Bread-katori Chaat 

           A simple, delicious recipe that you can enjoy on festivals and special occassions, Katori Chaat is extremely delectable and spicy in taste. This easy-to-make chaat recipe has a healthy twist to it and you can certainly enjoy it without any guilt.

For the filling :

1. 3-4 boiled potatoes
2. 1 cup boiled garbanzo/channa.
3. 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
4. a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
5. 2 tsp chilli powder
6. 2 tsp coriander-cumin seeds (dhania-jeera) powder
7. 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
8. 1 tsp dried mango powder (amchur)
9. Chaat masala
10. salt to taste

For serving above the filling:

1. Beaten yoghurt (dahi)
2. Onion-cilantro chopped.
3. Khajur- Imli ki Chutney (sweet chutney)
4. green chutney
5. Sev

METHOD :

• Bake bread in a hot oven at 230°C (450°F) for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Cool the katoris.

For the filling

• Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. 
• When they crackle, add the asafoetida.
• Add chilli powder, coriander-cumin seed powder, turmeric powder, amchur, salt and 2 tablespoons of water and mix well. 
• Add smashed potatoes and garbanzo roughly.
• Cook on a slow flame for 4 to 5 minutes. Keep aside  so that it cools.

How to proceed

• Fill each katori with a portion of the filling (aloo-channa).
• Top with curds, chopped onion -cilantro mix,  khajur-imli ki chutney, green chutney, sev.
• Serve immediately.

Bottle Gourd sambhar

The bottle gourd a.k.a (calabash, o.p.o squash) is a vine grown for its fruit. It can either be harvested in the young stage to be used as a vegetable or harvested in the mature stage, dried, and used as a bottle, utensil, or pipe.
The bottle gourd is yellowish-green in colour and usually in the shape of a bottle. The vegetable has a white pulp, with white seeds embedded in the spongy flesh. It is cultivated in the humid weather of Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, China, tropical Africa and South America. It is also locally known in many places as bottle squash, white gourd, trumpet gourd, lauki, doodhi, ghia and calabash gourd.
When lauki is cooked or juiced, it has proven to have sedative and anti-bilious properties. Eating lauki gives a relaxed feeling.

Bottle gourd – Calorie content
100 g of bottle gourd contains 15 calories.
100 g for edible portion contains 1 g fat. Its water content is 96%.
It is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, high in dietary fiber, Vitamin C, riboflavin, zinc, thiamine, iron, magnesium.

Health benefits of Bottle gourd :

• Bottle gourd is one of the lowest calorie vegetables- carrying just 14 calories per 100 g.
• It is one of the vegetables recommended by the dietitians in weight-control programs. 
• Fresh gourds contain small quantities of folates, contain about 6 µg/100g (provide just 1.5% of RDA). Folate helps reduce the incidence of neural tube defects in the newborns when taken by anticipate mothers during their early months of pregnancy. 
• Fresh calabash gourd is a modest source of vitamin-C (100 g of raw fruit provides 10 mg or about 17% of RDA). Vitamin-C, one of the powerful natural antioxidants that help the human body scavenge harmful free radicals, which labeled as one of the reasons for cancer development. 
• Calabash facilitates easy digestion and movement of food through the bowel until it is excreted from the body. Thus, it helps in relieving indigestion and constipation problems. 
• Also, the vegetable is also a modest source of thiamin, niacin (vitamin B-3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, manganese and magnesium. 
• Bottle gourd tender leaves and tendrils are also edible and indeed contain higher concentrations of vitamins and minerals than its fruit. 

So I am here with including my favorite calabash in my routine cooking and today I am making bottle gourd sambhar. its so healthy protein packed, super healthy and lip smacking.

Ingredients:

1. Bottle gourd 
2. toor dal 
3. tomato 
4. onion 
5. turmeric 
6. tamarind and jaggery paste 
7. cilantro for garnish 
8. water 

For tadka:

1. Oil/ghee 
2. mustard seeds 
3. cumin 
4. asafeotida 
5. curry leaves. 
6. sambhar powder 

Method:

• In a pressure cooker take 1 cup of toor dal , add chopped tomatoes, onions, and calabash and pressure cook them for 3-5 whistles. 
• After the pressure cooker is cooled, open the lid and churn the dal into smooth texture. 
• Add the tamarind-jaggery paste and mix well. 
• Make the tadka, add sambhar powder and pour into the dhal mixture and get it to boiling bubble. 
• Garnish with cilantro, enjoy with Hot rice , dosa , idli or roti. 

Nuchinunde/ Steamed dal dumplings

Nuchinunde is a traditional dish mostly relished in southern Karnataka. Nuchinunde is usually made with toor dal but I have made with some chana dal and moong dal for some variation in taste. Traditionally, nuchinunde is served with majjige huli ... But it tastes pretty good with any chutney as well!! It is easy to make especially for breakfast or even for kids. With the combination of dals, leafy vegetables that goes into its preparation, and the process of steaming, this surely is a wholesome healthy snack/ dish full of proteins, vitamins and minerals. This is a no fat, no oil and high protein dish.

Ingredients:

1. Soaked Chana dal.
2. Soaked Moong dal.
3. Chopped dill.
4. Chopped onion.
5. Chopped chilies.
6. Chopped cilantro.
7. Chopped curry leaves.
8. Turmeric.
9. Ginger-garlic paste.
10. Salt.

Method:

• Grind the dals together without adding any water. Make sure you grind it to a coarse consistency.
  
• Mix all the chopped ingredients mentioned  add turmeric and salt to taste.
  
• Arrange in the steamer/ idli stand with water and steam for 15 minutes.
  
• Once done turn off and allow it to cool, serve with choice of chutney and it's READY TO EAT :)
  

Palak dhal

Dhal is a staple in most Indian households and pretty much had on a daily basis. There are so many varieties of dhal and so many different ways to make them. Palak dhal is one the nutritious and yummiest gravy which tastes great with both roti and rice. Being a health freak, I include greens in my diet at least 3 times in a week by adding it to parathas or preparing sabjis with greens. This is one of my favorite comfort food and I love to have it with hot steamed rice and ghee. Its is the most simple and timing saving recipe.

Ingredients:

1. Washed palak.
2. Toor dhal.
3. Garlic cloves.
4. Cumin.
5. Ghee.
6. Asafoetida.
7. Mustard seeds.
8. Curry leaves.
9. Green chilies.

Method:

• In a pressure cooker add a cup of washed toor dhal few cloves of garlic green chilies as per taste, washed and chopped spinach with required amount of water and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles until the dhal is completely mashed.
• After the pressure cooker is cool down open the lid carefully and smash the mixture using a masher.
• Add salt as per taste.
• Now for tempering add little ghee on a medium flame add small tbsp of mustard seeds, cumin , few curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida and allow them to splatter.
•  Mix the tempering check for salt required and serve hot with steamed rice or rotis of choice and it's READY TO EAT :)

Coriander Chicken fry

Coriander chicken fry is prepared with chicken pieces (boneless or with bones) cooked combined with marination of coriander powder, green chilies and other simple spices. Their flavors are subtle, highly aromatic and yummy to eat. The green chilies give the spiciness to the dish. The recipe below is the simplest and yet a yummy one can be done in 25 minutes with minimal spices and less oil. It can be eaten with rice, or any type of breads such as roti, chapatis, dosas., etc.
Ingredients:

1. Chicken pieces.
2. Oil.
3. Curry leaves.
4. Green chilies.
5. Sliced onions.
6. Coriander powder.
7. Ginger-garlic paste.
8. Salt.
9. Turmeric.
10. Garam masala(pinch).
11. Water.
12. Cilantro.

Method:

• Wash the chicken pieces and drain the water completely marinate the chicken with 1 tb sp of ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, turmeric and pinch of garam masala and add salt to taste.
• Mix well and marinate it for 5-10 minutes or more.
  
• Now in a cooking pan add 2-3 tb sp of oil, once oil is heated add green chilies, and sliced onions and saute them until they are translucent.
  
  
  
• Once they are translucent add the marinated chicken pieces and few curry leaves, mix well, check for salt if needed add little more.
  
• Now pour very little water in marinated bowl to clean all the marination sticking to it, sprinkle that water on to the chicken pieces.
  
• Close the lid and allow it to cook for 15 minutes.
  
  
  
• Garnish it with cilantro and serve hot with choice of rotis or rice and its READY TO EAT:)