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

(133)Amla Pickle

Ingredients

  • 1 kg Amla.
  • ½ kg sugar.
  • 1 tbsp. salt.
  • 1 tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • 1 tbsp. chili powder.
  • ½ tsp. Asafoetida powder.

Method

  1. Wash, wipe and pressure cook amla, keeping it in a strainer, upto two whistles.
  2. When cooker cool down, take out strainer from the cooker and remove seed from each amla and cut it into small pieces.
  3. In big thick bottom sauce pan or in pressure cooker itself( must be steel cooker) mix amla pieces with sugar.
  4. Stir continuously on fast flame for 10 minutes and after that add salt, asafoetida powder, chili powder and turmeric powder and again cook for 1 more minute.
  5. Amla pickle is ready. Switch off the flame and keep aside.
  6. Bottle it in a glass jar once it cool down completely.
  7. Enjoy amla pickle with roti, bhakri, khakhra, paratha, bread, handavo, muthia, dhokla, patra pakoda, vada, chila or as you wish.

List of my other recipes

Categories
Healthy food

(132)Baigan Bhartha

Ingredients

  • 500 gms bhartha baigan.
  • 1 bunch spring onion.
  • 1 big tomato.
  • 3-4 green garlic. OR Green Garlic Chutney
  • Dry masala-: 2 tsp. chilli powder, 2 tsp. cumin coriander powder, ½ tsp. turmeric powder.
  • Tempering ingredients: 2 tbsp. Oil, 1 tsp. cumin, ¼ tsp. Asafoetida.
  • Coriander leaves.

Method

  1. Wash brinjal and peel skin.
  2. Cut the brinjal into 2 halves and cook upto 3 whistles.
  3. Once cooker cool down, remove brinjal from cooker and mash it with the help of potato masher and keep aside.
  4. Roast tomato directly on flame, remove the skin and cut it into fine pieces.
  5. Finely chop spring onion and green garlic pod with its leaves.
  6. Heat oil in nonstick pan. Add cumin seeds and wait for crackling .
  7. Add Asafoetida powder and spring onion in it and saute till it translucent.
  8. Add chopped tomatoes and garlic in it and cover with lid for 2 minutes.
  9. Add all dry masala and again saute for ½ minute.
  10. Add mashed brinjal, mix well with masala and close the lid. Simmer for 2 minutes.
  11. Switch off the gas and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
  12. Serve hot baigan bhartha with bajra roti, buttermilk and white butter.
Categories
Healthy food

(131)Dry fruit cake.

Ingredients

  • 100 gms. Raisin.
  • 100 gms. Black raisin.
  • 100 gms. Cranberry.
  • 100 gms. Fig. cut into small pieces.
  • 50 gms. Apricot. cut into small pieces.
  • 200 ml. Black grapes juice.
  • 250 gms. butter.
  • 300 gms. powdered brown sugar.
  • 50 ml. oil.
  • 130 gms. curd.
  • 300 gms Maida.
  • 50. gms. Almond powder.
  • 1 tsp.baking powder.
  • ¼ tsp.baking soda.
  • ¼ tsp. salt.
  • ¼ tsp. clove powder.( optional)
  • ¼ tsp. cinnamon powder (optional).
  • ¼ cup Sugar
  • 1 cup water

Method

  • In one big sauce pan mix all dry fruits with fresh black grape juice.
  • Cover the lid and refrigerate for 24 hours for soaking.
  • After 24 hours remove from the fridge and mix thoroughly and keep aside.
  • In another big mixing bowl sieve dry ingredients like flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, clove and cinnamon powder.
  • In another big sauce pan beat butter and sugar with medium speed till it turns creamy.
  • Add curd and oil in it and again beat for few minutes. Scrape the sides and will get super creamy consistency.
  • Now add flour and Almond powder and mix with cut and fold method for 2 minutes.
  • Add soaked juicy dry fruits and again mix with cut and fold method for 2 more minutes.
  • Grease disposable cake mould and pour batter and fill upto ¾ mould . Level the poured batter by taping twice or thrice.
  • Preheat oven at 160 °centigrade for 10 minutes.
  • place mould in to oven at 160° centigrade for 70 minutes.
  • After 70 minutes check the cake with the help of skewers.If it come out clean then cake is ready. If doesn’t come out clean then bake for 10 more minutes.
  • Switch off the oven and after 10 minutes remove from the oven.Separate all sides of cake from mould and unmould the cake.
  • With the help of skewers poke the cake.
  • Prepare sugar syrup ( mix sugar and water, syrup is ready after boiling for 2 minutes) and pour generously in the cake.
  • Wrap cling film and keep aside for 4-5 hours.
  • After 5 hours remove the film and cut the cake into 1 inch thick slices.
  • Serve cake slices with herbal tea.

Categories
Healthy food

(130)Energy Bars or Coins

Ingredients

  • ½ cup Almonds.
  • ½ cup Cashews.
  • ½ cup Pistachio.
  • ½ cup Walnuts or Coconut powder
  • ⅛ cup Pumpkin seeds.
  • ⅛ cup Sunflower seeds.
  • ⅛ cup Chia seeds.
  • ⅛ cup Musk melon seeds.
  • ⅛ cup water melon seeds.
  • ⅛ cup Sesame seeds.
  • 2½ cups Figs or 2 cups Dates.
  • ½ cup Resins.
  • Honey 3 tb. spoons ( optional).
  • Approximately 1 cup dry roasted oats coarse powder or dessicated coconut powder.

Method

  1. In thick bottom kadhai roast Almonds, Cashews Pistachio and Walnuts under slow flame.
  2. Grind it into coarse powder.
  3. Roast all seeds .
  4. Cut Figs/dates into small pieces.
  5. Grind it into fine paste.
  6. Mix all ingredients with figs/dates paste thoroughly.
  7. Adjust the consistency by adding either honey or make a half cup of Figs/dates paste again and add.
  8. For making energy coins:-
  9. Make a cylinder of this dry fruit dough.
  10. Roll this cylinder in roasted oats.
  11. Cover it with baking paper and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  12. After 2 hours cut this cylinder into 2 cms. thick coins.
  13. For making energy bars:-
  14. Grease and make a thin layer of roasted oats or coconut powder in one big tray.
  15. With the help of 4 fingers spread whole dough in tray approximately 2 cms. thick and again sprinkle dry roasted oats or coconut powder.
  16. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
  17. Cut it into long 3 inches pieces.
  18. Enjoy this energy bars before or after workout or as you wish.
Coarse powder of dry ingredients.
Coarse paste of all berries
Categories
Fried Foods Indian bread

(129)Locha Puri.

Masala Puri

Ingredients

  • 3 cups wheat flour.
  • 1 cup water.
  • 3 tbsp. Sesame seeds oil.
  • ½ tbsp. Salt.
  • 1 tbsp. White Sesame seeds.
  • ½ tsp. Cumin seeds.
  • ¼ tsp. Carom seeds.
  • 1 tsp. Chili powder.
  • ½ tsp. Coriander- Cumin powder.
  • ¼ tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • ⅛ tsp Asafoetida powder.

Method

  1. Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly.
  2. Add water and make a dough.
  3. Keep aside for 10 minutes .
  4. After 10 minutes with 1 tsp. of oil knead dough for 2 minutes continuous will make dough more soft.
  5. Take 2 cms. diameter ball size dough and roll into round flat puri.
  6. Deep fry each puri and serve hot with chilled Shrikhand, Basundi, Dudhpak, Kheer, Aamras and any vegetable but likely with aloo bhaji.
Spices for masala puri
Categories
Fried Foods monsoon food snacks

(128) Batata Vada

Ingredients

  • 1Kg Potatoes.
  • 1 cup finely chopped coriander leaves.
  • 4 Green chili finely chopped or paste.
  • 2 inch size Ginger paste.
  • 2 tbsp. Lemon juice.
  • Oil for frying.
  • 1 cup besan for making batter.
  • Salt.
  • 1 tsp. red chili powder for batter.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder for batter.

Method

  1. Wash and pressure cook Potatoes upto 3 whistles.
  2. When pressure gets released open the lid .
  3. Peel each potato and mash immediately when it is hot otherwise pulp will remain granular.
  4. Make a fine paste of green chilies and ginger. Add this paste to potato pulp.
  5. Add coriander leaves and lemon juice and mix lightly and make table tennis size balls.
  6. For making batter take gram flour ( besan) in one sauce pan .
  7. Add salt, red chili powder, asafoetida and oil .
  8. Mix all ingredients and make thick flowing consistency batter.
  9. Pick one ball of batata vada , dip in batter and fry in hot oil.
  10. Fry till golden brown and serve hot vada with green chutney, red sweet chutney , garlic chutney and bread
Batata vada
Vada batter.
Consistency of vada batter
Categories
Healthy food Steamed food

(127)Patra

Ingredients

  • 20 medium size patra na paan( Colocasia leaves)
  • 3 cups tightly filled flour( 2 cups besan,  ½ cup rice flour and ½ cup jowar flour.)
  • 2 tbsp. Imli paste( Tamarind paste)
  • 1 cup jaggery powder.
  • 3 tbsp. red chili powder.
  • ½ tsp. Asofoetida powder.
  • ½ tsp. turmeric powder.
  • 6 tbsp Coriander-Cumin powder.
  • 1½ tbsp. salt.
  • ½ tsp. Garam masala.
  • ⅛ tsp. Soda.
  • 2 tbsp. Til oil.
  • 500 ml water for making batter.

Tempering ingredients

  • 6 tbsp. Til oil.
  • 1 tsp. Mustard seeds.
  • 1 tbsp. white sesame seeds.
  • 10-15 curry leaves.
  • 4-5 finely chopped green chilies.
  • 2 tbsp. finely chopped coriander leaves for garnish.
  • 2 tbsp. grated fresh coconut for garnish.

Method

  • Cut stalk and thick mid rib of each leaf.
  • Wash thoroughly  and wipe each leaf.
  • In sauce pan add besan flour .
  • Add all other ingredients and prepare thick besan paste.
  • For the exact consistency see the video.
  • On back side of the big dinner plate place one leaf with back side on top.
  • Apply thick besan paste with help of hand and fold as shown in video.
  • Place each roll in stand and cook patra upto 4 whistles.
  • After cooling down completely,  cut each roll into ¾ inch size patra.
  • Prepare ingredients for tempering
  • Heat oil in big nonstick pan and add Mustard seeds.
  • After crackling sound add curry leaves ,sesame seeds and patra pieces . Turn gas flame to slow flame.
  • Stir occasionally. Turn off flame once all patra are  roasted and golden in colour.
  • Serve hot with Sweet chutney and Green chutney and enjoy with Aamras or Shrikhand .
Washed,wiped leaves.
Tightly filled besan cup
Besan flour with all spices
Tamarind and jaggary liquid
Consistency of ba7tter
Raw patra roll
Steamed Patra roll
Patra roll cut into disc
Making of patra roll

Categories
Daal Healthy food

(126) Rasam

Ingredients

  • 750 ml. water.
  • ½ cup Lentils. (Tur dal)
  • 4 Tomatoes.
  • 2 tbsp. Rasam powder.
  • 1 tbsp. finely chopped coriander leaves.
  • 1 tsp. Ginger paste.
  • 1 tsp. Green chili paste.
  • ½ tsp.Turmeric powder.
  • ½ tsp. Red chili powder.
  • ½ tsp. Coriander Cumin powder.

Tampering ingredients

  • 2 tbsp. Til oil.
  • ½ tsp. Cumin seeds.
  • ¼ tsp. Mustard seeds.
  • ¼ tsp. Fenugreek seeds.
  • 8-10 Curry leaves.
  • ⅓ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 2 whole red chilies.

Method

  1. Wash dal twice and cook upto 3 whistles.
  2. Pierce fork in tomato and hold it with fork in flame.
  3. Roast all 4 tomatoes and remove burnt skin of the tomatoes.
  4. Make a pulp of the tomatoes and keep aside.
  5. After pressure is released, open the lid and churn the dal with the help of churner.
  6. In sauce pan mix dal, pulp of tomatoes and all other ingredients .
  7. Again churn with the churner and keep the sauce pan on gas stove .
  8. After 2-3 boils turn the stove on slow flame.
  9. Simultaneously heat oil in tadka pan.
  10. Add Mustard seeds and wait for crackling sound. Add Fenugreek seeds
  11. Add Cumin seeds, Asaphoitida powder, Curry leaves and dry whole red chilies.
  12. Pour tadka in Rasam and give one more boil . Turn off the flame.
  13. Add Coriander leaves and serve hot.
  14. Serve with Moongdal Vada or Udad dal Vada or Handvo along with Coconut Chutney.
  15. Serve with love and smile.
Ingredients for Rasam.
Roasted tomatoes
Burnt skin remove
1 cup pulp from 4 tomatoes
Rasam

List Of My Recipes

Categories
Fried Foods Healthy junk fóod

(125) Moongdal Vada

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Green Moongdal.
  • 1 tsp. Green chili paste.
  • 1tsp Ginger paste.
  • ½ tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • ½ tsp. Red Chili powder.
  • ½ tsp. coarse ground whole coriander seeds.
  • 1 tsp. Salt.

Method

  1. Wash and soak moongdal for 12 hours.
  2. After 12 hours drain all the water with the help of strainer. No need to discard skins of Moongdal.
  3. Because of the skin vada will remains soft from inside otherwise have to add oil for softness.
  4. Grind Moongdal into coarse batter
  5. Try to avoid adding water during grinding .
  6. If batter is watery vada will become shapeless and soft from outside.
  7. If you soak yellow moongdal then add 1 tbsp. hot oil in batter before frying.
  8. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and vigorously for getting fluffy batter .
  9. Starts frying vada (see video)
  10. Serve hot vada with Rasam and coconut chutney.
Moongdal Vada
Making of Moongdal Vada
Categories
Fried Foods Healthy junk fóod

(124) Kanda na Bhajiya

Ingredients

  • 4 medium size Onions.
  • ¼ cup rice flour.
  • 1- 2 cups besan depends on the quality of onion.If onion is fresh and juicy then require more besan compare to old and desiccated onion.
  • 1 tsp. Salt.
  • 1 tsp. Red chili powder.
  • 1 tsp. Coriander-Cumin powder.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • 2 tbsp. Finely chopped coriander leaves.
  • 2 Green chilies finely chopped (optional)
  • ½ tsp. whole coriander seeds.
  • Groundnut oil for frying.

Method

  1. Cut onions into long slices.
  2. Marinate cut onion with salt . Knead onion for 1 minute . Keep aside for 10 minutes. Water release from onion.
  3. Coarse ground coriander seeds with the help of your two palms.
  4. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly with onions.
  5. Add besan as well as rice flour and mix lightly in onions with the help of your fingers.
  6. Heat oil in kadhai for frying.
  7. Fry kanda bhaji in oil.
  8. Serve kanda bhaji with 2 slices of bread or with pav and Green Chutney,Red Chutney, Garlic Chutney.
Kanda mixed with besan and masala
Making of kanda bhaji.
Kanda bhaji.