buy it one because of the rate and another because I wasn’t sure if I’d finish it, after buying one!
After searching through some blogs I realized that I don’t have to follow a ‘recipe’ to make granola, just the basics were needed. Since I had a pack of corn flakes to be used up and also a newly bought pack of flax seeds that I had to use, and also brown sugar that was not used from a long time, I set out to make it, and of course it was a breeze to prepare it, absolutely no preparation time, except that the 40 min of baking needs about 4-5 stirs in between.
I can say it was much better than the one readily available and works out cheaper too... I’m looking forward to doubling the quantity and making again....| Homemade Granola |
Preparation time : 5 min Baking Time : 40-45 min Ingredients: Oats - 2 cups Corn flakes - 1 cups Flax seeds - ¼ cup Almonds - ¼ cup, chopped Cashews - ¼ cup Raisins- ¼ cup Honey - 2-3 Tbsp Brown Sugar - 2 Tbsp Butter - 3 tsp Salt - a pinch Method: • Slightly toast the flax seeds and keep aside • Chop the almonds into smaller pieces and keep aside • Slightly crush the corn flakes, if you feel the flakes are too big • Preheat the oven to 120 deg C (~250 deg F) • In a large bowl, mix the oats, corn flakes, toasted flax seeds, chopped almonds • In a small bowl, melt butter and mix honey and salt • Add the wet mixture into the large bowl with dry ingredients • Mix in the brown sugar • Mix thoroughly so that the oats mixture is evenly coated with honey mixture • Spread it evenly on a large baking tray and bake for 40-45 minutes • Stir it every 10 minutes for baking to be even • Once done, take it out and mix in the raising • Cool completely and store it in a jar • Enjoy the granola as is or with warm or old milk Tips n Tricks: • Use of toasted flax seeds makes it healthy and adds an extra crunch that I loved • Use of brown sugar also added a nice texture to the granola that I didn’t find in the store bought • Adjust the sweeteners as per your personal taste Variations: • Any combination of dry fruits can be added - I had only the ones I have used. Using walnut instead of cashews makes it healthier • Vegetable oil can be used instead or butter |
Sending the Granola to Champa's Bake off.
