Vegetable Open Sandwiches

Vegetable Open Sandwiches step by step instructions:

Sandwiches can be prepared in a number of ways and I am wondering that this is my first post for sandwiches.

As the name suggests, these are vegetable open sandwiches so one side you will find the bread but the other side mixed vegetables in sooji and curd batter. The open sandwich is equivalent in taste with just any other sandwich

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
Sooji: 1 cup
Curd: 1 cup
Mixed vegetables: 1 cup (finely chopped onions, tomatoes, capsicum, cabbage)
Brown bread: 6-8 slices
Olive oil: 1 tbsp
Mixed herbs: 1 tbsp
Black Pepper: 1 tsp
Clarified butter or Ghee: 1 tsp
Salt as per taste

Method:
1. In a bowl take sooji and curd. Mix well. It will be thick but don’t worry as we will be adding vegetables and later on we can adjust the consistency of the batter.
2. Now add all the vegetables and mix well. Keep it aside for half an hour.
3. Add salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
4. The batter’s consistency should be as shown in the image (or should be thicker than idli batter). If you find it flowing then add more sooji.

5. In a small bowl mix olive oil and mixed herbs.

6. Take the bread slices.
7. Apply a generous coating of oil & herbs over the bread.

8. Now spread the vegetable batter over it.

9. Heat a non-stick pan.
10. Apply ghee over it.
11. Put the bread slices with vegetable side touching the pan.

12. Let it cook for 8-9 minutes.
13. Apply little ghee on the top of the bread and flip carefully.

14. Cook the bread for another 2 minutes.
15. Vegetable open sandwiches are ready.

16. Serve hot with ketchup or chutneys.

Tips:
1. Vegetables can be taken as per your choice.
2. Instead of ghee you can use any flavored butter also.
3. I have first coated the bread with olive oil and herbs. You can instead use any spread, chutney or ketchup. It will also give a nice flavor to the open sandwiches.
4. You can use any bread of your choice.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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Cold Cucumber Soup

Cold Cucumber Soup step by step instructions:

Including cucumbers in our daily diet is very good for our health. They are low in calories and very high in nutrients.

But eating it raw every day becomes a tough task ;-); I know it sounds a bit funny.

Soups and juices are very good alternatives to raw ones. And this cold soup is very refreshing.

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
Cucumber: 1 (washed, peeled and chopped)
Clarified butter (Ghee): 1 tsp
Cumin seeds powder: 1 tsp
Black pepper powder: ½ tsp
Milk: 1-1/2 cup
Salt as per taste

Method:
1. In a pan heat clarified butter.
2. Add cucumber, cumin seeds powder, black pepper powder and salt.

3. Mix well.
4. Cook until the cucumber pieces have turned soft.
5. Add milk and again cook for another 2-3 minutes.
6. Cool it down.
7. Grind it.
8. Serve cold during hot days.

Tips:
1. If the cucumber seeds are big then remove them.
2. Coriander leaves and mint leaves can be added to give even a better taste.
3. If counting on calories, then use low fat milk.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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Onion Stuffed Bottle Gourd Paratha

Onion Stuffed Bottle Gourd Paratha or Doodhi Paratha or Lauki Paratha step by step instructions:

Bottle Gourd Paratha (Doodhi/lauki) paratha is that one paratha which is not liked that much by my husband. But the parathas in which the dough is made out of lauki and then stuffed with onions is out of the world.

What works wonders is the stuffing. Hence, we can make the dough of any vegetable which we don’t like. ;-) and the outcome is wonderful!

Do check here my onion paratha recipe.

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
Bottle gourd: 4-5 inch long piece (peeled and grated)
Multigrain Whole wheat flour: 1 cup
Red chili powder: 1 tsp
Coriander powder: 2 tsp
Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
Asafetida: a pinch
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Ginger: small piece (grated)
Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves): 1 tsp (crushed)
Fennel seeds powder: 1 tbsp
Sesame seeds: 1 tbsp
Sugar: 1 tsp
Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
Clarified butter (Ghee): 1 tbsp
Salt as per taste
Curd: as required for kneading the flour
For stuffing:
Onions: 2 medium (very finely chopped)
Chaat Masala: as required
For cooking parathas:
Clarified butter (Ghee): as required
Whole wheat flour: for dusting

Method:
1. In a big plate mix all of the ingredients except curd. Knead well.

2. If you feel that the flour is not coming together then mix curd spoon by spoon.
3. The dough should be on the stiffer side as we are going to stuff onions inside it.

4. Let it rest for half an hour.
5. Make 6 equal balls from the dough.
6. Take one ball. Wrap it in dry flour and roll it around 3-4 inches in diameter.
7. Put the onions in the center of it and sprinkle chaat masala over it.

8. Take the edges of the circle and close it. (pinching together)

9. Flatten it with your hands.
10. Now again dust it with the flour and roll it nicely.

11. The circle should be around 10 inches in diameter with ½ cm of thickness.
12. Heat griddle/tawa. It must be very hot.
13. Apply ghee on the tawa.
14. Now put the paratha on it and let it cook on low flame for 1 minute.

15. See if some brown dots have appeared, if yes, then flip the paratha.

16. Now let it cook on the other side on high flame for around 1 minute again.
17. Apply ghee on the top side and flip it and cook.

18. Similarly apply ghee on the other side and cook.

19. Yummy paratha is ready.
20. Serve hot with chutneys, curd etc.

Tips:
1. Lauki tends to lose water, so make sure you have kneaded stiff dough.
2. Do not ever put salt in onion before using it while making parathas because onions also release water when mixed with salt and then it would be difficult to roll the dough.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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Rice and Spinach Triangles

Rice and Spincah Triangles step by step intructions:

The name seems so interesting and so does the taste. I remember making Rice and Spincah Triangles for the first time around last year.

What attracted the most to me about it was the way of cooking, and since then I have been trying many things based upon this cooking method.

Well, apart from the cooking method it has a secret ingredient too, and that is almonds. The flavor and texture it gives to the recipe is simply awesome.
A new thing what I did today was that I added oregano. It enhanced the flavor of the triangles.

I used spinach today but you can try adding any vegetable of your choice. I bet it will always taste good.

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
Rice flour: 1 cup
Milk: 1-1/4 cup (lukewarm)
Almond flour: ¼ cup
Spinach: 1 cup (finely chopped)
Ginger: 1 inch (grated)
Chili flakes: 1 tsp
Oregano: 2 tsp
Salt as per taste

Method:
1. In a bowl add rice flour, almond flour, spinach, ginger, and milk.

2. Mix well and let it sit for half an hour.
3. Now add salt, chili flakes and oregano and mix well.
4. Take a sandwich maker and apply some clarified butter or ghee on both the sides.

5. Fill the cavities of sandwich maker with the batter.

6. Close the sandwich maker and let the triangles cook for 11-12 minutes.

7. Now flip the triangles and again let them cook for other 8-9 minutes.
8. Yummy rice and spinach triangles are ready.
9. Serve hot with chutneys, ketchup etc.

Tips:
1. The consistency of the batter must be like that of idli batter.
2. Choice of vegetables is up to you.
3. A hand toaster will work even. But you have to be careful with the timings otherwise, the triangles might burn.
4. As an addition, you can add chopped dry fruits like pistachio, raisins etc.
5. Well if no sandwich maker is available then cook it like an uthappam. Just the method of cooking has changed but not the taste.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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Potato and Black Chickpea Handvo

Potato and Black Chickpea Handvo step by step instructions:

After hearing the word handvo all rice and dals come into picture. But as the name suggests this handwa is made up of only potato and black chickpeas with oozing cheese (yum … mouth-watering!!!). And to be very frank, I feel that I have just changed the method of cooking and voila a new dish is created.

Potato and Black Chickpea Handvo is yet another very simple recipe which can be customized as per user’s taste.

Try this for sure and do share your feedback!

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
For potato covering:
Potatoes: 3 medium (boiled, skin removed and mashed)
Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves): 1 tsp
Red chili powder: 1 tsp
Corn flour: 1-2 tsp
Salt as per taste
For the filling:
Black chickpeas: 1 tbsp (boiled)
Red chili powder: ½ tsp
Cheese: ½ cube grated
Salt as per taste
Others:
Oil: 2 tsp
Sesame seeds: 2 tsp

Method:
1. In a plate take potatoes.

2. Mash them and add kasuri methi, salt, red chili powder, and corn flour.

3. Mix well.
4. Divide into 2 parts and press them with the help of your hands to make small rounds.

5. Heat oil in a kadai.
6. Add sesame seeds and let them crackle.
7. Now put one potato round in the kadai. Give it a shape if required.

8. Put the filling; black chickpeas, salt, red chili powder and cheese.

9. Put another potato round over it and slightly press the edges so that the filling doesn’t come out. Sprinkle sesame seeds over it.

10. Cover it and let it cook for around 10 minutes or till the base turns brown on low flame.
11. Flip it carefully.

12. Now let it cook covered on the other side for other 7-8 minutes.

13. Take out carefully in a serving dish.

14. Serve hot.

Tips:
1. The filling can be changed as per users taste.
2. Carefully press the edges otherwise, the filling may come out.
3. Always be careful while flipping.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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Donuts

Happy Independence Day!!!
Happy Birthday Hubby!!!

Happy First Anniversary www.vegibites.blogspot.in!!!
Yes, my blog turned one today. Thank you, everyone for all the support, compliments, and feedback.

Eggless Donuts step by step instructions:
Celebrations demand sweets and yes I made donuts. Do try these and share your feedback.

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
All-purpose flour (Maida): 2 cups (around 250 gms)
Dry Yeast: ½ tbsp.
Milk: little more than 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp
Sugar: 2 tbsp
Ghee (clarified butter): ¼ cup
Powdered sugar for dusting the donuts
Ghee for frying
Salt as per taste

Method:
1. Take 2 tbsp lukewarm milk (little warmer than lukewarm) and sugar in a deep bowl.
2. Add yeast and stir.
3. Cover it and keep it in a place where it does not come in contact with air e.g. microwave, casserole etc.
4. Let it rise for 10 minutes.
5. After 10 minutes you will see froth on the top.
6. In a bowl take maida. Add the activated yeast and ghee.
7. Mix well.
8. Now knead the flour until it turns soft. This procedure will take around 12-15 minutes.
9. After that grease another bowl and keep the dough in it. Keep it covered with a wet muslin cloth. Keep this dough in a warm place.
10. Let it rest for at least 2 hours.
11. After that, you will find that the dough has doubled in volume.

12. Punch the air out.
13. Divide the dough into 3 parts.
14. Take one part and roll it keeping the thickness of the rolled circle around ¾ cm.

15. Now take a glass or a bowl with which we will be cutting our donuts of circular shape.
16. Take a small size cap and cut circles inside the previously made circles.
17. Follow the same steps for the remaining dough.

18. Arrange all of them on a tray and brush each one of them with milk.

19. Cover these with a cloth.
20. Keep in a warm place and let them rise.
21. After 1 or 1-1/2 hour you will find that the size of the donuts has increased.
22. Now heat ghee in a kadai and add donut.
23. I fried one donut at a time. Let the donut fry from one side for about a minute or till its one end has turned brown. Now flip it carefully and fry it on the other side. You will observe that the size of the donuts increases while frying.

24. As soon as you take out the donuts from the kadai sprinkle powdered sugar over the donuts with the help of a sieve.
25. If you want to make chocolate glazed donuts, melt chocolate in a double boiler. Take out the bowl of melted chocolate and keep it. Hold the donut from the edges with the help of fingers and dip it in the chocolate. Bring up and let that extra chocolate drip off.
26. Keep on a plate.
27. Serve the yummy donuts warm with a cup of hot coffee.

Tips:
1. For activating the yeast, make sure the milk is little warmer than lukewarm and sugar is completely dissolved in it.
2. Instead of ghee you can take butter at room temperature and avoid adding salt if using salted butter.
3. The milk should be at room temperature.
4. Make sure you knead the flour with your fingertips. It will help in maintaining the air inside the dough for the perfect rising of the donuts.
5. If the flame is too low then the donuts will absorb lots of ghee. So make sure that ghee is neither too cold nor too hot.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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