Suji Halwa (Semolina Pudding)

1 Cup Suji (Semolina)
1 Cup Ghee
1 Cup Sugar
2 Cup Water
1 Cup Milk
Dry Fruits (Rasins, Cashews, Almonds)
Cardamon -5

Recipe:
Suji Halwa or Semolina Pudding is a famous Indian Dessert, made very often for offering god. Its a quick recipe so made often. Take Ghee in a pan and heat up on medium heat, add sugar, water,milk & carmon pods in separate pot and heat on medium heat. In ghee once melted add Suji(Semolina) and roast while stirring continuously. Once sugar mixture boils, keep aside.

Roast suji for 8-10 minutes until turn light brown. there will be a nice aroma while you roast Semolina :). Now slowly add sugar mixture, be careful as it can splitter while hot, cover for few seconds as soon as possible. let mixture  cook for few minutes, add dry fruits and turn off the gas. Garnish with some more dry fruits and serve hot.

Suji Halwa (Semolina Pudding)

Amritsari Kulcha (Indian Flat Bread)

Amritsari Kuclha is a very tasty Indian flat bread, which is one of my family's favourite weekend Brunch. Usually its served with Chana curry (Garbanzo beans), but I made today with Dal Makhani & Ghiya kofta (Bottle guard dumplings), I made 2 different kinds of Kulcha, one type consists of wheat flour (for my hubby), and Gluten free version for my self. they turned out so good and finished so fast that I didn't get chance to take photos . I promise I will add photos next time :).

Ingredients:
For Gluten Free Kulcha (Flat Bread)

• Gluten free all purpose baking flour - 1 cup
• Yogurt - 4 tsp
• Active Yeast (1 packet) I used for both the amritsari kulcha recipes.
• Sugar 2 tsp
• warm water (3/4 cup)
• salt -1 tsp
• xanthan gum - 1 tsp
• chopped green coriander leaves - 2 tbsp (optional)
• olive oil - 1 tsp

For Whole Wheat Kulcha 

• Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
• Yogurt -4 tsp
• Active Yeast (1/2 packet)
• Sugar 1 tsp
• warm water (around 1/2 cup)
• salt- 1 tsp
• chopped green coriander leaves
• olive oil/clarified butter - 1 tsp 

Stuffing for Kulcha

• Boiled potatoes- 2 medium sized 
• salt
• Finely chopped onions - 1 small size
• green chilli - 1 (optional)
• green corrionader leaves 
• red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
• Garam Masala -1/4 tsp
• Dried Mango powder - 1 tsp

Recipe:

• prepare yeast by adding sugar to warm water and then adding yeast to it, stir and cover and let it sit for few minutes, it will turn frothy.

Gluten free Dough

• take GF all purpose flour in a big bowl, add salt, xanthum gum, and mix well.
• make a well and add Yeast mixture, yogurt and coriander leaves, oil.
• knead the dough well, it will be a bit sticky don't worry and cover and let it rise for 30 minutes.
• once risen, make 4 smooth balls and let rise again for 15 minutes.

Whole wheat Dough 

• Repeat same steps as GF dough and knead the dough and keep aside for 30 minutes.
• once risen, make 4 smooth ball(oil your palms if sticky), and let those rise for 15 minutes.

Prepare Filling

• peel the potatoes and mash , mix rest of ingredients and mix thoroughly. 
• Make 6 equally size balls and keep aside.

Making Kulchas

• Preheat oven at 500 degree Fahrenheit. if you have Pizza stone, put that in oven, its really useful for Kulcha else use ordinary baking tray.
• Take one prepared, risen ball and dip in wheat flour (use rice flour if Gluten free) and make a disk with the help of rolling pins.
• add 1 ball of potato filling in the middle and fold again, dust again and roll in a disk.
• make a few of those disk and put in oven on heated pizza stone (if using)  and bake for 8-9 minutes.
• serve hot with any curry or fresh Yogurt.

Variation:
To make restaurant style, use all purpose flour instead of wheat flour :)

Tapioca wafers/ sabudana Papad

Tapioca is one of easiest to work with ingredients, this particular recipe is a quick one for gluten free appetizer or evening snacks. You can get these ready made wafers/ papad from Indian supermarkets and deep fry those. Sprinkle black pepper and salt when still hot. Serve hot. It's a quick crunchy snack.

I will post recipe of making the wafers from scratch at home soon.

Sorghum flour Upma

I was looking for a easy quick recipe for a lazy lunch afternoon, when i was at home. i came across this recipe which. Really impressed me,

Sorghum flour (Jowar flour) -1 cup
Water - 3 Cup
Yogurt - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Red chill powder - to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Chill paste per taste

For tempering (tadka):
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Sesame seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 7-8 leaves
Oil- 2tsp

Recipe:
Take Sorghum flour in a big bowl, add yogurt and water and mix well.
Add oil, salt, turmeric powder,chill powder, ginger paste, chill paste.

Heat 1 tsp in a pan and add above prepared mixture and let it boil. Bring gas to medium heat and keep stirring , after 5 minutes cover and cook until water evaporates a bit.

Prepare tempering on the side, heat oil in separate pan, once heated add mustard seeds and let it tempered . Then add sesame seeds and curry leaves cover for a minute. Add half of tempering in the prepared Upma.

For garnishing take prepared Upma in a bowl, let it set for few minutes, then serve on plate with some tempering on the top. The taste is superb and you can serve this a really hearty dish any time as a breakfast , evening snack or a light lunch everybody will just love it. One doesn't have to on gluten free to enjoy this dish:).

Lemon Rice using quinoa

Lemon rice is one of my favorite quick fix dish. I make it whenever I have leftover white cooked rice. Now a days I make it with quinoa . It's a health , quick , high protein recipe. Definitely give it a try.

Ingredients:

Quinoa - 1 cup
Onion -1 medium sized , finely chopped
Red dry chillies -2/3
Curry leaves - 7-8
Peanuts -10
Split pea lentil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cashews - 10 (optional)
Oil -2 tsp
Salt per taste
Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp
Lemon juice - 3 tsp

Recipe:
1. Cook quinoa in 2 cup of water and keep aside.Heat oil in a pan, when heated, add mustard seeds once spluttered, add split pea lentil and curry leaves and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add red chilies,
2. Add chopped onion and sauté until little caramelized.
3. Now add turmeric powder and sauté for a few seconds.
4. Add peanuts and sauté for few seconds , add cashews as well if using.
5. Add cooked quinoa and mix well.
6. Mix salt per taste in a bowl with lemon juice.
7. Now add this salted lemon juice in pan with quinoa and mix well. Cover and let cook for 3-4 minutes.
8. Garnish with finely chopped fresh cilantro.

Tips:
1. You can replace quinoa with cooked white rice/ brown rice .
2. Use per roasted peanuts / cashews to save time, if salted adjust salt accordingly.
3. You can use lemon juice in bottle available in super markets.

Quinoa Appam

Ingredients:

• Quinoa [1 cup] (I usually buy organic one from Costco)

• Brown Rice [1 cup] or white rice [1 cup]

• Split Pigeon peas  (Toor Daal)  [1 cup]

• Ginger [around 1 inch piece]

• Green Chillies [approx 3-4] according to taste

• Salt according to taste

• Cumin Seeds [1/2 tsp]

• Garam Masala [1 tsp]

• Shredded Carrots [1/2 cup]

• Shredded Cabbage [1/2 cup]

• Turmeric powder [1/4 tsp]

• Shredded coconut [1/2 cup ] [optional]

• some oil for making appam

Recipe:

1.     Soak Rice, Quinoa , Lentil (Toor daal) for around 3 hours in water.

2.    after 3 hours remove excess water and grind into a paste (use some water if needed for grinding), but avoid excess of water.

3.    Mix ginger and green chili and grind again.

4.    Once grounded properly mix salt, cumin seeds, garam masala , shredded cabbage and carrots , turmeric powder, coconut.

5.    When ready Heat appam pan on gas on medium or low medium heat. pour few drops of oil in each mold.

Quinoa Appam

6.    Then pour spoonful of batter in each mold, cover with a lid and cook until the lower side turns golden brown. Keep the heat on low to medium low the entire time, otherwise the outside of the appam will get dark while the inside remains uncooked. 

Flip over and cook the other side until it is cooked . Remove and serve hot with some ketchup or chutney.

Instant Dhokla (Steamed Chick Pea Snack)

Ingredients:

• Besan (Chick Pea flour) - 1 Cup
• Water 3/4 Cup
• Green Chilli , 2 , chopped finely
• Ginger - grated
• salt - per taste
• Lemon Juice - 2 tsp
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Istant fruit salt - 1 tsp
• Oil - 1 tsp

• Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
• Sesame Seeds - 1 tsp
• Green Chilli - 2 - Slitted
• Water -1/2 cup
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves - 2 Strands
• Green Corriander leaves

Recipe:

1. Mix Flour, Water in a big bowl properly.
2. Add salt, lemon juice, Grated chilli, ginger, sugar ,oil in the mixture
3. In steamer add water and prepare a flat bowl by greasing throughly.
4. once ready mix instand salt in mixture and pour in the Greased bowl. and steam for 15-17 minutes.
5. prepare tempering in separate pan, by heating oil in a pan, add mustard and sesame seeds. Let them splutter. then add slitted green chilli, curry leaves . after 2 min add water and let mixture to boil.
6. cut Steamed dhokla and pour tempering mixture. Top with Green corrionder leaves.
7. Serve with Green Mint Sauce.

Dhokla