Desi Health Bites – Mini Thalipeeth Tostadas

I love experimenting with different grains and flours. Jowar, Nagli/Ragi,Amaranth, Corn etc.. are pantry staples in my house. Most of the times,I use a blend of these grains for our day-to-day food in the form of khichdis, upmas,dosas.

One such multipurpose, wholesome flour mix is the ‘Thalipeeth Bhajani. This is a pantry staple in every Maharashtrian household.

Bhajani Thalipeeth basically is a quick flat bread made using this multigrain Bhajani mix along with chopped onions,sometimes some chopped fresh or leftover vegetables, fresh coriander, sesame seeds and spices.It is usually served for breakfast with fresh homemade Curd/Yogurt, homemade white butter and/or sweet lime pickle.

My Mom makes her own Thalipeeth Bhajani by roasting – Jowar, Bajra, wheat, Nagli,Rice,Gram dal,Urad dal and cumene , coriander seeds and then milling them together. Needless to say I get my Thalipeeth Bhajani mix  readymade from her as and when I am out of stock :). Most supermarkets, grocery stores, health food shops now stock Thalipeeth flour, so it is easily available or see the Quick Mix version given below.

Another favourite item from the Maharashtrian cuisine is ‘Khamang Kakdi’ – cucumber salad tempered with spices and topped with crushed peanuts. I love to add Tomatoes and onion to my Khamang Kakdi.

Both these Classic Maharashtrian favourites, I have combined in a quick modern Appetizer Avatar- Mini Thalipeeth Tostadas, akin to the Mexican Tostadas.

It seems to be a long winded recipe but it uses simple day-to-day ingredients found in most Indian kitchens.With some advance preparation it can be easily put together in under 30 minutes.

I have used Fortune Rice Bran Health Oil for making my  Mini Thalipeeth Tostadas.

“Fortune rice bran health oil has a key micronutrient called “oryzanol”, an antioxidant found only in the bran of rice. It helps reduce bad cholesterol,increase good cholesterol and keeps your heart healthy, making it a healthier choice.

Squalene is an organic compound naturally produced by human skin cells and is a natural moisturizer. Fortune Rice Bran Health Oil contains good amounts of it which prevent the ageing of skin.

Antioxidants improve health by fighting free radicals that harm the immune system. Fortune Rice Bran Health oil has natural antioxidants that help build strong immunity”.

“It is a myth that colourless or transparent oils are healthier than dark oils. FRBH is refined optimally to keep all the essential micronutrients intact. It has a darker appearance primarily due to Oryzanol.

It is enriched with a gamut of nutrients and is good for heart, immunity, skin and hormones. It is appropriate for people of all ages”

Here’s the recipe for my Mini Thalipeeth Tostadas

Mini Thalipeeth Tostadas

Makes about 18-19, 3” round Tostadas

Prep time: 20 mins

Cooking time: ~30 mins including baking time

Ingredients

For the Tostados

2 Cups Thalipeeth flour/Multigrain flour *

1 tsp Ajwain/Carom seeds

2 tsp Sesame seeds

½ tsp Dry red chilli powder (or to taste)

2 tsp Fortune Rice Bran Health Oil

2 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves

¼ tsp garlic paste

½ tsp Asafoetida/hing

Warm water as required (~ ¾-1 cup)

For the topping

1 large cucumber peeled finely chopped

1 large Tomato ,seeds removed & finely chopped

½ onion finely chopped

3 tsp roasted peanuts crushed

2 tsp chopped fresh coriander leaves

½ tsp brown sugar

Salt to taste

For tempering

2 tsp Fortune Rice Bran Health Oil

½ tsp mustard seeds

½ tsp Cumene seeds

5-6 Curry leaves

½ tsp powdered Asafoetida

1-2 green chillies chopped

For the herbed Yogurt/Curd

¾  cup thick Yogurt/curd

2 tsp chopped mint leaves

2 tsp chopped coriander leaves

Rock salt to taste

Method

For the Tostados

Preheat the oven to 170 deg C.

Line a baking sheet with Parchment paper.

Add the flour or flours to a mixing bowl.

Add all the other ingredients except the water.Mix well.

Slowly add the warm water and knead the flours into a stiff but pliable dough.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.

Roll out into a thin layer. The layer should be as thin as possible while still workable.

Cut rounds using a 3” cookie cutter/ sharp edge of a small steel Dabba.

Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and bake till they turn golden around the edges – ~15-20 minutes. (Keep an eye on them after about 12 minutes as they burn easily.)

Cool completely on a wire rack.

Note: These can be made well in advance. Can be stored in an air tight container for about 2 weeks.

For the topping-Koshimbir

Mix the cucumber, tomatoes, onions in a bowl.

Add the crushed peanuts, salt,sugar and mix

In a small Kadhai/pan add the oil.

Once hot, add the mustard seeds.

Once the mustard seeds crackle, add the cumene seeds, Asafoetida, curry leaves and green chillies.

Pour this over the Cucumber-tomato-onion mixture in the bowl.

Add the chopped coriander and mix again.

Note: The veggies can be chopped in advance but mix everything just before serving and use immediately

For the Herbed Yogurt/Curd

In a small bowl mix together the Yogurt and the herbs.

Season with Rock salt and mix well.

To Assemble the Mini Thalipeeth Tostadas

Keep the crispy Thalipeeth Tostadas on a large serving plate.

Add 1½- 2 spoonfuls of the Koshimbir Topping.

Top with a dollop of the herbed Yogurt

Serve immediately

Other serving suggestions:

You can use Sweet Lime pickle along with the juice, or a coriander-mint chutney or the Marathi Red/Green Chilly Thecha instead of the herbed Yogurt

*Make your own multigrain Quick Thalipeeth flour mix:  ½ cup Wheat flour+ ¼ cup Rice flour+ ¼ cup Ragi/Nagli flour+ ¼ cup Jowar flour+1/4 cup Bajra flour+ ¼ Besan/chickpea/Gram flour+ ¼ cup Urad Dal/Black lentil flour + ½ tsp roasted cumene powder+ ½ tsp coriander seed powder

This blogpost is in association with Fortune Foods as a part of their Desi Health Bites activity– The Hunt for the Best Rice Bran Oil Recipes. For more updates and healthy recipes using Fortune Rice Bran Health Oil, follow Fortune Foods on Facebook and on Twitter at @fortunefoods

Bhogichi Bhaji (mixed veg curry specially made for Bhogi)

Kites of different shapes ,sizes and colours dot the sky as the sun commences its journey towards the Northern Hemisphere (onset of Uttarayan).The harvest festival-Makar Sankranti/Pongal/Lohri was celebrated (is still being celebrated) in most parts of India with all the traditional festivities and feasts.

Last Saturday was Bhogi-the first day of Makar Sankrant. Traditionally Maharashtrians prepare a mixed vegetable curry with the vegetables that are available in this sesason –to counter the cold winter.This recipe has been passed on from my grandmother to my mom and from my mom to me. Many of these recipes will serve as a link between me and my grandmother, whom I recently lost. I have learnt many such traditional recipes from her -the legacy she has left behind for me amongst other things.

Here’s a traditional Bhogichi Bhaji recipe dedicated to my dearest granny. 

3 carrots peeled and diced

2 big potatoes peeled and diced

3-4 medium sized brinjals diced

½ cup fresh green chana/gram /Harbara (removed from the pods) or optionally fresh green peas

You can add any fresh vegetables available

1-1 ½ tsp green chilli paste (or crushed)

2 tsp roasted groundnut powder

2 tsp roasted sesame powder (roast the sesame and then powder)

Chopped fresh green coriander for garnishing

1 tsp lemon juice (optional)

½ tsp cumene seeds

½ tsp mustard seeds

¼ tsp turmeric powder

salt as per taste

2 tsp oil 

Heat oil in a pan.Do the tadka(cumene seeds,mustard seeds,turmeric powder).Add the green chilli paste. Add the veggies –potatoes,carrots, Harbara/Peas first. Add little salt and cook covered for a few minutes.Then add the brinjals and again cook covered till the veggies are soft (not mushy just soft). Add little water if required.Once the veggies are done add the sesame powder, groundnut powder mix nicely and cook uncovered for 1-2 minutes.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and lemon juice.Serve hot.

Traditionally this is served with Bajra –Sesame Bhakri. It tastes good with hot rotis too.

 

We sometimes add  ber or bor (Indian Jujube) the small sweet and sour variety to the curry after the vegetables have been cooked, stalks removed and washed thoroughly.I did not add since my little one would not remove the Ber seeds and eat! But it adding ber gives a special taste to the recipe. 

Happy Makar Sankranti/Pongal to all of you.

As they say here ‘Til Gul Ghya ani Goad Goad bola!’(Take Tilgul and speak sweetly-literal meaning)

   Tilgul (Seasme snaps,Seasme ladoos,sugar halwa)

Related recipes:Sakkar Pongal 

Alu Vadi (Steamed Colacasia/Taro leaf rolls)

As promised earlier, I am posting this recipe for Alu Vadi (Steamed Colacasia/Taro leaf rolls).I made these almost 10 days ago and never got the time to post them. My little one keeps me busy most of the time when I am back from work. Earlier he would go to sleep by 8 –8:30 in the night and I would get some free time to blog .Now-a-days he puts me to sleep! Most of the times I doze off while trying to put him to sleep.Even to take a photograph before I leave to work has now become tricky. He gets his own plate and says ‘Mama Phofo!’ So first we take photos of his plate and then mine. Then sometimes he has the whim to click the photos! (You can see some of my pics not so artistic-that’s our joint effort!)

Anyways I am trying my best to keep blogging come what may….someday both of us will write a post together too!

Coming back to Alu Vadi,-Alu in Marathi, Arbi in Hindi and Colocasia/Taro in English. We have these plants in our kitchen garden. Alu is a very hassle free plant. It only needs good amount of water- not much pampering is required.We make curry (Alu chi Bhaji) from the Alu leaves or Alu Vadi (Steamed rolls). Both are delicious though I prefer the Vadi more.

For Alu Vadi you need: 

8 Alu/Colocasia/Taro leaves (use even number of leaves)

For the coating

¾th cup besan (Chick pea flour)

2 tsp tamarind pulp

1 tsp crushed jaggery

1 pinch Asafoetida

½ tsp Cumene powder

½ tsp Coriander powder

½-1 tsp red chilli powder

¼ tsp Turmeric powder

Salt as per taste

For the tempering

2 tsp oil

1 tsp cumene seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp sesame seeds

For the coating mix all the ingredients. Add water to make a paste (neither too thick or too thein.You should be able to coat the leaves. Almost to the consistency of Bhajjia batter) Mix the paste with hand if required ensuring that no lumps remain in the batter.Wash and dry the Alu leaves. Be careful while cutting these leaves from the stems. The stems of these leaves release some juice which stains clothes. So take care not to stain your clothes.Keep two leaves preferably of same size upside down one over the other. Using a rolling pin flatten the veins of these leaves. Apply the Besan paste all over the leaf. Once the entire leaf has been coated start rolling the leaf from the base towards the tip as shown in the picture. While rolling apply the paste on each fold to seal it properly.

Similarly make 3 more rolls from the remaining 6 leaves. Steam them till done. Insert a knife and check.It should come out clean.

Cool nicely. Cut them into small rolls. Arrange them in a flat dish.In a small pan heat oil, add the cumene seeds, fennel seeds and sesame seeds. Spread this tempering on the Alu vadis.

Serve this as a side dish.

Like I said earlier there are lot of variations to this recipe. Some people deep/shallow fry these Vadis. But I find topping them with the tempering more healthy, so I do it this way. As a variation you can also add garlic to the Besan paste used for coating. It tastes great. You can also increase the number of leaves, sandwiching the paste between each leaf.That is you can take all 8 leaves one over the other applying the paste on each leaf. Choice is yours!

Chivda

Preparations for diwali are in full swing all around. First the cleaning and now making the sweets and snacks! Chivda is a must every Diwali. In fact munching on Chivda is a must all year round. Its one snack which has to be made before the earlier reaches the depletion level!

I must warn you..Chivda is very addictive..no one can eat just once!

Great snack to carry with you when you are traveling, it is also very very easy to make. Like most of the recipes there are many variations of this snack. Keeping Diwali in mind I made this Chivda without any masalas or garlic and with one of the easiest recipes.

For Chivda you need:

2 cups crisp Poha (flattened rice) –the thin variety

1 cup murmura (puffed rice)

¼ cup peanuts

¼  cup roasted Chana dal (daliya) 

6–8 green chillies coarsely ground

10-12 curry leaves (tear them with your hands)

2 tsp white sesame (white Til) seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

1tsp powdered sugar

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumene seeds

Salt as per taste

2 tbsp oil 

The flattened rice as well as the puffed rice has to be very crisp for making Chivda. Use the thin variety of poha.

In a deep pan heat oil. Add the mustard seeds. Once they crackle add the cumene seeds and then the curry leaves. Add the peanuts and fry for a few minutes. Then add the daliya and again fry for some time.Add the sesame seeds. Add the green chilly paste, fry nicely, add turmeric and then add the poha and the murmura.Stir nicely so that the poha and the murmura is coated with the masala. Add salt and sugar and stir nicely once again. Switch off the gas and cool this chivda nicely say about 2-3 hours and then store it in airtight containers.

Chivda can be eaten as it is.

It sould be had directly from the container! Serving in bowls with a spoon…no the taste isn’t the same!!!You can also top it with some chopped onion, chopped green coriander and lime juice.

You can also add few cloves of garlic at the tadka stage…that’s one of my favourite variations…But for diwali it has to be without garlic.

So this Diwali enjoy this quick and easy, crispy Chivda.

I warned you…it is addictive!

Pumpkin Parathas

Pumpkin-truly Pumps up your Kins! J  

With loads of Vitamins ,Minerals, Carotenes this orange fleshy vegetable (I am calling this as a vegetable – that’s what it is regarded as in India) is rich in fibre and low in calories and Cholesterol. So many benefits and yet I am surprised this vegetable doesn’t enjoy the popularity it should. I know many people who will say ‘Pumpkin..yuck!’. Bhopla (in Marathi) or Kaddu (in Hindi) is looked down upon by many people. In fact Pumpkins are quite versatile and can be added to many recipes like soups, curries, Sambar,Puris,cakes,pies -the list is endless.

Each and every part of this plump vegetable is edible, tasty and nutritious- The flesh , the seeds and the skin too!(We make a delicious chutney from the skin)

I am really glad Meeta has chosen this all rounder vegetable for this month’s FMR.

So here’s Pumpkins Parathas for Meetas FMR

 

    

Ingredients

3 Cups Whole wheat flour

1 cup grated Pumpkin (we call it Lal Bhopla here, the flat round variety)

2 tsp chopped fresh green coriander leaves

2 tsp sesame seeds

1 tsp ajowain seeds

2 tsp green chilli paste

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp lime juice (optional)

Salt as per taste

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.Pumpkin contains lots of water, so knead the dough in it. Use more water if required and knead into a soft pliable dough.Don’t keep the dough for long.

Immediately make small lime size balls of the dough.Roll out each ball on a flat surface with a rolling pin into a circle. Dust some wheat flour if required.On a hot griddle/tava, cook each paratha on both sides applying little oil on both sides.

Serve hot with curds(yoghurt) or some achaar,Chutney.