CHATPATA CORN / CORN CHAAT

A healthy and tasty corn chatpata made from boiled sweet corn kernels is a lovely snack or tiffin choice. The chatpata corn / masala corn / corn chaat is a very simple, healthy and flavourful recipe which can be prepared in a instant and needs very less ingredients. It can be had as a snack or served hot as a salad or dish and is loved by everone. It can prepare this healthy and nutritious chaat for your kids, when they came back from school. It is a healthier option than cakes and cookies and kids will love it for sure.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Corn Karnels

1-2 Small Green Chillies

1 Tomato, Chopped Finely

2 tablespoon Chopped Coriander

1 Onion, Chopped Finely

½ Red Bell Pepper, Chopped

½ Green Pepper, Chopped

Salt to taste

½ teaspoon Chaat Masala

½ teaspoon Oregano

½ Lemon Juice

METHOD:

STEP 1 – In a vessel, boil the corn karnels in a salt water till tender.

STEP 2 – In a salad bowl, add all vegetables and add oregano in it.

STEP 3 – Now add boiled corn in it and mix well.Add chaat masala and salt and give a nice stir.

STEP 5 – Finally, add lemon juice and mix all together and serve.

Serve this chatpata corn at breakfast or as a teatime snack, or you can pack it in your kids tiffin box for their short break in school.

KESARI HALWA

Kesari Halwa is a very popular recipe and it is very easy and quick. It is an Indian sweet that is often made for festive occasions or special days. There are many variations of this like Pala Kesari / Banana Kesari / Pineapple Kesari /Mango Kesari. The term kesari means saffron. Rawa kesari is made with semolina, sugar and a few strands of saffron. It is often served with simple festival meals as a dessert. It is as well offered to Gods as naivedyam or Prasadam on festivals and even during regular Fridays. This halwa is healthy and it’s without any unhealthy food colour. Hope you all like it. Thank you.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Rawa / Samolina /Sooji

1 Cup Sugar [as per your taste can cut down or increase it]

3 Cups Milk/ Water

5-6 tablespoon Clarified Butter/Ghee

4-5 Cashew nuts

5-6 Raisins

5-6 Almonds

Few Strands of Saffron

A pinch of Cardamom Powder

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Soak saffron strands in a tablespoon of milk.

STEP 2 – Heat a pan with clarified butter.

STEP 3 – Add rawa to it and roast it stirring continuously for about 10 minutes.

STEP 4 – Maenwhile, boil water / milk and add sugar in to it. Mix it.

STEP 5 – Let it boil for 4-5 minutes.

STEP 6 – If needed add more clarified butter.

Add the sugar syrup in the roasted rawa.

 Be careful because it get spluttered.

STEP 7 – Cover the pan for 1-2 minutes.

STEP 8 – Then remove the lid and mix well.

STEP 9 – Add the saffron milk and chopped dry fruits in it.

Add cardamom powder and mix it well. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Halwa is ready to serve.

Serve hot kesari halwa to your loved ones.

 

LEMON RICE

Lemon rice is a delicious south Indian dish which gives a very refreshing and tangy flavour to the rice. This is one of the most commonly made south Indian rice dish. This is very easy and quick recipe. I served lemon rice with mint raita and some papad. Some even like to enjoy this with masala wada, pakora.  Lemon rice and all other mixed rice varieties are my favourite. I can eat without getting tired even everyday for lunch. I get bored just simple and usual cooking daily. Want to experiment my food and innovate new dishes. At my home no one is in favour of rice except me. My daughters not even touch normal steamed rice, khichadi,etc. But now a days develop their taste for biryani, pulao and Maharashtrian Masala Bhaat. I used a bit grated or minced ginger which adds a good aroma to the rice and keeps fresh for hours. I tried this few days before and it turned out superb. Give a try and I hope you like it for sure. If yes then don’t forget to comment in the comment box. Thank you.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups Rice

1 teaspoon Sesame Seed Oil [ I don’t have sesame oil, so used peanut oil]

1 Lemon [juicy one]

Salt to taste

For the Seasoning:

2 tabelspoon Oil

1 teaspoon Mustartd Seeds

1 teaspoon Urad dal

1 teaspoon Chana Dal

2 Dry Red Chillies

2-3 Green Chillies

6-7 Cashew nuts

1 tablespoon Peanuts

Asafoetida a pinch

1teaspoon Finely Chopped Ginger

¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder

1 starnd Curry Leaves

 METHOD:

STEP 1 – Wash the rice under running water till water runs clear.

STEP 2 – Soak the rice for ½ an hour.

STEP 3 – Pressure cook the rice in pressure cooker till 2 whistles and not mushy.  completely, remove it from cooker . Cool it and spread it on a plate.

When the pressure get released

STEP 4 - Add oil, lemon juice and salt over it so that the grains will not stick together.

Adjust the salt quantity as per your liking taste.

STEP 4 – Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds.

STEP 5 – When crackled, add urad dal, chana dal, dry red chillies. .

 Add peanuts, cashew nuts  in it and mix it.

STEP 6 – Then add curry leaves and vertically chopped green chillies. Saute for a minute or two. Lastly add asafoeitida in it.

STEP 7 – Mix it properly, add turmeric powder.

STEP 8 – Add this tempering to the cooked rice and mix well and serve it.

Serve with papad and some raita. 

NOTE: Do not cook after adding the lemon juice.

            If you like you can use olive oil instead of vegetable/ peanut oil.

            Add lemon juice according to your taste.

ACHARI LACHHA PARATHA

Lachha paratha is the most popular paratha recipe from Northern India, prepared with wheat flour. The lachha parathas usually have multiple layers. You can make these parathas with various methods and filings. Today I am sharing one such variation with you all and that is Achari Lachha Paratha.  Many of us believe that only experts can make lachha paratha but with this simple recipe I think anyone can make it. Let’s try out your hands at this achari lachha paratha next time when hunger for lachha parathas.Your family will relish eating it for sure. My daughters were very happy now a days because no need to go out at restaurants for these yummy parathas.

INGREDIENTS:

  3 Cups Wheat Flour for dough + as required for dusting on dough while rolling out parathas

Clarified Butter /Butter for frying parathas

Salt to taste

3-4 tablespoon Pickle Masala

Water as required to knead

Oil as required for dusting on dough while rolling our paratha

METHOD:

 STEP 1 – First we have to make the dough as we make regularly for chapatties. [so I didn’t shared the step pics] Knead the dough slightly tight.

STEP 2 – Keep the dough aside for 15 minutes.

STEP 3 – Take lemon size portion of the dough, round it and roll it with a little dry wheat flour. Roll out it into a circle with 8 “ diameter.

STEP 4 – Spread some oil over the paratha evenly

and then spread about a spoonful of achari masala powder. Do not apply masala on the periphery because of this roti will fold properly.

STEP 5 – Hold approx. 1/3 “ wide strip with your hands first two fingers and thumb from the top edge of rolled paratha,lift and fold backwards such that the top edge remain on top.

 STEP 6 – Now hold the two ends of pleated strip and repeat lift and fold backward process until entire paratha is like stalk of folded pleats.

STEP 7 – Then hold each ends of long stacked-pleated strip with your first two fingers and thumbs. Lift the strip slowly away from rolling board and give a few mild gentle swings. This will stretch the strip a bit.

STEP 8 – Now horizontally place elongated strip on rolling board.

STEP 9 – Roll it like a swiss roll, press and stick outer end against roll’s immediate surface. Prepare remaining rolls the same way.

 STEP 10 – Roll it gently on a platform with dry wheat flour, don’t apply too much pressure and give it a round shape. [ approx. 7-8 “ diameter]

STEP 11 – Heat tawa over medium flame. Place raw lachha paratha on it.

STEP 12 – When you see tiny bubbles rise on the surface, flip it upside down.

STEP 13 – Spread a teaspoon full oil / clarified butter/ butter on it, spread evenly

and cook the parathas on both sides.

STEP 14 – Transfer them to a plate and spread some more butter. Repeat process for remaining dough.Soft, crispy achari lachha parathas are ready to serve.

Serve hot achari lachha parathas to your loved ones with any gravy like paneer tikka masala, matar-paneer, butter chicken, etc.

 

NOTE:       I have already shared the plain lachha paratha in my blog, under the Catagory-Pooris and          Parathas, so here I skipped to show the pics. For detailed recipe you can follow the recipe .