Moong Dal Palak Khichdi

        One pot meals are not just the most convenient, but also an all-in-one comfort food that satiate one's appetite without over-crowding it with choices!! Khichdi, the ultimate Indian one-pot meal, is a great combination of rice and pulses and need the company of just some curd and pickle. As the saying I heard somewhere, Khichdi ke chaar yaar, Ghee, Dahi, Papad aur Achaar!! (The 4 companions of Khichdi - Clarified butter, Curd, Papad and pickle :) )

This khichdi comes with a twist, inspired from a recipe from a favourite TV show

MOONG DAL PALAK KHICHDI

Ingredients : 

Whole Green gram (moong dal) - 2 cups, soaked for 2 hours
Sprouted Green gram - 1 cup
Chopped Spinach - 1 cup
Turmeric powder (Haldi) - 1/4 tsp
Green chilies - 3
Buttermilk - 4 cups
Rice - 2 cups
Oil - 2 tsps
Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 1 tsp
Cloves - 3 to 4
Salt to taste
Clarified butter (Ghee) - 3 tbsps + 2 tbsps
Chopped Garlic - 4 to 5 cloves
Chopped Ginger - 1 tbsp

Method : 

1. In a pressure pan or cooker, heat the oil and add jeera & cloves and fry for a bit.

2. Add the soaked green gram, chopped spinach, turmeric powder, salt, rice and fry for 3-4 minutes.

3. Now add the sprouted green gram and mix again. Pour 3 tbsps ghee and add slit green chilies and mix. Finally add the butter milk and cook on high heat up to 2 whistles, reduce heat and cook up to 2 whistles more.

4. Remove and let the pressure naturally release. Heat 2 tbsps ghee in a large pan and fry the chopped ginger and garlic till golden brown. Add the cooked Khichdi gradually and stir well.

Serve hot with curds and pickle of choice.

Broccoli-Palak Paratha

Here's a healthier version of the ever-popular Gobhi Paratha, using the coloured sibling - Broccoli; and to add further greenery, we use spinach.

BROCCOLI SPINACH PARATHA

Ingredients :

Grated Broccoli - 1 cup (You can use cauliflower if Broccoli isnt available)
Blanched and pureed spinach - 1 cup
Whole wheat flour - 2 1/2 cups
Salt to taste
Chopped Ginger - 1 tbsp
Chopped Garlic - 1 tbsp
Chopped Green Chilies - 2 to 3
Oil for cooking

Method : 

1. In a mixing bowl, mix together all the ingredients minus the oil and knead into a soft dough using water as required.
[Note : It is usually preferred to lightly blanch the broccoli or cauliflower in boiling water for 5-7 minutes along with a little haldi which will remove the impurities/bacteria from them.]

2. Dab a little oil on the dough and keep aside for 5 minutes.

3. Make small portions of the dough and roll out into puris. Fold both edges in like a book, then fold again to make a small square. Press lightly and roll out again into a 1cm thick paratha.

4. Heat a tawa on medium heat and cook the paratha on both sides using oil (preferably olive) till golden brown.
Serve hot as desired.

Spinach Puris

A healthy twist to the normal and bland puris. Mildly spiced and colourful, spinach adds a bunch of good to the puffed up delites...

                                                                     PALAK PURIS

Ingredients :

Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Salt - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds (Jeera) powder - 1 tsp
Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Spinach purée - 1 cup
Water if required
Oil - for the dough and for frying

Method :

1. In a clean bowl, mix together the flour, salt, jeera, oil (about 2 tbsps) and dhaniya powder. Mix once by hand.

2. Now gradually add the spinach purée and start kneading into a soft dough. Use water only if needed.

3. Meanwhile heat oil for frying on medium heat. Sprinkle some oil on the dough and let rest for just 5 minutes.

4. Divide the dough into small, equal portions. Roll out into puris and deep fry till golden brown.
Drain excess oil and serve as desired.

Palak Pav Bhaji

Pav-Bhaji is a typical Mumbai street food and never goes out of fashion. In fact, once's craving for it simply increases with each serving!!

Today's dinner actually started off with me trying to convince my mother that Pav Bhaji will taste just as good with Maggi Bhuna Masala... (It's a working day and I was pressed for time, you see !! :) )
She was sceptical, but once I finished serving the Pav Bhaji...the vessel was half-emtpy in 10 minutes flat!!! Ahem, forgot to mention that I added another twist to it...here it comes...

                                                                PALAK PAV BHAJI

Ingredients :

Chopped Spinach - 1 cup
Mixed vegetables (Capsicum, Peas, Potatoes, and carrots) - 2 cups
Maggi Bhuna Masala (Gravy)- 2 packets* (see alternative method below)
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Chili powder - 2 tsps
Salt to taste
Pav Bhaji masala - 2 1/2 tsps
Lemon juice
Chopped onion - 1/4 cup
Chopped coriander - for garnish
Pav buns - as required

Method :

1. Blanch spinach with a pinch of salt and turmeric till the leaves turn soft. Do not discard the water. Once it cools, blend it into a puree.

2. Pressure cook the mixed vegetables with 1 tsp salt and turmeric powder. It is OK to slightly over cook the veggies as we need to mash them anyway.

3. Heat oil in a flat, wide-bottomed pan, add cumin seeds and let crackle. Add the bhuna masala contents and stir well. Let cook for about 5 minutes.

4. Add the spinach puree and stir well. Let cook again for 3-5 minutes. Add chili powder, salt to taste and finally fold in the vegetables.

5. Mash the vegetables as you go on mixing them with the gravy. Add the pav bhaji masala and add water to adjust consistency. Let cook for 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle chopped coriander and remove from fire.
Note : If you decide to prepare the bhaji well in advance, you will notice that the gravy tightens with time and you might need to add more water to re-adjust the consistency and add spices if need be.

6. Cut the pav buns in half, heat butter in a pan and lightly roast the buns. Serve with hot bhaji along with a lemon wedge and chopped raw onions.

* - If Maggi Bhuna Masala is not available, heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, followed by 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste. Fry for a bit, now add chopped onions or ground onion paste. Let cook for 5-7 minutes, then add chopped tomatoes or tomato puree. After stirring in the spinach puree and veggies, add 1 tbsp of tomato ketchup to add to the zing.

Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer is a timeless and classic Indian recipe. The very name conjures up images of succulent paneer cubes floating around in a rich spinach gravy. This recipe is timeless for me too as it's from my mother's recipe repository :) Without further ado, let's get started !!!

Tips on making paneer at home mentioned in this blog...

                                                                   PALAK PANEER

Ingredients :

Chopped Fresh spinach - 2 cups
(I've come across frozen spinach cubes or leaves available in supermarkets abroad, these can be used too)
Paneer (Indian cheese) - 200 gms (Cubed)
Onion - 1 (medium)
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Tomatoes - 2 (medium)
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick or 1 tsp of powder
Green chillies - 2 to 3
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil- 2 tbsps

Note : If using fresh spinach leaves, it's imperative to wash them well before use. Also it's recommended to always blanch the greens than pressure cook them, in order to retain maximum nutrients.

Method :

1. Wash and drain the spinach. If using equivalent amount of frozen spinach cubes, directly dissolve them in water.

2. Chop the onion and blend in a mixer along with ginger, green chillies and cinnamon.

3. Blanch and de-seed tomatoes. Drain the excess water and chop the tomatoes. Blend along with the spinach and turmeric powder to make a smooth puree.

4. Heat oil in a pan. Add the ground onion paste and fry for 5 to 7 minutes till the raw aroma leaves the mixture.

5. Meanwhile heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick pan and lightly saute the paneer pieces till light golden. Immediately transfer to a saucepan full of boiling water. This will remove the excess oil from the paneer and also make it soft and absorbent. Let them soak for about 7 to 8 minutes, drain on a tissue paper.
Alternatively, you can use the paneer cubes as is, i.e without frying, to suit your tastes.

6. To the onion gravy, add the spinach puree and cook for about 5 more minutes. Now drop in the paneer pieces gradually, stirring the gravy simultaneously. Cover cook for 4 to 5 more minutes.
Remove and serve with any Indian bread or rice.