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

(152)Palakh Paneer Oats Puri

Ingredients

  • 1 cup leftover palak paneer vegetable.
  • 1 cup Oats.
  • ½ tsp. Salt.
  • ¼ cup Curd.
  • 1 tsp. Red chilli powder.
  • water as require.
  • Oil for shallow frying.

Method

  1. Grind left over palak paneer into smooth paste.
  2. Grind Oats into coarse powder.
  3. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  4. Adjust the consistency of batter by adding water.
  5. Heat nonstick tawa. Apply oil and pour batter to make small puris.
  6. Shallow fry till golden brown.
  7. Enjoy hot puries with fresh tomato chutney.
Equal amount of Oats and Palak Paneer sabji
Batter of puri
Consistency of batter
Puri in nonstick tawa
Palak Paneer Oats Puri
Categories
Healthy food

(151)Oats Coconut Appe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup leftover rice or khichadi.
  • 1 cup Oats ( grind into coarse powder)
  • ¼ cup Chickpea flour (Besan).
  • ¼ cup Curd.
  • ¼ cup paste of fresh tender coconut.
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped coriander leaves.
  • ½ cup water.
  • 1 tsp. Red chilli powder.
  • 1 tsp. Coriander Cumin powder.
  • ½ tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • ⅛ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • ⅛ tsp. Soda bi carb.
  • 1 tbsp. Sesame Oil.
  • 1 tsp. Salt.

Method

  1. Mix leftover rice or khichadi with all the ingredients.
  2. Adjust the consistency of batter by adding water.
  3. Heat Appe vessel and pour ¼ tsp oil in each cavity of Appe vessel.
  4. Pour 1 tbsp of batter in each cavity, close the lid
  5. Roast both side golden brown on slow flame.
  6. Enjoy hot spicy appe with coconut chutney or Spicy Green chutney and Red chutney or as you wish.
Leftover rice mix with Oats flour and Chickpea flour.
Consistency of Appe batter
Categories
Healthy food

(150)Green peppercorn Pickle

Ingredients

Method

  1. Wash green pepper thoroughly 2-3 times .
  2. Pluck green pepper from its stalk and again wash for one time and then spread for 15- 20 minutes on clean kitchen towel under fan.
  3. In a mixing bowl mix green pepper with salt, lemon juice and peels of lemon remaining after squeezing lemon.
  4. Keep aside for 4-5 days and every day stir properly for two times a day.
  5. After 5 days pepper pickle is ready to use.
  6. You can also use peppercorn pickle as one of the ingredients for making mix pickle. Seasoned lemon peels and peppercorns have medicinal use as it is good for digestion.
Peppercorns Pickle
Categories
Healthy food

(147)Vegetable Poha

Ingredients

  • 2 cups thick poha
  • 1 green chili (chopped)
  • ½ cup chopped carrot
  • ½ cup chopped potato
  • ¼ cup sweet green peas
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • ½ cup chopped tomatoes.
  • 1 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • ½ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 2 tsp. Salt
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.
  • 8-10 Curry leaves.

Method

  1. Wash thoroughly poha.
  2. Soak in 1½ cup water for 10 minutes
  3. After 10 minutes check poha ,if it turns soft then transfer into sieve other wise sprinkle little water.
  4. Wash and chop all needed vegetable and keep aside.
  5. Heat oil in nonstick pan . Add mustard seeds and wait for crackling sound.
  6. Add Asafoetida powder, green chilli and curry leaves. Give one quick stir and add onions .
  7. Cook till translucent then add Potatoes, Carrots and Green peas to cook on medium flame. Stir in between. Once all the vegetable becomes tender add tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes.
  8. After 2 minutes add salt, sugar and turmeric powder . Stir continuously.
  9. Add soaked poha and mix thoroughly .
  10. Serve hot after adding lemon juice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and besan sev or farshan mixture( Bhusu).
White thick poha
Ingredients of vegetable poha
Vegetable Poha
Vegetable Poha garnished with sev.
Categories
Quick Cooking Tips

(146) Mixed Herbs Butter.

Ingredients

  • 100 gms. Amul butter.
  • 1tbsp.finely chopped fresh Parsley.
  • 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh Basil.
  • ¼ tsp. Oregano powder.
  • ½ tsp. Chilli flakes ( optional)
  • 4 Garlic pods or 1 tbsp. green garlic paste.

Method

  1. Pluck leaves of Parsely from stalks.
  2. Wash leaves and finely chop. Keep aside.
  3. With the help of rolling pin crush Garlic pods into smooth paste. Keep aside.
  4. Bring butter to room temperature .
  5. In mixing bowl, mix all ingredients- butter, Parsely leaves, Oregano powder, Chilli flakes and Garlic paste.
  6. Mix well and refrigerate.
  7. It remains fresh for 6 months in freezer.
  8. Apply this butter on bread, bhakhri, roti, paratha, kulcha, chila, Idli, Dosa or as you wish.
Mixed Herbs Butter
Categories
Protein rich food

(255)Red Lentils Dosa.

Ingredients

  • Ingredients for Lentils Dosa :- 3 cup Masoor dal, ½ cup Udad dal, ½ cup Rice.
  • Ingredients for Masala Dosa Filling :-½ cup finely chopped Coriander leaves, ½ cup finely chopped Spinach, ½ cup chopped Carrot, ½ cup Red and Yellow bell pepper, ½ cup finely chopped Spring onion, ½ cup Sweet corn and 2 cubes Tomato puree
  • 3 tbsp. butter.
  • ½ tsp. Salt. (add less salt so you can use chat masala).
  • 3 tsp. Red chilli powder.
  • Chat masala.
  • Mozzarella cheese granules.

Method

  • Wash and soak all dals and rice together for 8-10 hours.
  • Grind dals and rice into fine paste and sauce like consistency.
  • Keep aside for 5-6 hours for fermentation OR you can use immediately for making dosa.
  • Method for making filling:-
  • Heat butter in a nonstick pan and saute onion for 2 minutes. Add salt and again saute.
  • Now add all other vegetables, close the lid and cook on a slow flame till it becomes tender.
  • Add tomato puree and red chilli powder and reduce water from the puree. keep the pan open and stir occasionally. Once you get the desired dry consistency of masala dosa filling, switch off the flame and transfer into plate to cool down.
  • Heat nonstick tawa and on slow flame, pour dosa batter and spread evenly in the circular manner and drizzle ghee on the periphery and over it.
  • In the center of the dosa place the stuffing length wise and sprinkle mozzarella cheese granules and then chat masala.
  • On a slow flame each dosa will take 4-5 minutes. So have patience and you will enjoy crispy dosa with Coconut chutney.
Categories
Healthy food

(145)Chana daal Puranpoli (Microwave recipe)

Ingredients for Puran

  • 2 cups Chanadal.
  • 3 cups water.
  • 2½ cup Sugar.
  • ½ tsp. cardamom powder.

Method

  1. Wash Chanadal thoroughly for 2 times.
  2. Add 3 cups water and keep aside for 2 hours  to soak.
  3. After 2 hours pressure cook chanadal upto 6 whistles.
  4. Once pressure releases from the cooker, open the lid and drain excess water from the boiled chanadal.
  5. In food processor crush channa dal and sieve with 1 mm sieve.
  6. Mix sugar and cardamom powder thoroughly with sieved dal and transfer whole content into microwave pan.
  7. Cook the above content for 15 minutes but after every 3 minutes take out the pan stir thoroughly and again cook.
  8. After 15 minutes spread 1 table spoon of puran on plate and wait for 10 minutes to cool down.
  9. After 10 minutes, dip your fingers in ghee and then scrape puran from plate. If puran doesn’t stick to your fingers then it is ready otherwise microwave for one more minute and repeat the testing procedure.( see the video )
  10. Once your are satisfied after test ,keep aside for 6-7 hours to cool down or If you want to make puranpoli immediately then spread whole puran in big plate to cool and then start making puranpoli.

Ingredients for Poli

  • 2 cups wheat flour.
  • 1½ cups water.
  • 4 tbsp. Oil

Method

  1. Knead roti dough ( see the video for consistency)
  2. Make table tennis size ball from dough.
  3. With the help of rolling pin roll small 4 inch size roti.
  4. Stuff golf ball sized puran and again roll in ½ cm. thick poli( roti).
  5. Roast like paratha .
  6. Apply ghee on both the sides . (see video)
  7. Serve hot or cold as you wish both tastes delicious.
Boiled channa daal
Sieve direct Chanadal .
Crushed and sieved dal.
Mix with Sugar
Test whether puran is ready or not
consistency of poli dough.
making of puranpoli
Categories
Pickle

(144)Karandas Pickle

Ingredients

  • 500 gms. Karandas.
  • 2 tbsp Salt and ½ tsp baking soda for soaking karandas.
  • ⅔ cup. Jaggery.
  • 5 tbsp. Til oil.
  • 1 tsp. Cumin seeds.
  • 5 clove.
  • ½ inch Cinnamon.
  • 1 tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • 1 tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 1 tbsp. Red chilli powder.
  • 1 tbsp. Coriander Cumin powder.
  • 1 tbsp. Salt..

Method

  1. Pluck stalk from the Karandas.
  2. Add salt and baking soda to tap water. Soak karandas in this water for 10 minutes.
  3. Wash thoroughly.
  4. Heat oil in non stick pan for tampering.
  5. Add Cumin seeds , wait for crackling sound and add clove, cinnamon and then add asafoetida powder and turmeric. Give quick stir to all whole spices and then add Karandas. After adding salt close the lid and cook for 2-3 minutes to soften on medium flame. Stir in between.
  6. After softening add remaining spices and jaggery.
  7. Stir continuously and cook for one more minute and switch off the flame. Karanda pickle is ready.
  8. Bottled the karanda pickle once it cool down.
  9. Enjoy with Roti, Bhakhri, Thepla, Puranpoli, Chila, Handva, Dhokla, Vada, Bhajia or as you wish.
Karandas Pickle
Categories
Quick Cooking Tips

(142)Mixed Herbs Garlic Bread.

Ingredients

Method

  1. On each slice of bread apply generously mixed herbs garlic butter .
  2. Either use as it is or make a toast of bread in non stick pan.
  3. Mix herb garlic toast is more tastier than bread.
  4. Enjoy with Olive-Tomatoes pasta or Basil pasta or Tangy tomato pasta or with masala tea or as you wish .
Categories
Healthy junk fóod pesto Quick Cooking Tips

(141)Olive Tomato Pesto

Ingredients

  • 1 kg. tomatoes.
  • ½ pkt. Cherry tomatoes.
  • ⅔ cup green olives. ( or take half of black olives)
  • ⅓ cup Jalepino.
  • 2 medium size onions.
  • 5 cloves of garlic
  • 1 cup (100 gms.) fresh parsley.
  • 1 cup( 100 gms.) fresh basil.
  • 1 tbsp. Mix herbs powder.
  • 125 ml. Olive oil.
  • 2 tbsp. salt.
  • 1 tbsp. sugar.

Method

  1. Cut cherry tomatoes, make a paste in mixture. Sieve the pulp and discard seeds portion. Pulp keep aside.
  2. Cut each tomatoes into 8 parts, remove seeds , make a coarse paste and keep aside.
  3. For use of seeds please go through my Beauty tips from kitchen
  4. Make fine paste of onion and garlic and keep aside.
  5. Make fine paste of Olives and Jalapeno. keep aside.
  6. Pluck leaves of Basils and Parsley from the stalks, wash thoroughly and make a coarse paste .
  7. In big thick bottom pan mix all pastes. Add salt, sugar and Olive oil and cook on slow flame.
  8. Stir continuously till oil separates. Add Oregano powder, mix thoroughly.
  9. Switch off the flame, Olive Tomatoes pesto is ready and keep aside to cool down.
  10. Fill mould trays with pesto and refrigerate.
  11. After 6-7 hours unmould pesto cubes and fill in either freezer safe box or in ziplock bag for further use.
  12. For 1 cup saute exotic vegetables and 1 cup boiled pasta you need 7-8 cubes of Pesto. Cubes are half spheres of 1½ cms.diameter.
  13. Enjoy Olive Tomatoes pasta with Garlic bread.
Seeds remove from Tomatoes
leaves of Parsely and Basil
Tomatoes cut into dice for making pulp
pulp of tomatoes
sieve portion of cherry tomatoes pulp.
coarse paste of Parsely and Basil.
Paste of Green Olives
Paste of Onions and Garlic pods
Olive-Tomatoes Pesto
Olive-Tomatoes Pesto ready
Olive-Tomatoes Pesto in ice tray.
Olive-Tomatoes Pesto cubes.