Author: Rajeshree Gandhi

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.

Categories
Healthy food

(194)Chole Chana

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Chole Chana.
  • ½ tsp Soda bi Carb.
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 2 cup water for cooking.
  • green tea infuser filter
  • Spices to be filled in tea infuser filter
  • 2 clove, ½ inch Cinnamon stick, 1 black Cardamom, 2 Green Cardamom, 1 star Star anise, 1 bay leaf cut into small pieces.
  • Tempering Ingredients for gravy (Vaghar)
  • 3 tbsp. Oil.
  • ½ tsp Cumin seeds.
  • 1 cup finely chopped Onions.
  • 12 Cashew nuts.
  • 1 tsp. Poppy seeds.
  • 1 tsp. Garlic paste.
  • 1 tsp. Ginger paste.
  • ½ tsp. Green chili paste.
  • 1 tsp. Red chilli powder.
  • 1 tsp. Coriander Cumin powder.
  • ½ tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • 4 tsp. Chole masala.
  • 1 tbsp. Mint leaves.
  • 1 tbsp. freshly chopped Coriander leaves.
  • ¼ cup Curd.
  • Tempering Ingredients of Chole
  • 1 tsp. Oil
  • ¼ tsp. Cumin seeds
  • 1 tbsp. freshly chopped Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method

  1. Soak overnight Chole Chana in soda water.
  2. Next morning wash thoroughly and pressure cook upto 3 whistles after adding water, salt and placing tea infuser filter filled with spices in Channa pan.
  3. Open the lid when pressure is released.
  4. Remove Chole Chana pan and drain extra water by tilting pan. Do not throw this spice flavoured liquid and use for adjusting the consistency of Chole. Remove tea infuser filter from the pan and discard spices. Wash and dry infuser filter immediately.
  5. In nonstick pan or thick bottom pan heat oil. Add Cumin seeds and wait for crackling sound.
  6. Now add Asafoetida powder and Curry leaves. Add onions and saute on medium flame till it becomes translucent. Now add Ginger, Garlic and Green chilli paste. Saute for 30 seconds and add Cashew nuts and poopy seeds and saute for 2 minutes on slow flame.
  7. Add Mint leaves , Coriander leaves and all dry spices and curd . Saute on slow flame till oil separates. Switch off the flame and keep aside to cool down.
  8. Once this prepared mixture cools, grind it into smooth paste to form gravy
  9. Transfer this gravy to nonstick pan again and pour cooked Chole Chana to it. Adjust the consistency by adding drained liquid.
  10. Mix thoroughly at slow flame. Pour another vaghar of 1 tsp oil and ¼ tsp. Cumin seeds in Chole.
  11. Close the lid and simmer for 5 minutes.Garnish with Coriander leaves.
  12. Taste the dish before serving. Serve hot with Bhature or Puri or Paratha or Fulka roti or Bhakhri or Jowar roti or Steamed rice or as you desire.
Categories
Healthy food

(192)Rajma (Kidney Beans)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Rajma.
  • 2 cup water for cooking.
  • ½ tsp. Soda bi Carb.
  • 1 tsp. Salt.
  • ½ tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • Tempering Ingredients (Vaghar).
  • 2 tbsp. Oil.
  • ½ tsp. Cumin seeds.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 8-10 Curry leaves.
  • 1 cup finely chopped Onions.
  • ½ cup finely chopped Tomatoes. OR 4 soft Kokum(if dried variety then remove seeds) OR ¼ cup curd
  • ½ tsp. Garlic paste.
  • 1 tsp. Ginger paste.
  • ½ tsp. Green chilli paste.
  • 1 tsp. Red chilli powder.
  • 1 tsp. Coriander Cumin powder.
  • 1 tsp. Garam masala.
  • 1 tbsp. finely Chopped coriander leaves.

Method

  1. Soak Rajma overnight in soda water.
  2. Next morning drain water. Check and discard hard waterless grains.
  3. Pressure cook up to 8 whistles after adding water, salt and turmeric powder.
  4. Open the lid when pressure is released. Drain extra water from Rajma by tilting the Rajma pan. Please don’t throw this liquid as you can use it to adjust the consistency of Rajma.
  5. Heat oil in a nonstick cooking pan or thick bottom pan. Add Cumin seeds and wait for a crackling sound.
  6. Now add Asafoetida powder and  Curry leaves. Saute for 5 seconds and add onions. Saute till it becomes translucent.
  7. Add tomatoes and saute till it becomes tender.
  8. If you are not using Tomatoes then add other options at this stage.
  9. Now add all dry and green spices. Saute till oil separates from the spices. Stir continuously on medium flame.
  10. Add cooked rajma and mix thoroughly with vaghar. Close the lid and simmer  Rajma on a slow flame for 5 minutes.
  11. Taste the dish before serving. Serve hot with steamed rice and Paratha or Fulka roti or Bhakhri or Bajra roti or Jower roti or as you desire.
  12. If you don’t like Onion and Tomato pieces in your curry then you can grind complete vaghar into thick paste. If you are using kokum instead of tomatoes then grind kokum also.Again heat ½ tsp oil in a tempering vessel and add ¼ tsp. Cumin seeds. Wait for crackling sound and pour this vagar to gravy(thick paste). Mix thoroughly with cooked Rajma and gravy and simmer for 5 minutes on slow flame.

            List of my other recipes

Categories
Healthy food

(191) Safed Chora ( White Big Lobia)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup safed chora (white big lobia).
  • 2 cup water for cooking.
  • 1 tsp. Salt.
  • ½ tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • 1 tsp. Ginger paste.
  • 1 tsp. Green chilli paste.
  • 1 tsp. Sugar.
  • 1 tsp. Lemon juice.
  • Tempering Ingredients (Vaghar).
  • 2 tbsp. Oil.
  • ½ tsp. Mustard seeds.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder
  • 8-10 Curry leaves.
  • 1 tsp. Red chilli powder.
  • 1 tsp. Coriander Cumin powder.
  • 1 tbsp. freshly chopped Coriander leaves.

Method

  1. Soak overnight white Lobia.
  2. Next morning drain water. Check and discard hard waterless grains.
  3. Wash thoroughly and pressure cook upto 3 whistles after adding water, salt and turmeric powder.
  4. Open the lid when pressure is released.
  5. Drain extra water from cooked lobia by tilting pan and keep aside.
  6. Heat oil in thick bottom pan or nonstick pan. Add Mustard seeds and wait for crackling sound.
  7. Add Asafoetida powder, Curry leaves, Red chilli powder, Coriander Cumin powder grated Ginger, Green chilli paste and chopped Coriander leaves. Saute for 5-10 seconds.
  8. Pour cooked Lobia in vaghar. Stir and mix Lobia with vaghar .Saute for 2-3 minutes. Stir continuously otherwise Lobia will stick to the bottom of the pan.
  9. Taste the dish before serving hot with steamed rice, kadhi, Fulka roti or Bajra roti or Jower roti or Bhakhri or as you desire.
  10. Variation You can also use onion and garlic while preparing safed chora. Chop Onion and saute till translucent and add garlic paste in it .The remaining recipe is the same as above.

List of my other recipes.

Categories
Quick Cooking Tips

(241)Mix Dal flour OR batter

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Masoor dal.
  • 1 cup Moong dal.
  • 1 cup Chana dal.
  • 1 cup Tur dal.
  • ½ cup Udad dal.
  • ½ cup Rice.

Method

  1. Mix all dals and make coarse flour in a flour mill.
  2. OR Mix all dal in a big sauce pan .
  3. Wash thoroughly for 2 times and soak for 8-10 hours.
  4. Drain all water and add dal, finely cut 2 inches ginger, 2-3 green chillies, ½ cup Coriander leaves and salt. Grind it in a mixture grinder and make smooth batter without water.
  5. Enjoy Chila, Dhokla, Uttapam, Idli and Dosa from this batter. For chila, dosa and uttapam, you have to add some water to meet the consistency. Whereas the flour can  be used for making Thepla, Puri, Paratha, Muthiya and also for Chila, Dosa, Idli and Dhokla.

                 List of my other recipes.

Categories
Raitu

(228)Pudina Raita

Ingredients

  • 1 cup home made Curd.
  • ¼  cup  finely chopped fresh Mint leaves.( Pudina paan).
  • ½ tsp. Rock Salt(( Sendha namak).

Method

  1. Use fresh curd fermented for 6 hours for preparing raita.
  2. Churn the curd after adding salt.
  3. Pluck only leaves from mint stalks, wash and chop finely.
  4. Mix chopped Mint leaves with curd and serve with Biriyani, Thepla, Stuffed paratha or as you wish. Serve with love and smile.
  5. You can also use Pudina powder if fresh is not available.
  6. In 1 cup of curd add 2 tbsp. of Pudina and Salt. You can also add finely chop Coriander leaves for freshness.
Categories
Beauty tips

(227)Herbal Oil for Long and Shiny hair.

Ingredients

  • 500 ml. Til oil.
  • ½ cup Curry leaves.
  • 2 tbsp. Fenugreek seeds.
  • ½ Aloe vera slices.
  • 1 tbsp. Kalonji.

Method

  1. Heat oil in a non-stick sauce pan.
  2. Add all ingredients and cover the sauce pan with its glass lid.
  3. Heat oil on a fast flame. When it starts boiling, open the lid.
  4. Boil for 15 minutes on slow flame.
  5. Turn off the flame and keep aside.
  6. Strain the oil and store in a bottle
  7. Apply regularly every alternate day for black, long and lustrous hair.
Categories
salads

(225)Lal Mogri nu Raita Salad.

Ingredients

  • 250 gms. Lal Mogri.
  • 1 cup Curd.
  • 1 tsp. Salt.
  • Pinch of Black Salt.

Method

  1. Wash and finely chop mogri.
  2. Marinate with salt and keep aside.
  3. After 5 minutes squeeze lightly with your 2 palms so that extra salt with water is removed
  4. .In a mixing bowl take curd and churn it with churner. Mix squeeze mogri and Black Salt thoroughly.
  5. Serve with roti, bhakhri, paratha, nan or as you wish.
Categories
My recipes salads

(215)Lal mogri ni Salad

Ingredients

  • 250 gms. Lal mogri.
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 1 tsp. oil .
  • 2 tbsp. Athana no sambhar(Pickle masala)
  • 1 tbsp. Lemon juice( fresh)

Method

  1. Wash and finely chop mogri. Marinate with salt and keep aside.
  2. After 5 minutes squeeze extra water.
  3. Heat oil, add mogri and saute for 2 minutes on a fast flame.
  4. Switch off the flame, add athana no sambhar and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly.
  5. Serve with roti, bhakhri, paratha, nan or as you wish. Serve with love and smile.

List Of My Recipes

Categories
Healthy food

(206)Moong flour Dhokla

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Moong flour.
  • 1 cup Roasted Suji.
  • 1 cup grated carrots.
  • 1 cup curd
  • 1 cup water.
  • ½ cup freshly chopped Coriander leaves.
  • 1 tsp. Salt.
  • ½ tsp. Ginger paste.
  • 1 tsp. Green chilli paste.
  • 2 tbsp. Oil.
  • 1 sachet regular eno fruitsalt.

Method

  1. In big sauce pan mix moong flour and roasted suji thoroughly.
  2. Add all other ingredients except eno fruitsalt. Mix well and keep aside for 30 minutes.
  3. After 30 minutes adjust the consistency by adding 1-2 spoons of water.
  4. Add eno fruitsalt and mix thoroughly and transfer the batter in greasy plate . Fill ¾ of dhokla plate with batter.
  5. Place dhokla plate in preheated dhokla pan or big size kadhai with stand and steam for 20 minutes on fast flame.
  6. After 20 minutes remove dhokla plate from dhokla pan.
  7. Keep aside for 2 minutes and then cut into desirable shapes.
  8. Serve hot with Green chutney and Red Sweet chutney.
  9. Or if you want to carry in tiffin box then you can temper it. So while consuming you won’t feel it dry.
Moong flour mix with roastred suji.
Grated Carrots
Dhokla plate placed in steel kadhai
Moong Dhokla
Categories
Healthy food

(195) Brown Chana (with Onions -Tomatoes)

Ingredients

  • ½ cup Brown Chana
  • 2 cup water for cooking.
  • 1 tsp Salt.
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder.
  • Tempering Ingredients for gravy (Vaghar).
  • 2 tbsp. Oil.
  • ½ tsp. Cumin seeds.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 1 cup finely chopped Onions.
  • ½ cup finely chopped Tomatoes.
  • 1 tsp. Ginger paste.
  • ½ tsp Garlic paste.
  • ½ tsp. Green chilli paste.
  • 1 tsp. Red chilli powder.
  • 1 tsp. Coriander Cumin powder.
  • 1 tsp. Garam masala.
  • 1 tbsp. freshly chopped Coriander leaves.
  • Tempering Ingredients for brown Chana
  • 1 tsp. Oil.
  • ¼ tsp. Cumin seeds.
  • 1 tbsp. freshly chopped Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method

  1. Soak overnight Chana.
  2. Next morning wash thoroughly and pressure cook upto 3 whistles after adding water, salt and turmeric powder.
  3. Open the lid when pressure is released. Drain extra water from cooked Chana. Keep aside. Do not throw this liquid but use in adjusting consistency of Chana or in preparation of Osaman.
  4. Heat oil in nonstick pan or thick bottom pan. Add Cumin seeds and wait for crackling sound and add Asafoetida powder, Curry leaves and chopped Onions. Saute till translucent. Now add chopped tomatoes and saute till it becomes tender.
  5. Add all dry spices and green spices. Saute till oil separates.
  6. Switch off the flame and grind it into thick paste once it cool down.
  7. Mix this gravy and cooked Chana together in nonstick pan. Simmer for 5 minutes on slow flame.
  8. Simultaneously heat oil in tempering vessel and add Cumin seeds. Wait for crackling sound and pour this vaghar in Chana pan. Garnish with chopped Coriander leaves.
  9. Taste the dish before serving. Serve hot with Osaman, steamed rice, Fulka roti, or Bajra roti or Jower roti or Bhakhri or Paratha or as you desire.