Devjani's Corner: Cook With Me: Beetroot Cutlets for the Kids' Lunch -Box!

Hello All!!

Photo courtesy: foodpunch.com 

It's been a while I posted a recipe . This time it's for mothers with fussy eaters and a constant dilemma what to give in their tiffins or snack time.


This recipe is nutritious, quick to make, can be stored in your freezer compartment and good looking too...things couldn't get better!!!


You will need

1. 3 potatoes medium sized
2. 1 medium sized beetroot
3. 100 gm paneer
4. 1/2 onion
5. 1 cup bread crumbs or fresh bread run through the mixie
6. A bit of ginger
7. Salt
8. Oil for shallow frying
9. Optional..green chilies, roasted coarsely ground pea nuts, grated fresh or dessicated coconut..though these do enhance the taste

Method

1. Boil the potatoes and beetroot ..remove from water immediately as the beetroot absorbs water

2.       Mash the potatoes , paneer and grate the beetroot.

3.        Add finely chopped ginger, 1/2 cup bread crumbs..save the rest for later,salt ,shredded coconut , peanuts,chopped onion and chillies

4.  Mix well and shape into cutlets. This measure makes 14 cutlets. Coat with bread crumbs to store or shallow fry immediately.

And it's ready to go....

Do give me your feed back.

Disclaimer: Photographs are mine unless otherwise indicated.

Devjani is a wife, mother, teacher, social worker, a gardening and cooking enthusiast, a globe trotter, a bundle of boundless energy and an extremely creative person. She loves to share easy recipes, ideas to keep kids creatively occupied, and a host of other tips and tricks around the home and beyond.

Devjani's Corner Cook With Me: It's pickling time.... With Gobi, Gajar and Shalgam

(From www.sanjeevkapoor.com)

Come winter in north India Gobi Gajar and Shalgam ka achhar (Indian Pickled Cauliflowers,Carrots and Turnips) is a household must do. Since every family has their tried and tested secret recipe tucked away there are as many versions of this recipe.

My friend Raseel and I decided to try out her family recipe . " for years my mother made this achaar and gave us, it's time I used her recipe and gave her some"...

So she dug into the recipe book of her 85 year old mother, Satwant Sawhney , an alumni of Lady Irwin College , Delhi...and I hope you enjoy making and sharing it with others as much as we did ...and as did Raseel's mother for all these years!  



This recipe will make around 6 large 1 kg jars. It is slightly time consuming so save an afternoon for this. And as we realized it's fun doing it with friends.


You will need :

2 kgs each of carrots, cauliflower and turnip. Get the freshest possible , it adds to the taste. Do not peel, wash well cut into 2 inch strips, slices or florets and dry for 3-4 hrs in the sun or use the fan overnight.

 

Other ingredients:
1. 250 gms each garlic, ginger, onion peeled and ground not too fine. 

2. 200 gms rai, ground dry

3. 50gms Kashmiri chilli powder and 1-2 tbsp red chilli powder or to taste.

4. 1tbsp Garam masala
5. 1/2 liter mustard oil
6. 800 gms Gur or jaggery
7. 1 cup vinegar

Method:


1. In a large karahi, heat oil till it fumes , add the garlic, ginger, onion paste and fry till golden in colour. Remove from fire. 
2. Add the chilli powders and salt and mix well and let it cool. 

3. When cool add Garam masala and rai powder. 

4. Divide this mixture into 4 parts . Similarly divide the vegetables too into four parts and mix each portion of the prepared masala into a portion of the vegetables. This division is important to ensure a balanced mixing.

   

5. Put into jars and leave in the sun for 3-4  days. The vegetables will mature in the spices and settle leaving space in the jar. This  breathing space is important for the next step.  

6. Heat the vinegar and Gur after the last step has been achieved. Using a spoon evenly pour into the jars.        

        

7. The pickle will be ready in another 2 days.

Enjoy and share.


Do let me know your variation of the same pickle.

Devjani is a wife, mother, teacher, social worker, a gardening and cooking enthusiast, a globe trotter, a bundle of boundless energy and an extremely creative person. She loves to share easy recipes, ideas to keep kids creatively occupied, and a host of other tips and tricks around the home and beyond.

Devjani's Corner: The Hills Are Alive...With A Sound of Silence

 
Winter is a wonderful time to visit the hills. And the hills of Kumaon remain my favorite destination that I admit am quite partial to!!! An easy getaway from the hubbub and pollution of Delhi I was pleasantly surprised to come across an equal number of enthusiastic travelers from Mumbai , Bangalore and even south east Asia..

For first time travelers to this part of Uttaranchal , Nainital, Bhimtal, Naukachia Tal, Sat Tal etc is a must do...  These places though very touristy still retain a charm and easy accessibility.


My trip this time was to go beyond these places and discover the new villages of Kumaon as the roads are good and motoring around is a delight.

Kathgodam is the base or the foothills... it's a 6 hr drive from Delhi, or take a morning Shatabdi (from Delhi) that reaches Kathgodam at 11.40 am .  From here the road forks to Nainital or Bhimtal.

Further to Bhimtal are interesting places to discover... 

Ghetia... Quaint houses amidst trees that are home to a variety of hill birds like the blue magpie. 

voices.nationalgeographic.com

Shyamkhet.. Sprawling tea gardens in the valley  promoted by Uttaranchal ... their green tea kept us going in the chilly weather. 




Gagar....a small village with a Shiv temple has one of the most spectacular views of the Himalayas...a full 180 degrees! To watch a sunrise on the Himalayas is one of the most enriching experiences. 

Ramgarh... The orchard bowl of Kumaon... It also has a Safal factory that cans fruits in season. Ramgarh also has the houses of Rabindranath Tagore and Mahashwetadevi Verma.


Parwada... An agricultural village  with picturesque step cultivation...however real estate developers are playing havoc to this place. 

Mukteshwar... The home to veterinary research .. It's height enables one to get another full view of the Himalayas. The IVRI (Indian Veterinary Research Institute) also maintains a thick forest belt that is a pleasure to drive through.


There are more places to discover.. Dahanachuli, Nathuakhan, Shitla, Hartaula, Almora, Binsar, Kausani, Pithoragarh and many more. But they have to wait.


Apart from the view and clean crisp air there is lots to do in the hills.
While on  a forest walk leading to nowhere , we found cottages hidden in between trees, fallen leaves in colors unimaginable, and temples at bends of roads. 

The Kumayonis are God loving people and every car has a bell hung above the drivers seat and our driver rang the bell whenever we passed a temple. 

The local cuisine is an eclectic blend of different kinds of pulses , locally grown vegetables and millet. These are being promoted by many NGOs working in this area. Maggi of course remains a hot roadside favorite!!

These places offer home-stays , hotels and resorts to fit in all kinds budgets.

I will be glad to assist anyone making plans to visit this area through this forum.



Devjani is a wife, mother, teacher, social worker, a gardening and cooking enthusiast, a globe trotter, a bundle of boundless energy and an extremely creative person. She loves to share easy recipes, ideas to keep kids creatively occupied, and a host of other tips and tricks around the home and beyond.

Devjani's Corner (Cook With Me):Gushtaba (Meat Balls in a Yogurt Sauce)

Hello Friends!

It's time for some non-vegetarian recipe this time... Gushtaba is one of the most easily recognized Kashmiri dishes. It is cooked on special occasions like weddings and festivals. 

This a simple to-do-at-home recipe of Gushtaba... It also adds a different colour to the table.



 (Stock Image)

For the Meat BallsYou will need: 

1. 1/2 kg chicken mince, 
2. 2 tsp jeera powder, 
3. 2 tsp fennel powder, 
4. black cardamom ground ,
5. green chillies, 
6. garlic paste ,
7. One Egg
8.  salt to taste
9.  some malai/ cream or oil

Method:

Mix all the ingredients given above and keep aside for 15 mins. Grind in a blender till smooth. Wet your hands to make balls out of this mixture. Keep aside.


For the Gravy You Will Need:

1. Whisk I cup curd with 1 cup water in a blender add salt,
2. 1 tsp ginger paste, 
3. 1 tsp fennel powder, 
4. green and black cardamom powder, 
5. cinnamon broken into small pieces
6.  oil.

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients.
2. Bring mixture to boil stirring whisking constantly so that it doesn't curdle.
3.  While boiling drop the koftas one by one, gradually. 
4. Boil for only 2-5 mins till done ... Test by piercing a fork through.
5. Garnish with ghee and mint leaves. If gravy is too thin add maida/flour paste (mixed with water) to thicken.

Note: With mutton keema, follow the same process, add little papaya piece to the mince and let it stand for one hour. Cooking time will be longer since it s a tougher meat than chicken.

What do you think of this recipe? Do try it and let us know how you liked this dish.

Think and Stay Beautiful!


Devjani is a wife, mother, teacher, social worker, a gardening and cooking enthusiast, a globe trotter, a bundle of boundless energy and an extremely creative person. She loves to share easy recipes, ideas to keep kids creatively occupied, and a host of other tips and tricks around the home and beyond.

Devjani's Corner (Cook with Me): Gilki or Tori (Ridge Gourd) the Malawi Way

Hello Everyone!


The malawis (of Madhya Pradesh) are mainly vegetarians .. But not boring. In fact they do interesting things to boring vegetables.

 This recipe is from Rajani's kitchen in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India. Rajani, a Malawi is a hard core vegetarian and her husband a strict  Mathur nonvegetarian..... So their dinner table is always an exciting blend of different cuisines. More about the Mathur meat cuisines later... Today it is back to the humble tori.
It's got a fun name there... Gilki

Gilki or tori the Malawi way

Ingredients:

1. Tori 1/2 kg scraped, slit    
    
   
2. Dhania/Coriander powder
3. Jeera/Cumin powder, 
4. Haldi/Turmeric Powder,
5. Salt, 
6. Amchoor/Mango powder
7. Red chilli powder All to taste 
8. Hing/asafoetida  and jeera/cumin seeds for tempering in one tablespoon of oil
9. 1/2cup roasted coarsely ground peanuts 
   

Method
1. Mix all powders and fill the tori. 

2. Then chop them to one inch pieces.

3. In hot oil put hing/asafoetida, jeera/cumin seeds allow it to splutter for 1/2 a minute
4. Add the vegetables.
5. If the tori is fresh it will release a lot of water to cook in it. However if they are not so fresh a few sprinkling of water may be required. 
6. Cover and cook . 

7. When done add the peanuts and serve hot.

Bon Appetite!