Balanced Breakfast For WBB - 20

Breakfast are the most prime meal of the day, due to the busy schedules of the day we are so preoccupied with days proceedings ,meetings and all that stuff ,we somehow don’t give importance to this meal .However ,if you eat a proper breakfast ,it gives the required energy for the hardships of the entire day .I somehow believe in having a balanced breakfast throughout the week ,for that I may assemble the ingredients that are currently in my pantry , and sometimes a little bit of planning also .

Here is 3 ways I prepare our morning breakfast and on weekends we indulge in some heavy Pancakes or Noodles with fried vegetables.

Grains/ carbohydrate -2 slices of bread with low fat butter and Bread is the main source of energy being the carbohydrate ,
1tbs of Honey - honey is a good source of minerals ,iron and vitamins and heat energy also, Old folks recommends use of honey to ward off cough and cold .

½ cup of sprouts – Proteins –we like Bengal gram sprouts but green moong dal can also be good in the above category , sprinkle some salt and black pepper ,we also add sometimes chopped tomato and cilantro also .
It takes 2 days to completely get the sprouts , soak them overnight in water in a vessel and the other day discard the water and then keep them in other vessel covered ,the other day you can see the sprouts coming out nicely .

2 slices of seasonal fruits - Vitamins /Minerals – The above fruit is chickoo .An apple or Pears works fine .Infact remember an old Saying – An apple a day keeps a doctor away , stick to that principle .
4 dates - Vitamins and Minerals – again a good source of calories. Sometimes when dates are not available we include 3-4 cashews or almonds in our breakfast also .
And a poached egg or scrambled egg - Protein
Since Manasi is looking for a complete vegetarian meal ,I have skipped that .But a poached egg adds to the nutrients of entire package .

The other day I would assemble these together
1 glass of milk- proteins and Vitamins-
½ cup of cornflakes or cereals or satto works fine also - carbohydrates and proteins

Talk about breakfast so ,how can I forget Traditional fare of Begun Bhaja and Luchi ( my little daughter’s favorite dish ) follow this recipe for making luchi . Luchi Recipe . Since Luchi is fried in oil ,we avoid that and I make rotis/chappati instead of luchi .Genenerally I rub little bit of low fat butter over each rotis ,but my health conscious Hubby doesn’t like that either .

Recipe
Begun Bhaja -
1-2 brinjals / Eggplant - cut and marinated with turmeric powder and salt .
mustard oil for frying .
Heat up oil in a kadai or heavy bottom pan ,gently release marinated brinjals into the oil .Fry them at low covered ,this way it gets cooked with little oil, flip the side in between .It will take 3-4 mints to fry them .

For the Chappati dough
1-2 cup of whole wheat Flour – a good source of carbohydrate .
salt as per taste
little bit of water
Knead the atta /flour and make a dough ,I generally make the dough in nights and store I refrigerator ,so that I can save some time over the morning .
Make the chappatis and serve the breakfast with
Rasgulla – a good source of Protein and sugar which is also a complex carbohydrate
A Bowl of fresh Curd/yogurt – rich source of protein and specially good during summers.

Poha –rice flakes fried with potato and onions


Recipe

1 medium size potato chopped
1 medium size onion chopped
1 cup of sprouted Bengal gram
1 tsp of turmeric powder
1 tsp of red pepper powder
1 tsp of salt
1tsp of cumin seed for tempering
½ cup of chopped cilantro /coriander
2 tbs of Mustard oil for frying
Method
Heat up the oil in a kadai , add cumin seeds, chopped onions ,potato and fry them for 3-4 mints
Then add turmeric powder, red pepper powder , salt ,Bengal gram and little bit of water .
Cover and cook for 5 mints Meanwhile wash the poha /flaked rice with water and sieve it in a colander or generally I prefer with my hands , it makes things easy for me.
Add them with the prepared cooked potato/onion gravy and fry at low for 2-3 mints .
Sprinkle with cilantro and serve .

If you want to follow a healthy lifestyles you can check this article Healthy Lifestyle .
WBB event was started byNandita Of saffron Trail ,Now being hosted by Manasi of Fun and Food , visit here for the details . WBB 21 Balanced Breakfast

Other recipes on Breakfast
Banana Pancake
Luchi aar Alo Dom
Apple Cake For WBB -7
Happy cooking friends

Pyanj Koli Chingri Mach diye ( Shrimp Spring Onion dry Curry)

Onions are good source of Vit B and Vit C ,with calcium ,iron and potassium .Like Garlic they also contains cycloallin ,an anticoagulant which helps protect against heart disease .Spring onion is well incorporated in salads in western dishes and in many Asiatic dishes also .Before cooking them ,just remove the bottom half inch from the root portions .They remains fresh mostly in cool places ..

This recipe can go very well with any small fish also like , Puti or Morula mach .

However for this Recipe Mustard Oil is must
Recipe requirements
1 Bunch spring onions
1 cup of cooked small shrimp ,follow this Shrimp Recipe .
2 medium size potato
1tsp of turmeric powder
1 tsp of red pepper powder
1tsp of salt
1 tsp of cumin seeds for tempering .
1 Tej patta (Bay leaf)
2-3 tbs of mustard oil
How to Proceed
Heat up the mustard oil in kadai or Heavy bottom pan .Temper the oil with cumin seeds,Tej Patta .
Add chopped Potatoes,stir fry them for 2-3 mints ,now add turmeric powder ,Red Pepper powder ,salt and stir for 1 mint.
Now add chopped spring onion and stir them ,cover and cook for 5-7 mints till the spring onions are cooked .add the cooked shrimp with it also .
Serve with Warm Cooked rice .

Here is Sandeepa of Bong Mom Cookbook version of this recipe piyajkolir-tarkari .

Happy cooking Friends .

Foodie Blogroll

I have recently joined Foodieblogroll.Its a wonderful way of connecting with fellow foodies who share the same passion for cooking .Here is the wonderful Forum Being hosted by Jenn at Left Over queen .
Please visit Here for more details ..Thank You .

Nimki and Happy Holi

Namkin and Happy Holi

Can you Imagine Life to be Black and White ,with no colors to choose form ,If you get dresses ,sarees only in black and white ,Children playing only with Black and white crayons ,our house being painted in black and white , walls being in one uniform color white ..That life would be so mundane and irritating .
Colors are every where ,a green foliage ,yellow/red fruits and flowers ,and the autumn fall looks so beautiful ,thanks to nature for creating the colors ,the rainbow in a sky after heavy splash of rain ,little droplets coming down to earth to invoke greener ,rearing earth.

As we celebrate “Basanto utsav “ during this time of the year ,Festival of color “Holi” in hindi ,UP and “Doul” in Bengali ,Lathmaar Holi in Barsana ,Dulandi Holi in Haryana ,Hola Mohalla in Punjab,Shimgo in Goa,Kaman Pandigai in Tamil Nadu ,Phagawa in Bihar and Rangapanchami in Maharashtra. ,is a special day people look upto with great expectations .

Every household has its unique recipes to make sweets ,namkins and all the goodies too .This Namkin is our favorite one during these days .As I prepared this whole batch of namkins ,I remembered how we would use to gather round the kitchen and peek into whats being cooked in ,with the sweet aromas coming form kitchens ,we cant resist our temptations .Here is the simple recipe for namkins and then mishti namkins .Does anyone knows the name for it “Mishti Namkins”, I will appreciate if you share your fond memories with me .


Namkin/nemkiRecipe requirements
Maida /flour 3-4 cups
Cooking oil for kneading the dough 2-3 tbs
Pinch of salt
1tsp of Kalounji (Nigella seeds)
5-6 tbs of refined /cooking oil /canola oil or 1 cup of oil for deep frying the namkins .
How to Proceed
Knead all into a smooth dough ,remember to add water but very little ,just to knead it .
Now let it sit for 1-2 hrs before you start making namkins .
Make little balls and roll it like chappati ,now cut longitudinal and Horizontal lines over the rolled chappati .
Heat 5-6 heaped tbs of cooking oil in a Kadai /heavy bottom pan ,add the cut Namkins ,deep fry them at slow heat ,stiring gently in between .TIP –slow the cooking process the namkins will be crispy and crunchy .
Deep fry each batch of Namkins till Golden ,Take out in paper towels ,let it cool and then transfer in namkin Jars.


Now to make the Mishti Nemkii meaning sweet in bengali .
Recipe requirements
All you need is ½ cup of sugar
Melt the sugar in a melting pot by heating the sugar at low heat stiring continuously .Turn off the heat .
Now drop some of the namkins in the sugar syrup (the syrup will be very sticky ),coat well and take out in a large plate .
Meanwhile if you see sugar gets solidify ,don’t worry ,again melt it at low and coat the next batch of namkins .The Trick is to coat the namkins well with sugar syrup .
When the sugar gets cooled, the white crystals on namkins will look so pretty ,and it taste good too.
Happy Cooking Friends
Happy Holi

Coleslaw

Coleslaw
coleslaw is a popular side dish or salad in southern US cuisine ,its usually a combination of grated or shredded raw cabbage and carrots ,and sometimes shredded apples or other fruits is added ,although there are many ways a coleslaw is prepared ,but we liked the restaurant style that is being served in many dinners in US .

Here is simple recipe for restaurant style coleslaw .I have omitted the use of mayonnaise as these are not so much easily available here .However addition of mayo enhances the flavor of this southern side dish .
Recipe Requirements
½ cup of grated carrots
½ cup grated cabbage
¾ cup of fresh curd or better if you use Yogurt
½ cup of milk
salt as per taste
1 tsp of sugar
½ tsp of powdered yellow mustard

Mix all in proportions and chill in the refrigerator .
TIP-Cool for 1hrs and serve with fish meals…..

Happy cooking friends .....

Beetroot Soya Kebab बीतरूट सोया कबाब

Beetroot Soya Kebab

Kebabs generally are grilled /broiled and skewered meat dishes that comprises of Lamb,Mutton ,fish and chicken .There are many popular Varieties of Kebabs .These are some of them
Doner Kebab –a Turkish kebab which means” rotating Meat “.The meat is cooked while rotating on a rotating spit just like like Gyros,shawarma and Taco el Pastor, it is served with Pita Bread.,while this kebab is most popular in Germany,Poland and Romania.
In UK, kebabs are very popular after Night outs ,specially in the Pubs and Bars ,and they are sold mostly during the wee hours of the night .
Shish Kebab –the meat pieces is marinated with spices and grilled or roasted on skewers.Sometimes vegetables are also made into kebabs like Mushroom, bell peppers,onion,eggplant and tomato “Sis” in Turkish means skewers , so the name shish kebab .
Kathi Kebab - Indian tandoori way of preparations makes it most relish . Tandoori chicken is most famous dish prepared with this method .Lamb ,mutton pieces are prepared with Indian spices and cooked inside the Tandoor on skewers ,the heat is generated and the meat is cooked without getting the fire directly ,this way the meat juices remains intact and the kebabs becomes more tasty .Best eaten with Tandoori Naan or Romali Roti .All The info source Here .

One thing you may notice ,these kebabs are all non –veg dishes ,what if these were vegetarian ,what ingredients will be required to make them .Let me guess, some soya chunks ,some vegetables like beetroot ,carrots and the kebabs can be vegetarian .It tastes good ,while I tried making this first time ,the Kebabs were little crumbly ,then after addition of sooji ,they turn out better .Read on How …..

Beetroot Soya Kebab
Makes 10
Recipe Requirements
½ cup fresh beetroot grated
½ cup carrots grated

1 cup nutrela or soya chunks –prepare as per package directions .
or boil it in water for 2-3 mints ,take out them in a separate bowl , don’t squeeze the water thro them Its going to be dry anyway while preparing the crumble for kebabs.
Now grind it in mixer if using Nutrela soya .

½ cup of Chana Dal
Prepare the Chana Dal
½ cup chana dal
cook it in pressure cooker ,
add 1-2 tbs of ginger/garlic paste
1 tsp of salt or required as per taste .
1 tsp of garam masala.
Pressure cook the dal and cool .TIP- discard excess water that remains, it will help to get an even dry crumble For Kebabs . .Puree this in mixer, to get a creamy paste
Now to the filling preparations for kebabs
1 small onion
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tsp of coriander powder
½ tsp of salt
some raisins
roasted peanut
3-4 tbs of Sooji/Semolina/cream of wheat .
Oil for frying the mixer/filling and Kebabs .

How To Proceed
In a hot Kadai/heavy Bottom Pan , add 1 tbs of oil, fry the onions ,then add grated beetroot ,carrots and grinded soya chunks
Add all dry masala Powder. Fry them at low.Add salt .
Now add the pureed Chana Dal crumble ,gently mix in them till the mixture is dry .Fry it at low for 5 mints .Add raisins and roasted peanuts .
Take out the mixture in a bowl ,Shape them in to Round Patties with the help of your hand .Gently press them to the shape of Kebabs.
TIP –Now Roll them in semolina /Sooji/cream of wheat .For this take 3-4 heaped Tbs of Sooji in a plate and then Roll them in sooji ,this way it will help to hold the Kebabs.
Now Tava/Gridle Fry them slightly with Desi Ghee or Oil..
It will take 1-2 mints to fry each side of Kebabs .For better Results fry them in Batches of 4.
Take out in serving Plate and enjoy.

Happy Cooking friends.

Topse macher bhaja and an Award Too

Topse Macher Bhaja (Fish fry ) and an award too

Topse Macher Bhaja
There are innumerable varieties of fish ,one can possible of think of .One of them is topse fish which is like bata fish small ,except that there is single back bone and ,this type of fish is usually good for deep frying .In fact this fish is served in Biye Bari (a home where marriage ceremony is going on ),for this the kancha (raw without fried,only marinated) fish is dipped in the batter of besan (bengal gram flour),ginger,garlic and onion paste and all the dry masala powder .However we are not to fond of that raw fish to be eaten like that ,so its better to fry them first and then deep fry them coated with besan .
Recipe Requirements
Topse Mache (Fish ) 5 ( these fish are generally categorized under small fish and they are fried like this way always )
Marinate the fish with turmeric powder,salt and keep them for 1 hrs , but before it clean them properly including washing their abdomen with running water .
Fry them in oil till they are slight brown.
Now to make the Batter in which they are to be dipped.
1- 1 small cup of besan
2- sooji 2-3 tbs
3 -ginger /garlic/onion paste 2 -3 tbs
4- coriander powder 1 tbs
5 -cumin powder 1tbs
6- Mustard powder 1 tbs (grind yellow mustard seeds in a grinder )
7 -Red pepper powder ½ tbs
8- Salt 1 tsp
9- Refined oil ½ cup for deep fry
Mix all in the large bowl .Set aside them for ½ hr atleast before frying the fish .

How to make ginger /garlic /onion paste for this batter
Cut 1-2 medium size onions,1/2 inch long ginger ,4-5 garlic pods .Grind all in a grinder for a smooth paste ,if required add little bit of water . take 2-3 tbs of the paste for the gravy and store the rest in refrigerator for future use .It stays fresh for 2-3 days .

How to check if the oil is ready for deep fry
TIP -Drop cumin seeds/or few drops of batter to the hot oil ,if it comes up to the surface of the oil ,the oil is ready for deep fry .

Now coat the fried fish with the batter well ,and deep fry them at medium and sometimes regulating the heat at low .It will take at least 3- 4 mints to deep fry each fish .
Take out in paper towels ,this way it will soak the extra oil .Serve with onion slices ,green chilies and lemon .
An appreciation and whole lot of encouragement comes my way from wonderful DK of Culinary Bazaar. Well I really ,am grateful to u DK for this wonderful award.. Thank You for making my day ..It means a lot to me. Dont know if I really deserve this but it feels great and overwhelming ...Thanks ! here is her wonderful blog with whole lots of good recipes and pics.Please visit her place .
DK Culinary Bazaar

Happy Cooking Friends.

This one going to Sandeepa 's Place ,pls visit RCI_BENGAL for more details.

Starters/ Breakfast

Assembled Breakfast , Roti aar begun Bhaja ( Brinjal fry ), Poha ( Rice Flakes fried with potato and onion
Beetroot Soya Kabab
Paanipuri Chaat
Luchi aar Alo Dom
Banana Pancake
Apple Cake
Topse Macher Bhaja ( Starters)
Baked Puff Pastry ( Starters)