Tag: healthy cooking

Mutton Rogan Josh (healthier option)

Mutton Rogan Josh (healthier option)

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Traditionally Mutton Rogan Josh, a delicacy from Kashmir, is made by cooking lamb in clarified butter or ghee. Of Persian origin, rogan means oil and josh means passion, just as it does in Hindi. The intense red colour of the curry comes from a herb called ratan jot or alkanet. I don’t use it in my recipe, however. Also, I have used a mix of vegetable oil and ghee instead of just ghee, which I find too rich. I use mutton or goat meat instead of lamb. This is leaner, has more minerals and less cholesterol. I use whole fennel seeds instead of the powder as I love the taste better. I also use a pinch of turmeric, something I use for all meat dishes because of its antiseptic quality.

Ingredients

Mutton (goat meat) 1/2 kg

Onion 1 large, sliced

Ginger 1” piece

Garlic 5 cloves

Bay leaf 1

Garam masala 2 tsps

Red chilli powder 3 tsps

Fennel seeds 1 tbsp

Ginger powder 1 tbsp

Turmeric 1/4 tsp

Yoghurt 1/2 cup, whisked

Saffron a few strands

Vegetable oil 1 tbsp

Ghee 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves for garnish

Method

Add the oil and ghee to the pressure cooker and add the onions. Cook on low heat till the onions turn golden brown and caramelise. This will take 10-15 minutes. Do not hurry this process. Stir often.

Make a paste of the red chilli powder, fennel seeds and ginger powder with a little water.

Crush the ginger and garlic in a pestle to make a rough paste.

When the onions are done, increase the heat and add the ginger-garlic paste as well as the bay leaf. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Add the mutton pieces and fry for a few minutes. Add the chilli paste and mix well. Add the turmeric powder.

Add the saffron to the whisked yoghurt and add to the mutton. Add salt and mix well.

Cook till the oil begins to leave the sides of the pressure cooker.

Add 1 tsp of garam masala powder. You can either make it yourself from the whole spices or buy it from any Indian store.

Add about 1/2 cup water and close the lid. Cook on high heat for six whistles. Reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes. Switch off the heat and let the steam release gradually.

Open the pressure cooker, add 1 tsp of garam masala and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.

By now the mutton should be tender and almost falling off the bone. Test with a fork and if needed, cook a few minutes longer.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice or roti or naan.

Palak Paneer (Spinach with Cottage Cheese)

Palak Paneer (Spinach with Cottage Cheese)

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

The best palak paneer I have had is from a restaurant called Moti Mahal, not far from where we grew up in Delhi. I had to try a few times before I developed this version that is quite close to the taste I remember from my childhood.

Ingredients

Spinach leaves 1/2 kg, washed, steamed and puréed

Onion 1 medium, sliced fine

Garlic 6 cloves, sliced in half

Ginger 1” piece, julienned

Tomato 1 medium, sliced fine

Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Water 3 cups

Paneer or cottage cheese 200 g, cut into cubes

Oil 4 tbsp

Method

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan and fry the paneer cubes till they turn a light crispy brown. Take them out with a slotted spoon and keep aside.

Add onion slices to the same oil and fry till they turn golden and translucent. Scrape the paneer bits as you fry the onions.

Add the puréed spinach and stir well.

Add the water, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder.

Add the garlic. Use the smaller Indian garlic instead of the plumper Chinese ones. They have more flavour.

Add the tomato slices.

Reduce the heat and cook covered for 20 minutes.

Add the fried paneer cubes and continue to cook till the gravy thickens.

Garnish with the julienned ginger and serve hot with rice, naan, puris or paranthas.

Atta Biscuits (Whole wheat flour biscuits)

Atta Biscuits (Whole wheat flour biscuits)

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 2 Comments

These biscuits are very similar to those that I had as a child. My dad would take ghee or clarified butter, atta or whole wheat flour, and sugar to the local bakery and they would turn the ingredients into the most delicious biscuits. Through these biscuits nostalgia meets taste.

Ingredients

Atta or whole wheat flour 1 cup

Ghee or clarified butter 1/2 cup

Sugar 1/2 cup

Milk 3 tbsps

Method

Mix the atta, ghee and sugar till they resemble bread crumbs.

Add the milk a tablespoon at a time and make a soft dough.

Flatten it using the heel of your palm to a 1/4” thickness disc and using a cookie cutter, cut out the biscuits. I used a cake scraper to make a light pattern on the biscuits.

Arrange them on a greased baking tray. Bake in a 170 degree C oven for 20 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight jar.

Broccoli and Mushroom Pasta

Broccoli and Mushroom Pasta

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This dish with garlicky cream sauce with peperoncino flakes and aged cheddar cheese is delicious and healthy. You can use any pasta though I have used macaroni. The broccoli and capsicum give it a lovely fresh green colour.

Ingredients

Macaroni pasta 2 cups, cooked al dente

Broccoli florets 1 cup

Capsicum 1 medium, sliced

Mushrooms 200 g, sliced

Garlic 10 cloves, minced

All-purpose flour 1 tbsp

Milk 1 cup

Fresh cream 1 cup

Salt to taste

Pepper powder 1 tsp

Peperoncino flakes 1 tbsp

Cheddar cheese 1 cup, grated

Olive oil 2 tbsps

Butter 30 g

Method

Heat the olive oil and butter in a heavy bottomed frying pan.

Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds. Take care not to burn the garlic.

Add the mushrooms and fry till all the moisture evaporates. When the mushrooms turn brown, add the broccoli and capsicum. Fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the flour and fry for a minute. Add the milk and stir till it thickens. Add the salt and pepper powder.

Add the cream and mix well.

Add the pasta and fold it into the sauce. See that the pasta is completely covered by the sauce.

Garnish with cheese, peperoncino flakes and coriander sprigs.

Cheesy Sausage and Vegetable Stew

Cheesy Sausage and Vegetable Stew

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This dish is cooked in a slow cooker for about five hours so that the flavour of the sauce and the meat permeates the vegetables, making a hearty meal by itself. A great dish for family dinners, especially in winter.

Ingredients

(Serves 10)

Sausages 10-15, diced

Potatoes 2 large, peeled and diced

Capsicum 2, diced

Carrots 3 large, peeled and diced

Spring onions 8, diced

Milk 1 1/2 cups

Water 2 cups

Fresh cream 1 cup

Salt to taste

Italian herbs 2 tbsps

Cayenne pepper 1 tsp

Pepper powder 1 tsp

Tomato pasta sauce 4 tbsps

Cheddar cheese 250 g, duced

Coriander leaves, a large bunch, roughly chopped

Method

Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook for 4-5 hours till the potatoes are cooked.

Serve hot with Rustic country loaf, bacon and tomato bread, focaccia bread or Brazilian corn bread.

Pahari Gahat ki dal (Horse gram dal)

Pahari Gahat ki dal (Horse gram dal)

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 1 Comment

On my visit to the Garhwal Himalayas in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, my friend’s cook introduced me to a local lentil, a variety of horse gram. The local residents make this using a herb that grows in the region, jambu, and a native spice called gandherni.

I could not get it where we were staying, however, as it was remote with only a tiny shop selling essentials at the foot of the mountain. So I decided to try to cook it with the ingredients available in my friend’s kitchen. It turned out delicious with a lovely, earthy taste.

Ingredients

Gahat ki dal 1 cup, soaked for two hours

Turmeric 1 tsp

Garlic 10 cloves, chopped

Ginger 1” piece, chopped

Onion 1 large, sliced

Tomato 1 large, chopped

Coriander powder 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder 1 tbsp

Garam masala 1 tsp

Green chillies 3, sliced

Coriander leaves 1 bunch, chopped

Tomato 1 small, sliced

Salt to taste

Mustard oil 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Method

Wash and steam the dal with the turmeric in a pressure cooker.

Heat the mustard oil in a wok and add the cumin seeds. When they stop sputtering, add the garlic. Sauté for two minutes.

Add the ginger and sauté for 1 minute.

Add the sliced onion and sauté till they turn translucent.

Add the tomatoes and cook till they become soft.

Add the cooked dal.

Add the coriander powder, red chilli powder and salt.

Add 1/2 cup water and cook covered for 10 minutes on a low flame.

Add the garam masala and cook for another five minutes.

Serve hot, garnished with green chillies, coriander leaves and tomatoes.

Tomato Rice

Tomato Rice

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This dish was created by my mom as a healthy packed lunch for my sister when she started working. Made from cooked rice, this is easy to assemble and make. It is a delicious lunch option.

Ingredients

(Serves 5 persons)

Rice 2 cups, cooked

Tomatoes 2 large, sliced

Onions 2 medium, sliced

Coconut oil 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Sambar powder 5 tbsps

Salt to taste

Curry leaves for garnish

Method

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed wok and add the mustard seeds.

When the seeds stop sputtering, add the onions. Sauté till they turn a light brown.

Add the tomatoes and curry leaves. Cook on medium heat till they soften.

Add the sambar powder and sauté for two minutes.

Add the rice and salt and mix well till the masala coats the rice grains completely

Serve hot.

Banana Oat Loaf

Banana Oat Loaf

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This is a great loaf for breakfast. It is healthy and tasty and can be made the night before or even early in the morning if you prefer a warm slice.

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

Bananas 2, mashed

Oat flour 1 1/2 cups

Butter 50 g

Condensed milk 1/2 cup

Yoghurt 1/2 cup

Baking soda 1/2 tsp

Baking powder 1 tsp

Walnuts 1/2 cup, chopped

Method

Cream the butter and condensed milk together using an electric whisk.

Add the yoghurt and whisk at high speed.

Add the mashed bananas and whisk for a minute.

Mix the oats flour, baking soda, baking powder and walnuts in a separate bowl.

Add it to the liquid mixture using a cut-and-fold motion.

Grease a bread loaf pan and pour in the batter. It will be thick, but that is ok.

Bake in a 170 degree oven for 40 minutes. Let it cool in the pan. Slice and serve.

Bread Upma

Bread Upma

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This is my mom’s recipe and makes a delicious dish in minutes. She made this for our school lunches and it is comfort food for me.

Ingredients

(Serves 2)

White bread 4 slices

Potatoes 2 medium, boiled and peeled

Tomatoes 2 medium, chopped

Tomato ketchup 5 tbsps

Oil 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Method

Slice the bread into 1/2” squares. Chop the potatoes into small cubes.

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the mustard seeds and let it sputter.

Add the potatoes and sauté till they turn golden.

Add the tomatoes and fry for a minute. Add salt.

Add the ketchup and mix well. It will caramelise a bit.

Switch off the heat and serve hot.

Country bread

Country bread

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 3 Comments

This rustic country loaf is healthy, tasty and easy to make. The mix of bread flour and whole wheat flour makes this a bread for all occasions. It goes well with soups and also makes great sandwiches.

Ingredients

Bread flour 3 cups

Whole wheat flour 1 1/3 cup

Olive oil 1/3 cup plus for greasing

Italian herbs 2 tbsps

Yeast 3 tsp

Salt 1 tsp

Sugar 2 tbsps

Method

Mix all the ingredients and make a dough in the bread machine or stand mixer.

Roll the dough on to a floured surface and knead for about five minutes.

Shape into a ball and let rest covered in a greased bowl for two hours. I leave it overnight in winter.

Punch down the dough and give it a second rising.

Keep a tray of water in the oven and bake in a 210 degree C convection oven for 40 minutes. Spritz with water a few times during the first 15 minutes.

Cool on a rack, slice and serve.