Moong Veggie Fingers

Moong Veggie Fingers 

Every day challenge is what to prepare in breakfast which is healthy, easy, different and full of veggies. This recipe fulfils all the parameters that I am looking for in my breakfast. Especially The Moong Dal.

Moong Dal is very versatile, yummy and easy to use with lots of health benefits. We can easily add it in our meal plan in many ways. Be it in a soup, a salad, curries, snacks or rice.

If we talk about the health benefits of Moong beans, the very first thing is if you are a weight watcher. It is high in fibre and protein which helps us with weight loss. Moong Dal is a good source of "Folate" And during pregnancy, doctors advise to take food rich in Folate. It is rich in Potassium, Magnesium and Fibre which improves Heart health.  It improves Digestion. It is also packed with lots of Nutrients. So add Moong Beans to our meal as it is good for our family's health....

Preparation Time :  20 min.

Cooking Time :  20 Min

Video : 

Ingredients :

• Split Green moong dal 1 cup soaked for 6 to 7 hours
• Onion Chopped 1 medium size
• Ginger grated 1 inch piece 
• Green chillies chopped 2
• Carrot 1 medium size grated
• Capsicum 1 small size finely chopped
• Bread slice 6 (I used brown bread)
• Coriander leaves chopped 2 Tablespoon
• Salt according to taste 
• Red chilly Powder according to taste
• Oil for cooking around 2 tablespoon

Procedure :  

• Soak green moong dal for 6 to 7 hours or overnight and keep aside

• Now remove the excess water from moong dal and grind it in smooth paste 

• Finish Cutting and chopping of vegetables 

• In a bowl take Moong dal paste add chopped onions, green chillies, ginger, carrots, capsicum, coriander leaves, salt and red chilly powder

• Mix all ingredients well and form a smooth mixture as shown in picture 

• Now take a bread slice and spread moong and veggie mixture on one side of bread. 

• Take a non- sticky pan apply few drops of oil . Now place the bread on pan as shown in picture 

• Cook toast for a minute or two. Now turn it and cook it from another side. Repeat the steps with rest of bread slices. 

• Once bread is cooked from both the side cut it in to thin fingers or whatever shape you like. 

• Enjoy your guilt free breakfast with some Almonds and a cup of Milk.  

Focaccia Bread @Home

Focaccia Bread

Coronavirus is costing us our lives, mental health and our travel time but this is an opportunity to make the most out of these 21 days. While social distancing and lockdown had me bored out of my mind, my hobbies and friends came out as my saviours. Since my childhood, I had thought of joining baking classes, given the situation a class seemed less probable, that's when my friend Preeti Tandon Sridhar helped me out. She mentored me and helped me in baking different kinds of bread. She prefers healthy Baking so mostly she uses wheat flour for cakes and cookies. You can check her blog Cakes &Curries for amazing recipes. After 15 days of practice and failed attempts of baking I managed to make a bread that now confident to share with you.

Quarantined within 4 walls and not satisfying our usual living style of enjoying pizza, garlic bread and Focaccia bread tends to make us frustrated. So use this recipe, sit with a Focaccia bread and find solace amidst the mess this world is in.

Preparation Time : 5 to 6 hours

Cooking Time : 20 -25 min

Ingredients :

• Maida (all purpose flour ) 1 1/2 cup
• Milk 3/4 cup
• Sugar 1 tsp
• Salt 1tsp
• Oil 2 Tbsp (I used olive oil)
• Active dry yeast 1 tsp
• Butter 1 tbs
• Pizza seasoning 2 tsp
• Chilly Flakes 1tsp
• Onion sliced 12 -15 slices
• Red bell pepper sliced 10 -12 slices
• Olives 2 -3 sliced
• Jalapeños chopped 1 tsp

Video :

Procedure :

• Take 1/2 of the milk lukewarm it, mix sugar and dry active yeast. keep it in a warm place for 20 mins. you will find yeast frothing 
• Now in a bowl add fortune yeast along with salt, 1 tbs of oil, 1tsp pizza seasoning, chilly flakes, 1 cup of maida and remaining milk. Mix all ingredients and keep aside for 30 mins.

• After 30 mins on a clean surface dust the remaining flour, 1 tbs of oil and the flour mixture we made. Now knead all together for 15 to 20 minutes or till you get a smooth and elastic dough. 

• Once the dough is ready take a baking dish. I used the round one. Oil the dish nicely and place the dough on it spread the dough and apply oil on the dough. Cover the dish with wet clothe or clean film and keep it aside for 2 hours 

• Now you will find the dough has doubled in size. Use your fingers and press it firmly. Place sliced onions, bell peppers, olives, jalepenos and pizza seasoning. Again cover it with clean film and leave it for 30 mins. 

• Now pre-heat the oven for 5 mins and bake your focaccia for 25-30 mins at 120 degree temperature. Once you see nice brown colour of bread, power off oven and leave it in oven for 5 mins. Take it out and brush with butter and serve it.

Chawal Vadi (Rice curry)

Chawal Vadi (Rice curry)

It's funny how simple items trigger wonderful memories of the past. This dish is a family dish which reminds me of all the beautiful moments I spent with my grandmother. This dish, to me, holds the flavour of nostalgia, the warmth of her embrace and all the stories she shared with me. I thought of sharing this recipe with you guys. This one-pot-meal might not remind you of your past but it will be an amazing start for your kids or friends to bond over and if like me you are a Punjabi, you would also feel the love I felt decades ago.

Preparation Time : 20 Min

Cooking Time : 25 to 30 Min

Serves : 4

Ingredients :

• Rice 1 Cup soaked for 20 min
• Oil 2 Tablespoon
• Bay leaves 2
• Zeera 1 Teaspoon
• Pinch of hing
• Green cardamom 2 to 3
• Cinnamon stick 1/2 inch
• Star anis 1
• Red chilly 2 to 3
• Salt according to taste
• Red chilly powder according to taste
• Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon
• Coriander powder 1 teaspoon
• Green peas 1/2 cup
• Vadi ( any available in market) if it is big size break into pieces.
• For Masala
• Onion 1 medium size
• Tomato 2 medium size
• Green chilly 2
• Ginger 1/2 inch
• Garlic 3 - 4 cloves
• Lemon 1
• Green coriander for garnishing 

Video : 

Procedure :  

• Soak rice and keep aside.

• Take onion, tomato, green chilly, ginger and garlic in a mixer and form a smooth paste 

• Now take a cooker add oil heat it. Now add zeera and pinch of hing along with whole spices.

• Add onion tomato paste and sauce it for 5 to 6 minutes on medium flame.

• Once masala is roasted nicely add salt, red chilly, turmeric powder and coriander powder and mix it well

• Add 1 to 2 tablespoon of water to masala and cook till you get nice aroma and masala leave the oil

• Now add green peas and wadi to this. again sautés it 

• Now add rice roast it for 2 minutes

• Add 4 cup of water and pressure cook rice till 2 whistle. close the gas and wait for 10 minutes

• Before serving garnish it with green coriander and lemon juice ..

Tip : 

• If you find that water is less next time add little more water