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
Fried Foods Healthy junk fóod

(109) Kali ni bhaji na pakoda

Ingredients

  • 2 cup roughly chopped or  1bunch Kali ni bhaji (Water spinach or Nali bhaji).
  • ½ cup chopped onion.
  • ½ cup chopped tomato .
  • ½ cup chopped capsicum.
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 1 tsp. Sugar.
  • 1 tbsp. Curd.
  • ⅓ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • ½ tsp. whole coriander seeds.
  • ½ tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • 1 tsp. Red chili powder.
  • 1 tsp. Coriander Cumin powder
  • 1 finely chopped Green chili( optional)
  • pinch of soda bicarbonate.
  • 1 cup mixed flour [¼cup Rice(for crispiness) ,¼ cup Jowar (for dryness ) and ½ cup Channa (for taste)].
  • ½ cup water.
  • Ground nut oil for frying.

Method

  1. Discard all white part of kalini bhaji  which is bitter in taste.
  2. Wash thoroughly and chopped bhaji onion and tomato.
  3. In one sauce pan mix all three vegetables  and add salt, sugar and pinch of soda for marination.
  4. Keep aside for 5 minutes.
  5. After 5 minutes mix flour, curd , capsicum and all spices in it. Add water and make thick batter for pakoda.
  6. Heat oil for frying pakoda.
  7. See video for how to make pakoda. Each lot of pakoda takes 5 minutes on medium flame.
  8. Enjoy pakoda with Garlic chutney, Green chutney, sweet chutney or as you desire.
Safed Musli or kali ni bhaji.
Discard white portion of the bhaji.
Chopped bhaji.
Marinated bhaji, onion and tomato
Add all dry spices.
Add capsicum and curd.
Making of Kali ni bhaji na pakoda.
Kali ni bhaji na pakoda with dry Garlic chutney.

List Of My Recipes

Categories
Steamed food

(110) White Dhokla

Ingredients

  • 1 kg Dhokla batter( Idli-Dosa batter or white dhokla flour)
  • 3 tbsp. Til oil for tempering.
  • Tempering ingredients like ¼ tsp. Mustard seeds. ⅛ tsp. Asafoetida powder. 8-10 Curry leaves (optional).
  • 1 tsp. Soda bicarbonate. or 1 Eno sachet .
  • 2 tsp. Salt.
  • 1 tsp. Green chili paste.
  • 1 tsp. Ginger paste.
  • Til oil for greasing dhokla thali.

Method

  1. Prepare dhokla batter and use it after tempering.
  2. Use kadhai or vegetable steamer or pressure cooker for making dhokla.
  3. If you are using pressure cooker then remove rubber gasket from the lid .
  4. Any vessel you use, don’t forget to add required quantity of water with every new plate.
  5. After greasing thali with oil pour ¾ cup batter for 1 cm. thickness.
  6. Steam for 10 minutes.
  7. Remove thali from kadhai, wait for 30 seconds. Apply some oil on cooked dhokla thali and then cut in your desire shapes.
  8. Before making next dhokla thali apply oil on thali and pour batter.
  9. Enjoy white dhokla with aam ras, Green chutney, Garlic chutney or as you desire.
  10. Serve hot with love and smile.
Consistency of Dhokla batter.
Dhokla batter.
Uncooked Dhokla plate.
Steamed Dhokla plate
White Dhokla.
Categories
onepot recipe traveling

(108) Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients

  • ½ cup Basmati Rice.
  • 1½ cup mixed vegetables ( Broccoli, Zucchini, Sweet corns, Red-Yellow bell pepper, Baby  Corn ).
  • 2 tbsp. green chutney.
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
  • ½ tsp. Shahjeera.
  • 8-10 curry leaves.
  • 2- 3 bay leaves
  • 2-3 , 1 cm. long cinnamon pieces
  • 1 Bada elaichi.
  • 1 tbsp. Shahibiryani masala.
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 3 tbsp. Til oil .
  • 3 tbsp. Cow ghee.

Method

  1. Heat oil for tempering in sauce pan.
  2. Add Shah jeera and wait for crackling sound.
  3. Add remaining all other tempering spices.
  4. Add washed vegetables in sauce pan and stir occasionally.
  5. Add green chutney, salt , shahi biryani masala and washed rice.
  6. Saute for 1 minute and add water. Mix it well and cook on slow flame till grain of rice is tender.
  7. Enjoy biryani with bundi raita or kadhi or soup or as you desire.
  8. Serve hot with love and smile.
Mix vegetables.
Basmati rice
Biryani
Categories
Breakfast snacks

(107) Khichu

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rice flour.
  • 2 cup water.
  • ½ tbsp Sesame seeds oil for tempering.
  • 1 tsp. Cumin seeds.
  • 8-10 Curry leaves.
  • ½ tsp. Green chili paste or 2 Finely chopped green chilies(optional).
  • 1 tsp. Salt.
  • Athana no sambhar for garnishing.
  • Finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing.
  • 1 tbsp Sesame seeds oil for pouring.

Method

  1. In non stick pan or thick bottom kadhai heat oil.
  2. Add cumin seeds and wait for crackling sound.
  3. Add Curry leaves , saute and add water.
  4. Once water start boiling add salt , chili and  flour.
  5. Mix thoroughly all ingredients taking care to break lumps of flour.
  6. Simmer for 5 minutes in kadhai OR
  7. Pressure cook upto 2 whistles
  8. If you feel that dough is dry add 1 or 2 tb. spoon water and mix well .
  9. Switch off the flame and Khichu is ready.
  10. For serving  , fill tightly one bowl with the  khichu and unmould in the serving plate.
  11. You will get nice shape of bowl. Pour sesame oil over it, sprinkle athana no sambhar and garnish with coriander leaves.
  12. Serve hot with love and smile.
Categories
Quick Cooking Tips

(104) Salsa Dips

Ingredients

  • 2 medium size Tomatoes.
  • 2 medium size Onions.
  • 2 Red whole Chillies
  • ½ inch Ginger piece.
  • 1 tbsp. Olive oil.
  • 2 tbsp. Finely chopped coriander leaves.
  • 1 tsp. Salt.
  • ½ cup mint leaves ( optional)
  • or
  • 2-3 Garlic pods( optional)

Method

  1. Pierced fork into washed tomatoes.
  2. Roast both tomatoes directly in medium flame.
  3. Remove skin of tomatoes. Cut into small pieces.
  4. Roughly chop onions.
  5. Coarsely grind all the ingredients.
  6. Serve Salsa Dips with Nachos, French fries, breadsticks, Khakhra, Namakpare or as you wish but serve with love and smile.
  7. Salsa coarse paste you can also use in franky.

List Of My Recipes.

Categories
Quick Cooking Tips

(103) Garlic & Mix herbs butter

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Salted butter
  • 1 tsp.  finely chopped  fresh Parsley leaves.
  • 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh basil leaves.
  • 1 tsp. dry rosmerry powder.
  • 1 tsp.  finely chopped fresh Thyme.
  • 1 tsp. fresh garlic paste.

Method

  1. Allow butter to come at room temperature.
  2. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly.
  3. Store in refrigerator for 15 days and use in Sandwiches Pizzas, Burgers or as you desire.

List of my other recipes.

Categories
Quick Cooking Tips

( 106) Hummus

Ingredients

Method

  1. Soak Channa for 14 hrs.
  2. In cooker pan add soaked channa, 1½ cup water and 1 spoon salt.
  3. Cook Channa upto 5 whistles.
  4. After pressure is release, check by pinching few grains of channa . If mashed it means is properly cooked. If not then cook again upto 3 whistles.
  5. Strain cooked Channa and keep aside the strain water for later use.
  6. Grind cooked channa into fine paste and use strain water spoon by spoon for getting required consistency
  7. Add Garlic paste, Tahini paste, White pepper powder, Olive oil and lemon juice
  8. Mix all ingredients thoroughly in the mixture .
  9. Store in a dry container in the refrigerator and consume within 2- 3 days.
soaked channa
Categories
dips Quick Cooking Tips salads sauce

(105) Tahini Paste.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup White Sesame seeds.
  • ¼ cup Olive oil.
  • ½ tsp. Salt.

Method

  1. Dry roast sesame seeds.
  2. After some times grind Sesame seeds when it is slightly warm.
  3. Grind into fine powder.
  4. Add salt and oil and again grind for getting smooth Tahini paste .
  5. Use Tahini paste for making salad dressing, hummus or as you desire.
Categories
cheese dips Quick Cooking Tips

(102) Cheese Dips

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp. Butter.
  • 1 tbsp. All purpose flour.
  • 1 cup Milk.
  • ¼ tsp. Turmeric powder.
  • 1 cup grated cheese.
  • ¼ tsp. Salt.
  • ¼ tsp. Black pepper powder.

Method

  1. In medium sized sauce pan heat butter.
  2. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes to remove rawness of flour,
  3. Add milk and stir continuously until you will get thick sauce like batter.
  4. Add grated cheese and stir continuously.
  5. Switch off the flame when you will get nice shiny cheese sauce.
  6. Enjoy cheese dip with French fries, Garlic bread, Nachos or as you desire.

List of my other recipes.

Categories
Anniversary Post

The Journey Begins

On pleasent morning of 1 st June 2020 siting in the garden at Nasik thought of about my likes and desires. I pondered over again and again. Finally arrived at conclusion that, what I like the most is cooking and my desire is to pass on my techniques , tips and  innovative tricks to the generations to come. Thus I started my virtual  cooking journey. First I thought about writing a book but new generation prefers to use mobile and computer rather than book. So tried to take the help of Web technology and started writing my cooking skill and today staring at 100 plus recipes published on Web on first anniversary of my venture.