Caramel Wings

Some recipes remind you of a certain moment. They take you back in time, and transport you to the exact place, the exact feeling, the exact fragrance. Much like the scene from the movie Ratatouille where the food critic takes one bite of the dish and is instantly transported to his childhood. I have a similar story to share.

When I was a kid, we used to travel by train to and from our native place, Karwar. It was an annual visit for Ganesh Chaturthi, back in the day when all the "modern" things were still not available in villages so we used to carry everything for everyone from Mumbai, and it wasn't possible to take it all on a flight. We used to travel by Nethravati Express as it was one of the only trains that had a pantry. The main reason was the delicious fried Bananas that were sold on the train, fresh out of the pantry, and it was something me and my brother looked forward to every year!

Years passed by, convenience took over everything else and we started taking flights every year. The memories of the fried Bananas got lost somewhere till I was watching an episode of Food Safari on TV and someone cooked Toffee Bananas. It was an instant trip to the train journeys and the happiness. I just knew I had to recreate this.



Call it the perfect opportunity, but #SeedTheRiseChallenge happened just at the right time for me. We are paying homage to the hardworking farmers of India and celebrating with recipes of ingredients that are largely produced on our soil. Bananas had to top the list, and I knew I had to make these! Seed The Rise Campaign is a crowdfunding initiative set up by Mahindra to help improve the lives of Indian farmers who have been betrayed by the bad weather. Working with 5 NGO-led projects across India, the campaign is looking to raise Rs. 2 crores in public donations. What's more - each donation will be matched by Mahindra to double the benefit for the farmers. Check out their website to know more or to donate  http://bit.ly/1ROiYCC. You can also watch their TVC here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlS2VrSEIdE 

Coming back to the recipe, it is super quick, ready in 30 minutes from start to finish, and is so easy that it is almost unfair for something so easy to be this delicious! Here it goes:

Toffee Bananas
Serves 2
Takes 30 minutes
Recipe credit: Darwin from Food Safari

Ingredients:

2 Bananas
1/2 Cup Flour
2/3 tsp Baking Powder
A pinch of Salt
1/2 Cup Corn Flour, plus a little extra for dusting.
1/3 Cup Cold Water
Oil for frying
1/2 Cup Sugar
Ice, for ice bath.

Method:

Heat a pan for frying, with a level of about an inch of Oil.

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and corn flour in a bowl. Add cold water and mix the batter by hand, so as to not form lumps. It should be a thick consistency, but also easy to pour.

Chop the Bananas as per preference. I chopped them diagonally into thick slices. Take some corn flour in a plate and dredge the banana slices in it. This helps the batter stick to the otherwise slimy Banana slices.



Once the Oil is heated, coat the Banana slices with the batter and fry till golden on both sides, about 3-4 minutes. Don't crowd the pan with too many slices, as that can lower the oil temperature. 4 slices at once is a good amount! You may need to adjust the consistency of the batter with cold water as you go, it tends to thicken as it sits.

Drain the fried Banana slices on a paper towel. Mean while, heat up the sugar on medium in a non stick pan. Add few drops of water if desired, and wait patiently till it turns into a gorgeous golden caramel.



While this happens, ready a bowl with lots of ice and water and keep ready.

Once the caramel is ready, add few slices of the fried Bananas to it, coat them well and immediately add them to the ice bath. Repeat till all slices are done. The ice water shocks the caramel and turns it into a super crispy exterior.



And that is it! Toffee Bananas are ready. Just imagine biting into these crunchy goodies that are oozing with melt-in-the-mouth Banana goodness inside! I recommend all of you to try it soon! :)

I am of the firm belief that food binds religions together. I love that people of all faiths indulge in the food specialty of every religion, not to mention even take part in full fledged celebrations all around the world. I feel honored to have friends who come over to our house during Ganesh Chaturthi and help around the kitchen while making ukadiche modak for the deity's offering, or when all of us go together to a Gurudwara and do seva together. Me and my brother go around our apartment complex every year without fail, with a plate full of faraal (a variety of sweets and savoury snacks including laddu, karanji, chakli, barfi etc.) during Diwali to the doorsteps of all the families regardless of what their religion is.

This year I missed out on visiting Mohammed Ali Road during the holy month of Ramadan. For those of you who don't know, Mohd. Ali Road is THE place to be during this month, with an overdose of food awesomeness along the streets ranging from Keema Pav, Kebabs, Offal masala, Biryanis, Baida Rotis, Ice Creams, Malpuas with luscious Rabdi, Gulab Jamun, Halwa Poori... The list goes on and on! Just because of the excellent offerings, this place has become the go-to destination for every foodie in Mumbai and off late a popular place for curated food walks as well. I must confess, I have never been to Mohd. Ali Road before. But every year, someone or the other brings lots of packed goodies home and at least I get to devour them.



I have been so upset about completely missing out on all the yummy things, especially my favorite dessert - Phirni. Phirni is kind of a rice pudding which originally has its roots in the Middle East. You can find versions of this dish all over the region. Here is a special tidbit: Whenever there is a special occasion at home I ask my mom to make Phirni for dessert and she always, always makes Kheer instead. When I argue with her, she tells me that it is the same thing. But it isn't. Kheer can be served warm or cold but the awesomeness that is Phirni, needs to be served chilled. Not just that, Phirni is made out of coarsely ground rice whereas Kheer can also be made out of whole rice. By now, I am sure you can already tell that I really have missed my dessert.

I went to the market to get milk and thanks to Mother Dairy's price drop by 2 rupees I stocked up on multiple packets of milk. Which is why I could make not one but two kinds of Phirni! I prefer Mother Dairy milk to make my Kheer and Phirni as it definitely yields better results over the skimmed milk variety which is usually consumed in my house. #TooGoodForTwoLess indeed! Mother Dairy has been a trusted name since its establishment in 1974 for all things related to dairy. I, for one, am a sucker for their Mishti Doi among other favourites such as their Dahi, Paneer and Ice Creams! So here's the recipe for Kesar Phirni and the original Rose Phirni! :)

Phirni

Serves 4
Takes 40 minutes + Chilling time. 

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Basmati Rice
1 Litre Mother Dairy Milk
3/4 Cup Sugar (I use less, you can add more if you like but this works just fine)
6-8 Cardamom pods (Elaichi), powdered (alternatively 1 tsp Elaichi Powder)
12-15 strands of Saffron (Kesar)
4 drops Rose Water
8-10 Blanched Almonds
8-10 Pistachios, slivered.
Aluminium Foil, cut into squares that fit the circumference of the serving bowls. 

Method:

Heat the milk in a thick bottomed non stick pan till it comes up to the boil. While the milk is heating up, grind the rice in a spice grinder to a coarse powder, make sure it isn't too fine. 8-10 pulses do the trick for me.

Reserve 2 tbsp milk when it reaches a decently warm temperature. Add the saffron strands in this milk and set aside for later.

Place the Almonds in a microwave safe bowl and cover with water. Microwave for 90 seconds. Let them cool slightly and then peel them. Slice or chop as desired. Set aside for later.

When the milk comes to a rolling boil, reduce the heat to low. Add in the ground rice and sugar. stir constantly so as to avoid any lumps. Note down the time at this point. Keep stirring occasionally. Do not cover your pan.

Give the mixture around 10 minutes, and then add in the Almonds and Cardamom Powder. Give it a good stir. If you are making Kesar Phirni, add in the saffron strands as well. (I divided my milk mixture into two and added Saffron to half of it, since I was making two types of Phirni)

Save some Almonds for garnish and add the rest to the Phirni and continue to cook till the rice is done and the desired consistence is reached. The Phirni should be set in the bowls upon chilling, but it is important to know that Phirni thickens as it cools, so a slightly pourable consistency works best.

For the Classic Rose Phirni, turn off the heat and add in the Rose Water. Give it a good stir. Let the Phirni cool till it reaches room temperature. Transfer the Phirni to bowls and garnish with Pistachios and Almonds. I used Rose petals as well.

Place Aluminium Foil squares on the bowls and press so that the surface of the foil touches the Phirni. We do this because Phirni forms a skin on top if left uncovered, and that is not very desirable. Chill the Phirni bowls thoroughly, and remember, serve them chilled too! :)

Enjoy!

Did you guys know that World Water Day is around the corner? I, for one, have been in the water-wasters club for many years, with brushing my teeth leaving the tap on. While this is one of the major habits one needs to change in order to conserve water, there are many more (especially in the kitchen) which won't take much getting used to and will in turn impact our water conservation practices in a hugely positive manner. Here are a few:

1. You do not need to use a lot of water while boiling vegetables. The idea is for the water to just cover the vegetables in it. Instead of pouring out the water, you can use that flavourful Vegetable Stock in place of water while cooking your next meal!

2. Don't use water to defrost food. You can just leave the frozen food in the fridge overnight instead!

The good folks over at Tata I-Shakti have taken a great initiative during this #WorldWaterDay to make everybody aware of these little things, while also talking about their wholesome unpolished Dals. I have made the switch recently, and I could not be happier. Not only does 1 cup yield more Dal as compared to polished Dal, these Dals only require 2 cycles of rinsing as opposed to 4 times with the regular polished variety. Not to forget that the Polished Dals also are stripped off of their nutritional content.



On this blog post I will be sharing 2 recipes from my kitchen, that waste minimal amount of water. First one is a healthy take on the globally favourite Dhokla, which I have been making with Moong Dal off late. Not only is this healthier, I have used the soaking water to blend the soaked Dal, instead of pouring it down the drain and replacing with fresh water.



The second recipe has a story of its own. It is the world famous Mulligatawny soup. Mulligatawny soup comes from Mooluga Thanni, which literally translates to Pepper Water. It was served to the soldiers during the British Raj in India, just because they demanded there be a Soup course. Well, the British left, they took the recipe with them, and heavily anglicized it to suit their palate. They added meat to the soup, thickened it with Coconut Milk, but I am not complaining, for I am a huge fan of this dish! It may be a bit lengthy but it is really easy, and the final product will blow your socks off. I guarantee it.

So, without further ado, I present these two recipes to you, one by one!



Recipe: Moong Dal Dhokla
Serves 6
Takes 20 minutes plus 4 hours soaking time.

Ingredients:

1 cup Tata I-Shakti Moong dal.
2 cups Water
An inch of ginger
2 Green Chilies
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Red Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
A pinch of Asafoetida (heeng)
1 tsp Oil plus some more for greasing
1 tsp Eno Fruit Salt or Baking Soda

For the Tempering:

1.5 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Mustard Seeds
1 tbsp White Sesame Seeds
2 Green Chilies, Chopped
6 Curry Leaves
A pinch of Asafoetida
3/4 Cup Water
1 tbsp Sugar (optional)

For Garnishing:

A handful of Coriander leaves, chopped.
A handful of Grated Fresh Coconut, scraped.

Method:

Soak the Moong Dal in 2 cups of water for 4 hours. Drain it but reserve the water.

Grind it in a blender with the Chili and Ginger. Use the reserved water (add more if desired) to get the pouring consistency like that of a Dosa.

Set up your steamer on the stove. Grease the steaming plate with Oil. I used 2 flat plates.

In the mean while, mix in the Turmeric, Red Chili, Asafoetida, Salt and Oil and give it a good stir. Just before adding into the steamer, add in the fruit salt and mix well with a steel spoon such that the batter is fluffy. Pour it into the two plates and set them in the steamer.

Steam for 12 to 15 minutes, then turn the heat off and let it stay for another 2 minutes. In the mean while, make the tempering.

Heat up a small pan with the Oil. Add in the mustard seeds, when they pop add the Asafoetida and the chopped chilies, followed by sesame seeds and then curry leaves. Let them splatter. Top this up with water and Sugar if desired, and let the mixture come to a boil. Turn the stove off and keep this aside. You can choose to skip the water soaking step, but I like my Dhoklas moist.

Remove the Dhokla from the steamer and cut them into desired shapes. Soak them with the water from the tempering, and add the tempered goodness all over them. Garnish with Coriander leaves and grated coconut. Serve with chutney!


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Note: You can make this recipe with Chicken as well (traditionally it is made with Chicken), in which case you will need 200 gm of Chicken sliced into cubes. Pan fry them before you start the Soup process, for 90 seconds on each side, and remove them. Continue with the Soup recipe as above. Throw the Chicken pieces in along with the Coconut Milk at a later stage and cook for 6 minutes instead of 3! I made mine with Chicken :)

Wow, at the beginning of this journey with Tata Salt Lite I did not know if I would be able to stick to the schedule and be regular with my blogging. This is my last post for #slite and I'm going to miss this so much, that I have decided to stick to Tata Salt Lite from now on. Thank you so much for letting me invent and play around in my kitchen, and discover so much more about myself while doing so! Thank you for also giving me a medium to convey to the world the importance of no sodium salt!

I took few days to think about the perfect last recipe, or a grand finale, if you will. I thought of a Brown Rice Phirni, a Cauliflower soup, an epic stir fry and so many more items. But then I realised I didn't do anything with Sprouts and considering they are such an important part of my daily life, it is unfair to them. So I was brainstorming with my bestie all the way in Singapore, when she mentioned I could make Sprout Falafels. What a brilliant idea! Not to mention how utterly genius this is, it is also insanely healthy, and a good high protein alternative for people like me who get tired of eating Sprouts just as is. It all seemed like it would work out on paper, but nothing is ever sure till you actually execute it so I did a test run. I am so happy with how these turned out! You can either bake them or pan fry them in very little oil, like I did, have it with Hummus, or stuff it in your pita, roti, have it with bread, or just as is!






Sprouted Moong Falafels
Serves 2
Takes 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup sprouted Moong/Green Gram. (You can use any kind of sprouts)
5 cloves of Garlic
1/2 an Onion, finely chopped.
A handful of mixed herbs, finely chopped. (I used coriander, mint, parsley)
1 tsp Roasted Cumin powder
Tata Salt Lite, to taste
1/2 tsp All spice powder (can be substituted with brown Garam Masala powder)
juice of half a lemon.
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Olive Oil.

Method:

You can either use lightly steamed Moong or raw Moong for this recipe as you desire. If you want to use steamed Moong, place them in the microwave, sprinkled with some water and microwave on high for a minute. You'll need to let them cool down before proceeding. I used raw sprouts.

Pulse the sprouts in the blender, in short 2 second bursts, till it resembles a coarse powder. We do not want a paste. Remove them in a mixing bowl. Add in the garlic and pulse that as well, add to the sprout mix.

Now throw in the Onion, herbs, and the powders. Add salt and mix everything together.

In a spoon, take the lemon juice and add the baking soda to it. Pour the froth into the mixture and combine everything again. Gently make bite sized rounds of falafel, and place them on a plate. I made 8. Put them in the fridge for 5 minutes.

Heat up a non stick pan on medium high with the Olive oil. Put in the falafel rounds and slightly flatten them. Let them be undisturbed for a minute. Flip them over, lower the flame to medium and finish cooking on the other side, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.

Serve hot!

The parents have been out of town for a week now. As much as I'm loving the silence, I am missing them more. Every morning I wake up early only to find that Dad has already woken up and is practising Yoga before he starts getting ready to go to work. When I'm back from the gym, while Dad has already left for work, Mom is warming breakfast up in the kitchen with the TV blasting in full volume in the hall, just so she can hear the dialogues. If it's a Sunday I'd wake up at the same time (I go to the gym on Sunday's, it's empty and you can really get a good workout done) but everyone's asleep. When I return, TV is blaring full volume and Mom is in the kitchen, fixing breakfast. Sunday breakfasts are staple - either it's Idli or Dosa. Followed by Chicken or Mutton curry for lunch, where I'd make more Dosas and eat with the curry. And then it's siesta time, it's only fitting after all the yum overload we go through every Sunday.

I'm not getting my Dosa fix since they're out of town, so I thought of improvising. I love how versatile Oats are, and if you can make Pancakes with them, you certainly can make a good Dosa as well. It's a #slite change that makes your life so much easier, not to forget healthier too! I make 3 different kinds of Oats Dosas, but the recent one I tried is the closest to a real Dosa. I used low sodium Tata salt lite to make it just that touch of extra healthy. You're gonna forget you're eating healthy, it's so good!



Instant Oats Dosa
Serves 2 (makes 6 medium sized Dosas)
Takes 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup Instant Oats
1/2 cup Yogurt
2 green chilies
A handful of coriander, chopped
2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tbsp Rice Flour (optional)
2 tbsp Semolina flour
Water, to adjust the consistency
Tata salt lite, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Ghee/oil to grease the pan.

Method:

Blend together all the ingredients except Oil, with some water (about half cup).
Let this batter sit for 15 minutes in a bowl. It will get thicker due to the Semolina and Oats. Adjust to a thick, dosa-like pouring consistency with water, add little at one time.

Heat up a pan on medium, preferably non stick. Add a drop of ghee or oil, and wipe the pan surface with a paper napkin so it is spread evenly. Add 3/4 ladle of batter and spread evenly. Add few more drops of Oil down the sides of the pan if desired. I also added some podi to the dosa at this point. You could also add chopped onions and tomatoes if you want this to be an uttappam. Cook on medium flame for 2 minutes.

Be careful while flipping her over, she's a delicate dosa darling! Cook for 30 seconds more and serve hot with chutney, podi, ketchup, or just have as is with a hot cup of Chai!

I am the Ross Geller of the ice cream world. I am not an ice cream lover because I think it is too cold. Soft serves and froyo on the other hand, I love. Back when we were kids, me and the little brother used to re-enact the sequence from the Jurassic Park movie, where the kids are eating ice cream and a Dinosaur creeps up in their house (we've all been there). We'd mix instant coffee powder in a Vanilla ice cream cup and stir it vigorously till it was of soft serve consistency and then race to who finishes last. Nostalgic. Sigh... How time passes by!

As much as I really-really-really don't like ice cream, I crave for it often when it's that time of the month. Same goes for chocolate- not a huge fan, but I want nothing but chocolate when I'm craving for it. Since I decided to make a sLITE change in my life, I thought why not come up with a guilt free ice cream recipe which would satiate my cravings and not make me get out of the house just to buy myself a cup? David Lebovitz had this recipe up on his site, and I tailor made it to fit into the sLITE lifestyle. I  also added a sprinkle of Tata salt lite to the recipe, to bring out the bittersweet taste. It literally takes 5 minutes to make the faux custard, and no churning at all! This may not be your friendly neighbourhood overtly sweet ice cream but it was still so good, I just had to share it with you guys!






A huge shoutout to the amazing folks over at Tata Salt Lite who are taking a great initiative with promoting the #slite lifestyle. You can look their pages up on Twitter and Facebook, or dial their toll free number to know more.

On to the nomness!

Guilt Free Sugarless 70% Dark Chocolate and Baileys Ice Cream.
Serves 2
Takes 5 minutes (+4 hours of freezing)
Adapted from David Lebovitz's blog.

Ingredients:

100 gm 70% Dark Chocolate (You can use any that you like)
1 cup milk (you can also use non fat or skimmed milk)
1 medium sized over-ripe frozen Banana
2 tbsp Cocoa Powder
90 ml Baileys (optional)
A dash of Vodka/Rum
A pinch of Tata Salt Lite

Method:

Melt the Chocolate and Cocoa into warm milk till uniform. You can do this over a pan on low heat, or in the microwave at 30 second bursts.
Blend together with all other ingredients till smooth.
Transfer to an air tight container and freeze for 4 hours or until set.
Scoop it out and sprinkle with Tata Salt Lite before serving.
Enjoy!

Note: we need to add alcohol to the recipe so that there is no crystallisation. You can omit the alcohol altogether, but know that the ice cream will be slightly hard in texture (like a Kulfi).

I am just realizing that my journey with Tata Salt Lite is coming to an end soon. I am so glad I did this, because it got me back my mojo, and it made me feel heard again. I am so grateful for all the love and support I have received from every single one of my readers, and with my blog recently crossing 1,50,000 hits, I have nothing to complain. You guys made this happen. Thank you so, so much. I have to celebrate this with something delicious, but not without my #sLITE change!



I had come across the recipe for Zucchini Spaghetti with Pesto and Buffalo Mozzarella last year over Twitter, and it has been fixed in my mind ever since. I have made numerous excuses to myself, right from Zucchini not being available in the market to 'I-don't-know-how-this-will-taste', from 'I'll-just-make-it-next-time' to 'It's-easier-to-make-an-omelet'. I stand corrected. This is hands down the easiest and yummiest Salad you'll ever come across. Bonus points because it is Vegetarian and a One-Up because it looks like Pasta.

Zucchini Fettuccine Salad with a Cashew Pesto dressing.
Serves 2
Takes 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 large Zucchini
A handful of Cherry Tomatoes
4 cloves of Garlic
1/4 Cup Cashew Nuts
1 Cup Basil
Tata Salt Lite, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method:

Use a mandoline, peeler or spiralizer to shave Zucchini into your desired shape. I shaved super thin ribbons and cut them into thirds length-wise for Fettucine sized ribbons. You can also make Spaghetti using a spiralizer. Keep the Zucchini ready into a mixing bowl, in the refrigerator while you make the dressing.

Grind together Garlic, Pepper, Cashews and 1 tbsp EVOO (Olive Oil) until smooth. Then add in the Basil leaves, remaining EVOO and Tata Salt LITE to taste. Grind together till smooth. 

Pour the dressing over the Zucchini and toss to combine. Add in the cherry tomatoes. You can also tear up some fresh Mozzarella cheese if you fancy it. Serve immediately!

Around a decade ago, I was diagnosed with Anemia. While this is a fairly common problem with the women, it definitely should not be ignored. Since I was training to be a pilot at that time, even though my Haemoglobin levels were almost normal, they needed to be optimal. I saw my family doctor, an Air Force doctor, a Haematologist, an Ayurvedic doctor, a Homeopathic doctor, I took injections, but nothing helped me boost it all. While my haemoglobin levels were inter-linked to other problems in my body, my mother decided to stop everything and go natural.

I would have fresh juice every day that would consist of Spinach, Beetroot, Ginger, Lemon, Mint, Coriander, Carrots, Bottle Gourd and Tomatoes. One month later, my Hb levels were optimal. As much as I loved the juice, it always gave me the medicinal feel for the reasons that I was having it. But as years went by and I resorted to drinking this magic juice before every medical examination, I noticed that my skin was better, digestion was better and I felt and looked great. Since then, I try and incorporate these juices in various forms on a regular basis into my diet, my favourite being a Smoothie. One sLITE change that makes a huge difference in my life.

The hot rage is the superfood Kale and it would only mean I have to try it in a Smoothie. So I experimented, and as expected, I was wowed. You can add in whatever fruits and greens you like, chances are you'd love them too! So here we go:

Good-For-You Smoothie
Serves 3
Takes 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Cup Kale leaves
1 Green Apple, chopped.
1 Cup Tender Coconut Water + Any pulp from the coconut.
A handful of Grapes
2 tbsp Flax Seed Powder (optional, if you like that Smoothie extra thick)
1/2 Cup Ice Cubes
A pinch of Tata Salt LITE
1 tbsp Honey (Optional. I did not add it)

Feel free to add in a handful of Spinach leaves, even some Walnuts, Cashews and even Basil Leaves. You can substitute the Tender Coconut Water with Almond Milk, Yogurt, Soy Milk, or even regular water. You will need Honey in this case. 

Method:

Process all the ingredients in a blender until smooth and fine. Enjoy!

Let me just start off by saying that this is a healthy dish. Oh, and it has no Butter in it. Allow me to explain.

As I've been constantly pointing out in my previous posts, fats are not bad for our body. In fact, fats are essential for fat loss. There are good fats and bad fats. Healthier fats like Ghee, Cheese, Olive Oil, even organic Butter are actually good for us if we learn to eat smarter. As per Dr. Asif Khan, my nutrition and workout mentor, "fats if used in a good way will increase your HDL levels, also known as the good cholesterol, while decreasing LDL that's the bad cholesterol as well as triglycerides". So, the next time someone asks you to stop eating cheese just because it contains fat, you can ask them to shove it. (Pardon my language, but if you are subjected to statements like those I'm assuming you'd be as frustrated as I get)

This is not the traditional butter chicken, but tastes like one, definitely. I have used Ghee and Coconut Milk in my recipe (don't worry it does not taste like a Coconut overload at all), both organic, and since its Paleo it also calls for free range Chicken, but you can also make this with the normal chicken available at the market. This sLITE change I've made in my life has put me on a new road altogether, and boy am I enjoying the journey! Thank you for, bringing this side out in me, Tata Salt Lite!





Paleo Butter Chicken
Serves 3-4
Takes 1 hour
Adapted from www.myheartbeets.com

Ingredients:

For the marinade:

500 gm Chicken (I used chicken on the bone. You can also use boneless thighs)
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1 tsp Red Chili Powder
1 tsp Dhania Jeera powder (coriander-cumin)
1 tbsp Lemon Juice

For the Curry:

1 tbsp Organic Ghee
2 large Onions, finely chopped.
250 gm Tomatoes, Puréed. You can also use canned tomatoes like I did.
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
1 tsp Dhania Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1/2 to 3/4 can of Full fat Coconut milk. (400 to 500 ml if you're making it at home)
A pinch of Kasuri Methi
Tata Salt LITE, to taste.

For tempering (tadka):

1/2 tbsp Organic Ghee
6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder

Method:

Mix all the ingredients for marination and keep them refrigerated for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat up a pan with Ghee, on medium high. Add in the Onions and fry them on a medium to medium low flame, until dark brown. This will take about 15 minutes on a  medium low flame.

Add in the ginger garlic paste and give it a stir. Add in the Chili powder, dhania powder and Garam masala, turn the flame to low and let the masalas bloom for a minute.

Add the marinated Chicken and toss to incorporate. Pour the tomato purée, and cook for 15 minutes with the pan half covered.

Keep the flame on low, add in the Coconut Milk and Kasuri Methi. Season with Salt, remember to adjust the salt content if you're using canned tomatoes and also remember that there is already salt in the Chicken that's marinated. Let it go for a few more minutes on simmer, about 3 minutes.

In another small pan, heat up the ghee for tempering. Add in the garlic and fry till it starts turning golden. Turn the flame off and add the Kashmiri Red Chili powder. Swirl it all together and pour over your ready Paleo Butter Chicken.

Garnish with Coriander leaves and a drizzle of Coconut Milk. Enjoy!

Note: you can also serve this with Paneer instead of Chicken. That would make a pretty nice Paneer Makhni! No need for Marination in that case, just add normal fresh Paneer.

I don't know about you guys, but I am addicted to Chaat. I am guilty of consuming at least 3 plates of pani puri every week. It's like I just can't function without it. It keeps me sane. Yeah, it's that bad.

Meanwhile, I'm also trying to add the Chaat element to wherever it makes sense. My doctor asked me to make the SLITE change from Potato to Sweet Potato (seriously, it is loaded with non guilty carbs that will actually contribute positively towards your health with all those workouts) and I was like, hey, I can make this into a Chaat! The very famous Shakarkandi ki chaat on the streets in New Delhi is not just nostalgic, but very comforting! I made my version at home. You can too! Here's how:

Sweet Potato Chaat
Serves 4
Takes 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

500 gm Sweet Potato
A pinch of Tata Salt Lite
A pinch of pepper powder
A pinch of Aamchur powder (dried Mango)
A pinch of Chaat Masala
A pinch of Red Chili Powder
2 tbsp Green Chutney (optional)
1 tbsp Chopped Coriander
A squeeze of Lemon
1 tsp Olive Oil. (Not extra virgin)

Method:

Boil the sweet potatoes till tender. Peel and cut them into slices.

Heat up a pan on medium with the oil. Place the slices and cook till slightly brown on both sides.

While the potatoes are browning, mix all the powders together and keep them ready.

Once the potatoes are done, transfer them into a bowl and sprinkle with the powders while they're still hot. Toss to incorporate. Add in a squeeze of lemon. You can also add green chutney (green Chili, mint, coriander, lemon, sugar ground together) to this if you like. I did, and it tasted great! Also add in the chopped coriander for an extra dimension!

Serve warm or cold, tastes great either way! You can also serve this mixed with Yogurt, and can also add Sev as garnish. Yum.

We all have that one food item we cannot do without, right? I'd love to know yours, do let me know in the comments section!

Kale is the new superfood in the market. Everywhere I go, every article I read, every video I watch, is gaga about Miss Kale. I just had to find out what the fuss was about, so I decided to make me some Kale Chips. But of course, I would not deep fry them. In order to make a SLITE change, I baked them instead, and sprinkled with low sodium Tata salt lite instead of the regular fare, and Oh My God! The possibilities with this recipe are endless! Not only are these chips nutritious, they can be your go-to for those midnight snack cravings, or while watching movies. They aren't crunchy, they're KRRUNNCHYYY (seriously, they make that sound while you eat them).







So what are we waiting for? Let's do this!

Baked Kale Chips
Serves 4 (Or 1. I really can't guarantee)
Takes 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

A bunch of Kale, washed, patted completely dry.
Tata Salt Lite, to season.
Pepper, to season.
A drizzle of Olive Oil. (Not Extra Virgin)
Any other seasonings (Chili flakes, brown sugar, sesame, Parmesan cheese, popcorn seasoning etc.)

Method:

Preheat oven to 170C/340F. Grease a cookie sheet or two with a tsp of Olive Oil.

Prep the Kale. We need to tear the Kale into bite sized pieces along the middle thick stem. Discard the thick stem. Please bear in mind that the chips will reduce in size as they bake, so tear accordingly. Transfer the leaves into a bowl.

Drizzle some Olive Oil and massage the Kale. You'll notice it will start to wilt a little. Season with Salt and Pepper, and any other seasoning you like. Massage well. Arrange on the cookie sheet such that the leaves are not overlapping one another. We want them to bake, not steam, and overlapping would make them steam.

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until bright green and crispy. Let it stay for a minute on the cookie sheet before you transfer them to your serving bowl. These don't stay very long as they're a crowd pleaser, but if you do intend on storing them, a brown paper bag would be a good bet!

I baked half of them with Salt and Pepper, and the other half with Chili Oil and Brown Sugar and mixed the two. We're having a lot of fun munching on the mixed goodness here at home!

Enjoy!

Have you ever made something at home that turned out so amazing you had tears in your eyes? Like, it's so unbelievable that you had to take a moment of silence just to absorb the awesomeness of the dish? Yes, that happened to me when I made this Hummus recipe. Initially I was skeptical, since it omits one of the most important ingredients from the traditional Hummus, the Tahini. Instead of that we add in Greek Yogurt to make this supremely creamy, light, yet delicious portion of Hummus that contains just over half of the calories as compared to the traditional version (173 v/s 280) and that is very good news for Hummus binge eaters like yours truly.

Once you have your Garbanzo beans ready, all it takes is less than 5 minutes. Serve it with freshly cut sticks of Zucchini and Carrots instead of the regular Pita, a SLITE change that will make you love your healthy eating spree even more!






Ranch Style Hummus
Serves 4
Takes 5 minutes (plus cooking time for the Garbanzo beans, if any)
Recipe credit: adapted from bodybuilding.com

Ingredients:

1 can of Garbanzo Beans aka Chickpeas. (I soaked 1.5 cup overnight and cooked them in the pressure cooker for 4 whistles).
6 cloves of Garlic
Tata Salt Lite, to taste
Juice of 1 Lemon. I used a Meyer lemon, so I used half.
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1/2 Cup (or more) good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Paprika, for garnish.

Method:

In a food processor, throw in all the ingredients except Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Paprika. Process till smooth. Then drizzle Olive Oil until you have a uniform, creamy consistency. I like my hummus a little runny so I adjusted accordingly. Taste and check if salt is okay.

Transfer to a serving bowl and make a well in the middle, fill her up with EVOO, and sprinkle with Paprika. Serve with Pita, Lavash, Vegetables, or if you're hummus crazy like me, eat it as is, by the spoonful!

I know you guys will try this one, waiting for feedback!

 
Ever since I've made this switch to leading a fit lifestyle, I spend a little time every day researching recipes online on how to use ingredients more effectively. Just while browsing, the other day, I found this recipe and I decided to give it a try. It tastes quite amazing, and makes for a great pre or post workout snack. These little babies are super light yet keep you full for a considerable amount of time. Each muffin is a mere 95 calories, and you can make it better by smearing a spoonful of Nutella over it if you really feel like taking it to the next level.

I have to admit, these are not the best looking, best textured muffins you may have had, but they are a SLITE change that go a long, long way! These do not keep very well, due to the Bananas. But for all you know, they're gonna be over in no time anyway!




Gluten Free Sugarless Muffins
Makes 12
Takes 1 hour
Inspired by Ambitious Kitchen

Ingredients:

1.5 cup Gluten Free Oat Flour ( just blitz your gluten free oats in the blender until fine)
1 tbsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Tata Salt Lite
1 scoop Zero carb Whey powder (optional)
1 tsp Cinnamon Powder
1 tsp All Spice Powder
A handful of Walnuts, chopped. (Optional)
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup Honey
1/4 cup Date syrup (can be substituted with honey)
2 Egg Whites
1 tsp Vanilla

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F

Mix the Oat Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Cinnamon, All Spice, Whey, Tata Salt Lite and Walnuts in a mixing bowl.

Mix the Bananas, Greek Yogurt, Honey, Date Syrup, Egg Whites and Vanilla. I used a blender for this.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix to incorporate. Spoon into 12 Muffin Moulds. Bake for 10-11 minutes!

Enjoy the guilt free indulgence!

There are days when you just don't wanna do anything. Going to work, heading for workout, talking on the phone, sending and receiving emails, none of that. No cooking either. But then you feel hungry and while Chinese delivery seems feasible, your trainer's face flashes in front of your eyes and you decide to stick to a sandwich. Or else, you make this smoothie.








I used Oats for this Smoothie, that give them a very thick texture, and while I prefer it that way, you can always make it thinner with some milk. You can also substitute milk with yogurt, soy milk or almond milk. I am very happy to report that these SLITE changes I've made in my life have really been showing results, and that makes me very very happy!

Oat and Strawberry Smoothie
Serves 2
Takes 5 minutes

Ingredients:

A handful of Strawberries
1 Banana
1/2 cup Oats
1 cup cold Milk/Soy milk/Almond milk
1 tbsp Honey (optional)

Method:

Mix the oats with milk and microwave for 10 seconds.

Add them along with all the remaining ingredients to a blender and blitz till smooth. Thin with milk if required. Serve chilled!

I'm so grateful that Tata Salt Lite actually gave me the opportunity to speak for the cause, since I had been going through a writers block for the longest time. Since leading a fit and healthy lifestyle is a choice that I have made, this bodes well for me as well as my readers (I hope!) these little changes actually make a big difference in our lives. You can totally avoid the sodium loaded French fries when you go out to eat and opt for the humble baked potato without salt, and sprinkle your own low sodium salt on it as required. I have noticed that I am able to click better selfies, my clothes fit better, and I feel less lethargic when I keep my sodium intake in check. Of course, it's a little bit of everything like I always say. Eating healthy, working out and keeping your water intake and nutrition in check.

To tell you a little bit about what Paleo is, Paleo is short for Paleolithic lifestyle. I am not going to call it a diet, because it isn't. It's a lifestyle. We eat what our ancestors ate in the Paleolithic times. I have what you call a semi Paleo lifestyle, what with the food writing and everything else. But it does help me make an informed decision about what I'm eating. If you're interested, Google it right away!

Since couscous is a refined carb, I used Cauliflower as couscous for this recipe since its unrefined and is more nutritious, and also easier to digest for our body. I make this recipe so often that it is a house favourite! The gentle crunch of the cauliflower, the sweetness from the raisins, the saltiness from the olives and the smokiness from the chili flakes makes this a perfectly balanced treat!







Cauliflower Couscous
Serves 2
Takes 15 minutes
Recipe credit: watched on food network

Ingredients:

250 gm Cauliflower florets
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
5-6 Olives, roughly chopped
Mixed nuts, roasted on a pan. I used almond and pistachio slivers
15 Raisins/ Cranberries
Tata Salt lite, to taste
1 tsp Chili flakes
A handful of chopped coriander
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, to drizzle on top

Method:

Pulse the cauliflower florets in a blender till they resemble the texture of couscous.

Heat a pan on medium high, add oil. Start with the shallots and chili flakes and give them a minute till they are sweet and translucent. Add in the cauliflower and sauté for 2 minutes.

Season with Tata salt lite, and sprinkle some water over the cauliflower. Cover the pan and turn the heat to low. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Lift the lid and give it a good mix.

Transfer to a plate and top with the nuts, olives, lemon juice, raisins, coriander and drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil. You can add anything else you like, for example cumin powder, sumac, even grilled Apple would taste great!

Let me know how you like this!

I love Elvis. We all do, don't we? Elvis loved his Peanut Butter sandwiches with Bananas. I may have made the Elvis sandwich a couple hundred times at home, over the years, but there is hardly a way to make them retain the goodness sans the fat and processed carb overload. So I thought of reinventing them as pancakes, but then again, there's flour and sugar.

I have been experimenting with a lot of new ingredients in my kitchen off late. A person who experiments may not always be successful but they eventually do strike Gold! Everyone I love cooking for is an ardent pancake lover and let's not kid ourselves, whole wheat pancakes just aren't as good. After a lot of thinking, I decided to grind up instant oats and use the flour instead, and like I said earlier, I did strike Gold!

Like Tata Salt Lite campaign says, it is all about bringing in a sLITE change in our lives, small changes that make big differences. Imagine the amount of excess Sodium, Sugar and sugar derived Carbs we would avoid by making simple choices. It only takes few minutes but it makes a world of difference.

I used instant quick cooking oats for this recipe but steel cut oats are your best bet. A cup and half of quick cooking instant oats yields a cup of flour. Just blend it till the consistency is really fine, et voilà! While the brand of Oats I used is not gluten free, you can easily find gluten free Oats in the market and pulse them in the blender for a great gluten free breakfast.

Just like every other recipe that I have been posting recently, I am leaving plenty of room for imagination and experimentation. Use your favourite fruit purée, chocolate, dried fruit, nuts, even cheese! These may not be the softest pancakes you've ever eaten but they contain no sugar, possibly gluten free, creamy, and not to forget, healthy! These are great as a post workout snack!






The Healthy Elvis Pancakes
Serves 2
Takes 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup Oats Flour (to make flour out of quick cooking instant oats, refer to the paragraphs above)
2 Eggs
2 tbsp Peanut Butter, melted
2 medium Bananas, overripe, mashed
1 tbsp Date Syrup/Honey
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Tata salt LITE
1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp Nutmeg powder

Method:

In a big bowl, mix the Oat flour, baking soda, Tata Salt LITE, cinnamon and nutmeg powders together.

In another bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. Make sure the bananas are well mashed and the eggs are whisked well.

Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix with a wooden spoon. Lumps are okay. Do not over mix. Let it stand for 5 minutes,

Heat up a non stick pan on medium low heat.

The batter must now be fluffy and tight, loosen it with some milk to a dropping consistency.

Grease with a pat of butter if you like. Place 2 tbsp batter in the centre and work it into a round shape. Cook for a minute or so, till you see bubbles appear on the side. Flip this darling pancake and let it go for another minute.

Stack up a few pancakes and drizzle with honey if you like. I topped mine with caramelised Banana slices and some honey. Oh, and do remember to serve them warm. They get tough if you let them stand for too long.

Enjoy!

Off late my schedule has been full of eggs. I'm an egg lover, but I may have exaggerated myself when I said I could eat eggs for every meal. It gets repetitive after a while and one can easily get bored. That's when the real challenge sets in. What sets the challenge in the Iron-Chef-America mode is being pressed for time, multitasking.

The best thing about eggs are that they are so versatile, you can almost add them to anything- a stir fry, rice, or a simple scramble or omelet. The quickest and easiest version of eggs with an attitude is what I call the Whatever-You-Get Omelet.

As for braising, after spending over a decade trying to perfect the omelet, watching them serve me a perfect one every time at leisurely brunches and breakfast buffets and me trying to replicate the same only to end up with brown omelet every single time, I have resorted to braising my eggs and they're perfect every time. Braising is basically cooking your eggs in steam, and you'll end up with the best omelet ever if you get it right!

The Whatever-You-Get Braised Omelet
Serves One
Takes 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 whole eggs/ 4 egg whites.
1 tsp Oil + 1 tsp Oil.
Tata Salt LITE to taste (low sodium)
Pepper to taste
Whatever you get. (Seriously. You can add some leftover Chicken or Veg. Mixed greens are a great option too. I used Broccoli, Lettuce and Spinach, some shredded chicken and half a Tomato. You can go as crazy as you like, be it mushrooms, different kinds of cheese, boiled Corn kernels,even leftover rice sautéed in spices!)
A slice of Cheese. I used White Cheddar
A splash of milk (approximately 1 tbsp)

Important apparatus: a non stick pan with a lid.

Recipe:

Whisk the eggs with Milk, Salt and Pepper. Set aside.
Heat up the non stick pan on medium high heat. Prep the veggies and keep them ready. Also keep the Cheese peeled and ready (you're welcome, bachelor readers, I'm laying it out step by step for you :P )
Add 1 tsp Oil to the pan followed by Chili flakes and veggies. turn heat to high and sauté for 2 minutes. Remove in a separate plate.
Put the pan back on heat and turn the heat to low. Pour the omelet mixture in and stir lightly in the pan. Gently whisk around, and then top with all the yummy veggies that have been sautéed, chicken, cheese, herbs!
Sprinkle few drops of water around the insides of the pan and immediately cover it. Let it stay for 3 minutes. The steam generated from the sizzling water will braise the omelet and will cook it from the top as well.
Remove the lid, and transfer the cooked omelet to a plate. If you think the omelet is too runny for you, give it a couple more minutes with a covered lid.
I drizzled the top of my omelet with Chili infused olive oil and had it as is, so filling, so healthy!