VEGETARIAN RISOTTO WITH TOMATOES AND CHEESE

VEGETARIAN RISOTTO WITH TOMATOES AND CHEESE

It’s vacation time here in Singapore and the kids are at home demanding for interesting food. So I decided to make this Italian dish for them which is rich in proteins, calcium and carbohydrates essential for kids.

Risotto is an Italian dish and I recently had this at an Italian joint here in Singapore and kind of liked it a lot. I felt it tasted very much like our Rice Khichdi / Pongal. They usually make this with Arborio rice which is a special kind of Italian short grained rice, this rice is named after the town of Arborio, in the Po Valley, where it is grown. When cooked, the rounded grains are firm, creamy, and chewy, due to its higher amylopectin starch content thus it has a starchy taste but blends well with other flavours. It is used to make risotto. But in my recipe I used normal Indian short grained rice. I also used fresh tomatoes and cheese to make it interesting for my kids.

Ingredients

Arborio rice – 1 cup

Onion – 1

Tomatoes – 2 ripe ones

Garlic – 2 cloves (optional)

Olive oil – 2 tbsps

Italian seasoning – 1 -2 tsps

Salt as per taste

Pepper – 2 pinches or as per taste

Fresh basil – ¼ cup

Fresh parsley – 2 tsp

Parmesan cheese – 3 heaped tablespoons

Method

In a wok, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, don’t allow it to fume. When it’s mildly hot, add in the garlic and the finely chopped onion and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes. Once the onions are transparent, add in the finely chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are squashy and soft. Add the risotto rice and cook, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Allow to cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until rice just starts to brown.

At this point add 1 cup of water and stir well to combine. Add a dash of salt and pepper. When most of the liquid has been absorbed, add one more cup of water, add in the   finely chopped fresh basil and parsley and stir well.

As the water gets absorbed into the rice, continue to add water one cup at a time, stirring frequently, until the rice is cooked. After this I lay this cooked Risotto in a glass bowl and

Sprinkled it with some parmesan cheese and some Italian seasoning (Italian seasoning is a dried mix of popular Italian herbs, this is easily available in the markets) and  put it in the microwave on a high until the cheese melted and became golden brown. After this I cut the Risotto like a cake and served it to my kids. The kids enjoyed it and asked for more helpings.

Fresh Green Chickpeas Paneer Curry Recipe | Choliya Paneer Masala | Harbhara Paneer Bhaji | Hara Chana Paneer Masala

There are some seasonal ingredients that instantly bring back memories of places, people, and moments spent together as a family. Fresh green chickpeas, known as Harbhara, Hara Chana, or Choliya, are one such winter delicacy for me.

Whenever I visit Pune, my husband never misses an opportunity to buy fresh harbhara from roadside vendors. They are usually sold in bunches, and one has to patiently split open each pod to remove the tender green chickpeas hidden inside.

I would often see people casually walking along the roads, happily peeling and eating fresh harbhara almost like peanuts during the winter season. My husband absolutely loves them and would always insist that I try some too. Somehow, I never quite took to the taste initially. I suppose certain traditional seasonal foods are acquired tastes that one slowly learns to appreciate over time.

This dish is especially made for my dear husband and my little one, who constantly trouble me to prepare dishes using fresh green chickpeas whenever they are available.

Preparing fresh harbhara from scratch is quite a lengthy process. The pods need to be opened one by one, the chickpeas sorted carefully, and then washed thoroughly in a colander. To get even a decent quantity of green chickpeas, one needs several bunches of the plant. Unfortunately, fresh green chickpeas are not commonly available in Singapore. So for this recipe, I used the frozen variety available at Mustafa Centre under the Greentech brand, where it is sold as Choliya. They work beautifully and save a lot of preparation time.

For those who cannot find the frozen variety, dried green chana is available throughout the year in most Indian grocery stores. If using dried green chana, soak them overnight and pressure cook them for about 3 whistles before proceeding with the recipe.

Since I personally was never overly fond of the earthy taste of green chickpeas, I decided to flavour the curry generously with aromatic spices and added soft crumbled paneer to make it richer and more comforting.

To my surprise, the dish turned out so delicious that I completely changed my opinion about green chickpeas. The combination of spices, paneer, and the tender choliya created a hearty, wholesome curry that I now truly enjoy making and relishing again and again.

This protein-rich North Indian style curry pairs beautifully with hot phulkas, rotis, parathas, or even simple steamed rice. 

Fresh green sorted whole chickpeas-Image courtesy Wikipedia

Now for many like me who didn’t know what’s hara chana, they are whole green chick peas packed with a lot of nutritional value. Typically, these are available only a few weeks a year.

Fresh green whole chickpeas-Image courtesy Wikipedia

Ingredients

1 ½ cups hare chane (whole green chickpeas)

Spinach (Palak leaves) - 4-5 for color

Onion - 1 Big

Tomatoes – 2 red and ripe ones

Green chillies – 2

Ginger – ½ inch

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Badi elaichi – 1

Cinnamon stick – 1

Star Anise – 1 tsp

Kasuri Methi powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Cumin powder – 1 tsp

Garam Masala – 1 tsp

Chole Masala – 1 tsp

Chaat Masala – 1 tsp

Asafetida – a pinch

Paneer (Cottage Cheese) crumbled 3-4 heaped tablespoons

Salt as per taste

Oil – 2 tbsps

Fresh Green Coriander leaves for garnish

A close up of the dish

Method

Finely Chop the onion and tomatoes. Make a coarse paste of the ginger and green chillies in a blender. Soak the frozen paneer in some warm water. After a while crumble and keep it aside. 

Blend the spinach leaves with some water and keep aside.

Rinse the frozen choliya (whole green chick peas), drain and keep aside. For those who are using the fresh green chickpeas or the dried ones kindly read above the ingredients list, the method to cook it.

Heat oil in a wok (kadhai), add the cumin seeds, badi elaichi, cinnamon stick & star anise.

Once the cumin is fried, Add in the coarsely grounded ginger and chilly paste and fry, after a minute add the finely chopped onions and sauté, once the onions are transparent, add the finely chopped tomatoes and sauté until it is totally squashy and fried. 

Add in the Kasuri Methi powder, Coriander powder, Cumin powder, Garam Masala, Chole Masala and Chaat Masala, asafetida and salt and fry for a minute. The masala should get fried well, At this point add in the blended spinach leaves paste, sauté until the oil comes out of the puree. 

Now add the whole green chickpea without any water and mix well with all the masala. 

If you are not using spinach for color, you can add in 1-2 drops of green color just for the color (this is optional)

Cover and cook in a low flame. Let the green chana cook in its own juices. 

When you see the water is getting dried. 

Add in 2 teacups of water and let it cook on a slow flame. 

Keep adding water everytime you see that the chana is dry until you can see that the chickpeas are cooked. 

Once the chickpeas are cooked and can be mashed easily with the back of the spatula, add the crumbled paneer, cook covered for a while. 

While cooking, keep mashing a few chickpeas with the back of the spatula for a mushy thick gravy. 

Cook for about 10-15 minutes on a slow flame. 

Ensure that the mix has gravy by adding water and letting the mix boil. 

When you see that it is an even mix and has enough gravy to your heart’s desire. Put off the flame. 

Garnish with finely chopped fresh green coriander leaves and serve hot with fulkas or rice.

Variations

• You can add garlic to this recipe. 
• You can skip the onions as well for a no onion - no garlic recipe (Jain) 
• Blanch the spinach for a greener colour.
• You can add in 1-2 drops of green color just for the color (this is optional)
• Vegans can avoid Paneer, Milk etc in the recipe.

#HaraChana #PaneerCurry #IndianRecipes #VegetarianRecipes #SukanyasMusings

PANEER BURJI (SCRAMBLED COTTAGE CHEESE)

PANEER BURJI (SCRAMBLED COTTAGE CHEESE)

My kids absolutely love this dish, it’s not spicy and tastes yummy and the best part is it can be cooked in a jiffy. Bombay is very famous for its stalls selling bread and anda burji (scrambled eggs).

The way you cook Paneer burji is similar to the way anda burji is made is what my dear hubby says.

Since we don’t eat eggs we enjoy the richer version of the burji, “scrambled cottage cheese”. Anything which has cheese does sound luxurious doesn’t it? LOL!!!!!

Paneer Burji

Ingredients

Paneer – 500 gms

Onions – 2 small or 1 big

Tomatoes – 1 ripe and big

Green chillies – 2-3

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Salt as per taste

Oil – 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves 1-2 tbsps for garnish

Close up

Method

Soak the Paneer chunks/cubes in hot water for 15-20 minutes. Rinse well and crumble the paneer using your hand. Keep this aside. Meanwhile finely chop the onions, tomatoes, green chillies and coriander leaves.

In a wok(kadhai). Add 1 tbsp oil, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and when they start to splutter, add in the green chillies and when they are fried add in the onions and sauté until transparent, now, add in the tomatoes and some salt and sauté until you see the oil comes out of the masala. Now add the crumbled paneer, add salt, turmeric powder and toss everything well till you see the masala is mixed well with the crumbled paneer. Now keep the flame of the gas low and cook it covered for about 5-7 minutes. The paneer gets further softened and the masala enters into it during this time. Garnish liberally with finely chopped fresh green coriander leaves. Toss well and serve hot with fulkas/ parathas.

Leftover specials

If Paneer burji remains until the next day.

• Just make a Frankie (Recipe coming soon) out of it or
• Make a paratha with the mix and it becomes Paneer paratha and a tastier version of Paneer paratha at that.

MUTTAKOSE PATTANI THUVARAN (CABBAGE AND GREEN PEAS DRY CURRY)

MUTTAKOSE PATTANI THUVARAN (CABBAGE AND GREEN PEAS DRY CURRY)

As I mentioned in my earlier post, after Diwali I am looking to cook foods that are bland, not so colorful and light. So I decided to make cabbage and green peas thuvaran with some molaghu rasam. I love the combo of cabbage and green peas. Its absolutely delightful.

Close up for Muttakose pattani thuvaran

Ingredients

Cabbage - 1 medium size

Green peas – 1 ½ cup (fresh or frozen)

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Udad dal - 1 tsp

Green chillies – 1-2

Grated ginger / ginger paste – 1 tsp

Asafetida (Hing) - a small pinch

Freshly grated Coconut – 1-2 tbsps

Cooking oil - 1 tbsp (Prefer coconut oil)

Salt as per taste.

CABBAGE AND GREEN PEAS DRY

Method

Chop the cabbage & rinse well under running water in a colander. Rinse the green peas as well and keep aside.

In a Kadhai (wok), Add 1 tbsp of coconut oil, when it is hot, Add the mustard seeds and udad dal, when it begins to crackle, when the udad dal becomes slightly pink, add the green chillies and grated ginger and fry well, Add the green peas and sauté for 2-3 minutes, after this add the chopped cabbage. Add asafetida and salt and stir well. Close with the lid and cook on low flame till it is cooked. Stir well, wait until the water drains completely and then add in the freshly grated coconut and stir fry till everything is mixed well. Serve hot with Rice and Rasam.

Tips :-

• You can add turmeric powder for some color, but after all the colors of Diwali I wanted it plain and bland.
• Instead  of green chilly you can add red chilly
• You can avoid coconut for health reasons.

PARUPPU THOGAIYAL (A Chutney made with Lentils)

PARUPPU THOGAIYAL (Traditional Lentil Chutney)

After festive seasons such as Deepavali, when our kitchens overflow with sweets, savouries, and rich treats, I often find myself craving something simple, wholesome, and comforting. That is when traditional dishes like Paruppu Thogaiyal come to the rescue.

Thogaiyal is a beloved South Indian accompaniment that transforms humble pantry ingredients into something remarkably flavourful. Unlike regular chutneys, thogaiyals are usually thicker, more robust, and packed with earthy flavours. They pair beautifully with a traditional meal yet are versatile enough to be enjoyed in many different ways.

Recently, I served this Paruppu Thogaiyal alongside a comforting Bottle Gourd Kootu, and the combination felt like a little slice of heaven. The mild sweetness of the kootu and the nutty, spicy flavours of the thogaiyal complemented each other perfectly.

This thogaiyal can be enjoyed with idli, dosa, adai, or any tiffin dish. It is equally delicious mixed with hot steamed rice and topped with a generous dollop of ghee or a drizzle of fragrant gingelly oil.

Traditionally, this thogaiyal can be prepared using either Toor Dal or Moong Dal. I have used Moong Dal here as I find it lighter on the stomach and easier to digest.

Ingredients

Yellow Split Moong Dal (Paasi Paruppu) – 1 cup

Fresh Coconut (grated) – 2 tablespoons

Dry Red Chilli – 1 (adjust according to taste)

Curry Leaves – 1 sprig

Peppercorns – 1 teaspoon

Asafetida – ½ teaspoon

Salt – as per taste

Oil – 1 to 2 tablespoons

Method

Heat the oil in a kadai or wok. Add the moong dal and dry red chilli and roast gently until the dal turns light pink and aromatic and the chillies become plump. Remove and keep aside.

In the same pan, dry roast the peppercorns until fragrant and set aside.

Next, add the grated coconut, curry leaves, asafetida, and salt. Roast gently until the coconut turns a delicate golden-pink colour and releases its wonderful aroma. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool completely.

First, grind the roasted dal mixture separately in the dry jar of a mixer-grinder to a coarse powder. Transfer to a bowl.

Next, grind the roasted coconut mixture separately.

Combine both mixtures and check the seasoning. If required, adjust the salt at this stage.

Add about 4 to 5 tablespoons of water and pulse the mixture just once or twice. The texture should remain coarse and slightly grainy. Avoid over-grinding, as the beauty of this thogaiyal lies in its rustic texture.

Grinding the ingredients separately is an important step. Different ingredients break down at different speeds. If everything is ground together, the coconut may become too fine before the dal reaches the desired consistency. The result is a paste rather than a traditional thogaiyal.

Traditionally, thogaiyals were prepared using a stone grinder, which produced a wonderfully coarse texture and enhanced the flavours beautifully. While modern mixer-grinders offer convenience, following the separate grinding method helps recreate much of that authentic taste and texture.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with hot steamed rice, a spoonful of ghee, and a simple vegetable kootu for a comforting South Indian meal.

It also pairs beautifully with idli, dosa, adai, or even as a spread inside wraps and sandwiches for a delicious fusion twist.

#ParuppuThogaiyal #ThogaiyalRecipe #MoongDalThogaiyal #SouthIndianRecipes #TamilBrahminRecipes #TraditionalRecipes #IndianChutney #HealthyIndianFood #VegetarianRecipes #ComfortFood #RiceSideDish #IdliChutney #DosaChu

BADHUSHA

BADHUSHA

I would like to wish all the visitors to my blog, 

A VERY HAPPY & PROSPEROUS DIWALI.

These days I look for sweets which are less sweet. I usually have Badhusha in a shop here in Singapore and adore it because it’s not that sweet as other sweets, so this Diwali I decided to make Badhusha also known as Balushahi in some parts of India. While I was browsing for a no-fail recipe I stumbled across Raks kitchen (Raks happens to be a fellow blogger from Singapore as well, Please click on the hyperlink to see the step by step pictures in her blog). I had tried making Badhusha earlier but it was a huge flop as it came out very hard. I didn't want to try any stunts and followed exactly as mentioned in her blog.

Ingredients

Maida/All purpose flour -1 ½  cups

Butter – ¼ cup

Oil – 1/8 cup

Sugar - ½ tsp

Curd – 1 ½ tsp

Cooking soda/sodium bi carbonate - 2 pinches

Water - ¼  cup (approx.)

Oil - for deep frying

For Syrup

Sugar - ½ cup

Water - Just to immerse the sugar

Cardamom powder -      2 pinches

Saffron Optional - a pinch

Lemon Juice - 1 tsp

Method

In a big bowl, Add melted butter, oil, sugar, curd and sodium bi-carb and use a whisk to mix well, to make it almost frothy. Now add the flour to it and mix well to make it crumbly. Now add water to make the dough, I used ¼ cup of water only, it was just right, kindly adjust accordingly. Knead the dough well like you do for chappati. The dough should be smooth and not have any lumps. Knead well till you feel it is smooth. I kneaded for about 10 mins. Beating and folding the dough and trying to make it as smooth as possible. I made 23 small balls out of this, as I made slightly smaller sized badhushas. You can adjust the size according to how you want it. Now take a ball and pinch the edges and fold it inwards to make rims decoratively (You can refer to Raks blog where she has uploaded a video to show how it is done). I didn’t have much patience so I tried only 2 pieces with decorative rims and the rest I just made by flattening the balls and putting a depression in the middle with my index finger. Repeat to finish everything and keep covered.

Meanwhile add sugar to a pan and just add water to immerse it and boil till one string consistency,

i.e; if you pour in little water, it should not dissolve and it should lay a fine thread. Add saffron, cardamom if desired and squeeze the lemon juice lastly.

Heat oil just enough, check it by adding a pinch of batter, if it rises immediately, then its just right. Don’t let the oil fume at any point.

Add some five badushas, we prepared, carefully in to the oil. Remove from fire and let it get cooked in the pre heated oil. Approximately it would take 5 minutes.

At one stage the badushas float, then again keep the kadai on fire and cook in medium-low flame, adjust heat at the end to make it golden brown, for me it took around 5-8 mins.

Drain in a paper towel and immediately add to the hot sugar syrup, to cover the badusha, Since my badushas were small I put in 5 at a time.  Leave for a minute and then drain the badushas to a greased surface.

After it cools down, the sugar syrup would have coated the badhusha beautifully, transfer to a dry container. Enjoy this sweet this Deepawali.

Notes

• If you reduce the quantity of butter or oil, then there will be drastic change in the texture of the badushas too, it will turn hard or crispy. You won’t get the layers inside too.
• Adding lemon juice is to prevent crystallization of the sugar syrup.
• Be patient while frying, please do as mentioned, otherwise the texture gets affected too.
• Consume within a week. Do not refrigerate.

TENKUZHAL (TENGOZHAL) CRISPY RICE SPIRALS

TENKUZHAL (TENGOZHAL) CRISPY RICE SPIRALS

Every Diwali in my house and in my mother’s house, one permanent bhakshanam(savory snack dish) is the Tenkuzhal, we call this Tengozhal at home. The reason that everyone used to like this savory snack is because it’s not spicy. Children used to absolutely love this crispy, crunchy snack. Here in Singapore almost all my Indian and non-Indian friends love this snack and request me to bring some for them and Diwali is one such time where we share sweets and savories with our near and dear ones and what better way to share what is prepared at home with love.

TENGOZHAL

Ingredients

Rice Flour - 2 Cups

White lentil/(Black gram skinless)/Udad dal or ready Udad flour - 2 Tablespoon

Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Sesame seeds – 1 tbsp(I love this in the tengozhal so I put more, you can put 1 tsp

Asafetida - a pinch

Butter - 2 tablespoons

Salt as per taste

Coconut oil – 1 tbsp (for the palakkad iyer / keralaiyer touch)(optional)

Oil for frying

You need the Tengozhal press nazhi and you have to use the plate with holes (bigger holes to be precise)

Method

Dry roast the udad dal in a pan and grind it in a blender to make a fine powder. I used the ready flour easily available in the market nowadays.

Dry roast the cumin seeds and when it pops remove, cool it and grind it for one spin in the blender. Don't make it into a fine powder. We are putting it in the blender so that it breaks into half and the aroma comes out.

In a big bowl, Add rice flour, udad flour, broken cumin seeds, sesame seeds, salt as per taste, butter and asafetida. Mix well so that you know everything has blended well. Now add water slowly and make a dough. The dough resembles the dough we make for chapatti / roti. At this stage add the coconut oil and knead well for another 5 minutes, palakkad iyers usually fry the bhakshanams in coconut oil which gives it a very unique and flavorful taste, to remind me of that I added the coconut oil, this is optional and if you want you can avoid it.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, and when the oil is hot add a little piece of dough to check, if the dough rises immediately then the oil is ready for frying.

Now stuff the dough in the nazhi(press) and close the mould. Squeeze it through the mould in big circles or smaller circles. Mind you, keep your hand a bit far once you drop as the steam will hit your hand. Deep fry the Tengozhal in low flame till it is crisp. I like my Tengozhal white and crisp. If your rice flour is good your tengozhal will come out white as mine in the picture and if not you will have to fry till its done to an almost golden brown color. Remove and place on paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Once cool, store it in a air tight container. Indulge in this crunchy delight as and when you want it.

PORULVALANGAI URUNDAI / KETTI URUNDAI

PORULVALANGAI URUNDAI / KETTI URUNDAI
Warning!!!! These are for people with strong teeth only.

At home we call this Poruvalangai urundai but its actually Porulvilangai urundai. In Singapore they call it Ketti urundai. My brother absolutely loves this and this post is for my brother.

I read a lot about why this laddoo shaped sweet is called Porulvalangai urundai and came up with many answers. I won’t repeat them though as they are all over the internet. This urundai is very good for health as it has got all healthy ingredients. In olden day’s people who used to travel from one place to another used to carry this with them as it has a longer shelf life and a lot of nutritional value to give them extra energy or boost while traveling.

There are various recipes to make this sweet as they say, anything nutritious can be added. This is my recipe. I tried to make it a bit softer by adding ghee as we have 2 people at home with cavities and fillings and I couldn’t afford to take risks…LOL!!!!!

My mother used to tell me how her grand mother (my great grandmother) would be able to eat these urundais at a very old age. I guess they were using their teeth aptly unlike us.

Here is a delicious recipe which you can make for Diwali. It is less sweet, healthy and nutritious and very very tasty.

Porulvalangai Urundai

Ingredients

Green Beans or Yellow split moong dal – ½ cup

Rice – ¼ cup

Chana ka daali / chutney daal/ pottu kadalai – ½ cup

Cardamom powder – 1tsp

Sesame Seeds – ¼ tbsp

Salt - a pinch

Jaggery – 1 cup

Ghee – 1 tablespoon (optional)

Dry ginger powder -1/2 tbsp

Cashew nuts – 1-2 tbsp
Raisins - 1-2 tbsp

Method

Dry roast Green Bean(Moong dal) or you can also use yellow split moong dal, the rice and pottu kadalai, till a good aroma comes. Be careful when roating, don’t burn it else your laddoo will taste awful. Be around and monitor it and roast it on a low flame. Then grind these finely in a blender (mixer)

Dry roast sesame seeds separately and add in to your mixture. Also add in a pinch of salt, the cardamom powder and the dry ginger powder. Blend well with a dry wooden spatula.

In a wok, add 1 cup of jaggery with ¼ cup water. The jaggery starts to melt and dissolve in the water. Wait for it to froth and cook the syrup till you achieve one-string consistency (when you add some drops of syrup in a glass of water, it can be rolled like a flexible ball, another way of checking the paagu or syrup is take a teaspoon dip in paagu and dip it in a glass of cold water. If it becomes candy-like then it is ready). At this point switch off the gas. Pour this syrup into the grinded flour and roll it quickly to small lemon size balls. Fry the cashew and raisins in ghee and keep one each for decoration as seen in the picture. I added a tablespoon of hot melted ghee as well along with this. Be careful don’t take too much time to roll the flour into balls else it will become tough to roll. Incase that happens just keep the entire mix on a low flame until the jaggery melts and roll the balls. Once cool the laddoo becomes hard, its ready for attack. Now taste this nutritious poruvalangai urundai. For those with weaker teeth, break the urundai, pop it into your mouth and relish it.

Shepu Chi Bhaaji | Maharashtrian Dill Leaves Stir Fry | Healthy Dill Leaves Recipe

Dill Leaves Sautéed | Shepu Chi Bhaaji

A simple Maharashtrian-style dill leaves stir fry filled with earthy flavours, nostalgia and goodness.

There are some traditional dishes that quietly find a permanent place in our hearts.

Shepu Chi Bhaaji is one such humble yet flavourful preparation.

The first time I truly enjoyed this dish was when my mother-in-law made it during one of my visits to India. The aroma of garlic sizzling with fresh dill leaves filled the kitchen so beautifully that I still remember it vividly. Unfortunately, leafy vegetables shrink so much after cooking that there was hardly enough left for a second helping!

Back then, fresh dill leaves were not easily available in Singapore. But these days, spotting a vibrant green bunch of Shepu in supermarkets feels like such a joy. The moment I saw them recently, I knew I had to recreate this comforting dish at home.

Dill leaves are not only wonderfully aromatic, but are also packed with nutrients and have long been valued in traditional Indian kitchens for their digestive and soothing properties. In many homes, dill water and dill seeds are lovingly used as home remedies passed down through generations.

This sautéed version is simple, rustic and deeply satisfying — the kind of everyday food that pairs beautifully with hot phulkas, chapatis or even jowar and bajra rotis.

🌿 About Dill Leaves

Dill is known by many names across India:

Shepu – Marathi

Soa / Soya – Hindi

Suva – Gujarati

Sabsige Soppu – Kannada

Sadakuppi – Tamil

Soa-kura – Telugu

Dill leaves are widely used in Maharashtrian cooking and are especially loved for their distinct aroma and health benefits. 

🛒 Ingredients

Dill leaves (Shepu) – 1 fresh bunch

Garlic – 2 cloves, sliced into slivers

Green chillies – 2, broken or slit

Onion – 1 small (optional)

Asafoetida (hing) – a pinch

Salt – as per taste

Oil – 1 teaspoon

✨️ Method

Separate the dill leaves from the thicker stems. Wash them thoroughly in a colander under running water to remove any mud or grit. Drain well and chop finely.

Peel and slice the garlic cloves into thin slivers. Break or slit the green chillies.

Heat oil in a wok or kadai. Once warm, add a pinch of asafoetida. Immediately add the garlic slivers and green chillies.

If using onions, add them now and sauté gently until the garlic turns lightly golden and aromatic. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

Now add the chopped dill leaves along with salt. Sauté well. 

At first, the quantity may look large, but the leaves will shrink considerably as they cook.

Continue sautéing until all the moisture evaporates and the leaves look slightly roasted and glossy.

Serve hot♨with:

Phulkas

Chapatis

Jowar rotis

Bajra rotis

Simple dal-rice combinations

🌱 Health Benefits of Dill

Dill has traditionally been valued in Indian kitchens not just for flavour, but also for wellness support. It is rich in minerals, Vitamin C and antioxidants, and has long been associated with aiding digestion and soothing the stomach. 

✨ Variations

• Add soaked moong dal for extra texture and protein
• Sprinkle fresh grated coconut on top
• Add roasted peanut powder for a rustic Maharashtrian touch
• Some homes also pair dill leaves with potatoes for a milder flavour.

#SukanyasMusings #ShepuChiBhaaji #DillLeaves #MaharashtrianCuisine #IndianVegetarian #HealthyIndianFood #TraditionalRecipes #IndianFoodBloggers #SingaporeFoodBlogger #LeafyGreensRecipe

MEDHU VADAI OR ULUNDHU VADAI (Savory Indian doughnut)

MEDHU VADAI OR ULUNDHU VADAI (Savory Indian doughnut)

The Savory Indian doughnut is what my non-Indian friends call our Medhu vadai in Singapore and I tell you they love it to the last bite.

Nothing can beat the crunch of the outside to the softness & puffiness of the inside. It’s bland but when it combines with sambhar or coconut chutney or yogurt, it turns into something else.

I have been trying to make the perfect Medhu vadais since the year 2001 when I got married and moved to Singapore but always ended up making mysore bondas (dropping the medhu vada batter into round balls instead). The taste is the same but the look is different. I wanted it to look like the ones we buy in the hotel. Until one day my friend Vidya who hails from Trichy got me some perfectly shaped doughnut like vadas, crispy on the outside and soft and well cooked on the inside. I asked her for the recipe and she told me that it is difficult to grind in the Blender (mixie) and she usually grinds for the vada batter in the wet grinder. She also told me that you should add water along the way an Urad / Udad dal should be ground into fine bouncy paste. Once I bought my little Premier Wet grinder, I decided to attempt Medhu Vadais with Vidya’s recipe. Now mind you Vidya’s mother is a fabulous cook and a perfectionist. Her mother had given her a tip of adding toor dal while soaking the Urad / Udad dal. This not only makes the vada crispy but also keeps the batter be bound together and makes it easy to make the doughnuts with the batter.

Medhu Vada

Ingredients

Skinless Black gram / Urad Dal – 2 cups

Yellow split Pea / Toor dal - 2 tablespoons

Green Chillies – 4-6 nos

Ginger – ½ inch (optional)

Onion – 1(optional)

Salt – 3/4 tsp

Asafetida (Hing or perungayam) - ½ tsp

Curry leaves – A sprig

Oil- for frying

Method

Soak the Urad dal and toor dal in water for 2-3 hours. Grind the soaked urad dal along with chillies, ginger and salt into a fine paste i.e. when you take the batter in your fingers you should not feel the grains. While grinding like I mentioned before kindly add water slowly, you can sprinkle water. Ensure that the batter doesn’t become watery. The batter should be thick and not like the dosa batter which flows down when dropped from a spoon.

Heat oil in a kadai. Dip your hands in water. Take the batter of the size of a small ball in your palm or a plantain leaf or a polythene sheet and pat it to form a circle. Dip your index finger in water and make a hole in the patted batter in the center. I prefer to do it on my palm as it is easy to maneuver the batter.

Fry the vadas in oil till golden brown on both sides.

Medhu Vadai

Different Types of Vadai

Coriander Leaves and Curry Leaves - You can add curry leaves and finely chopped coriander to the batter.

Spinach Vadai (Keerai Vadai)

You can add any green leafy vegetables like Palak keerai, Arai Keerai, Mullai Keerai, Murunga Elai(drumstick leaves),

Onion Vadai

You can add finely chopped onions,

Cabbage Vadai

You can add finely chopped cabbage,

Potato Ulundhu Vadai

You can add grated potato into the batter

You can use all or any of the permutation and combinations and still have a wholesome and nutritious snack which is very delectable.

RASAM VADA

Soak the vada in Rasam.

Soak the vada atleast for half an hour before serving. Only then the rasam will penetrate into the vada and will taste good.

While serving the Rasam vadai just garnish it with finely chopped coriander and then serve.

SAMBHAR VADA

Soak the vada in Sambhar.

The sambhar should not be very thick. Soak the vada atleast for half an hour before serving. Only then the sambhar will penetrate into the vada and will taste good.

While serving the Sambhar vadai just garnish it with finely chopped coriander and then serve.

DAHI VADA

Soak the vada in Dahi.

Kindly click on the link to follow the recipe. In my recipe replace the moong vada with the Urad vada and follow the method as per the link.

Tips

I have already given you the tip of adding Toor dal alongwith urad dal while soaking.

Here are some more tips :-

• You can add a pinch of baking soda just before making the vada, this makes the vada crisp

• Add a boiled and mashed potato to the batter and mix it well. By adding boiled potato the vada will remain crisp and puffy for a long time

• If the batter is watery it will not freely drop into the oil. It will break half way through the journey from your  hand to the oil. If it is like that don’t worry. Add some Rice flour to the vada batter.

• To check if the Vada is cooked fully wash the tip of a knife and pierce the vada. If no batter sticks on the knife then the vada is fully cooked or else it needs more cooking.

Neivedyam to the lord.