Life is a journey of evolving roles, each with its own beauty and wisdom. From the structured world of academia to the ever-evolving realm of homemaking, I have embraced each phase with passion and grace. When my children settled into their own lives, I found myself with a renewed sense of purpose—to document and share the wealth of knowledge I have gathered over the years.
During the lockdown, I realized that my experiences in cooking, home remedies, and life’s simple yet profound lessons could serve as a source of inspiration for others. Meticulously and with great concern for the palate, gut health, overall well-being, and the emotional gratification of savoring each preparation, I began crafting a collection of love-filled, cherished recipes, time-tested remedies, and stories woven with warmth and wisdom.
I write under the name "Rajeshree's Kitchen", where I share detailed recipes—the kind that provide exact measurements for ingredients like salt and water, which are often left to personal interpretation in most other kitchen blogs. Additionally, I include practical tips with clear reasons behind them, ensuring that every piece of advice is rooted in understanding and experience. My aim is to make cooking approachable yet precise, helping readers not just recreate dishes but truly connect with the joy of cooking.
This endeavor is my way of preserving traditions, sharing insights, and connecting with those who seek both knowledge and comfort in life's everyday moments.
In a grinder jar add grated paneer, bananas, protein powder, milk and saffron paste. If you want sweet then add sugar or honey.
Make a smooth paste. Mousse is ready. Pour mousse in shot glasses, garnish with chopped pistachios and keep them in the freezer for 2 hours. Then transfer them to the refrigerator.
For Pakodi: Take a pinch of dough from the gathiya dough and roll it with your fingers and keep aside. The same way prepare 1 cup of pakodi and keep aside.
Wash green peas and boil in 1 glass of water,salt and ½ tsp sugar. When cooked keep it aside.
Finely chop onions and tomatoes and keep it aside
Heat oil in the kadhai and add tempering ingredients in it. When tempered add onions in it and saute till translucent.
Now add tomatoes and again saute till it becomes tender.
Mix all spices and saute for one minute.
Add cooked Peas along with its water as well as one more glass of water and pakodi. Close the lid and cook on a slow flame for 5 minutes.
Take out a single pakodi in the dish, cut with a spoon and if the spoon remains clean it means the pakodi are cooked.
Switch off the flame and Vatana pakodi nu shak is ready to serve.
Serve with roti, bhakhri, paratha or as you wish but serve with love and smile.
Fill slightly more than ½ small iron kadhai with ground nut oil and keep aside. Keep the Chakli press machine ready with a gathiya sieve.
In a mixing bowl mix flour with spices and oil. Mix well and pour water in it and knead a medium soft dough. Keep aside for 10 minutes.
Take out the some portion of the dough and shape it into cylinder form. Grease chakli press and place this cylinder into it.
Heat oil and check the temperature of the oil by dropping a little dough in the oil. If dough comes immediately on the surface it means oil is ready for frying.
Now press the Chakli press machine and drop the gathiya in the oil on fast flame.
After dropping turn the flame to medium fast. During frying when bubbles in the oil are reduced into very small sizes it means frying is done and gathiya is ready to take out from the oil.
Remove the gathiya from the oil. The same way repeat the process.
Store gathiya in an airtight container for 15 days.
Serve it with tea,coffee or as you wish but serve it with love and smile.
NB: This dough you can also use for making pakodi for mixing in vegetables.
After delivery, digestion becomes weak and Vata increases, leading to Gas, Bloating, Indigestion and Loss of appetite. This simple mouth freshener helps gently correct all of these.
Dill Seeds (Suva) improves digestion, reduces gas and colic, helps in better milk production (lactation support) and calms Vata. Very important in postpartum care
Ajwain (Carom Seeds) Strong digestive stimulant. Relieves gas, acidity, heaviness. Helps uterus cleansing after delivery Prevents abdominal discomfort. Works like natural digestive medicine.
Fennel Seeds (Saunf) Freshens breath naturally Improves digestion, Reduces acidity. Mildly increases breast milk. Balances the strong taste of ajwain.
Rock Salt (Sendha Namak – small quantity) Improves taste and appetite, aids digestion and helps in electrolyte balance.
Ingredients
1 cup Dill seeds.
1 cup Fennel seeds.
½ cup Carom seeds
½+½+½ tsp. Rock Salt.
Method
Spread all three seeds in different plates.
Mix salt and 1 tsp. of water in each plate and keep aside for the absorption of salt.
After 30 minutes transfer the content in the microwave safe bowl and dry roast for 2 minutes but after every 30 seconds stir it with a spatula. OR
Heat the thick bottom kadhai and dry roast on a slow flame. Stir continuously.
Dry roast each ingredient separately and then mix properly.
Once cool, transfer in an air tight bottle.
Serve 1 tsp. after every meal to the new mother after delivery but serve with love and smile.
Sometimes, the simplest ingredients create the most innovative recipes. This Moong Dal Sandwich is a perfect example—completely bread-free, yet just as satisfying and comforting as a traditional sandwich. Made using a smooth moong dal batter cooked in a sandwich toaster, it forms a soft, protein-rich outer layer that beautifully replaces bread. The filling is inspired by the ever-favorite potato vada, bringing in a delicious blend of spices and warmth in every bite. This unique combination not only makes it wholesome and nutritious but also light on the stomach, making it ideal for breakfast or an evening snack. A creative twist on classic flavors, this sandwich is perfect for those looking for a healthier, gluten-free option without compromising on taste.
Ingredients
Ingredients for making bread:-
2 cup whole moong or split green moong dal.
2-3 Green chilies.
2 inch size Ginger piece.
1 tsp. Salt.
1 tsp. Eno.
Ingredients for stuffing :-
5 medium sized Potatoes.
½ cup finely chopped Coriander leaves.
3- 4 green chilies either finely chopped or paste
Paste of 2 inch sized Ginger piece .
1 tsp. Salt
2 tbsp. Lemon juice.
Ingredients for tempering:-
2 tbsp. Oil.
¼ tbsp. Mustard seeds.
¼ tsp. Cumin seeds.
¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
10-12 tender Curry leaves. If mature leaves then chopped finely.
Method
Method for making stuffing
Wash and boil potatoes in a pressure cooker up to 3 whistles.
When pressure releases, open the lid, peel the boiled potatoes and mash it with the help of a potato masher.
Add all ingredients and mix well. This is our potato stuffing.
Heat oil in a nonstick pan and add mustard seeds, wait for the crackling sound and add cumin seeds, Asafoetida and other ingredients, saute for ½ minute and then add potato stuffing. Mix well and saute for two minutes. Switch off the flame and transfer the stuffing in a plate to cool down.
Divide the potato stuffing in the 2 inches ball size portion and make a tikki and keep aside.
Method for making Sandwiches:-—
Soak the whole moong or Green moong dal for 6-7 hours.
Wash and grind soaked moong dal, green chillies, ginger and salt without water in the smooth paste. Keep aside for 2 hours.
Add eno in the batter and mix well.
Heat a nonstick sandwich toaster, grease both the sides .
Pour batter on one side of the greased toaster, place a tikki of potato stuffing in the center and once again pour moong dal batter over it.
Close the toaster and cook over a slow flame till it turns golden brown. ( It takes 10-15 minutes to cook both sides.)
The moong dal sandwich is ready to serve. Serve with tomato ketchup and green chutney or as you wish but serve with love and smile.
Sweet corn is gentle on the stomach and gives light, steady energy. As it is rich in fibre it helps in digestion and keeps you full for long. Natural sweetness adds the taste without adding extra sugar or heavy spices. It contains antioxidants and is also rich in vitamins. It is rich in B-vitamins, vitamin C, and minerals like magnesium and folate.
Ingredients
1 cup grated Corn.(4 Corn cobs.)
1 cup wheat flour.
½ cup Corn flour (Corn atta)
½ cup curd.
½ cup finely chopped Coriander.
1 tbsp. Red chilli powder.
1 tbsp. Coriander Cumin powder.
1 tsp. Salt.
½ tsp Turmeric powder.
½ tsp. Coarse powder of Black pepper.
Method
Wash and wipe Corns. Grate all cobs with the help of grater and keep aside.
In a mixing bowl transfer the grated corn and add all spices and curd. Mix well and add flour.
Knead soft dough.
Divide dough into 12 equal parts and roll each part with the help of a rolling pin in an 11 inch round paratha.
Ghee roast or oil roast all parathas and serve them with soup of your choice.
Mexican rice is eaten year-round and is one of the most common preparations in Mexican cuisine. It is a dish of rice which is made from white rice, Tomatoes, Garlic, Onions and other vegetables. Which is also known as Red rice.
Wash home made frozen black beans and sweet corns in the colander and keep aside.
Wash and cut Cauliflower into small florets and keep aside.
Wash and soak rice in 3 cups of water and keep aside
Defrost cubes of tomato gravy and keep aside.
Heat oil in a nonstick pan for tempering. Add Cumin seeds in it. Wait for the crackling sound and add curry leaves, Asafoetida powder, Turmeric powder, all vegetables and salt. Stir and add defrost gravy. Saute for one minute and add remaining spices. Stir again .
Drain water in another pan and add rice in the same nonstick pan. Saute for one more minute and pour rice soaked water in the same nonstick pan.
Once the water starts boiling switch the flame to slow, close the lid and cook the rice.
When water reduces, check all the vegetables and rice.If cooked then switch off otherwise add ¼ cup water and again cook till black beans are tender.
Mexican rice is ready to serve. Serve with Tomato soup or soup of your choice but serve with love and smile.
Mango Gruel: Tradition with Health Benefits Mango gruel, traditionally prepared during Ram Navami, is a refreshing summer drink made from raw mango, Misri and aromatic spices. This age-old preparation is not just a religious offering but also a natural remedy to combat rising heat during the month of Chaitra. Rich in electrolytes, it helps prevent dehydration, fatigue, and heat stroke. The combination of sweet misri and tangy raw mango balances energy levels while supporting digestion. A light tadka of cumin seeds, clove, and cinnamon enhances its flavor while improving digestion and metabolism. Its cooling nature helps calm aggravated Pitta during seasonal transition. Simple, nourishing, and deeply rooted in tradition, mango gruel beautifully blends devotion with practical health wisdom.
Ingredients
500 gms raw Mango.
½ cup Sugar or Misri powder.
¼ cup Wheat flour.
¼ tsp. Cardamom powder.
2 tbs. Ghee
¼ tsp. Cumin seeds.
2-3 cloves.
½ inch Cinnamon stick.
Method
Wash, wipe and peel mangoes.
Cut mangoes into small dice and keep aside.
If you are using Misri then grind it into coarse powder so that it melts fast in the gruel.
Heat ½ tbsp. ghee in a thick bottom sauce pan or kadhai. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks and cloves for tadka.
Add mango pieces and saute till it becomes tender.
Transfer cooked mango pieces and again heat remaining ghee. Add wheat flour and saute till golden brown.
Now add mangoes, mix well and add 1 liter of water in it.
Stir continuously to avoid forming lumps, add sugar and cardamom powder in it.
When water starts boiling, switch off the flame and gruel is ready to serve.
Offer luke warm Mango gruel to Lord Ram with love faith and devotion.
Sweet Potato (Shakarkand / Ratalu) is a very nutritious root vegetable. It is naturally sweet, easy to digest, and rich in vitamins and minerals.Sweet potato contains beta-carotene, which the body converts to Vitamin A. Supports good eyesight. It contains dietary fiber, which helps to Improve digestion, Prevent constipation and support healthy gut bacteria. It is rich in potassium and magnesium, which helps to maintain healthy blood pressure.
Ingredients
500 gms Sweet Potatoes.
1 lit. Full fat milk.
¾ cup Sugar.
6-8 Cardamom.
10-12 Saffron strands(optional).
Method
Wash, peel and again wash Sweet Potatoes. Keep it in a colander.
Keep this colander in a pressure cooker and pressure cook till 3 whistles.
Simultaneously boil milk on a slow flame.
Grind the Cardamom with Motor and Pestle and lavigate Saffron strands in ½ sp. of milk. Add both in the boiling milk.
When pressure is released, open the lid and mash sweet potatoes.
Transfer mashed sweet potatoes and boiling milk in a nonstick pan and mix thoroughly.
Reduce milk on a fast flame. Hold the lid while stirring continuously with the other hand to avoid burning your hand due to the splashing of the bursting bubble.
When milk is reduced and halva leaves the pan surface, add sugar and again stir continuously till the water content of sugar burns.
Rajeshree Gandhi's Kitchen blog 