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
Steamed food

(162)Rava Dhokla

Suji Dhokla

ingredients

  1. 2 cups Rava ( Suji).
  2. 1 cup curd.
  3. 2 cup water
  4. 1 sachet Eno or ½ tsp. Soda
  5. 1 tsp. Ginger paste.
  6. 1 tsp. Green chili paste.
  7. 1 tsp. Salt.
  8. Optional items like 1 cup Sweet Corn or 1 cup grated Carrot or 1 cup grated bottle gourd or 1 cup crushed Green peas or 1 cup mix vegetables ( Peas, carrots, corn and bottle guard).

Tempering ingredients

  • 2 tbsp. Til oil.
  • ¼ tsp. Mustard seeds.
  • ¼ tsp. Sesame seeds.
  • 1 tsp. finely chopped coriander leaves
  • 8-10 Curry leaves.

Method

  1. With the help of chopper , chop all vegetables.
  2. Mix chopped vegetables with salt and Ginger chili paste.
  3. In big mixing bowl mix rava with vegetable mixture.
  4. Add curd , water in rava mixture and make batter without lumps. Taste the batter before any further process.
  5. Add soda or eno and mix thoroughly.
  6. Grease thali with oil and pour batter.
    Fill ¾ thali with batter.
  7. Steam dhokla thali for 20 minutes.
  8. Remove thali from steamer and keep aside for 1 minute to release steam from dhokla.
  9. Cut dhokla into desire shape.
  10. For tempering heat oil in pan or vaghar vessel.
  11. Add mustard seeds, wait for crackling sound.
  12. Add Sesame seeds, Curry leaves and Coriander leaves .
    Pour temper oil on dhokla thali and spread evenly on dhokla.
  13. Serve hot dhokla with Garlic Chutney, Green Chutney, Sweet Chutney and a glass of chilled Chaas..
Plain Rava Dhokla

List of my other recipes.

Categories
snacks

(148)Dudhi na Thepla

Ingredients

  • 2 cup grated bottle guard (dudhi ni chhin).
  • ½ tbsp Salt.
  • ¼ cup Sugar.
  • 1 tsp. Cumin seeds.
  • 1 tsp. Black sesame seeds.
  • ½ tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • 1 tbsp. Red Chilli powder.
  • 1 tbsp. Coriander Cumin powder.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 1 tsp. Ginger paste.
  • ⅓ cup Curd.
  • ¼ cup Chopped Coriander leaves.
  • 3 cups wheat flour.
  • 9 tbsp. Sesame oil.

Method

  1. First rinse, peel and then grate the dudhi in a bowl. (Before you grate, check the taste of dudhi , If it is bitter to taste, then throw it away).
  2. Mix the sugar , salt and jeera very well with the grated dudhi and keep covered aside for 10 minutes. The dudhi will release its juices.
  3. After 10 minutes add all remaining spices and curd. Mix well and keep aside.
  4. In another bowl, mix wheat flour and oil . ( If dry wheat flour hold shape, it means amount of oil what we add is proper).
  5. Mix dudhi mixture with flour and knead in to dough . If your flour is dry then add one by one spoon of curd for kneading (total 4 tbsp. extra curd used).
  6. once dough is ready, add 1 tbsp. of oil to grease the dough. Keep aside for 30 minutes.
  7. After 30 mins. divide dough into 30 equal parts .With the help of rolling pin, roll each dough ball like roti and shallow fry with oil .
  8. Apply ghee and serve hot or carry with you while traveling or in offices.
  9. You can enjoy your thepla with Aam ras, Masala tea, herbal tea, tameta nu shak, kela nu shak or any pickle, murrabo, chhundo.
Dudhi ni chhin(grated bottle guard)
Marinate with salt,sugar and cumin seeds
Marinated dudhi ni chhin
All Dry spices and ginger paste with marinated dudhi ni chhin
consistency of thepla dough.
Making of Dudhi na thepla
Categories
Healthy food

(187)Whole Matki Misal

Ingredients

  • Sprouted Matki.
  • 3 cup Water.
  • 1 tbsp. Oil.
  • 2 tsp. salt.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 2 tsp. Red chilli powder.
  • 1 tsp. Coriander Cumin powder.
  • 1 tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • 1 cup finely chopped Onions.
  • 1 cup finely chopped Tomatoes.
  • ½ cup finely chopped Coriander leaves.
  • 2 cup Bhusu.

Method

  1. Heat nonstick pan with water and add raw oil and other dry ingredients.
  2. Once water started boiling add sprouted Matki and simmer for 5 minutes.
  3. Taste the dish before serving hot.
  4. Serving Instructions.
  5. In each plate serve Matki.
  6. Sprinkle Onions, Tomatoes, Bhusu and garnish with Coriander leaves.
  7. Accompanied with Bread and piece of lemon.
Categories
Healthy food

(181) Chana Dal with Palak( Spinach)

Ingredients

  • ½ cup Chana Dal.
  • 2 cup water for cooking
  • 1 bunch washed and finely chopped Spinach( approx. 250 gms.)
  • 1 tsp. Salt.
  • ½ tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • 2 tbsp. chopped jaggery.
  • 2 washed kokam.
  • Tempering Ingredients (Vaghar)
  • 1 tbsp. Oil.
  • ½ tsp. Mustard seeds.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 1 whole Red chilli.
  • 1 tsp. grated Ginger.
  • 8-10 Curry leaves.
  • 1 tsp. Red chilli powder.
  • 1 tsp. Coriander Cumin powder.
  • 1 tsp. Garam masala.
  • 1 tbsp. chopped Coriander leaves.

Method

  1. Soak overnight Chana Dal.
  2. Next morning wash Chana dal thoroughly 2-3 times. Keep aside.
  3. Pluck leaves of spinach from its stalk, wash thoroughly and chop finely.
  4. In big vessel mix Chana Dal and finely chopped Spinach. Add water, salt and turmeric powder.
  5. Arrange spinach mix dal vessel at the bottom of cooker and above it washed kokam with 3 tbsp. of water. Close the lid and pressure cook upto 3 whistles.
  6. Open the lid when pressure releases.
  7. Heat oil in nonstick pan or thick bottom pan.
  8. Add Mustard seeds and wait for crackling sound. Add Asafoetida powder, Curry leaves, Red chilli powder, Coriander Cumin powder, Garam masala and chopped Coriander leaves. Saute for 5-10 seconds and pour Spinach mix dal and kokam. Mix thoroughly.
  9. Close the lid and simmer for 5 minutes.
  10. Taste the dish before serving hot with steamed rice and Fulka roti or Bajra roti or Jower roti or Bhakhri or as you wish.
Categories
Healthy food

(177) Lachko Toor dal ( Spicy)

Ingredients

  • ½ cup Toor dal.
  • 2 cup water for cooking.
  • 1 tsp. Salt.
  • ½ tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • ½ tsp. grated ginger.
  • 1 tsp. Sugar.
  • 1 tsp. Lemon juice.
  • Tempering Ingredients ( Vaghar )
  • 1 tbsp. Oil.
  • ½ tsp. Mustard seeds.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 8-10 Curry leaves.
  • 1 finely chopped green chilli.
  • 1 tsp. Red chilli powder.
  • 1 tsp. Coriander Cumin powder.
  • 1 tbsp. chopped Coriander leaves.

Method

  1. Wash thoroughly Toor dal for 2-3 times.
  2. Pressure cook upto 3 whistles after adding water, salt and turmeric powder.
  3. Open the lid when pressure releases.
  4. By tilting dal pan, drain extra water from the dal. Do not discard drained water as it will use in preparing Osaman. Keep aside both dal and osaman.
  5. Heat oil in nonstick pan or thick bottom pan.
  6. Add Mustard seeds and wait for crackling sound.
  7. Add Asafoetida powder, Curry leaves, chopped green chilli, red chilli powder, Coriander Cumin powder and chopped Coriander leaves. Soute for 5-10 seconds and pour dal. Stir continuously otherwise toor dal will stick to bottom of the pan. Soute for 1-2 minutes. Stir continuously.
  8. Taste the dish before serving hot with Osaman, Steamed rice, Fulka roti or Bhakhri or Paratha or Jowar roti or Bajra roti
Categories
Protein rich food

(173) Channa Osaman

Ingredients

  • 1 cup strained liquid of boiled channa
  • 2 cup water.
  • 2 tbsp. chopped jaggery.
  • 2 Kokum.
  • 1 tsp. grated ginger.
  • Tempering Ingredients (Vaghar)
  • 1 tbsp. Desi ghee.
  • ½ tsp. Cumin seeds.
  • 2 Clove.
  • ½ inch Cinnamon stick.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 8-10 Curry leaves.
  • 1 tbsp. chopped Coriander leaves.

Method

  1. Mix water with strained cooked Channa liquid.
  2. Add all other ingredients and boil on medium flame.
  3. On another stove heat oil in tempering vessel.
  4. Add Cumin seeds and wait for crackling sound and add Asafoetida powder, Curry leaves, Clove, Cinnamon stick and Coriander leaves. Soute for 5-10 seconds and pour vaghar in Osaman .
  5. Boil Osaman for 5 minutes and taste the dish before serving. Serve hot with Dry brown Channa, Fulka roti or Bhakhri or Bajra roti or Jowar roti, Steamed rice or as you wish.
Categories
Protein rich food

(172)Whole Brown Channa (Dry)

Ingredients

  • ½ cup whole Brown Channa
  • 2 cups water for cooking.
  • 1 tsp Salt.
  • ½ tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • 1 tsp. Sugar.
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice.
  • Tempering Ingredients (Vaghar)
  • 1 tbsp. Oil.
  • ½ tsp. Mustard seeds.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder
  • 1 chopped green chilli.
  • 8-10 Curry leaves.
  • 1 tsp. Red chilli powder.
  • 1 tsp. Coriander Cumin powder.
  • 1 tbsp. chopped Coriander leaves.

Method

  1. Soak whole Channa overnight.
  2. Next day morning wash 2-3 times and pressure cook upto 4 whistles after adding salt and turmeric powder.
  3. Open the lid once pressure releases.
  4. Strain cooked Channa with the help of strainer. Keep aside . Don’t throw away strained liquid as this liquid we will use in preparing Osaman.
  5. Heat oil in nonstick pan or thick bottom pan.
  6. Add mustard seeds and wait for crackling sound. Now add Asafoetida powder, Curry leaves, Red chilli powder, Coriander Cumin powder and chopped Coriander leaves. Soute for 10-15 seconds.
  7. Now add channa and Sugar. Mix thoroughly. Again soute for 10 – 15 seconds.Now switch off the flame and add lemon juice. Mix thoroughly
  8. Taste the dish before serving. Serve hot with Osaman, Steamed rice, Fulka roti or Bhakhri or Paratha or Bajra roti or Jowar roti or as you wish.
Categories
Protein rich food

(170) Whole Red Toor ( Lentil)

Lal tuver

Ingredients

  • ½ cup whole red toor.
  • ½ tsp. Soda bi carb.
  • 2 cup water for cooking.
  • 1 tsp. Salt.
  • ½ tsp. Turmeric powder
  • 1 tbsp. Besan( Channa dal flour)
  • 2 washed kokam or 1 tsp. lemon juice.
  • 2 tbsp. finely chopped jaggery.
  • Tempering Ingredients (Vaghar)
  • 1 tbsp. Oil
  • ½ tsp. Mustard seeds.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 1 tsp. Red chilli powder.
  • 1 tsp. Coriander Cumin powder.
  • 8-10 Curry leaves.
  • 1 tbsp. Chopped coriander leaves.

Method

  1. Soak whole toor overnight after adding soda bi Carb.
  2. Next morning drain water, check and discard hard grains.
  3. Wash thoroughly 2-3 times. Add water, salt and turmeric powder.
  4. In pressure cooker arrange toor vessel at bottom and on top of it keep small vessel contains kokam with 3 tbsp. water.
  5. Pressure cook upto 4 whistles.
  6. Open the lid when pressure releases.
  7. Drain water from cooked Toor and keep aside.
  8. Mix besan in 2 tbsp. of drained toor liquid and make lump free batter. Keep aside.
  9. In another thick bottom pan mix cooked toor, kokam, besan batter and jaggery. Mix thoroughly and stir continuously otherwise besan will stick at bottom.
  10. Heat oil in tempering vessel.
  11. Add mustard seeds and wait for crackling sound. Now add Asafoetida powder, Curry leaves, Red chilli powder, Coriander Cumin powder and Coriander leaves. Soute for 10-15 seconds.
  12. Pour vagar and besan batter into toor vessel. Stir continuously till it starts boiling. Close the lid. Allow to cook for 5 minutes in slow flame. Stir occasionally. Adjust the consistency by adding cooked toor liquid.
  13. Taste the dish before serving. Serve hot with steamed rice, Bajri roti, Jowar roti, Fulka roti, Bhakhri, Paratha, Jeera rice or as you wish
Categories
Protein rich food

(166)Khata Udad( Black Gram).

Ingredients

  • ½ cup whole udad ( Black Gram).
  • ¾ cup water for cooking.
  • 1 tsp. Salt.
  • 1 tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • ½ tsp. grated ginger.
  • ½ cup Curd.
  • 2 cup water.
  • Tempering Ingredients ( Vaghar)
  • 1 tbsp. Oil.
  • 1 tsp. Cumin seeds.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 2 whole Red chillies.
  • 8-10 Curry leaves.
  • 1 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves.

Method

  1. Wash and soak Udad overnight.
  2. Drain water. Check and separate out hard water less grains. Wash twice and cook in pressure cooker upto 3 whistles.
  3. When pressure releases, remove the pan from cooker and strain cooked Udad.
  4. Discard drained water and keep aside Udad.
  5. In pan mix curd and water with the help of churner. Add whole Udad from strainer and heat on medium flame. Stir continuously otherwise curd starts curdling.
  6. After 2-3 boils switch off the flame or on another stove heat oil in tempering vessel.
  7. Add Cumin seeds and wait for crackling sound. Add Asafoetida powder and red chillies. Add Curry leaves and Coriander leaves. Soute for 10-15 seconds.
  8. Add this vaghar to boiling Udad and again cook for 2-3 boils. Stir continuously.
  9. Taste the dish before serving. Serve hot with steamed rice and bajri roti or jowar roti.
Categories
liquid diet Protein rich food

(165) Moong Osaman

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup Whole moong or strained water of cooked moong while preparing khata Moong.
  • 2 cup water.
  • 1 tsp. grated ginger.
  • 1 finely chopped green chilli(optional)
  • 1 tsp. Salt.
  • 2 Kokum or 1 tsp. lemon juice.
  • Tempering Ingredients ( Vaghar)
  • 1 tsp. Desi ghee.
  • 1 tsp. Cumin seeds.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 2 Clove.
  • ½ inch piece of Cinnamon.
  • 8-10 Curry leaves.
  • 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves.

Method

  1. If you have strained water of cooked moong then use directly by adding 2 cup water and other ingredients.
  2. But if you prepare from the  moong then wash moong 2-3 times.
  3. Pressure cook upto 3 whistles after adding salt and turmeric powder.
  4. When pressure releases, remove moong pan from cooker and grind entire content and strain with strainer.
  5. In strained liquid add remaining ingredients and vaghar .
  6. Give 3-4 boil and taste the dish before serving.
  7. Serve hot. Serve with love and smile.
  8. Moong osaman is ideal drink for patients suffering from any of the illnesses.