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.

Fried Foods

(101) Medu Vada

Ingredients

1 cup Udad dal
1 tsp. Salt.
¼ tsp Asafoetida.
Ground nut oil for frying

Method

Soak Udad dal for 12 to 14 hrs.
After 14 hours wash dal thoroughly and drain water with strainer.
Grind Udad dal into fine paste.
Add salt and Asafoetida in batter.
Stir vigorously with your hand such that it traps air in batter.
Check batter with putting small drop of batter in cup of water. If that drop floats then your batter is ready for making vada.
If not floating then again stir for some more time .
Once batter is ready heat oil in kadhai for deep frying.
Simultaneously take water in one cup .
Take small portion of the batter on back side of the spoon,dip your finger in cup of plain water and then make hole in that batter. Flip the spoon in hot oil so that batter in the form of Vada falls in oil without changing shape ( see the video).
Fry till golden brown.
Make all Medu vadas in this style .
Enjoy Medu vada with sambhar and chutney.

Tags chutney, sambhar, southindianfood

Quick Links

Rajeshree’s kitchen 1- 99 Links

Post author By Rajeshree Gandhi
Post date 30/05/2021
No Comments on Rajeshree’s kitchen 1- 99 Links

https://rajeshreegandhi.wordpress.com/

Hi! friends visit my site for home made recipes for healthy lifestyle. From healthy junk food to tasty bland food.

Tags Breakfast, Dinner, fastfood, healthdrinks, lunch, Sweets

cold drink Quick Cooking Tips

(100) Coconut Milk & Coconut Punch

Post author By Rajeshree Gandhi
Post date 30/05/2021
2 Comments on (100) Coconut Milk & Coconut Punch

Ingredients

Coconut flesh.
Coconut water.

Method

Wash and clean coconut flesh.
Cut in to 3 inches pieces.
Crush the coconut flesh in juicer so coconut milk will be extracted .
Extracted milk you can use as in preparation of authentic south indian and thai food.
Extracted milk also use as in preparation of mocktail like Coconut punch.
For 100 ml. Coconut punch, add 60 ml. Coconut water and 40 ml. Coconut milk.
Blend properly and filter ( optional) it.
If you don’t have enough coconut water ,you can also add plain water instead of coconut water and adjust by adding the milk quantity . So that taste won’t be compromise. If necessary add sugar powder also.
Enjoy Coconut punch in scorching summer.

Green Coconut

Coconut flesh

Tags colddrinks, Faral, milk, southindianfood, summerfood, sunstroke

vegetables

(99) Bhinda nu shak

Lady finger sabji

Ingredients

500 gms. Lady finger
½ cup Til oil.
1 cup finely chopped coriander leaves.
½ cup dry coconut powder.
¼ cup coarse besan or coarse dalia dal (roasted channa dal)
2-3 Kokam(Garcinia) or 1 tbsp. lemon juice.
1 tbsp.Coriander-Cumin powder.
½ tbsp. Chili powder.
1 tsp. Turmeric powder.
½ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
½ tsp. Mustard seeds.
¼ tsp. Fenugreek seeds.
½ tbsp. Salt.
1 tsp. Sugar.

Method

Wash thoroughly and wipe with dry cotton cloth each bhinda otherwise water content remains makes shak sticky.
Cut each into ½ inch dice .
Heat oil in kadhai. Add Mustard seeds in the hot oil. Wait for crackling sound. Add Fenugreek seeds and Asafoetida powder . Wash kokam and add.
Add cut bhinda , give nice stir and close the lid. Turn the gas stove switch on slow flame.
After 2 minutes open the lid and give nice stir for 2- 3 times.
Cook bhinda on medium flame and frequently stir so that bhinda won’t stick to the bottom of kadhai.
Once bhinda is tender and all slimy material dry off add salt and sugar. Mix thoroughly.
Add coconut powder, coriander leaves and dry spices . Mix thoroughly. Cook for one more minute and Bhinda nu shak is ready. If you wish you can add fried cashew and kismis which enhance the taste of bhinda nu shak.
Enjoy with phulka roti, paratha, bhakhri, gluten free rotla like jowar, bajri, nachni ( Ragi) , or oats.

Tags bhakhri, glutenfree, paratha, Roti

Quick Cooking Tips snacks

(98) Methi na muthiya

Ingredients

1 cup finely chopped Fenugreek ( Methi) leaves.
1 cup finely chopped coriander leaves.
2 cup wheat coarse flour( jadda atta).
4 tbsp. Sugar.
3 tsp. Salt.
4 tbsp. Oil
1 tbsp. Chili powder.
1 tbsp. Coriander-Cumin powder.
½ tbsp. Turmeric powder.
½ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
1 tbsp white Sesame seeds.
4 tbsp. Curd.
100 ml. 120 ml. Water.
Oil for frying.

Method

Wash and finely chopped Coriander leaves and Fenugreek leaves.
In big vessel mix Fenugreek leaves and Coriander leaves .
Marinate with salt and sugar.Keep aside for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes add curd and give nice stir.
Add Oil and all dry spices.Again give nice stir.
Now add wheat coarse flour.
Gently mix flour .Bind soft dough . If required add water spoon by spoon.
Take little portion of dough and make cylindrical shape 1-2 inches long muthiya.
Heat oil in kadhai for deep frying.
Slowly slowly add muthiya in hot oil and turn the gas stove switch to medium flame. Fry till golden brown.
Serve muthiya at tea time or you can use these muthiya in Undhiyu or for making Methi kofta curry. Carry muthiya while traveling or in tiffin box or as you desire.
One more variation of methi muthiya is steamed version. As all ingredients and recipe is same but only one di instead of deep frying, steam it upto 4 whistles or in Dhokla cooker you have to cook upto,40-45 minutes on fast flame.

Marinated methi leaves with salt, sugar and curd

Methi na muthiya

Tags tiffinbox, traveling, undhiyu

chutney dips

(97) Tomato ni chutney

Ingredients

4 medium sized tomatoes.
½ inch size ginger.
2 green chilies.
½ tsp. salt.
½ cup mint leaves.

Method

Wash tomatoes and cut into small pieces.
Separate mint leaves from stalk and wash thoroughly.
Peel ginger and cut into small pieces.
Wash chilis and cut into small pieces.
Mix all the ingredients and blend into smooth paste.
Serve tomato chutney with chila, momos, muthiya, dhokla, vada, or as you desire.
Serve with love and smile.

Tags chila, dhokla, muthiya, vada

snacks

(96) Dudhi na muthia.

Ingredients

3 cup grated bottle guard (dudhi ni chhin).
3 cup wheat coarse flour ( jada atta) if you want gluten free muthiya then instead of wheat use 2 cup coarse jowar or nachni or oat flour and 1 cup fine powder of same grain( helps in binding).
3 tbsp. curd.
3 tsp. salt.
6 tsp. sugar.
1 tsp. whole Cumin seeds.
1½ tsp. Red chili powder.
½ tsp. Turmeric powder.
½ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
1 tbsp Coriander Cumin powder
½ tsp.whole coriander seeds slightly crush in between 2 palms.
1 tsp. ginger paste.
1 tsp. green chili paste ( optional).
1 tsp. black sesame seeds.
5 tbsp. Sesame seeds oil.
2 tbsp. finely chopped coriander leaves.

Ingredients for tempering

2 tbsp. sesame seed oil.
½ tsp. Mustard seeds.
½ tsp.white sesame seeds.
10 Curry leaves.
1 or 2 finely chopped green chilies ( optional)
1 tbsp. finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method

Wash and peel dudhi.
Grate dudhi .Marinate with salt, sugar, and Cumin seeds.
Keep aside for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes you can see dudhi chhin is softened and have released water.
Add all other ingredients except flour. Mix thoroughly all ingredients.
Add flour and mix well .Knead into soft dough.
Mostly water is not needed due to juicy dudhi having released more water after marination and curd also helps in binding dough. If at all water is required then add spoon by spoon for getting soft dough.
Apply little oil on your both the palms . Take fistful dough and make long cylinder shape muthia with light pressure.
Arrange muthiya in one layer only other wise it will form lump, in steamer for 30 minutes or in pressure cooker upto 3 whistles.
Once pressure is released from the cooker, open the lid and wait for 10 minutes to cool down muthiya.
Cut each muthiya into ½ inch dice. If you will cut hot muthiya then while cutting muthiya will break at every cut.
Once all muthiya are ready. Heat oil in nonstick kadai for tempering.
Add mustard seeds and wait for crackling sound.
Add sesame seeds and curry leaves togather and then add muthiya.
Saute muthiya for 2-3 minutes on slow flame.
Toss muthiya in pan inbetween otherwise it will burn.
Serve muthiya in plate and garnish with coriander leaves.
Enjoy hot and spicy muthiya with green chutney and red chutney or Golkeri, Tomato chutney or as you desire.

You can also make fried version of dudhi na muthiya. As these muthiya you can store for 10-15 days in air tight container. For making deep fried muthiya dough should be slightly hard then steamed one.and make small 1-2 inches cylinder shape. Deep fry these muthiya till golden brown.

cylindrical muthiya

Tags healthyfood, teatime snacks

snacks

(95) Khara Bundi

Ingredients

1 cup Besan ( Fine Bengal gram flour)
½ cup + 1 or 2 tbsp. water.
⅓ tsp. salt.
¼ tsp. Asafoetida powder.
1 tbsp. Sesame oil.
Ground nut oil for frying.

Method

½ cup water and besan mix in the blender .
Add salt , oil, asafoetida powder and 1 tsp. water .Again blend the batter till it becomes frothy .Check the consistency of batter. It must be pouring .
Transfer the batter to sauce pan. Close the lid and keep aside for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes heat oil in kadhai. Once oil heated turn the gas stove on medium flame.
Hold jara(sieve spatula) in your left hand half foot above the oil kadhai and pour ½ cup of batter with your right hand.
Gently tap your right hand finger on the handle of the jara so that small round drops fall in the oil. otherwise if your batter is proper bundi fall automatically.
If the batter is too thick bundi wont drop from jara and if batter is thin then instead of round bundi,you will get shapeless bundi.
Fry bundi till golden brown and removed from oil with the help of strainer mesh spatula.
Finish batter in same way .
You can use bundi for making bundi raita, in making of bhusu or as you desire.

Making of bundi

List of my other recipes.

Tags bhusu, bundiraita

snacks

(94) Bhusu

Mixture of namkin

Ingredients

100 gms. Besan sev.
100 gms. khara bundi.
100 gms. Fried Channa dal.
100 gms. Tikha Gathiya.
50 gms. Fried Cornflakes.
50 gms. Fried Moong.
50 gms. Fried Peanuts.
50 gms. Fried Green peas.
50 gms Fried Jada Poha( rice flacks)
25 gms. sauted Black current ( kali draksh)
25 gms. Sauted Raisins ( kismis)
1 tbsp. farshan mixture masala

Method

Mix all the above ingredients in big vessel .
Add farshan mixture masala (optional).
Mix thoroughly and store bhusu in air tight container for 2-3 months.
Enjoy as tea time snack, one of the ingredient for making bhel, use in making misal or as you desire.

Tags bhel, glutenfree food, misal, teatime snacks

Breakfast

(90) Appum

Ingredients

3 cup boiled rice
1 cup tender coconut
salt
1 tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. baking soda or yeast
Appam pan or Appa kadai.

Method

Soak rice for 6-8 hrs.
Make a smooth paste of rice and coconut.
Add sugar, salt and baking soda. Grind one more time for mixing all the ingredients evenly and keep aside for 6-8 hrs for fermentation. If
Adjust the consistency by adding water .
Consistency of batter is flowing.
Heat Appa kadai . Turn the gas stove on slow flame. Grease with butter and pour ¼ cup batter and quickly spread batter evenly by swirling and tilting method.
Close the lid for 1 minute.
After 1 minute Appam is ready.
Serve hot with vegetable stew or as you desire.