nitu didi

NITUS SPECIAL SPICY LENTILS

Posted on September 16, 2013 by nituchugani

Lentils form a great part of the daily diet in the average indian household. A great source of protein for the vegetarians and vegans. We are soo fortunate to have so many types of lentils available in our country India. Today the recipe features yellow mung daal which is dehusked green mung daal. I hail from the province of Sindh and we have a very particular way of making these lentils. We call it “makhani daal” which is given its name because of its creamy texture. The typical recipe is just to boil these lentils till disintegrated and creamy and then add a mixture of spices on it and pour a little heated ghee/butter/oil on top. Simple and served with puris (deep fried rotis). Well, this is the age of innovation and healthy eating. I created a different version of this and instead of the deep fried puris i served it on a slice of whole wheat bread with some green chutney on the side and it was an amazing combination.
INGREDIENTS :
1 cup of yellow mung daal ( i used THIS )
2 cups of water
6 cloves of garlic, minced (Jains please omit this)
1″ piece ginger, grated (Jains please omit this)
2 green chillies, chopped into rounds
1/2 tsp. of Nitu Didi pure turmeric powder
8 curry leaves
1/4 cup of finely chopped coriander leaves, i used my MAGICAL SCISSORS
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
A pinch of asafoetida (this helps as a digestive, if you do not have, its ok)
Red chilli powder to garnish
2 tablespoons of olive oil, or normal or or butter or ghee ( i used olive oil)
METHOD:
Wash the lentils in water several times till the water comes out clear. Put it to boil ( i used a pressure cooker) untill the lentils are totally mashed and the mixture is creamy. Cooking time depends on how you cook it, in a normal pan or pressure cooker. Once your lentils are cooked we can now flavour them. Heat the oil in a pan and add the asafoetida and just cook it for a few seconds, if it burns your daal will be bitter. Then add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle and then add the garlic and once it starts changing color add the ginger. Cook till ginger is turning slightly brown. Add the green chillies and then quickly add the lentils. Add salt, turmeric powder, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the coriander leaves and the curry leaves and boil for about five minutes. Check and correct seasoning. Serve hot with red chilli powder sprinkled on top. This is a delicious low calorie recipe.
NITU DIDI TIP:
If you want a tangy daal you can add some lemon zest to this during the end of the recipe with some lemon juice. You can also sprinkle with raw mango powder. If you like mangoes, you can add some to the daal and cook it together. For kids : This is an excellent recipe for babies, tho it might cause them colic because lentils are gassy. Just avoid the ginger garlic and just cook the lentils with turmeric powder and then proceed with the recipe just using cumin seeds (cumin seeds are good for digestion),. You can give babies these lentils with soft boiled rice. FOR JAIN RECIPE : Omit the ginger garlic please.

Posted in Everything Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Healthy Options, Jain recipes, Lentils, Low Cost, Typical Sindhi Dishes, Vegan | Tagged daal, jain, lentils, Vegan, vegetarian | 4 Comments

BACON N CHEDDAR MUFFINS

Posted on September 11, 2013 by nituchugani

For all the bacon lovers out there! Today I bring you a recipe of a savory muffin thats so delicious. Its easy to make, excellent for breakfast, picnics, journeys and kids tiffins. Just serve it with a salad and you have a nice meal. The “plus” ingredient here is the addition of crispy fried onions…this takes these muffins to a whole different dimension altogether. I am so sorry but I yet have to work out the vegetarian version of this which i shall do so soon 🙂
INGREDIENTS:
300 grams of white flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
a good pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
100 grams of chopped bacon, i used one with little fat on it
140 grams of grated cheddar cheese, i used my bullet to grate it
2 medium sized room temperature eggs
250 ml of warm milk, i used semi skimmed milk but you can use whole or skimmed, or even soya milk or lactose free milk
85 grams of melted butter
3 tablespoons of crispy fried onions
Heat the oven to 180.
Put the bacon strips into a heated fryingpan without any oil and grill them till crispy on both sides. Drain them on kitchen paper and then cut them into tiny bits ( I used my magic scissors to do so) To buy them CLICK HERE
Beat the eggs slightly with the butter , salt, pepper . Add the fllour and baking powder , and mix and then add the warm milk gradually till all is well mixed. Add the crispy bacon bits, the crispy fried onions and half of the grated cheese. If you like it spicy you can even add some red chilli powder. Put the mixture into muffin cases and top with the remaining cheddar cheese. Bake till done (about 10-12 minutes) and cheese is lovely and golden. Serve with a smile and watch your family gobble them up!!
NITU DIDI TIP:
This cake can be kept for a couple of days in a covered container. Please wait till cool and then store.
The bacon can be replaced with chopped sausages, or even sauteed vegetables or finely chopped canned mushrooms, corn etc. For my HALAAL followers, please use turkey bacon, or mock bacon..

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Posted in Breakfast, Crack an egg???, Floury Matter, Fusion, Magic Bullet, Tupperware Food | Tagged breakfast, muffins, picnic, savoury, tupperware | Leave a comment

WHITE SAUCE/BECHAMEL GLUTEN FREE RECIPE N VIDEO

Posted on September 5, 2013 by nituchugani

Bechamel or white sauce is the mother of all sauces. It is used as a base for many sauces, or as an ingredient for making croquettes, pies, lasagne and canneloni etc. It is simple to make if you follow a few basic rules. I have been asked for this recipe by many of my followers and decided to do a video tutorial also so you all can see how easy it is. I have made it gluten free for the celiacs, but you can use ordinary white or whole wheat flour if you wish.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons of butter
2 teaspoons of cornstarch
250 ml of milk
1/2 a white onion , chopped (Jains please omit this ingredient)
6 whole peppercorns
salt to taste
METHOD:
Chop the onion in juliennes. Heat the butter in a thick bottomed pan and sautee the onions and peppercorns till the onions start changing color. For Jains, please omit the onions and you can use a bit of celery instead for flavour. Once the onions change color, remove them from the butter and transfer onto a plate. Add the cornstarch and cook for a few seconds. Remove from heat and stir in the milk slowly mixing non stop till the mixture is well blended. Return to heat and cook stirring continuoulsy till the sauce thickens. Add salt to taste .
NITU DIDI TIP:
This is your basic white sauce. Now you can add herbs, black pepper, etc. For a cheese sauce add grated cheese. For a black pepper sauce you can add lots of crushed black pepper. For a mushroom sauce you can add sauteed mushrooms. For an onion sauce just blend the sauce in the blender with the sauteed onions. For a tangy sauce you can add ketchup and chilli sauce. If you do get lumps in the sauce for any reason, dont panic… just let it cool and put it in the blender. That should sort it out.
VIDEO:

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Posted in Everything Vegetarian, Floury Matter, Gluten Free, Jain recipes, Low Cost, Quick Recipes, Sauces and Chutneys | Tagged bechamel, gluten free, white sauce | Leave a comment

BESAN HALWA WITH SUNFLOWER SEEDS N CASHEWNUTS

Posted on September 3, 2013 by nituchugani

The festival of “ganesh chathurthi” is just round the corner and it is a custom to offer sweets to the deity while performing the prayers. I happened to make this delicous gram flour (besan) halwa in an instant on raksha bandhan day. This is delicious, easy and a flop free recipe. Please take time to read the review I have also written on this product.
FOR THE HALWA:
1 packet of Milkmaid Instant Besan Ladoo Mix
1/4 cup of whole milk
1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder
3 tablespoons of finely chopped cashewnuts
1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds
METHOD:
Follow the instructions on the pack and when cooking the mix in the butter for about 5 minutes till browned add the milk and the cardamom powder and cook till thick and the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.Add the cashewnuts and the sunflower seeds and mix well. Put it into a mould and let it set for about an hour.

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Posted in Eggless Sweet Temptations, Everything Vegetarian, Fusion, Gluten Free, Indian Restaurant Dishes, Jain recipes, Quick Recipes, Tupperware Food | Tagged halwa. indian sweets | Leave a comment

NO BAKE HEALTHY CHOCO CRUNCHY BITES

Posted on September 2, 2013 by nituchugani

This deliciously sinful snack is a great way to get your kids to eat a healthy cereal. Yes I know chocolate is not exactly “healthy” but if one does have a craving, then why not just make it healthy? This recipe is also a good way to start kids to learn to cook to make fun things which they can later eat!
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of healthy cereal, i used THIS ONE
150 grams of milk chocolate
a few chopped nuts such as almonds or walnuts
METHOD:
Melt the chocolate in the microwave carefully till its all melted. Stir in the nuts and the cereal and put spoonfuls of the mixture into small silicon moulds. Wait for it to cool and set and then turn out and let the kids snack on this delicious snack.
NITU DIDI TIP:
You can use the cereal of your choice. This is a good option to use up cereal that you buy and then find out that the kids do not want it. Anything tastes better with chocolate! You can also use white chocolate or dark chocolate to make this. This is excellent to serve at kiddies parties or to take on picnics.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CHOCOLATE (Because we all know cereal is good for you!!)

Eating a small amount of chocolate can be good for you.. it can just make you feel nice and happy! Just make sure you eat a bit 🙂 Jokes apart, it is good for the brain (recent studies show). Actually does one need a reason to eat chocolate?

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Posted in Breakfast, Eggless Sweet Temptations, Healthy Options, Jain recipes, Low Cost, Quick Recipes, Snacks, Tupperware Food, Vegan | Tagged cereal, chocolate, eggless, healthy, snack, vegetarian | Leave a comment

ECUADORIAN LENTILS WITH YELLOW RICE

Posted on August 29, 2013 by nituchugani

How about some “daal chawal” the Ecuadorian way today? Lentils and rice are a very common meal in most desi homes. Today I bring you a recipe tried and tested by a dear friend of mine Ravneet Arora. It is very kind of her to allow me to use her pic and recipe and once again I encourage all of you to send me your pics and recipes. I have not tried this out myself but i am sure this recipe is a fool proof one as Ravneet herslef is an excellent cook and baker! Brown lentils are used in this recipe and they are an excellent source of protein and iron. So…lets have some daal chawal a different way! Thank you soo much Ravneet 🙂

3 tbsp canola oil or any cooking oil
1 tsp turmeric
3 tomatoes or a can of diced tomatoes (I like to use fresh in this recipe) (I used tomato paste which was not sour enough, so added 1 tbsp of white vinegar)
2 tsp cumin
4 tbsp chopped cilantro /coriander leaves
1 lb (2 1/4 cup) lentils
1 red onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced (I like orange or yellow best in this recipe) (I didn’t have so didn’t use)
6 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
3 tsp salt
7 cups water

Directions:

Heat the oil on medium heat in large sauce pan
Add turmeric, onion, bell pepper, tomato, garlic, cumin, salt and 2 tbsp of cilantro
Cook stirring occasionally until all ingredients have softened, about 5 minutes
Add water and increase heat to bring water to boil.

Add the lentils and reduce the heat to medium low.
Cover partially and cook until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes-1 hour
Stir in remaining cilantro and remove from heat

Ecuadorian Style Rice
Ingredients:
2 cups of uncooked white rice, I like to use long grain rice (sorted and rinsed if needed)
2 tbs oil (olive oil, sunflower, canola) or butter
2 tbs minced or finely chopped white onions
2 ¼ cups water
Salt to taste (add the salt when you add the water and the water should taste like a lightly salted broth, for a lightly salted rice I add about 1/4 teaspoon of salt)
Optional – 1 garlic clove, minced
For arroz amarillo: ½ teaspoon of ground achiote or annatto (Mix these together: 1-1/2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon white vinegar
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 minced garlic clove

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
turmeric can be used if you just need it for color)
Preparation:
1. Heat the oil or butter on medium temperature in medium sized saucepan.
2. Add the minced onions and garlic (and achiote if making arroz amarillo or yellow rice), cook until the onions are translucent or soft, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the rice and stir it in so that it is well coated by the oil, add the water and bring it to a boil.
4. Let the water reduce until it barely covers the rice, cover with a lid, reduce the temperature to low, and cook for about 20-25 min.

Posted in Everything Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Healthy Options, Ideas for meals, Low Cost, Vegan | Tagged lentils, rice, Vegan, vegetarian | 4 Comments

EGG MASALA CURRY

Posted on August 27, 2013 by nituchugani

This curry is a must for all egg curry lovers. Boiled eggs are pan fried till the whites are nice and brown giving it a different taste and then added to a smooth spicy curry . Very delicious and full of protein. You can also make the egg curry with just egg whites..half the eggs, and proceed.
INGREDIENTS:
8 boiled eggs, to boil them without the shell you can use “EGGIES”
2 onions, chopped fine
3 tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons of ginger garlic paste
8 curry leaves
2 kashmiri red chillies soaked in water
1 tablespoon of Nitu Didi Garam Masala and 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
Salt to taste
4-6 tablespoons of cooking oil
METHOD:
Boil the eggs and peel. Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a pan and add the onions and cook till browned. Then add the ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell disappears. Then add the curry leaves, tomatoes and the turmeric and cook till all is mushy. Cook the mixture and blend in a blender ( i used my magic bullet) with the kashmiri chillies. Blend the mixture till smooth and return it to the pan. Add the garam masala and salt and a little water acording to the consitency you want. Let it boil gently. In the meantime heat 2 tablespoons oil in a non stick pan and put in the whole boiled eggs while hot. Brown the eggs slightly in the oil. Halve them if you like or add them whole to the curry.
NITU DIDI TIP:
This curry can be made in quantity and frozen. You can then use it as a chicken, fish, vegetable curry etc etc. For a richer taste you can add some cream or some ground cashewnuts.
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Posted in Crack an egg???, Indian Restaurant Dishes, Low Cost, Magic Bullet, Quick Recipes | Tagged curry, eggcurry, masala | Leave a comment

SANGRIA WITH AND WITHOUT ALCOHOL

Posted on August 22, 2013 by nituchugani

Think Spain and apart from the bullfights and beaches and ofcourse the tapas, Sangria immediately comes into your mind. Jugs and jugs of it is served all over Spain in its quaint side cafes, restaurants, and pubs. A good sangria is just the blend of a few “right” ingredients. Everyone has their own taste, some like it sweeter while some like it more potent. I was recently in India and taught how to make spanish paella and sangria in my cooking workshop. I was also requested to make a non alcoholic version which I did. I was told it was the most amazing sangria which they had tasted. This recipe of mine is an result of watching many bar tenders make sangria and also a bit of my own preference. I do like it both sweet and potent but without being too sickly. In Spain they serve it in jugs, topped with chopped fruit and in the bottom of the jug you can see a layer of sugar which you need to stir before pouring the sangria into the glasses. I prefer my sangria without the sugar, so THAT is something totally optional.
INGREDIENTS:
1 750 ml bottle of red wine, I USED THIS or Non alcoholic red wine or red grape juice, chilled
750 ml of sprite or 7 up..if making non alcohol version you can add some gingerale and some sparkling soda water instead, chilled
2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons each of vodka, white rum, brandy and cointreau or any fruity schnapps ( i used peach schnapps)..halaal followers please omit this and add a little ginger juice to this
cut fruit such as oranges, apples, pears, pineapple, etc etc
lots of ice cubes or crushed ice
sugar to taste, if desired, i did not use (non alcoholic version does not need sugar)
METHOD:
Take a large jug or using a punch bowl add all the ingredients except the ice. Mix well and taste. You can make it more potent or add sugar if you like. Add the icecubes and serve immediately. After you have finished drinking the sangria you can eat up the wine soaked fruit. Its delicious.
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Posted in Cocktails, Mocktails, Spanish Tapas | Tagged cocktail, mocktail, sangria, spain, wine | Leave a comment

ALMOND CROCANTI CAKE

Posted on August 19, 2013 by nituchugani

Another experiment of mine which turned out delicious! A simple cake with pieces of almond crocanti. Almond crocanti is basically almonds coated in clear caramel and then chopped in the blender. I have a video on how to make caramalised nuts if you want to make them at home. They can be also store bought.
FOR THE CAKE:
250 ml of chilled milk, I used semi skimmed, ( i measured it into a glass, it was 1 glass and then i used the same glass for measurement)
1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice
1 glassful of cooking oil
2 glass fuls of white sugar
3 glassfuls of ordinary white flour (maida)
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2.5 teaspoons of baking powder
3/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1 tablespoon of good vanilla essence or almond essence if you have (use less of almond essence)
1/2 cup of chopped almonds in caramel (almond crocanti) if you want you can just add plain chopped almonds
3 medium sized fresh eggs, at room temperature
METHOD
Mix the vinegar/lemon juice with the chilled milk and leave it to stand for 10 minutes. It will curdle a bit.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease a cake pan or if using a silicon one then theres no need to grease it if its a good quality,
Mix the flour, and salt in a bowl. Beat the eggs with the sugar separately till light and fluffy and then add in the oil and milk and beat it all well. Add this liquid to the flour slowly and mix well till the whole mixture is lump free. Add the baking powder and baking soda and mix it well so that is completely dissolved in the batter. Add the essence and lastly the almond crocanti and pour into the baking tray. Bake for about 35-45 minutes till done.
NITU DIDI TIP:
You can also make this cake eggless by using any of my eggless cake recipes and adding some nuts to the batter.
CARAMELISED NUTS VIDEO

Posted in A Piece of Cake???, Crack an egg???, Floury Matter, Recipes with videos | Tagged almond, cake | Leave a comment

SOYA MINCE WITH MUSHROOMS

Posted on August 17, 2013 by nituchugani

Soya mince is a great source of protein and is low in calories. Combined with any other vegetable this becomes a complete one pot dish. Some people do not like soya mince as they say it has a strange smell. I guess a little technique is used to make this. I always get compliments for my soya mince and I think the way i cook it has a lot to do with it.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of soya mince granules, soaked in 2-3 cups of water.
2 cups of chopped onions
1 cup of sliced white fresh button mushrooms
1 tablespoon of ginger garlic paste, I used my magic bullet to make the paste without water
1 finely chopped large red tomato
2 chopped green chillies
1 tablespoon of Nitu Didi excellent garam masala
1/2 cup of chopped coriander leaves
3 tablespoons of oil
Salt to taste
METHOD:
Soak the soya granules in 2 cups of water for about half an hour while you chop everything for the recipe. If the granules absorb all the water add some more till it just about covers it without getting absorbed. I use bottled water for this.
Brown the onions in oil till really well browned and then add the ginger garlic paste and cook for a few minutes more. When nice and brown add the soaked soya mince with the water and cook it with the browned onions for about 10 minutes stirring on and off till the soya mince has changed color and is browned. Add the garam masala and the mushrooms and tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes soften. Add the green chillies, salt and the coriander leaves and give it a good stir. If you want it with a little gravy add some water and bring it to a boil. If you want it dry then its ready to be eaten. You can also add some ground black pepper and some lemon juice to this.
NITU DIDI TIP :
This can be used for samosa filling, for filling for lasagne by adding a few italian herbs and oregano. This can be also used as grilled sandwich filling etc. If the texture of the mince you get is too thick you can just mince it a bit in the blender.
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