Vermicelli Upma

Serves 2
Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 15 mins
Total Time       : 25 mins

Ingredients

Roasted vermicelli whole wheat 1/2 cup
Curry leaves 5-6
Carrot 1
Beans 5-6 nos
Green Peas (optional)
Onion 1 medium
Green Chillies 2 nos
Oil 1.5 tbsp
Mustard 3/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Water

Method

1. Fill a medium pot with water and bring it to boil
2. Add the roasted vermicelli to the pot once the water is started to boil, stir for 2 mins with a wooden  to avoid sticking
3. Cook the vermicelli not more than 5-6 minutes
4 Using a colander drain out the hot water once cooked and run it under cold water. This will help to reduce the stickiness. Keep it aside
6. Finely chop carrot, beans and green chillies, slice the onions, boil the peas,
7.  In pan heat oil add mustard once it splutters add curry leaves and green chillies
8.Add the Onion and saute until translucent
9. Add carrot and beans and cook until tender
10. Add the vermicelli and give a quick mix
11. Cover it and keep it on a low flame for 5-7 mins
12. Garnish with coriander and serve hot with your favorite chutney

Notes

1. I used the ready made roasted vermicelli , in case you don't get that you can roast the vermicelli on a low flame. Avoid over roasting
2. I boil the roasted vermicelli as it avoid stickiness and method taste better
3. Dont over cook the vegs -carrot and beans should be crunchy

Cabbage Soup

Ingredients

Garlic 2 cloves minced
Onion 1 medium
Cabbage 2 cups
Sambar powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste 4-5 cups
Water

Method

1. Chop cabbage finely or you can shred them too
2. Cut onion into thin slices and keep aside
3. Heat oil in a deep pan add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent
4. Add the  cabbage and saute for 3-4 mins
5. Add salt and sambar powder and mix
6. Add water and cook until cabbage becomes soft and cooked
7. Cool and blend the above
 8. Add more water if required and bring to boil
9. Serve hot soup with some soup sticks

Granola Bars

Ingredients

Oats 1 cups
Cornflakes 1/4 cup
Honey 1/2 cup
Brown Sugar 1 tbsp
Butter 1tbsp
Vanilla Essence 1/2 tsp
Water 1tbsp

 Nuts (around 1/2 cup)
Walnuts
Almonds
Watermelon seeds
Pistachios
Flax seeds
Raisins
Dates
Prunes
Dried Figs
Dates
Dried cranberries

Method

1. In non stick pan dry roast oats and cornflakes until a nice aroma and oats start slightly browning up
2. In case you are adding flax seeds roast them separately
3. Then  roast the nuts of your choice and add the nuts to the oats and cornflakes
4. In the same pan heat the butter until melts. Now add honey, sugar, vanilla essence and water. Heat until the mixture bubbles up
5. Now add the roasted oats, cornflakes and nuts. Mix until the honey is coated to the mixture

6. Transfer to the butter paper and spread using a spoon or a wooden laddle to 1/2 inch thick,straighten the edges to a square or rectangular shape

7. Cover with another butter paper for 10 mins and cut into bars 

8. Store the granola bars and enjoy them any time

Notes

1. Use any nuts of your choice, finely chop them and then roast them. Just keep in mind of the quantity 

2. In-case you don't have brown sugar you can add white sugar

3. After you have cut the bars you can also bake them at 200 C for 7-8 mins. This way the bar will be more crisper and holds the shape better. After you bake then cool it for 30 -40 mins and then store..

Capsicum Corn Sabji

Ingredients

Corn 1 cup
Oil 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds 1/2 tsp
Onion 1 big
Ginger Garlic paste 1 tsp
Capsicum 2 ( Yellow or Green or Red)
Tomato 2
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Water 1 cup
Cream or milk 1/4 cup
Kasturi Methi handful

Method

1. Boil the corn kernels and keep aside.
2. Chop the onion finely and grate or puree the tomatoes. Keep both aside.
3.  In a non stick pan heat oil and add cumin seeds, once it splutters add onion and saute for until translucent
4. Then add the ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell goes off
5. Add tomato puree and mix for 2-3 minutes  (until the oil separates)
6. Add all the masalas and salt expect garam masala and mix well
7. Add the bell pepper and mix well. Don't cook too much, the bell peppers have to be crunchy
8. Add water and cover for 2-3 mins
9. Now add the boiled corns and mix
10. Add garam masala and mix
10. Then add the cream and give a stir then add kasturi methi and heat for a min
11. Garnish with corainder and serve hot with rotis

Mitho Lolo

Ingredients

Wheat flour 250 gms
Jaggery/ Sugar 80-100 gms (*i used organic jaggery powder)
Water
Ghee 3 tbsp
Cardamon powder 1 tsp
Ghee 5-6 tbsp for roasting

Method

1. In a saucepan boil a cup of water add jaggery on a low flame
2. Let the jaggery dissolve properly
3. The consistency should not be thick or thin. The color should be dark brownish
4. Once done allow let it to cool
5. In a bowl add the wheat flour, ghee, cardamon powder and pour the jaggery syrup little by little and form a stiff dough
6. Take a ball size portion of this dough and take a rolling pin to roll into a circle, the lolo have to be really thick
7. Heat a griddle pan, place the rolled lolo on it. Roast on slow flame on both sides until they become golden brown. Add generous amount of ghee at regular intervals. Since its too thick it will take some time to cook.
8. After removing from tawa add some more ghee over the lolo. (In the olden times once lolo was done we used to dip it in ghee, but today we are very health conscious & we avoid too much of ghee or oil in our food but if you wish to dip you can still go ahead and follow it.)
9. We normally eat it the next day and best to have it with pickle or curd. I also have it sometimes with sindhi papad.

My notes

1. You can add sugar instead of jaggery
2. If using sugar i suggest add cardamon pieces with the sugar and then remove it once the sugar has been dissolved.
3. Few of them do add milk also it but i avoid it

Goan Kanyachi Bhakri

Ingredients :

Sooji/Rawa/ Semolina 1/2 cup
Water 1 1/2 cup
Onion 1 medium
Green chilli 2-3
Jageery 3 tbsp
Fresh grated coconut 4 tbsp
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Coriander few springs
Salt to taste
Oil

Method :

1. Soak the sooji in 1 1/2 cup water for half hour
2. While this is soaking, chop onion , green chillies and coriander finely and keep aside
3. Then drain out the excess water from the sooji using a colander
4. Now in a bowl add the sooji, onion, green chillies, corainder , coconut, jaggery, turmeric and salt. The batter consistency will be thick . (dont add water)
5. Take a non stick pan and grease it
6. Now take small portion of batter (with your hand) and make it big round
7. Dip your fingers in a bowl of water and lightly pat  the batter spreading like roti. Keep patting until it spreads
8. Cover the pan and cook it on a low flame until brown and crispy on one side
9. Flip and cook the same way on the other side
10. Serve Onion Bhakri hot

Beetroot Suji Halwa

Ingredients

Beetroot 1 big
Sooji 1/2 cup
Ghee 4-5 tbsp
Sugar 1 cup
Water 1 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp
Cashews 10
Almond 10
Raisins 1/2 tsp

As I'm on a diet n to keep it more healthy I have added organic jaggery instead of sugar. This is optional.

Method:

1. Rinse ,peel the beetroot and grate the beetroot.
2. Slice the almonds and cashew and keep aside.
3. In a pan add 1 tbsp ghee and roast the sooji on a low flame. Roast until ligth brown. This would take 5 to 10 mins.
4. Remove the sooji and keep aside.
5.In the same pan add 1tbsp of ghee and roast the almonds, cashew and raisins. Once done keep this also aside. You can also blanch the almonds.
6. Now add the reamining ghee and fry the beetroot on a low flame. Cool until beetroot becomes soft.
7. Now to this add the sooji and mix well for 5 mins. Then add jaggery or sugar and mix well.
8. Add water and mix.
9. Cook until water evaporates.
10. Add cardamom powder and almond, cashew n raisins. Keep few for garnishing.
11. Garnish with cashew, almond and serve hot or warm.