Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Thalipeeth / Multigrain Pancake


THE THEME FOR THIS WEEK IS KIDS DELIGHT : TRAVEL FOOD


Todays dish is Thalipeeth.. Its traditional Maharashtrian breakfast dish and my personal favorite also is great for long travels and also extremely healthy and nutritious.

Choosing recipes for Kids Delight was done keeping in mind healthy and nutritious dishes which were tasty and enjoyed by kids

Benefits :

  • It contains nutrients, fiber and essential minerals.
  • Rich source of proteins and carbohydrates.
  • Good for metabolism.
Traditionally, thalipeeth bhajani was always made at homes and so every household had their own version and proportions.
Thalipeeth Bhajani can be made of jowar, whole wheat flour, bajra, besan and rice flour.
The ingredients are dry roasted and then grinded together in powder like consistency.
This mixture can be stored in air tight containers for months.
Nowsdays, thalipeeth bhajani is easily available in any shop or store.

                    Thalipeeth / Multigrain Pancake


Ingredients :

  • 2 cups thalipeeth bhajani
  • 1 Medium onion 
  • Water
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon curd (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon chilli powder / finely chopped green chillies
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
  • salt to taste
  • Few springs of coriander
  • 1 teaspoon Oil
  • Oil for roasting

Method : 
  1. Take 1 medium onion and finely chop it/
  2. In a large bowl mix thalipeeth bhajani and finely chopped onion and mix well.
  3. Add chilli powder / green chillies, turmeric powder, coriander powder, ginger and salt and mix well.
  4. Add water as necessary to knead a dough
  5. Add coriander, 1 teaspoon of oil and curd & mix well
  6. Make a ball and flatten it with your palm on a non stick pan. 
  7. Place the flatten dough on heated girdle/tava. 
  8. If nonstick pan is not being used, ensure that some oil is spread on the girdle before you place the flatten dough so that it doe not stick. 
  9. Cover with a lid and let it cook for sometime on medium heat. 
  10. When it starts crackling, that is an indication that thalipeeth is cooked from one side. 
  11. Flip it on the other side and let it cook uncovered.
  12. Serve it hot with curds, pickle, homemade butter (loni) or chutney.
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM



Sunday, March 25, 2018

Methi Thepla / Fenugreek Flatbread

THE THEME FOR THIS WEEK IS KIDS DELIGHT : TRAVEL FOOD



The dish today is Methi Thepla. Methi Thepla is originally from Gujarat and is a very popular healthy and nutritious breakfast / snack all over India.

When one thinks of travel food, Methi Thepla is one of first dishes that comes to our mind such is the popularity of this dish.

My reason for choosing Methi Thepla is due to my association with it in all my recent travels. Due to self imposed dietary constraints and not being excessively fond of in flight meals,  Methi Theplas were my saviors in all my travels especially those long journeys abroad.
They are easily available, easy to carry and eat & extremely nutritious and healthy.

Health Benefits :

  1. Fenugreek leaves are rich source of minerals such as calcium and magnesium. 
  2. Calcium helps in strengthening teeth and bones 
  3. Magnesium has anti-ageing properties 

                 Methi Thepla / Fenugreek Flatbread




Ingredients :

  • 1 cup fenugreek / methi leaves 
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour (atta)
  • 2 tablespoons besan / gram flour
  • 2 tablespoons curd
  • 1 tablespoon rava (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon chilli powder (as per individual taste)
  • 1 teaspoon haldi powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon jeera / cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon dhania powder / coriander powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ajwain 
  • salt to taste
  • Water for kneeding the dough
  • Few springs of coriander
  • 1 teaspoon Oil
  • Oil / ghee for roasting

Method : 
  1. Clean and finely chop methi leaves and keep aside
  2. In a bowl, mix together whole wheat flour, besan, rava and mix well
  3. Add all spices and salt and mix well
  4. Add finely chopped methi leaves and mix well
  5. Add curd and oil & mix well
  6. Kneed in a fine dough and add water bit by bit as required
  7. Make small round shape balls of this dough and make round rotis
  8. Heat pan and roast the thepla on it
  9. Once cooked, flip it and add oil / ghee as required
  10. Serve it with curd, pickle, chutney or sauce

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM


Amboli / Multigrain Pancakes


THE THEME FOR THIS WEEK IS KIds delight : travel food



The dish today is Amboli or Multigrain Pancakes

Amboli or Multigrain Pancakes is a dish that belongs traditionally from Konkan region.
Earlier, grandmothers would make amboli peeth or powder at home by dry roasting different grains and grounding them to make flour which could be stored for months.
Normally grains used are toor dal, urad dal, channa dal, rice, wheat.
The mixture and proportions differ as per family.
Nowsdays, there are readymade amboli mix readily available in markets like you get besan.
This is great travel food and is liked by kids.

Benefits :

  1. It contains nutrients, fiber and essential minerals like magnesium, copper and iron.
  2. It contains whole grains hence it is filled with essential fatty acids, B-vitamins, starch and fiber. Magnesium will help build strong bones and teeth.
  3. Also, it helps with metabolism.


Amboli / Multigrain Pancakes






Ingredients :

  • 1 cup amboli peeth / powder
  • Water
  • 1 tablespoon rava soaked in water
  • 1 tablespoon curd
  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon chilli powder
  • salt to taste
  • Few springs of coriander
  • Oil

Method : 
  1. Soak rava in water for half an hour
  2. Mix amboli peeth in water and add rava and mix well
  3. Add curd, ginger paste, garlic paste, chilli powder and salt and mix well
  4. Add finely chopped coriande and mix well 
  5. Make sure that there is no lumps and make it to batter consistency
  6. Heat oil on tava / gridle / pan and when hot, add one ladle full of batter to make pancake
  7. Drizzle oil on sides if required and oil is not needed if using nonstick pan
  8. Cover and cook
  9. Check if cooked and flip it and cook uncovered
  10. Serve hot with chutney, pickle, curd or sauce


Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM


Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Groundnut Jaggery Laddoo / Shendanyache Ladu


THE THEME FOR THIS WEEK IS" IS EVERYTHING ROUND A LADDU? " 


The series finale as they say or the last laddoo on the list is Peanut & Jaggery Laddoo or as we say in Marathi Shendanyache Ladu 

This was super hectic and great fun because I was cooking and clicking and posting on same day.


Benefits of Peanut & Jaggery :
  1. Jaggery is loaded with antioxidants and minerals such as zinc and selenium.
  2. Jaggery provides resistance against infections. 
  3. Jaggery helps increase the total count of haemoglobin in the blood
  4. Peanuts are rich source of protein and vital vitamins
  5. It is excellent especially during fasting

   Groundnut Jaggery Laddoo / Shendanyache Ladu




Ingredients :

  • 1 cup crushed groundnut powder or paste
  • 1/2 cup grated jaggery
  • 1 / 2 teaspoon homemade ghee for binding as necessary
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg powder (optional)

Method : 
  1. Dry roast the peanuts on hot gridle or tawa or kadhai.
  2. Allow them to cool & remove the skins
  3. Grind them to finely coarse paste
  4. Grate jaggery to fine paste like consistency
  5. Mix 1 cup peanut powder & 1/2 cup grated jaggery together and make sure that there are no lumps
  6. Add ghee as necessary for binding them together
  7. Jaggery is natural binder so ghee is minimally required
  8. Add 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg powder & mix well
  9. Shape the laddoos in round shape & they are ready to eat
  10. They can be eaten during fast
  11. Alternatively roasted and peeled groundnuts can be mixed together with jaggery in a blender


Sunday, March 18, 2018

Rice Flour Laddoo (Tandulyache Ladu)


THE THEME FOR THIS WEEK IS" IS EVERYTHING ROUND A LADDU?

Wishing everyone A Very Happy Gudi Padwa & Ugadi & Chetti Chand.
Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra is the beginning of New Year and is considered as one of the 3.5 shubh muhurats for any kind of purchase or for any new beginnings.

I feel that my blog revival is also a new beginning for the blog & what better way and day to do so than on Gudi Padwa..

My today's post is on making Rice Flour Laddoo or Chawal ke laddu or as we call in Marathi Tandulyache Ladu

Rice flour too has its set of benefits :
  1. High in beneficial fiber
  2. Excellent gluten free option
  3. High in protein
More than the benefits, the reason I particularly choose this dish is because of my childhood memories associated with it.
I have fond and welcome memories of summers spend at my Maternal Uncle (Mama) place during holidays. My maternal grandmother (Aaji) was an excellent cook and like all Aajis extremely enthusiastic about cooking especially for grand kids.. She would excel in making different types of ladus and vadis as we call them in Marathi. Aaji would especially make this tandulyacha ladu whenever we were visiting as it was my personal favorite. She would also send homemade tandulyachi pithi (rice flour) with us so that my mother who was working would quickly make them for us.
Back then she would make the rice flour at home the traditional way by cleaning, washing rice & drying it on a cloth at home. Then roasting it and making flour by grinding it to a particular consistency. 
Nowadays readymade rice flour is easily available in markets but as purists would say the taste differs...
I always lament on not noting down Aaji's traditional recipes and also not been trained by her due to my lack of interest in cooking back then.
This is my first attempt at making the ladus and I would like all of you to bear with me for the uneven shapes of the laddoos.

            Rice Flour Laddoo (Tandulyache Ladu)



Ingredients :

  • 1 cup Rice flour (tandulyache pith)
  • 1/2 cup homemade ghee
  • 1/2 cup sugar (proportions may vary as per individual taste)
  • 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg powder (Jalphal)

Method : 
  1. Heat 1/2 cup ghee in flat bottom pan or kadhai on stove top.
  2. Add rice flour and roast well until you smell the aroma.
  3. Ensure that rice flour is properly roasted as less roasting would result in laddoo sticking in throat and over roasting will burn the flour and give burnt taste so properly roasting is key element of this dish.
  4. Some people use less ghee to begin with and as they roast rice flour if needed add additional ghee.
  5. Once it is properly roasted, switch off the heat & wait for it to cool down.
  6. Add 1/2 cup sugar to the rice flour and mix well.
  7. Add 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg (Jalphal) powder and mix well.
  8. Make round shaped laddoos.


Ragi Laddoo (Nachani Ladu)


Today's post is how to make Ragi Laddoo or as we call them in Marathi Nachaniche Ladu


Ragi or Nachani or Red millet or Finger millet has great health benefits like :
  1. It is extremely rich source of fiber 
  2. It helps lower cholesterol levels. 
  3. It helps weight control, diabetes and also cools the body
  4. It is cost effective and easily available.

The Theme for this Week is" Is everything round a laddu? " 

So extremely healthly and easy to make recipe that I am going to share is Ragi Laddoo or in Marathi Nachaniche Ladu

                  Ragi Laddoo (Nachaniche Ladu)




Ingredients :

1 cup Ragi Flour 
1/2 cup Homemade ghee
1/2 cup powdered sugar (depends on individual taste)
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg / Jalphal 

Method : 
  1.  Heat 1/2 cup ghee in flat bottom pan or kadhai on gas.
  2. Add 1 cup Ragi plain flour (do not use Ragi satva) in it and roast it well until it comes together and you can smell the aroma. 
  3. Roasting the flour in ghee is the most critical aspect of making the laddoo as if it is less roasted, it would stick in the throat and would taste uncooked; whereas over roasting would burn the flour and leave bad aftertaste.
  4. When the ghee starts to separate, switch off the gas and let it cool down
  5. When the mixture is slightly cooled, add powdered sugar and mix well and ensure that there are no lumps.
  6. Add 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg and mix well, taking care that there are no lumps.
  7. Prepare round shape laddoos of the mixture.
  8. Do not wait for mixture to cool down completely otherwise it would be difficult to mix well.