81. METHI BESAN SOOKHI SABZI (FENUGREEK & GRAM FLOUR DRY VEGETABLE)

INGREDIENTS

• Fresh Methi (Fenugreek) leaves cleaned, washed & chopped 250 gms OR frozen fenugreek leaves 2 cups
• Besan (Bengal gram flour) - 1 cup 
• Mustard Oil- 2 tbsp
• Lahsan (Garlic Cloves) chopped- 1tsp
• Sarson (Mustard) Seeds- 1 tsp
• Heeng (Asafoetida) - 1/8 tsp
• Salt- 1/2 tsp (as per taste)
• Haldi- 1/4 tsp
• Red Chilly powder- 1/4 tsp
• Jaggery (or Sugar) 1tbsp

METHOD

• Dry roast besan till it releases a nice aroma. Keep aside.
• In the same pan, heat mustard oil, add garlic cloves and Mustard seeds and fry till they garlic changes colour. 
• Add heeng, haldi, salt & red chilly powder and stir quickly. Add methi leaves and mix well. Cover with a lid and cook on low heat till methi is done.
• Add roasted besan bit by bit and keep stirring till all the besan is mixed in methi. Add up to  1/4 cup of water slowly, ensuring that the mix does not become liquidy. Also add jaggery or sugar. 
• If the mix becomes very soft, cook on high heat and keep stirring  till the water dries up fully and it turns into a dry vegetable. 

TIPs & TRICKS

• If you add less water, it will be too dry and will smell of raw besan and if you add too much, it will become soggy. So strike a balance.
• Goes well with roti or paratha.

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80. BAINGAN (BRINJAL) IN COCONUT GRAVY

INGREDIENTS

1. Baingan Long- 03 

2. Onion large-01

3. Green chillies -2-3 

4. Salt- 1tsp (To taste)

4. Coconut Milk 1 cup

5. Coriander (Dhania) & Jeera (Cumin) seeds 1tsp each, dry roasted and crushed coarse

6. Cooking Oil - 2 tbsp

METHOD

1. Wash and cut Baingans into thick rings. 

2. Blend onion and green chillies into a fine paste.

3. Heat oil in a flat pan and shallow fry baingan rings from both sides on high heat. The pieces should be semi cooked not fully done.

4. In the same pan and in the remaining oil, cook onion -chilly mix with salt till it becomes translucent and a little pink. It should NOT become red. 

5. Add Coconut milk, roasted and crushed dhania powder and brinjal pieces and boil for 2-3 minutes. 

6. Goes well both with roti and plain boiled rice.

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79. BHARWAN BAINGAN (STUFFED BRINJAL)

INGREDIENTS
1. Long Baingans - 3
2. Salt- 1 tsp
3. Haldi (Turmeric Powder) - 1/2 tsp
4. Red Chilly powder- 1/2 tsp (to taste)
5. Dhania Powder - 2 tsp
6. Amchoor (Dry Mango powder)- 1.5 tsp
7. Mustard Oil 2 tbsp

METHOD
1. Wash and cut each long brinjal into 3-4 pieces and give a Y shaped slit to each piece length-wise. The slit should not go very deep. Otherwise, the pieces will split up while cooking.
2. Mix together salt, haldi, mirch, dhania and amchoor powders.
3. Holding each piece of slit baingan with one hand, fill dry 1/2 tsp masala powder in the slit with a spoon. Save app. 1 tsp powder. 
4. Heat Mustard oil in a flat pan and arrange all the baingan pieces in it and cover. Cook on medium heat till that side looks almost burnt. Flip all of them and cook the other side too till done.
5. Sprinkle the remaining powder and mix it. Cook for another 2 minutes.
6. Serve hot. 

TIPS & TRICKS
1. Be in control of heat. If the heat is too high, baingan will burn quickly. If it is too low and covered for long period, the baingans will turn out too soft and will give a boiled look. Finally , the outer should have a firm crispy feel while inside should be soft and mushy.
2. You may also add a few whole medium sized onions and/ or medium sized potatoes cut into halves, to add that extra variation or to increase the quantity.
3. For that extra fried feel, add an extra table-spoon oil in the beginning. But the dieters have to make do with 2tbsp oil only.

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IDEAS FOR VEGETARIAN DISHES WITHOUT VEGGIES DURING COVID-19 LOCK DOWN

During the current unprecedented lock-down due to Covid-19, I  dread to see people rushing out to Sabzi Mandis and crowding the vegetable markets forgetting all about the deadly contagion. In contrast, it is so much easier to order grocery on-line, sanitise it, store it and ensure a decent buffer of dry provisions at home without worrying about vegetables all the time. We only may have to tweak our eating habits a little bit. I have listed below a few options for breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner which can be cooked with or without vegetables.
If you can, you may procure bulk quantities of potatoes and onion. While onion can be chopped or minced and stored in the freezer, potatoes can last in the fridge for a very long time. A few packs of tomato puree and tins of crushed/cubed tomatoes are handy while cooking. Even curry patta, green chillies, minced adrak  can be stored in the freezer. The ginger-garlic paste anyway is always available with your grocer. 

FOR BREAKFAST OR BRUNCH
1. Moong Daal Chilla 
2. Besan Chilla
3. Aloo paratha
4. Daal ka paratha
5. Ajwaini poori/paratha
6. Besan & Kasoori methi ka paratha
7. Makki ka paratha (stuffed with aloo, paneer or onion)
8. Rawa Upma 
9. Sewian Upma
11.Upma with (Left-over Rotis)
12. Rawa Idli  
13. Rice Idli 
14. Dosa  
15. Adai 
16. Poha 
17. Oats salted or sweet
18. Corn flakes with milk and dry fruits

FOR SNACKS
1. Kaale chane ki Chaat
2. Matar ki chaat
3. Chana Daal ki chaat
4. Dhuli Moong ki chaat
5. Sprouted Moong ki chaat
6. Aloo Tikki
7. Chaat ke aloo
8. Makhane Roasted 
9. Murmure Roasted (With Garlic & Red Chilly)
10. Baked Ajwaini Matthi
11. Pyaz/Aloo ke pakore


FOR LUNCH/ DINNER 
1. Rajma 
2. Chholey
3. Lobia
4. Kaale Chane
5. Kaaley chane ka keema 
6. Karhi Pakoda
7. Karhi Plain (Jholi)
8. Moong Mangoree ki sabzi
9. Besan Gatte ki Sabzi
10. Besan ki sabzi 
11. Aloo with gravy
12. Boondi ki sabzi
13. Egg Curry
14. Egg Bhurji
15. Any Daal or multiple combinations

• Arhar Normal
• Arhar Sambar
• Moong sabut
• Moong dhuli (Dry or thin)
• Moong chhilka, 
• Urd Black split with Chana
• Urd sabut aka Daal makhani 
• Urd dhuli-thin
• Urd Dhuli sookhi
• Chana Daal
• Masoor sabut
• Malka Masoor Pink (With Curry patta & Mustard seeds)

16. Any Khichri 

• Moong Daal (split green)  Dry or flowing
• Khichri - Moong Daal (Yellow) - Dry or flowing
• Khichri - Urd Black Split Daal - Dry
• Khichri - Arhar Daal - Dry
• Saboodane ki Khichri

17. Rice

• Peas Pulao
• Jeera Pulao
• Tomato Rice
• Lemon Rice
• Coconut Rice 
• Tamarind Rice
• Curd Rice
• Sweet Rice 

(Can be combined with plain Roti, Khasta Roti, Paratha, Poori or Daal Kachauri or Chawal. Pickles & Papad  are good accompaniments) 

EASY DESSERTS

1. Sooji Halwa
2. Atta Halwa
3. Besan Halwa
4. Sewian Dry (without milk)

5. Any Kheer : Rice, Sooji, Makhane, Aloo (if extra milk is available)
6. Rabri
7. Phirni

8. Roti Churma
9. Honey Rolls/Sweet Pooda

*****

78. DAHI CHICKEN (DRY) - FAT FREE ( HEART & DIABETIC FRIENDLY)

INGREDIENTS
     1. Chicken boneless, skinless Thigh or Breast pieces - 1/2 kg
       2. Curd/yogurt - 1.5 cup beaten with a spoon
       3. Salt - 1/2 tsp (To taste)
       4. Crushed Pepper (white or black) - 1/2 tsp
       5. Cinnamon Stick -01
       6. Bay Leaf (Tej Patta) - 01
       
COOKING METHOD
    1. Mix together all the ingredients and marinade in the fridge for at least 3 to 4 hours. Longer the better.  
     2. Cook in a non-stick/heavy bottom pan on low heat covered with a lid. 
     3. Keep flipping over until the curd dries up and chicken is done.

     *****

For other chicken dishes, pl enter chicken in the search bar on the top left corner.  

77. GRILLED SANDWICH (PALAK PANEER) - (DIABETIC & HEART FRIENDLY)

   

INGREDIENTS
     1. Multi-grain bread
     2. Chopped Spinach-1 cup              
     3. Chopped Garlic - 1 tsp
     4. Cottage Cheese (Paneer) - 2 tbsp
     5. Green chilly chopped - 1
     6. Salt ( as per taste)
     7. Crushed Pepper -1/8 tsp
     
       
COOKING METHOD
    1. In a fry pan, sauté garlic, chilly, spinach and salt till it is           done and water dries up.  

     2. Add grated cottage cheese (paneer) and crushed                   pepper. Add more salt, if needed. Stir until water dries             up. Let it cool down. 
     

3. Spread the mixture between two slices of bread and grill in a sandwich grill till it turns golden in colour.

In case you do not have a sandwich grill, place the sandwich on a non-stick pan with very low heat till it turns crispy brown on both sides.

4. No need to apply any oil for retaining its healthy attributes.

5. Enjoy with Tomato Ketchup or Mango Mint chutney, recipe at sl. no 76  Mango Mint Chutney

 *****

76. MANGO MINT CHUTNEY

Mango, Chillies, Mint & Salt

INGREDIENTS
1. Green Mango (Kaccha aam) .....01 
2. Green Chillies (Hari Mirch) ........05

3. Mint (Podina) leaves.....02 bunches

4. Salt................1/2 tsp (as per taste)

METHOD

1. Wash, peel and cut the mango into small pieces.

2. Wash and cut green chillies excluding stems.
3. Clean and wash Mint (Podina) leaves.

4. Grind mango and chilly pieces along with mint leaves and salt in a blender chutney jar.

5. Adjust salt as per taste.

A multi-purpose chutney

TIPs & TRICKs 
Peel and cut raw mangoes in season and freeze them in your freezer. You can use them for making chutney or putting in any Daal later.  

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75. MANGO CHILLI CHUTNEY

Green mango and green chillies

INGREDIENTS

1. Green Mango ...01

2. Green Chillies...05

3.Salt.......1/2 tsp (as per taste)

METHOD

Cut and grind together all the three ingredients

1. Wash, peel and cut the green mango into small pieces.

2. Wash and cut green chillies.

3. Grind mango and chilli pieces along with salt in a blender chutney jar.

4. Adjust salt as per taste

1. 

   Soft to look at but hot on your tongue...Enjoy it. 

74. KANJI COLD DRINK (कान्जी)

A refreshing glass of Kanji

INGREDIENTS

1. Black Carrots or Beetroots 250    gms peeled and cut into thin        slices
2. Black Mustard Seeds Small (Rai) 6 tbsp ground finely in a grinder
3. Salt 2 tsp (as per taste)
4. Water boiled and cooled 2 ltrs

METHOD

1. Place all the ingredients in a glass jar.

2. Keep in a warm place until it ferments.
3. Keep stirring twice a day until it ferments well.  

Depending upon the weather, it would take about 6-7 days for it to get ready...sour and punget.

A Jar of Kanji

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73. KHICHDI (VER 02) - URD DAAL (खिचड़ी)

INGREDIENTS

1. Basmati Rice 1 cup

2. Black Urd Daal (Split) 1/2 cup

3. Salt 1 tsp ( or as per taste)

4. Haldi (Turmeric Powder) ½ tsp

5. Sonth (Ginger Powder) ½ tsp
6. Moti Saunf 1tbs

7. Desi Ghee ( Clarified Butter)  2 tbs

8. Jeera ( Cumin Seeds) 1 tsp

9. Lal Mirch (Red Chilli) Powder ¼ tsp

10. Heeng (Asafoetida) ¼ tsp  

METHOD

1. Soak Daal and Rice for ½ hour and drain the water.

2. In a heavy bottomed vessel, put daal, rice, salt, turmeric powder, ginger powder, moti saunf and 3.25 cups of water. Also add 1 tbs oil/ghee.

3. Let it come to a boil, reduce the heat to minimum, cover with a lid and let it cook till it is done. Keep stirring in between.

4. Heat ghee in a small fry pan, add jeera, heeng and chilli powder and quickly pour over khichdi before serving.

ACCOMPANIMENTS

Pickle, Papad, Chutney and Curd.

*****