This is a one pot dish usually made on busy days at our home. With minimal ingredients, time and effort, this healthy meal comes together pretty quick and is super easy to make. Combined with simple and humble boondi/cucumber raita, this is a favourite family weeknight meal.
I love the addition of grated carrots and coconut as garnish both for the vibrancy of the dish and added flavours.
Know how to make this simple recipe at home-
Rinse well and soak 1/2 cup basmati rice in water.
Blanch 1 cup spinach leaves (i.e. cook them in rolling boiling water for 2-3 mins and immediately drain and put the spinach in ice cold water). Then purée the spinach in a grinder along with 1 green chilli. Keep aside.
Heat a tbsp cold pressed groundnut oil (or any cooking oil). Then add and sauté, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 star anise and 1 tbsp minced garlic. Add 1/4 cup sweet corn (fresh or frozen) and cook them for 2-3 mins. At this stage, add more vegetables if desired. I added a handful of grated carrot and chopped coriander leaves too.
Add spinach purée, salt to taste and 1 tsp ground black pepper. Drain the rice that was soaked and add that in the pot. After this, mix everything well and add 1.5 cups water. Then cover and cook until the rice is well cooked. Garnish with grated carrot, coconut and a generous dollop of ghee 🙂. Serve hot with boondi or cucumber raita.
Enjoy!!!
If you like this Palak Pulao | Spinach Rice do let me know in the comments below. You can also connect with me on my Instagram and Facebook handles.
Rinse well and soak 1/2 cup basmati rice in water.
Blanch 1 cup spinach leaves (i.e. cook them in rolling boiling water for 2-3 mins and immediately drain and put the spinach in ice cold water). Then purée the spinach in a grinder along with 1 green chilli. Keep aside.
Heat a tbsp cold pressed groundnut oil (or any cooking oil). Then add and sauté, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 star anise and 1 tbsp minced garlic. Add 1/4 cup sweet corn (fresh or frozen) and cook them for 2-3 mins. At this stage, add more vegetables if desired. I added a handful of grated carrot and chopped coriander leaves too.
Add spinach purée, salt to taste and 1 tsp ground black pepper. Drain the rice that was soaked and add that in the pot. After this, mix everything well and add 1.5 cups water. Then cover and cook until the rice is well cooked. Garnish with grated carrot, coconut and a generous dollop of ghee 🙂. Serve hot with boondi or cucumber raita.Enjoy!!!
Keyword indian one pot meal, Palak pulao, spinach rice
This traditional sweet is made in our home on almost every Deepawali. It is offered to Goddess Lakshmi as part of the ‘prasad bhog’. However, making this isn’t limited to only the festivities. We make this a few times in the winter season as well. Dal and almonds and khoya are cooked in ghee and then sweetened with sugar. Aromat like saffron adds a beautiful colour and aroma to this dessert. Making this obviously takes time and effort but believe me, it’s worth every second put into this. The dessert tastes divine!
How to make this?
Take 1/2 cup yellow moong dal and rinse it well. Soak them in enough water for a minimum of 4 hours. I soak them overnight.
Also, soak 1/2 cup whole almonds with skin in water overnight or for at least 4 hours. Peel the almonds and keep aside.
Drain the water from the soaked dal and coarse grind it. Remove the ground dal and in the same grinding jar coarse grind the almonds.
Soak 5-6 saffron strands in 1 tsp of milk.
In a large heavy bottom pan, add 1/2 cup ghee and ground moong dal. Stir it on medium low heat until the moong dal begins to get aromatic and begins to change colour. Time taken is about 40-45 mins.
Add the ground almonds and cook it for 5 mins. Mix in 1/4 cup khoya (evaporated condensed milk). Stir continuously until the mixture changes colour to brown, is enough aromatic and releases ghee. Takes about another 40-45 mins.
Add the soaked saffron milk and mix well. Continue to cook for another 3-4 mins on low flame.
Meanwhile heat 2 cups water in another pan and add 1/2 cup sugar. Let it heat on low flame until the sugar dissolves. Tip in a few strands of saffron in it (it gives a beautiful colour to the halwa). Slowly pour this water to the mix, keep the flame on medium low and stir continuously to avoid lumps. Cook it to the desired halwa consistency. Do not stop stirring. Once it reaches the desired consistency, switch off the flame and take it off from the hot pan.
Garnish with slivered almonds and more saffron strands.
Notes to keep in mind –
* Measurements are important here. However, reducing it by half or doubling it as per requirement is perfectly fine.
* Maintaining the flame at low to medium low is important.
* We like it less sweet but feel free to add another 2 tsp of sugar if you the halwa sweeter.
* To replace khoya, use milk instead of water but cook it for another 15 mins on low flame for the milk to cook well.
Enjoy!!!
If you like this Marwari moong dal and badam halwa do let me know in the comments below. You can also connect with me on my Instagramand Facebook handles.
Take 1/2 cup yellow moong dal and rinse it well. Soak them in enough water for a minimum of 4 hours. I soak them overnight.
Also, soak 1/2 cup whole almonds with skin in water overnight or for at least 4 hours. Peel the almonds and keep aside.
Drain the water from the soaked dal and coarse grind it. Remove the ground dal and in the same grinding jar coarse grind the almonds.
Soak 5-6 saffron strands in 1 tsp of milk.
In a large heavy bottom pan, add 1/2 cup ghee and ground moong dal. Stir it on medium low heat until the moong dal begins to get aromatic and begins to change colour. Time taken is about 40-45 mins.
Add the ground almonds and cook it for 5 mins. Mix in 1/4 cup khoya (evaporated condensed milk). Stir continuously until the mixture changes colour to brown, is enough aromatic and releases ghee. Takes about another 40-45 mins.
Add the soaked saffron milk and mix well. Continue to cook for another 3-4 mins on low flame.
Meanwhile heat 2 cups water in another pan and add 1/2 cup sugar. Let it heat on low flame until the sugar dissolves. Tip in a few strands of saffron in it (it gives a beautiful colour to the halwa). Slowly pour this water to the mix, keep the flame on medium low and stir continuously to avoid lumps. Cook it to the desired halwa consistency. Do not stop stirring. Once it reaches the desired consistency, switch off the flame and take it off from the hot pan.
Garnish with slivered almonds and more saffron strands.Enjoy!!!
Notes
* Measurements are important here. However, reducing it by half or doubling it as per requirement is perfectly fine.* Maintaining the flame at low to medium low is important.* We like it less sweet but feel free to add another 2 tsp of sugar if you the halwa sweeter.* To replace khoya, use milk instead of water but cook it for another 15 mins on low flame for the milk to cook well.
Keyword halwa recipe, indian sweet, moong dal and badam halwa
The husband and I both have a sweet tooth and the festivities adds to our craze for desserts. Though I am all for healthy substitutions, not when it’s festival time. I stick to classics and only tweak it a bit to adjust to our taste buds.
This is a simple and easy recipe and perfect for those who are trying to attempt Indian sweets for the first time.
How to make it?
Soak a few saffron strands in a tsp of milk. I a heavy bottomed pan, add 2 tbsps ghee. Add 1/3 cup crumbled mawa (evaporated unsweetened condensed milk) and 1/3 cup grated paneer (grating the paneer gives it a beautiful texture). Mix and stir it for 2-3 mins. Add 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk and continue to stir it until it releases ghee and starts coming together. Add the soaked kesar milk and continue to stir for another 2-3 mins.
Switch off the flame, add 2 tbsps of preserved/fresh mango pulp and chopped pistachios (optional). Line a tray with parchment paper or grease it. Spread the kalakand mix evenly. Top it up with more mango pulp, rose petals, edible foil and slivered pistachios. Let it rest until set (takes about 3-4 hours).
Give them the desired shape. Enjoy!!!
If you like this mango kesar kalakand do let me know in the comments below. You can also connect with me on my Instagram and Facebook handles.
Soak a few saffron strands in a tsp of milk. I a heavy bottomed pan, add 2 tbsps ghee. Add 1/3 cup crumbled mawa (evaporated unsweetened condensed milk) and 1/3 cup grated paneer (grating the paneer gives it a beautiful texture). Mix and stir it for 2-3 mins. Add 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk and continue to stir it until it releases ghee and starts coming together. Add the soaked kesar milk and continue to stir for another 2-3 mins.
Switch off the flame, add 2 tbsps of preserved/fresh mango pulp and chopped pistachios (optional). Line a tray with parchment paper or grease it. Spread the kalakand mix evenly. Top it up with more mango pulp, rose petals, edible foil and slivered pistachios. Let it rest until set (takes about 3-4 hours).
Give them the desired shape. Enjoy!!!
Keyword indian sweets recipe, mango kesar kalakand
A piping hot bowl of carrot and orange soup mildly spiced and with mild ginger notes filled us with warmth on a cool winter evenings. Absolutely more-ish and satisfying!! This is naturally sweet (without adding any additional sweetener), kids would love this too.
Recipe
Ingredients – makes two bowls
3 large carrots peeled and chopped
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 tsp fresh orange zest
1 large onion roughly chopped
1 Thai bird’s eye chili (optional)
Salt and pepper
2 cups water
Garnish – roasted pumpkin seeds, basil leaves, red chilli flakes, and a light drizzle of fresh cream, freshly ground black pepper.In a soup pot, take 1 tbsp olive oil and sauté onions for 3-4 minutes.
Method –
Add carrots, onion, chilli, grated ginger, orange juice, zest and water and bring everything to a boil. Cover and simmer for 40 mins. Remove from flame.
Cool it to room temperature and use a hand blender to purée it. Sieve the mix through a strainer. Return it back to the pan. Add seasonings. Taste and adjust.
Garnish and serve.
Enjoy!
f you like this carrot & orange soup recipe, do let me know in the comments below or connect with me on my Instagramor Facebook handles.
The husband and I sometimes love to spend our Saturday evening with a few drinks, munchies and a few back to back movies. This is when we are not entertaining friends or we aren’t at our family or friend’s place. On these days, I try to roast/bake healthy snacks for us to munch on. One such go to option is sweet potato chips with variety of dips. One of our favourites being caper garlic hung curd dip. I got the caper garlic condiment from Ishka Farms and mixed a couple tsps with 1/2 cup hung curd and whisked it well, and we were sorted.
How to make sweet potato chips –
Peel around 2 large sweet potatoes. Using a mandoline slicer, slice these into thin chips. The uniformity of slices ensure even cooking. While you slice one, keep the other sweet potato in water to avoid discolouration. Once the sliced chips are ready, soak them in clean water for an hour. Add a tsp of salt of it. After an hour drain the water and pat dry the chips.
When you are ready to roast them, pre heat the oven at 180 C and line a baking tray with oil free parchment paper. In large mixing bowl, add the chips, add sea salt to taste, 3/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1.5 tsp smoked paprika (use red chilli powder as a substitute), 2 tsps sumac, 2 tbsps olive oil, 2 tsps garlic granules or garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder. Mix them well and ensure the chips are coated well in the spices.
Lay them in a single layer on the tray and bake them for approx 35 mins for until the edges turn crisp brown. Switch off the oven and let the chips be inside the hot oven for another 5-8 mins.
Serve with choice of dips. These could be stored in a air tight container for a couple of days but re heat in the oven before eating (do not microwave). However, it tastes best when served immediately after making it.
Enjoy!!!
If you like this sumac roasted sweet potato chips do let me know in the comments below. You can also connect with me on my Instagram and Facebook handles.
Peel around 2 large sweet potatoes. Using a mandoline slicer, slice these into thin chips. The uniformity of slices ensure even cooking. While you slice one, keep the other sweet potato in water to avoid discolouration. Once the sliced chips are ready, soak them in clean water for an hour. Add a tsp of salt of it. After an hour drain the water and pat dry the chips.
When you are ready to roast them, pre heat the oven at 180 C and line a baking tray with oil free parchment paper. In large mixing bowl, add the chips, add sea salt to taste, 3/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1.5 tsp smoked paprika (use red chilli powder as a substitute), 2 tsps sumac, 2 tbsps olive oil, 2 tsps garlic granules or garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder. Mix them well and ensure the chips are coated well in the spices.
Lay them in a single layer on the tray and bake them for approx 35 mins for until the edges turn crisp brown. Switch off the oven and let the chips be inside the hot oven for another 5-8 mins.
Serve with choice of dips. These could be stored in a air tight container for a couple of days but re heat in the oven before eating (do not microwave). However, it tastes best when served immediately after making it.Enjoy!!!
A food stylist, photographer, and blogger. After leading Human Resources for several years in India and the US, my inner calling prompted me to work on a dream and a vision envisaged by my younger self many years ago. Being creatively inclined and with an interest in food, I decided to embark on my journey towards endless and limitless possibilities.
