/body> >

Saturday 31 August 2019

Whole Wheat Vegetable Momos Recipe


Momo is a type of South Asian dumpling popular across the Indian subcontinent. It is basically a steamed dumpling with vegetable or minced meat. Here, I am sharing a very healthy vegetable steamed dumpling recipe which is oil-free and replaces refined flour with whole wheat flour. It is one of the street foods and a popular delicacy in North Indian states of Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Assam. Steamed vegetable momos served piping hot with a fiery hot dip, Momos Chutney is a feast to the taste buds for sure and the best part is that you can make this dish easily at home and enjoy it guilt-free.


Covering of Momos: The covering of the momos is made using whole wheat flour, salt to taste and water. A soft dough is made and allowed to rest for a few minutes. Shaping the dough balls into beautifully pleated momos does require some practice and a lot of patience but it is not that difficult either.

Filling of Momos: The filling uses vegetables like carrot, cabbage, and onions. I have not stir-fried the filling so this recipe is oil-free. In some variations, the vegetables are sauteed in oil before stuffing it into the momos. Here the vegetables are kept raw which get steamed inside the momos. The veggies are spiced up with ginger garlic and green chili paste and freshly ground black pepper. To prevent the stuffing from getting watery, the shredded cabbage is treated with some salt so that it releases its juices. The water from this cabbage is squeezed out before adding it to other vegetables of the filling. You may add finely chopped capsicum, soy chunks or shredded paneer as well along with the veggies used here for variation and to make the momos more filling.

                               

The pleating of Momos: Individual dough balls are rolled out using a rolling pin. You may cut the circles of uniform size using some lid or bowl having sharp edges. The filling is placed in the center of the rolled out dough disc and then small pleats are made around the edges using the index and middle fingers and thumb which are finally sealed in the center after twisting the momos a bit. One more point to keep in mind while you make the momos is to keep the dough and the pleated momos covered in a damp cotton cloth while you shape and fill the other momos to prevent them from getting dried up.

Steaming Of Momos: All the ready momos are then finally steamed in a steamer. I have used a 3 tier stainless steel steamer to steam my momos. If you do not have a steamer, you may keep the momos on a greased colander and keep that colander in a pressure cooker with a lid without the whistle and gasket or over a saucepan filled with water and cover the colander with a lid. I have steamed the momos for 15 minutes and the momos very perfectly done. If you steam for more than 20 minutes, chances are that momos may turn hard, so do not overcook them.

Dip to served with Momos: Momos are usually served with a fiery hot dip. I have served it with a homemade Momos Chutney made from tomatoes, garlic and red chilies. You may serve it with chili sauce or Schezwan Sauce if you wish.


I have made this whole wheat vegetable steamed momos as my contribution towards the food from the Northeastern Indian state of Sikkim. It is month-end again and the time for my regional Indian post for our Facebook Group, Shhhhh cooking Secretly Challenge, started by Priya of Priya's Versatile Recipes and taken further till date by Mayuri di who blogs at Mayuris Jikoni. In this group, each month we select an Indian state depending upon the alphabetical order and partners are assigned for the challenge. The chosen partners then exchange a set of secret ingredients among themselves and cook a dish with those ingredients from the regional cuisine of that month. The other group members who are not aware of the secret ingredients, then take turns to guess the ingredients just by looking at the pic of the dish. Doesn't this all sound interesting! If you are interested in joining this exciting group, leave a message in the comment section below.

                                फ़ोटो का कोई वर्णन उपलब्ध नहीं है.

So this month, we are on our virtual trip to the Indian state of Sikkim. Sikkim is a beautiful state in Northeast India bordered by Bhutan, Tibet, and Nepal. Nestling in the Himalayan mountains, the state of Sikkim is characterized by mountainous terrain. It is the least populated and the second smallest among the Indian states. Sikkim is notable for its biodiversity, including alpine and subtropical climates, as well as being a host to Kangchenjunga, the highest peak in India and the third-highest on Earth. Sikkim's capital and largest city is Gangtok. 

Do you know that Sikkim accounts for the largest share of cardamom production in India, and is the world's second-largest producer of the spice after Guatemala. Sikkim achieved its ambition to convert its agriculture to fully organic over the interval 2003 to 2016, the first state in India to achieve this distinction. It is also among India's most environmentally conscious states, having banned plastic water bottles("in any government functions and meetings") and polystyrene products (throughout the state).

Sikkimese are traditionally rice eaters. Gundruk and Sinki are the two of the few well known vegetarian dishes of Sikkim. They are soups which are generally prepared during winters when vegetables are found in abundance. Some of the other popular dishes of Sikkim are dal bhat, thukpa, momo and dhindo.

My partner for this month theme was Priya Mahesh. Priya, an engineer by profession quit her corporate job to follow her passion which revolves around food and travel. Priya blogs @ 200deg.com, a food and travel blog where she shares her travel stories and culinary skills with us. This is the second time we both have got the chance to work together. Previously we were paired for the Mizoram Cuisine where i had prepared a flavorful Panch Phoran Tarkari. Priya thoughtfully gave me black pepper and ginger as my two secret ingredients for this month's theme which matched perfectly with the vegetable filling of my momos. In return, i gave her vegetable broth and garlic as her ingredients to be a bit tricky and she beautifully came up with the comforting Vegetarian Thupka, a vegetable noodle soup using homemade vegetable broth. Meanwhile, do check out her space for some interesting travel stories and delicious food recipes from around the globe.

                                               Ssshhh Cooking Secretly

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 8-10 momos

Ingredients for the Momo covering/wrap:
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
Ingredients for the Vegetable filling:
  • 1 cup cabbage, shredded
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 1onion finely chopped
  • 1/2 inch ginger
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic
  • 2-3 green chilies
  • 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
  • Salt to taste
Method:
  1. We will first begin with making the covering for momos. For that, in a bowl take whole wheat flour. Add salt to it. Mix well and adding little water at a time, knead the flour to a soft dough. Cover and keep the dough aside until use.


2. While our momo dough is resting, we will make the vegetable filling for it. For that take the washed and drained grated or shredded cabbage in one plate and sprinkle a little salt over it. Keep it aside for 5-10 minutes.


3. The cabbage will release its juices. Squeeze out all the water from the cabbage and transfer it to another plate with the grated carrot and onion. This step ensures that the vegetable filling does not get watery and make it difficult to pleat the momos. Now make a coarse paste of the ginger garlic and green chili using a mortar and pestle. Add it to the vegetables along with black pepper powder and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well and taste it. Add more salt or pepper powder as per your liking. Our filling for momos is ready.



4. Now, knead the dough again and pinch out a portion from the dough and roll it using a rolling pin. Cut it into a large round disk using a lid or a bowl with sharp edges. This step is optional but it ensures all your momos are of uniform size.


5. Take one disc in your palms and place 1-2 teaspoon of vegetable stuffing over it in the center. Now using your thumb and index and middle fingers try making small pleats from one edge of the disc to the other. Press the filling and lightly twist the gathered pleats and seal the momo in the center. Refer the pics below for proper understanding and technique of pleating the momos.






6. Make momos similarly with all the dough and filling. Keep the dough and the prepared momos covered in a moist muslin cloth to prevent it from drying out. Lastly, prepare the steamer by placing water in the lower compartment and heating it over medium flame. Grease the other perforated pans of the steamer or place a muslin cloth over them. Carefully place the momos in the prepared steamer and steam for 15-20 minutes.




  7. Put off the flame after 15-20 minutes and carefully transfer the steamed momos on to a serving plate with the help of tongs and serve piping hot with a spicy dip of your choice and enjoy the delicious guilt-free treat with your loved ones!

                            

Recipe Notes:
  • I have made the momos using whole wheat flour. You may use 1:1 ratio of APF and whole wheat flour if you wish.
  • Do not steam the momos over 20 minutes as they turn hard on overcooking.
  • Keep the momo dough and the prepared momos covered with moist muslin cloth while working with the dough to prevent it from drying out.
  • As this is an oil-free recipe, i have kept the vegetable filling raw, which get cooked while we steam the momos. If you wish, you may saute the vegetables in little oil before stuffing them in the momos.
  • I have used cabbage, carrot, and onions as the momo filling, you may use capsicum or shredded paneer (cottage cheese) or soya granules instead for variation. Non-vegetarians may use minced meat as the stuffing.
  • The momos taste best when served piping hot as they turn chewy on cooling down. 
If you ever try this recipe, do share your feedback with us in the comment section below. Follow us on #Facebook, #Instagram, #Twitter#Pinterest and #Google+ for more recipes and new updates. 

For more recipes from the North-East Indian states from this blog, do check out the following 
                                 
                                 
                                
                                
                                
                                


                                
                               


Monday 26 August 2019

Matar Dalia Kheer / Broken Wheat Porridge with Peas


Matar Dalia Kheer is creamy delicious milk based dessert. Made from nutrient rich broken wheat, green peas , milk , and jaggery this porridge is easy to prepare and is very healthy and nutritious. Using green peas in a dessert sounds a bit unusual but believe me the kheer is surprisingly flavorful and delectable and with a beautiful green color , it is appealing to the most fussy eaters as well. The matar dalia kheer is gluten free and can be made with either fresh or frozen peas and tastes good equally when served warm or chilled.


I often make dalia kheer at home as it is filling , nutritious and delicious. my family loves its creamy texture. At first i used to make it with sugar but now mostly replace jaggery with refined sugar in almost all my desserts. This time i thought of adding an unusual ingredient into it. Yes, green peas or matar is regarded as an ingredient that we use in savory dishes like pulao, curries and savory snacks.

The idea behind this matar dalia kheer came from Kalyani who suggested #UltaPulta as the #210th theme for #FoodieMondayBlogHop. Kalyani is a versatile blogger who blogs at Sizzlingtastebuds.com . Her blog is a home to a plethora of delicious and healthy dishes mostly vegan . I have bookmarked many of her South Indian dishes to try out. I like her writing style and her conscious effort to use refined free ingredients in her cooking. As per the theme we had to use a traditional savory ingredient in a sweet dish or vice versa. The first thought which popped into my mind was a beetroot halwa , but then i thought it is quite common and lets think a bit out of box and came up with this delectable matar dalia kheer. I am glad i made this dessert.

                                                      
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients: Measurement used 1 cup = 250 ml
  • 2 cup milk 
  • 1/2 cup green peas
  • 1/4 cup broken wheat / dalia
  • 1/4 cup jaggery powder
  • 1 tablespoon ghee
  • 2 tablespoon almonds, slivered
  • 1 tablespoon raisins
  • 1 tablespoon broken cashews
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
Method:
  1. Heat a sauce pan with 1 cup water. Add green peas to it and blanch the peas for 3-4 minutes. Once done, drain the peas and keep aside to cool down. On cooling, grind the peas to a fine paste without adding water to it.

2. Meanwhile in another sauce pan heat the milk on medium flame. Once it boils, lower the flame and allow the milk to reduce further while stirring occasionally.


3. In a non-stick pan heat 1 teaspoon ghee and fry the cashew and raisins. Once they turn golden brown remove them and add broken wheat to it. Roast until the dalia turns light brown and you get a lovely nutty aroma.



4. Next, take out the toasted dalia onto a plate and add remaining ghee to the same pan. Now add the ground green peas paste to it and saute for 2-3 minutes until the peas cook well and you see ghee oozing out from the sides of the pan.



5. At this stage, add the reduced milk and stir well until the green peas paste blends well with the milk and there are no lumps. Add the roasted dalia  followed by the fried cashews and raisins and give a good mix.



6. Allow the kheer to simmer for 5-7 minutes while stirring intermittently and then put off the flame. Add cardamom powder followed by jaggery powder and stir well. The jaggery powder will melt quickly in the hot kheer.



  7. Lastly, spoon out the creamy delicious matar dalia kheer in individual serving bowls, garnish with almond slivers and serve hot or chilled !


Recipe Notes:
  • Recipe Source
  • You can use either fresh or frozen green peas in this recipe. I have used fresh ones. If using frozen, thaw the peas before blanching them. You may blanch the peas in microwave as well for 3-4 minutes.
  • For vegan version use any plant based milk like almond or soy milk and replace ghee with a neutral cooking oil.
  • You may adjust the amount of jaggery as per your taste.
If you ever try this recipe, do share your feedback with us in the comment section bellow. For more updates and new recipes, follow us on #Facebook#InstagramTwitter, #Pinterest and #Google+.

Related posts:
                                     
                                     
                                     


Thursday 22 August 2019

Makhana Raita / Puffed Lotus Seeds Raita


Makhana Raita is a delicious Indian side dish made from yogurt and puffed lotus seeds (phool makhana). This raita has a creamy texture and a mild crunch from the toasted makhana. With a very easy recipe you can make this cooling makhana raita within 20 minutes . Flavored with roasted cumin powder and rock salt, this raita can be served as a fasting food (vrat ka khana) as well. Makhana raita is one of the best ways to include the nutrient dense fox nuts seeds / lotus seeds into our regular diet. Ghee roasting imparts a lovely nutty flavor to the makhana which have neutral taste.


Makhana /Phool Makhana commonly known as lotus seeds or Fox nut (Gorgon nuts) seeds belong to the Lily family which are generally cultivated in low land areas of India , China and Japan for their starchy white seeds which are edible. Lotus seeds are rich in calcium and protein.They regulate blood pressure , have rich anti oxidant properties and benefit spleen kidney and heart. Source

I have been using makhana in my kitchen regularly from last 4 years. My family loves the ghee toasted makhana as a mid-day snack. We can make a variety of dishes ranging from desserts to savouries to main course curries using makahan. Check out the following links from this blog for more ways to add makahan to ones diet. Falhari Makhana ChiwadaCaramelized Fox Nut seedsMakhane Ki KheerKhoya Matar Makhana.

Raita is a yogurt based side dish which forms an essential part of Indian meals. Every Indian regional platter, thali will have a curd based dish for sure. Raita is often paired with dishes like paratha, biryani and pulao. Whisked curd is seasoned with spices and herbs to make a basic raita. often vegetables and fruits are added to the raita which makes it filling and wholesome. Raita is the current theme on Facebook group, Healthy Wellthy Cuisines. I am a part of this group and here we post recipes every fortnight depending on the pre-decided theme. 

For this week it was Vanitha di who suggested the theme as raita. She blogs at Curryandvanilla.com,where she shares her culinary skills. I love all her recipes especially the healthy baked treats and her wonderful photography. Do hop on to her blog for some amazing recipes both from Indian and International Cuisine. 
 This cooling and nutritious makhana raita is my contribution towards the theme. Here are some more raita recipes from my fellow bloggers.

                                                     
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup curd
  • 1/2 cup phool makhana / fox nut seeds
  • 1 tablespoon ghee
  • 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
  • Rock Salt to taste
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
Method:
  1. Heat ghee in a pan and toast the lotus seeds on low flame for about 10 minutes. Keep stirring intermittently to ensure the makhana do not catch the bottom of the pan. Perfectly toasted makhana should be crisp and crunchy like popcorn.

2. In a bowl whisk the curd and season it with rock salt, roasted cumin powder and sugar (if using). Stir everything well and keep aside until use.


3. Now crush 1/2 of the toasted makhana with your hands or you can add them to a zip lock bag and crush with a rolling pin. Add the crushed and whole makhana to the seasoned whisked curd and mix well.



4. Lastly, add pomegranate arils and coriander and serve the healthy and delicious makhana raita immediately.



Recipe Notes:
  • Add the toasted makhana to the seasoned curd just before serving as it may become soggy if kept for long time.
  • Ghee toasting adds a lovely nutty flavor to the bland makhana so, i would highly recommend it. However you may dry roast the makhana if you do not want to use ghee.
  • Do not hurry while roasting the makhana . A perfectly roasted makhana should be crisp and crunchy like popcorn. 
  • As i made this makhana raita as a fasting food fo ekadashi vrat i kept it simple and just added roasted cumin powder and rock salt. You may add chaat masala, red chili powder, chopped green chilies, powdered dry mint etc also to spice the raita if desired.
If you ever try this recipe, do share your feedback with us in the comment section bellow. For more updates and new recipes, follow us on #Facebook#InstagramTwitter, #Pinterest and #Google+.

For more raita recipes from this blog, check out the following.
                                   
                               
                                  
                                   
                               
                               


poonambachhav.blogspot.com