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Thursday 29 March 2018

Gujarati Dal Dhokli Recipe / Whole Wheat Pasta in Lentil Stew


Dal Dhokli is a delightful traditional Gujarati dish in which spiced dhokli (thick pasta of whole wheat flour ) are boiled and simmered in a mildly sweet , tangy and spiced dal ( pigeon pea stew).  This one pot vegetarian dish is a complete meal on its own and is very filling and healthy. Serve it as a Sunday breakfast or as brunch with some salad and roasted papad and you are sorted. Dal dhokli is a comfort food and very similar to the Maharashtrian dish dal chakolya / varan phal. The recipe is very easy to follow and requires basic ingredients which are almost always present in an Indian kitchen pantry.                                                                                                  

For the month of March, we bloggers of the Facebook group , Shhhhh Cooking Secretly Challenge went on a virtual trip to Indian state of Gujarat. Gujarati Cuisine offers wide range of vegetarian dishes with unique style of cooking , and perfect blend of flavors. The dishes are mildly spiced and the combination of sweet and tangy flavors lend palate pleasing taste to the food. I love Gujarati food as it is very much similar to Maharashtrian Cuisine. In the challenge i was lucky enough to be paired with a Gujju . My partner Mayuri Patel is a very humble person , a talented food blogger who blogs at MayurisJikoni , do check out her space for some wonderful recipes and food tales. She gave me whole wheat flour and tuvar dal ( pigeon pea) as my secret ingredients and without any second thought , i knew i would make Dal Dhokli using those healthy ingredients. In return , i gave sesame seeds and rice flour as secret ingredients to her and she came up with a delectable Whilte Dhokla / Idra using those ingredients. Click on the highlighted word for the recipe .

                                                  

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 35-40 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients for Dal:
  • 1/2 cup pigeon pea / Tuvar / Arhar dal
  • 2 tablespoon peanuts
  • 1 tomato finely chopped
  • 2 green chilies, finely chopped
  • 2 sprig curry leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic
  • Pinch of asafoetida / hing
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 tablespoon jaggery powder
  • 2-3 petals of dried kokum 
  • Small bunch of fresh coriander leaves
  • 2 tablespoon ghee / oil
  • Salt to taste
Ingredients for Dhokli:
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tablespoon chick pea flour / besan
  • 1/4 teaspoon carom seeds / ajwain
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chilly powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin coriander powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon oil
Method:
  1. Rinse the tuvar dal in 2-3 changes of water and soak in enough water for about half hour. Soaking step is optional, but it certainly saves the cooking time. Now take a 3 liter pressure cooker and add this dal in it with 2 cup water . Keep a small bowl with peanuts in it . Close the lid and pressure cook the dal for 3-4 whistles and simmer for 10 minutes. 


                           


2. While the dal is getting cooked, we can prepare the dough for the dhokli. For that in a bowl , take all the ingredients listed under Dhokli. Mix well. Now adding very little water at a time , knead the flour into a stiff dough. Cover the dough and keep aside for 10-1 5 minutes.




3. Put off the flame and allow the cooker to cool down completely before opening the lid. The cooked dal should be mushy. Using a wooden ladle or hand blender, churn the mashed dal very well until smooth.

                           


4. Heat a wok and add ghee or oil to it. Add mustard seeds. Let them splutter . Now add cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add chopped green chilly and curry leaves. Saute for few seconds.


5. Now add chopped or minced garlic and stir fry for 1-2 minutes . Add chopped tomatoes and saute well. Add the cooked dal , followed by turmeric powder and asafoetida . Add 2 cups water and stir well.



6. Add the boiled peanuts, jaggery powder , kokum and salt. Allow the dal to boil. While the dal is boiling, we will prepare the dhokli.





7. For that knead the dhokli dough which is resting for a while now. Divide it into  2 equal portions and roll out each portion using a rolling pin. Now with a sharp knife cut diamond shapes or long strips of the dough and start adding 3-4 dhokli into the boiling dal. Keep stirring so that the dhokli do not stick to each other. Roll out the remaining portion and keep adding dhoklis to the boiling dal while stirring continuously. Take care not to add the dhokli all at once.




 8. Once all the prepared dhoklis have been added , simmer the dal and allow to cook until the dhokli are soft and can be broken easily between fingers. Lastly add the finely chopped coriander leaves and put off the flame. You may squeeze out juice from a lemon if you feel the kokum has not imparted the desired tartness to the dal. Serve the dal dhokli in individual bowls or plate while hot , top it with pure ghee and enjoy !


  Notes:
  • If you do not have kokum , you may add tamarind pulp to the dal. You may squeeze out juice from a lemon if you feel the kokum has not imparted the desired tartness to the dal.
  • Do not add all the dhokli to the boiling dal at once, keep adding 3-4 dhokli at a time while stirring continuously so that they do not stick to each other. 

    I hope you would love to try out this healthy and delectable Gujarathi Dal Dhokli for yourself. If you do so , feel free to share your feed back with us. Follow us on #Facebook , #Instagram , #Twitter   and #Google+ for more recipes and new updates. 

For more dishes from Gujarathi Cuisine, do check the following posts from my blog


                                    


                               


                                


Monday 26 March 2018

Pomegranate Mojito Mocktail Recipe


Pomegranate Mojito Mocktail is a refreshing non-alcoholic fruity drink. Made with pomegranate seeds and juice, lemonade and mint leaves, this mocktail is very appealing with beautiful shades of pink, is sweet and tart in taste and it serves as a perfect thirst quencher . This no-cook recipe is quick and easy and replaces refined sugar with honey. I have sprinkled some chia seeds for added health benefits. 


My home town produces best quality pomegranates. So when Aai dada (my in-laws) visit us, they make sure they bring few of these beauties for us fresh from the orchard. We generally use them fresh as fruit or in juices. I also use the seeds as a garnish in my salads and raitas and sprinkle them over desserts , pancakes and oatmeal. This time i tried this wonderful mocktail with few pomegranates Aai dada bought last week from Malegaon. Everyone in the family liked it and this pomegranate mojito mocktail will surely make its presence in my kitchen quite often :)


Pomegranate is one of the healthiest fruits on earth. Before heading towards the recipe, lets have a quick look at its benefits. Pomegranates have anti-oxidant , anti-viral, and anti-tumor properties and are said to be a good source of vitamins, especially Vitamin A, C and E, as well as folic acid and antioxidants.


 I would also like to share a small tip , which i have been practicing recently. We can add fresh mint leaves or rose petals in the ice cube tray and top it with water before freezing it. The ice cubes thus formed are infused with the refreshing and fragrant flavors and lend them to the water or drink we add those ice cubes. I have used these mint flavored ice cubes while preparing this pomegranate mocktail.


Preparation time: 5 minutes
Serves: 1 tall glass

Ingredients: Measurement used 1 cup = 200 ml
  • 2-3 tablespoon pomegranate seeds
  • 8-10 fresh mint leaves + for garnishing
  • 2 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 cup pomegranate juice ( i have used fresh juice) 
  • 1-2 teaspoon chia seeds 
  • Few ice cubes 
Method:
  1. Take a tall glass and add 2 tablespoon of pomegranate seeds and mint leaves in it. Squeeze out juice from 1 1/2 lemon and add honey to it. Muddle this mix with a rolling pin so that the mint leaves and pomegranate seeds release the flavors. (keep folded kitchen napkin below the glass while you muddle, so as to prevent the glass from cracking.




2. Now add 4-5 ice cubes and top it with pomegranate juice.




3. Lastly top it with chia seeds and remaining pomegranate seeds . Garnish with lemon slice and mint leaves . Cheers !!



This recipe of Pomegranate Mojito Moctail is featured in the #137th #FoodieMondayBlogHop where the theme for this week is #Mocktails. 

Recipe Notes:
  • If you do not have chia seeds, you may use sabja seeds instead or skip it entirely.
  • I have used fresh pomegranate juice in the recipe, which i obtained from 2 large pomegranates by grinding the pomegranate seeds in a mixer jar and straining the juice . You may use store bought instead.
  • When working with the fruit, protect your clothing and hands for juice as it tends to stain.
   I hope you would love to try out this refreshing mocktail for yourself. If you do so , feel free to share your feed back with us. Follow us on #Facebook , #Instagram , #Twitter and #Google+ for more recipes and new updates. 

For more similar recipes, do check out the following posts from my blog


                                       


                                


                                      

                                   


                              



Tuesday 20 March 2018

Strawberry Shrikhand / Strawberry Flavored Yogurt Recipe

                    

Strawberry Shrikhand is delectable, creamy, yogurt based dessert with the goodness of fresh strawberries. Shrikhand is a traditional sweet from Indian states of Maharashtra and Gujarat and is made from flavored hung curd. Adding fruit to a plain shrikhand lends a beautiful color and fruity flavor to the dessert making it all the more appealing. To make it a bit more healthy and guilt free affair , i sweetened the shrikhand with jaggery powder instead of sugar and topped it with pistachio. If you have chakka (hung curd) ready at hand, making this no-cook strawberry shrikhand is a breeze. Involve your kids for the added fun. Serve it chilled for a scrumptious after-dinner dessert or as a side dish with hot pooris.

                         

Foodies_Redoing Old Posts

This is an old post that i had published in 2018. Today, i have updated the post with a video recipe, new pics and written content, the recipe remains unchanged though. I have many such old posts where i feel the photography is dull or the recipe is not up to the mark (at times we keep on changing our own recipes to make it a better version of it). Such posts need to be updated. All thanks to my dear friend and a fellow blogger Renu, who came up with a Facebook gourmet group, Foodies_redoing Old posts, wherein a group of passionate food bloggers can update their old posts with new photographs and written content fortnightly. 

Check out the video below for healthy Strawberry Shrikhand 


Shrikhand Varieties on the blog:

I have already shared the plain Shrikhand and Amrakhand (mango srikhand) recipes on the blog. This time i flavored the shrikhand with fresh strawberry puree and the result were far better than my expectations. Everyone in my family loved the gorgeous pink color and refreshing flavors of strawberry in the shrikhand. You can make this Strawberry shrikhand using fresh or frozen strawberries.

Annapurna Turns 3!

I am very happy and excited today as i celebrate my 3rd Blog Anniversary..yes..Annapurna has turned 3 today ! It gives me immense pleasure as i recall my blogging journey ...i gifted myself with this space exactly 3 years ago on Gudhi Padva ( Maharashtrian New Year) with a very little confidence , a lot more fear but a strong determination to take blogging seriously and pour my heart and soul into it. I love cooking and feeding to the core and just enjoy being in my Kitchen. It is like a therapy for me. What worried me during my earlier days of blogging was , whether i would be able to gather readers to my blog as i am not very good at writing and story telling . But i feel grateful to all my readers who follow my blog so religiously and keep encouraging me through positive feedback by trying out my recipes, commenting and liking my posts.

Today blogging has become a part of my life and i thoroughly enjoy every bit of it. Blogging gives me chance to cook and experiment food from different cuisines which otherwise i would probably not have tried. It is because of this blog, i got to connect with so many talented bloggers and learn so much from them. Above all blogging has given me recognition and a sense of satisfaction of being virtually present in so many kitchens through my recipes. 

 As on today Annapurna records 327 recipe posts and a huge number of 5,90,911 page views. Foremost i would like to thank my readers for reading my long blog posts , for each and every like and comment , for all the lovely feed back you give me by trying out my recipes and for following by blog so religiously. I would also thank my fellow bloggers for inspiring me by their fantastic work and talent to give my best each time. I could reach countless viewers only because of the various online food groups and websites on social networking sites (Though finding yourself added to a food group every other day and that too without your permission may find annoying at times , but at the end of the day it is fruitful , as it increases your reach ), last but surely not the least, i would thank my family and friends for their continuous support and motivation. I take this opportunity to thank my mom,  Mangala Pagar who is my biggest inspiration, my mentor , my best friend , whatever i am today is because of her , thank you mumma for everything. Cannot dare to miss out my lifelines, Kiran and Chinmay for their unconditional love and for allowing me to carry my food experiments on them :) Looking forward for the same support and love from all of you as i continue my journey.


I had made this strawberry shrikhand two days back on Gudi Padva as naivedhyam and also to welcome Aai - Dada (my in-laws) . We feel very blessed to have our parents with us every year during this time of the year , and we get their blessings as we step into the New Year. They loved the dessert and the whole festive platter :)


Dietary Notes: This Strawberry Shrikhand is
  • Vegetarian 
  • Fruit Yogurt Recipe
  • Healthy Dessert
  • No refined sugar recipe
  • Kid friendly
  • Jaggery based sweet
  • Indian dessert
  • Gluten-free
  • No-cook recipe
  • Satvik / Jain Food
  • Fasting Food
  • Festive dish

Preparation time: 4 - 5 hours
Serves: 4

Ingredients: Measurements used 1 cup = 250 ml
  • 500 grams / 2 cup fresh curd
  • 8-10 fresh or frozen strawberries 
  • 4 tablespoon jaggery powder or as required
  • Few Pistachio for garnishing (optional)
Method:
  1. Place a strainer on a deep bowl. Line the strainer with a muslin cloth or clean dry kitchen towel. Pour the curd over it. Gather the sides of the cloth and wrap one side around the others and tie a knot. Now hang the cloth on a hook and keep a deep bowl beneath to collect the whey which drips from the curd. Allow the curd to hang for about 4 to 5 hours. You may alternatively keep the curd tied in the muslin cloth in a strainer with a bowl below in the refrigerator for few hours or overnight.


2.  After 4-5 hours the hung curd will be free of all the whey . Remove it in a bowl , scrap the sides of the cloth with spatula, to get all the hung curd. You may keep the hung curd covered in a refrigerator for a day or use it immediately to make the shrikhand.


3. To proceed with the strawberry shrikhand, first rinse the strawberries and hull them ( remove the green leaf part). Chop them roughly and transfer them to a blender jar with jaggery and pulse to get a smooth puree.




4. Add the puree to the hung curd in parts and keep whipping with a wire whisk until the mix blends very well and is creamy and smooth. I could not use all of the strawberry puree as i desired a baby pink color and the consistency was perfect. So be careful and add the puree little at a time checking the desired color and consistency.




 5. Refrigerate the strawberry shrikhand and serve it chilled garnished with chopped pistachio .


  Recipe Notes:
  • I have used powdered jaggery in this recipe, you may add powdered sugar or honey instead, if desired.
  • The quantity of sweetener used depends upon the sweetness of the berries.
  • Do not use sour curd to make shrikhand and prefer fresh curd .
  • Cardamom powder may be used to flavor the shrikhand if desired.
  • If staying in very hot areas, hanging curd at room temperature for a long time will make it sour and you may need more sweetener , to avoid this, you may keep the curd to drain inside a refrigerator , by placing the cloth of curd over a colaner and placing another bowl below it to collect the whey.

Would love to hear from you !

I hope you would love trying out this healthy and delicious Strawberry Shrikhand. If you do so, feel free to share your feedback with use in the form of likes and comments in the section below this post.

All your suggestions are more than welcome. If you like my work, and feel that it is worth following, do hit the follow button on the top right corner of this blog. Your appreciation means a lot to me. It gives me the inspiration and motivation to keep doing my work and give my best each time.

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See you soon with yet another healthy and delicious creation from my Kitchen. Until then Stay safe and eat right !

 

Happy Cooking !

Happy Eating !

 

Regards

Poonam Bachhav

 


For more yogurt based dessert recipes, do check my posts on
                                 
                         
                                 
                                     
                                     


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