Beetroot Tikki

Not liking Beetroot??!!! No worries... I've got a great option for you to include this powerful antioxidant in your food. I had a can of beetroot sitting idle in my freeze for a few days, so thought to try making something pinky in my kitchen... Yet, my intention was to keep the taste of beetroot over-powering in anything I make.

You might make faces if you're not a beetroot-fan, I'm sure... but believe me, pink beetroot stains on apron are worth-to-have if you're trying this yummy 'n' healthy appetizer!!! :)

Makes: 6

INGREDIENTS:

1 Beetroot (medium)

2 Boiled Potatoes

1/2 cup Shredded Cheese

1 tsp Gram Flour (besan)

1 tsp Cashewnut powder

1/4 tsp Black Pepper Powder

Salt, to taste

Oil, to shallow-fry

METHOD:

- Peel the beetroot skin and parboil them for 3-4 mins. Drain water and roughly cut it into pieces.

- Grind them coarsely in a mixture jar (with no water) and transfer it to a mixing bowl.

- Add all the other ingredients and mash them well.

- Heat some oil in flat-pan and shallow fry tikkis till crispy outside.

- Serve hot paired up with yogurt dip!!!

USING BEETROOT: 

- Cut into slices and parboil them for 2-3 mins. Sprinkle a little salt n pepper and enjoy as a salad!

- Try a "Beetroot Shorba" before meal... (Recipe will be posted soon)

- Roughly chop and grind along with carrots, add a pinch of chat masala and a glass of fresh juice is ready :)

- Add a little of beetroot paste in strained yogurt and dip is ready to be served with bread slices!

Sending it to Sowmya's Healthy Diet- Lunchbox and Priya's Versatile Recipes, Archana's Kitchen:

Sindhi Aloo Tikki

I always like bugging people around... But the best is when I keep asking about their secret recipes! I didn't much try my hands on Sindhi Cuisine before. But since I got to taste 'Sindhi Kadhi' from one of my aunty's neighbour (I'm always available if it's about tasting :P), I thought of trying few more of her traditional recipes! 

Here is something that you will definitely love as an appetizer... "Stuffed Aloo Tikki", Sindhi Style :)

Makes: 10

INGREDIENTS:

4-5 Boiled Potatoes (big)

2 tsp Cornflour

1/2 cup Breadcrumbs

A pinch of Turmeric Powder

Oil, to shallow-fry

Salt, to taste

For Stuffing--

1/2 cup Chana Dal

1/4 cup Grated Paneer

1 tsp Dried Anardana (Pomegranate seeds)

1/2 tsp Ginger-Green Chillies paste

1/4 tsp Cumin Seeds

1/8 tsp Turmeric Powder

1/2 tsp Amchur

2-3 tsp Chopped Coriander leaves

2 tsp Cooking oil

Salt, to taste

METHOD:

- Soak chana dal in water for around an hour. Pressure-cook it for 3 whistles and keep aside.

- Heat oil in pan and add cumin seeds, hing. Once it crackles, add ginger-green chillies paste and saute well.

- Add boiled chana dal along with grated paneer and all spices.

- Mix well and cook for around 3-4 mins. Transfer it to some bowl and cool it down to room temp.

- Take all the ingredients of outer layer in a bowl and mash them well.

- Divide the mixture as well as stuffing into 10 balls.

- Take one and spread it on palm to make puri size. Put a stuffing ball inside and cover it with potato mixture from all the sides. 

- Make a smooth ball and flatten it to give a tikki shape.

- Heat some oil in flat-pan and shallow fry tikkis till crisp and golden-brown on both sides. 

- Serve hot!!!

SJ's NOTE:

- Can be served as an appetizer with Green Chutney...

- Great if it's a part of "Chhole Chaat"!

Sending it to Akila's Kitchen and Pari's Event  @ Nivedhanam:

Mund Daal Dhokla

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Mung Daal with skin (Green)

1/4 cup Urad Daal

1/2 cup Yogurt

1 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste

1/2 tsp Fruit Salt (Eno)

Salt, to taste

For Tadka--

3 tsp Cooking oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1/4 tsp Sesame seeds

For Garnish--

2-3 tsp Chopped coriander

METHOD:

- Soak mung daal and urad dal in water for around 1-2 hours. 

- Drain water and then grind it to make a batter by adding water gradually as required.

- Transfer it to a big bowl and add yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, green chillies into it.

- Mix well and make a smooth batter. 

- Add fruit salt into it and whisk it for a while, which will help making a batter fluffy.

- Grease a steamer plate or big thaali with 2-3 drops of oil.

- Pour this mixture in it and spread it evenly. 

- Steam it* for around 20-25 mins on medium-high flame.

- Then, let the plate rest for 10 mins and cut into a diamond shape. 

- Heat oil in tadka-pan and add mustar, cumin seeds. When it stops crackling, add sesame seeds and immediately pour this mixture on dhokla pieces. 

- Garnish with chopped coriander and serve it anytime :)

SJ's NOTE:

* Usually, a steamer is used for this dish! But alternatively, boil 4-5 cups of water in a big broad-pan. Keep something flat as a base to support and arrange a thaali (with dhokla batter) on it! 

- This dhokla tastes yummy with a pinch of 'pickle masala' mixed in oil!!! :)

Dal Takatak

Yesterday, it was 3rd time in series when we had beans/lentils dish in our dinner!!! Seems like a season of lentils is back in my kitchen... Actually, I love having protein as a side/main dish or as a salad, if nothing else... But wanted to present a change to my taste-buds, so tried making a variant of very popular 'Dal Fry' and 'Dal Tadka' :)

And believe me, it was super-duper yummy!!! It accompanied paratha so nicely... I didn't even think of having pickle on my plate... :P

A dhaba style "Dal Takatak" with amazing aroma of desi ghee! Give a punch to your simple 'Ghar ka Khana' with this rich, quick and protein-packed dish...

Makes: 3-4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup Tuver Dal

1/4 cup Chana Dal

2 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste

1/4 tsp Chopped Green Chillies

1/4 cup Chopped Onions

1/4 cup Chopped Tomatoes

1 tbsp Ghee

1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds

A pinch of hing

1/8 tsp Turmeric powder

1/4 tsp Red chilly powder

1/2 tsp Coriander powder

1/4 tsp Garam Masala

2-3 tsp Lemon Juice

Salt, to taste

Water, as required

METHOD:

- Soak both dal in plenty of water for an hour. Pressure-cook them in salty water for 4 whistles.

- Heat ghee in deep-pan and add cuming seeds, hing. 

- Once it crackles, add chopped onions along with ginger-garlic paste and green chillies.

- Saute it for a min and when onions are translucent, add chopped tomatoes and cook for 2-3 mins.

- Add boiled dal mixture and all the spices into it.

- Mix well and cook it for 5-7 mins more. Keep stirring in between to maintain a medium-thick consistency  (add some water at this stage, if required).

-  Turn off the heat, mix lemon juice and transfer it to a serving bowl.

- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and cream before serving!

SJ's NOTE:

- Serve as a classic combo of "Dal Takatak" with Jeera Rice!

- Alternatively, can be served with paratha and a veggie side dish...
- I'm a little generous at times while using ghee for making special desi dishes!!! You can adjust it according to your diet and  taste...