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
Protein rich food

(174) Whole Green Channa.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup dry Green Channa.
  • 2 cup water.
  • 1 tsp. Salt.
  • 2 medium size Onions.
  • 2 medium size Tomatoes.
  • 1 tbsp.finely chopped Coriander leaves.
  • 2 tbsp. finely chopped raw mangoes (seasonal).
  • ½ tsp. lemon juice.
  • 1 tsp. Chat masala.

Method

  1. Soak overnight green channa.
  2. Next morning wash 2-3 times and pressure cook upto 4 whistles.
  3. Open the lid when pressure releases.
  4. Strain cooked Channa with the help of strainer. Use strained liquid of cooked channa for preparing Osaman otherwise discard.
  5. In big plate mix all other ingredients with boiled channa.
  6. Taste the dish before serving. Serve with Khakhra or Fulka roti or Bhakhri or Bajra roti or Jowar roti or as you wish.
Categories
Protein rich food

(167) Trevtidal( 3 mix dal)

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp. Moong dal ( yellow).
  • 2 tbsp. Udad dal ( white).
  • 1 tbsp. Channa dal.
  • 2 cup water for cooking.
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • ½ tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • 1 tsp Red chilli powder.
  • 1 tsp. grated ginger.
  • 2-3 washed Kokum or 1 tsp. lemon juice.
  • Tempering Ingredients (Vaghar)
  • 1 tbsp. Oil.
  • ½ tsp. Mustard seeds.
  • ½ tsp. Cumin seeds.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 1 finely chopped Green chilli.
  • 8-10 Curry leaves.
  • 1 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves.

Method

  1. Soak channa dal over night.
  2. Next morning wash thoroughly channa dal and cook separately.
  3. In another vessel wash moong dal and Udad dal togather and cook.
  4. In pressure cooker arrange mix dal ( moong dal and udad dal ) vessel at bottom , above it, keep small dish with channa dal and on top of it keep small vessel contains kokam with 3 tbsp. water.
  5. Cook all dals upto 2 whistles in pressure cooker.
  6. Remove dal pans from cooker and mix in another vessel.
  7. Heat dal vessel on medium flame and stir continuously otherwise moong dal and udad dal will stuck to bottom of the pan.
  8. Add remaining ingredients and cook till 2-3 boils.
  9. On another stove heat oil in tempering vessel.
  10. Add Mustard seeds and wait for crackling sound and add Cumin seeds. Wait for crackling sound and add Asafoetida powder, Curry leaves and Coriander leaves.Soute for 10-15 seconds. Pour vaghar in dal vessel and again cook for 2-3 boils. Stir continuously.
  11. Taste the dish before serving. Serve hot with Bajri roti or Jowar roti.
Categories
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 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. If you prepare from 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 .
  8. Moong osaman is ideal drink for patients suffering from any of the illnesses.
Categories
Protein rich food

(164)Khata Moong

Ingredients

  • ½ cup whole Moong ( Green gram).
  • ¾ cup water for cooking.
  • 1 tsp. salt.
  • ½ tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • ½ cup curd.
  • ½ spoon grated ginger.
  • Tempering Ingredients( Vaghar)
  • 1 tbsp. Oil
  • ½ tsp. Cumin seeds.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 8-10 curry leaves.
  • 2 Red whole chillies.
  • 1 tbsp. Coriander leaves.

Method

  1. Wash moong 2-3 times. Soak overnight and next day morning drain water.
  2. Add water, salt and turmeric powder in moong for cooking.
  3. Pressure cook upto 2 whistles.
  4. Once pressure is released remove from cooker and strain cooked Moong.
  5. Strained water you can use for making Moong Osaman. Whole moong keep aside.
  6. In pan take curd and 2 cup Water . Mix thoroughly with the help of churner and then add whole moong in it .Mix grated ginger.
  7. Boil on medium heat and stir continuously otherwise curd starts curdling.
  8. After two boils switch off the flame or put tempering vessel on another stove and heat oil in it.
  9. Add Cumin seeds and wait for crackling sounds. Add Asafoetida powder, Curry leaves and Coriander leaves. Soute for 10-15 seconds and mix vaghar with moong.
  10. Cook again till two boils. Switch off the flame.
  11. Taste the dish before serving. Serve hot with steamed rice and Fulka roti or Bajra roti or Jower roti or Bhakhri or as you wish
Categories
Healthy food

(163)Moongdal stuff Paratha.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup yellow Moong dal.
  • 1 cup water.
  • 1 tsp. Salt.
  • 1 tsp. Sugar.
  • Tempering Ingredients
  • 1 tsp. Oil
  • ⅓ tsp. Mustard seeds.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 1 tsp. White sesame seeds.
  • 1 tsp. Red chilli powder.
  • 1 tsp. Cumin Coriander powder.
  • ½ tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • 1 tsp. Dry Mango powder.
  • 1 tsp. Garam masala.
  • 1 tsp. finely chopped Curry leaves.
  • ¼ cup finely chopped coriander leaves.
  • Ingredients for making paratha
  • 2 cup wheat flour.
  • 3 tbsp. Oil.
  • ½ tsp. Salt.
  • 1 tsp. White Sesame seeds.
  • Water- 1-2 tsp. less in 1 cup.

Method

  1. Wash thoroughly Moong dal and soak in 1 cup water and salt for ½ an hour. Use same vessel and no need to add extra water for cooking.
  2. Pressure cook upto 2 whistles.
  3. Heat Oil in nonstick pan for tempering.
  4. Add mustard seeds and wait for crackling sound and then add all remaining spices in oil.
  5. Blend and soute all spices for 1 minutes under slow flame.
  6. Add cooked moong dal and again soute for 1 minute.
  7. Mix sugar thoroughly with moongdal stuff and switch off the flame .Taste the dish before further process.
  8. Transfer moongdal stuffing in big plate to cool down.
  9. Knead paratha dough, keep aside for 10 minutes.
  10. Take out dough ball ( half size of the tennis ball) and roll out in to 4 inches size roti. place moongdal ball over roti. Fold roti into kachori style and again make round ball of dough. Gently press and again roll into ½ cm. thick Stuffed Roti.
  11. Heat nonstick tava, roast stuff roti with applying ghee on both the side. Roast till you will get golden brown spots.(when we knead dough by adding more oil as moin and roast roti with ghee or oil on tawa and not on flame we call it Parathas).
  12. Enjoy Moongdal stuff paratha with boondi raita, Aam ras, Sweet Chutney , Green chutney, Methambo, Golkeri, Amla murabba
All spices blend with oil
Moongdal mix with spices.
Moongdal stuff paratha
Categories
Healthy food

(161)Kachi keri no Methambo

Ingredients

  • 3 half ripe Mangoes.( Approx.500 gms)
  • ½ cup Sugar.
  • 2 tbsp. Oil.
  • ½ tsp. Cumin seeds.
  • ½ inch Cinnamon stick.
  • 4 Clove .
  • 2 whole red chillies.
  • 1 tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • 1 tsp. Red chilli powder.
  • 1 tsp. Salt.

Method

  1. Wash and peel all mangoes.
  2. Cut all mangoes in to 1 inch size pieces.
  3. In steel kadhai heat 1 tbsp. oil.
  4. Add Cumin seeds and wait for crackling sound.
  5. Add remaining spices and give one quick stir.
  6. Now add Mango pieces and cook on slow flame. Cook till it becomes tender.
  7. Add salt, sugar and turmeric powder. Stir continuously.
  8. When sugar dissolves mix red chilli powder and switch off the flame.
  9. Store in glass jar once it’s cool down.
  10. Enjoy your methambo with dudhi na thepla, dudhi na muthia, methi na thepla, methi na muthia, Handvo, besan dhokla, idra dhokla, white dhokla, moongdal dhokla , vegetable handvo, Mix dal Appe, Oats Coconut Appe, khakhra, roti, paratha, besan chila or as you wish

2 Desi sour half ripe Mangoes
1 less sour (Totapuri) mango
2½ cup Mangoes.
Tempering Ingredients.
Ready Methambo
Categories
Healthy food

(160)Palak Kofta Curry

Spinach Kofta Curry

Ingredients

  • 1½ bunch of Spinach.( Approx.300 gms)
  • ¼ cup beat curd.
  • Onion gravy Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp.Oil
  • 4 medium size onion.
  • ½ inch Ginger piece.
  • 3 Cloves.
  • ½ inch Cinnamon stick.
  • 1 Green Cardamom.
  • 1 Black Cardamom.
  • 4 whole black pepper.
  • 2 Garlic pods.
  • Tempering Ingredients
  • 2 Bay leaves.
  • 8-10 Curry leaves.
  • 1 Whole red chilli.
  • 1 tsp. Cumin seeds.
  • Ingredients for Kofta
  • ½ bunch finely chopped Spinach.(100 gms.)
  • ¾ cup wheat coarse flour.
  • 2 tbsp. Chickpea flour ( besan).
  • 1 tsp. red chilli powder.
  • ½ tsp. Cumin Coriander powder.
  • ½ tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • ⅛ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 2 tsp. Sugar.
  • 1 tsp. Salt.
  • 2 tbsp. Oil.
  • Oil for frying.
  • Garnishing.
  • ¼ cup finely chopped coriander leaves.

Method

  1. Wash Spinach leaves thoroughly and finely chopped ½ bunch of Spinach for kofta
  2. Marinate finely chopped Spinach with salt and sugar and keep aside.
  3. Blanch remaining Spinach and keep aside.
  4. Cut onions for gravy.
  5. Heat oil in nonstick pan and soute all dry ingredients and then add onion wedges, garlic pods and ginger .Soute till onion becomes translucent.
  6. Make a paste once it is cool down and keep aside.
  7. Make a puree of blanched spinach and keep aside.
  8. In marinated spinach mix wheat flour, besan and all spices.
  9. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and make a kofta batter.
  10. Heat oil for kofta frying.
  11. Half fry all kofta and keep aside.
  12. Heat oil in nonstick pan and add Cumin seeds. After crackling sound add Asafoetida powder, bay leaves, curry leaves, red chilli. Quickly stir and add onion gravy . Soute till oil separates. Add curd and Spinach puree. Give quick stir for 2-3 times and then add 1 cup water.
  13. Once gravy starts boiling add all kofta , close the lid and cook in slow flame for 5 minutes.
  14. Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.
  15. Taste the dish before serving. Serve hot Spinach kofta Curry with paratha, kulcha, nan, roti, bhakri , rice or as you wish.
Washed spinach.
Spinach kofta batter
Onion gravy
Blanched spinach
Spinach puree with curd.
Categories
Healthy food

(159)Nawabi Paneer

Paneer in white gravey

Ingredients

  • 500 gms. Malai Paneer.
  • 4 medium size onion.
  • ½ inch Ginger piece.
  • 1 whole green chilli.
  • 2 Garlic pods.
  • 2 bay leaves.
  • 20-25 Cashew nuts.
  • 2 tbsp. Poppy seeds (Khus khus).
  • 2 Green cardamom.
  • ½ inch Cinnamon stick.
  • 2 – 4 whole black pepper.
  • 1½ tsp. Salt.
  • 3 tbsp. Oil.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • ½ tsp. Cumin seeds.
  • 2 tbsp. beat Curd.
  • 2 tbsp. Cream.
  • 1 cup water.
  • 2 tbsp. finely chopped coriander leaves.

Method

  1. Cut malai paneer block into 1 inch cubes and keep aside.
  2. Chop onions into big pieces.
  3. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in nonstick pan. Add Cumin seeds. Wait for crackling sound and add Asafoetida powder, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Bay leaves, Black pepper, Green chilli, Pieces of Ginger and last Garlic. Soute all spices for 2 minutes and then add Cashew nuts and poopy seeds and salt. Soute till Cashew nuts turns crispy. Now add Onion pieces.
  4. Soute onions till translucent.
  5. Cool completely before grinding into paste.
  6. Heat remaining 1 tbsp. of oil and soute white colour paste till it separate oil.
  7. Add beat Curd and Cream and give quick stir.
  8. Add paneer cubes and water.
  9. Close the lid and cook till gravy starts boiling.
  10. Taste the dish before serving. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Paratha, Nan, Kulcha, Fulka roti, Bhakhri or as you wish.
Categories
Healthy food

(157)Besan Chila

Eggless Omlette

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Besan( Bengal gram dal flour).
  • ¾ cup water.
  • ½ cup finely chopped vegetables (Onions, tomatoes, coriander).
  • 1 tsp. ginger chilli paste.
  • 1 tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • 1 tsp. Red chilli powder.
  • 1 tsp. Coriander Cumin powder.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 1 ¼ tsp. Salt.
  • 1 tsp. backing Powder.

Method

  1. Finely chop coriander leaves , tomatoes, onions and keep aside.
  2. In big mixing bowl mix chopped veges and besan.
  3. Mix all spices and adjust the consistency by adding water. Taste the batter before any further process.
  4. Keep aside for 10 minutes .
  5. Heat nonstick tawa, pour ¾ cup batter and spread evenly ¼ cms. thick in circular motion.
  6. Pour melted butter at the periphery and ½ tsp. butter at the top of chila.
  7. Close the lid and cook for 2 minutes or till it is golden brown.
  8. Flip the side of r1 chila, close the lid and again cook for 2 minutes.
  9. Enjoy besan chila or eggless Omlette with bread , tomato sauce, green chutney or with Golkeri or amla murabba or as you wish
Categories
Healthy food

(156)Vegetable Handvo

Ingredients

  • ½ cup chopped Sweet Corn.
  • ½ cup chopped Carrot.
  • ½ cup chopped Bottle guard.
  • ½ cup finely chopped coriander leaves.
  • 1 tbsp. Ginger paste.
  • 1 tbsp green chilli paste ( optional).
  • 1 tbsp. Garlic paste (optional).
  • 1 cup Bengal gram dal.
  • 1 cup Moong dal.
  • 1 cup Udad dal.
  • 2 cup Rice flour.
  • 1 cup Suji.
  • 1 cup curd.
  • 1 pkt. Eno.
  • 4 tbsp. Coriander Cumin powder.
  • 4 tbsp. Red chilli powder.
  • 1 tbsp. Turmeric powder.
  • ½ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 4 tbsp. white sesame seeds.
  • Tempering ingredients Sesame oil, Mustard seeds, White Sesame seeds.

Method

  1. In big vessel mix all dal and wash thoroughly for 2 times.
  2. Soak all dals for 8-10 hours
  3. Grind dal in to coarse batter.
  4. In dal batter mix rice flour and suji
  5. Keep aside 10-12 hours for fermentation.
  6. In vegetable chopper, fine chop all veges.
  7. Add all green and dry spices, curd, eno and coriander leaves.
  8. Mix thoroughly and adjust the consistency by adding water. Taste the batter before any further process.
  9. Heat 2 tbsp.oil in nonstick frying pan . Add mustard seeds and wait for crackling sound for adding sesame seeds.
  10. Pour 3 cup of Handvo batter and cook on slow flame for 10 minutes. Hold handle of frying pan tightly and give gentle jerk to pan . If whole cake of Handvo separate from sides of the pan then slightly lift and see underneath, If golden brown layer is formed. If yes then swich off the flame and allow to set for 10 minutes else cook again for 5 more minutes.
  11. After 10 minutes flip the layer , add 1 tbsp oil at the periphery and cook for 10 minutes on slow flame.
  12. Repeat the cooking process till batter last.
  13. Enjoy your hot , spicy Handvo with Green chutney, Red chutney, Schezwan sauce and glass of masala buttermilk ( chass).
Finely chopped vegetables
Cooked layer separate from frying pan
How to flip Handvo