Maainji (Mango-ginger) Rice

I have not had mango-ginger in any form other than pickle. This time when I got mango-ginger I wanted to prepare anything but pickle; from internet (more specifically from www.7aumsuvai.com) I learnt mango ginger rice can be prepared and was more than happy to try it out. It so flavorful but tastes & looks more like lemon rice.

Ingredients:

1. Mango ginger -  4" piece
2. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
3. Dry red chilies - 3
4. Oil - 2 tbsp
5. Urad dal - 1 tbsp
6. Bengal gram - 1 tbsp
7. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
8. Asafoetida - 1 pinch
9. Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
10. Onion - 1 small (optional)
11. Lemon juice - 1-2 tbsp (optional)
12. Cooked rice - 2 cups
13. Salt to taste


Method:

Step 1:  Wash, peel and grate the mango ginger; chop onion finely if using.
Step 2: Heat oil in a kadai, splutter mustards seeds in it, fry bengal gram & urad dal, add broken chilies, curry leaves and sprinkle asafoetida & turmeric powder.
Step 3: Saute onion (if using) and then grated mango-ginger.
Step 4: Now add cooked rice, salt to taste and mix thoroughly. Drizzle more oil and lemon juice if required.
Step 5: Serve with any fries or papads.

TIPS:
* Roasted peanuts can be added in the tempering which will make it more tasty and healthy.

Palak Dosa

There is no need mention the health  aspects of spinach or palak for even a small kid would say how powerful the popeye becomes on consuming spinach, thanks to popeye (or whomsoever designed and linked the character with spinach) by whose courtesy feeding greens to kids have become way easier. I had some not-so fresh spinach in fridge and thought if I can color and fortify my dosas with that... and it worked.

Ingredients:

1. Spinach - 1 small bunch

2. Green chilies - 2

3. Dosa batter - 2 cups

4. Salt to taste.

Method:

Step 1: Clean and chop the greens and chilies and put them in a mixer and blend well.

Step 2: Mix it with dosa batter, adjust consistency and salt.

Step 3: Prepare palak dosas as normal dosas.

Step 4: Serve hot with chutneys or sambar.

TIPS:

*  Alternatively you can saute the chilies and greens slightly or steam them and then blend it,  if greens are not pre-cooked, the dosas take a slightly longer time to cook.
* You can add chopped onions to batter or spread them on top like in uttapams to mask the flavor of spinach if you do not like the flavor.

Gobi Paratha

Stuffed parathas are tedious job for me, but they are well worth the effort; Kundan is fond of them. Someday, if I feel like getting appreciated no-matter-what, I just prepare parathas; from that angle parathas are simple. Usually phool gobi or cauliflower is fried to prepare the stuffing which I did not do, I used it raw but I think frying it slightly gives better texture and flavor. 

Ingredients:

1. Cauliflower florets - 1 cup

2. Onion chopped - 1/2 cup

3. Coriander - 5 sprigs

4. Green Chilies - 2

5. Juice of half a lemon

6. Salt to taste

7. Butter & Oil as required

8. Wheat flour - 2 cups

9. Carom seeds - 1/4 tsp

Method:

Step 1: Knead wheat flour with required salt, carom seeds, a spoon of oil and required water into a soft and elastic dough.

Step 2: Clean the cauliflower florets and grate them (I 'drrr' them in the mixer); chop onion, coriander and green chilies finely.

Step 3: Add cauliflower, onion, green chilies, coriander, salt, chili powder and lemon juiceto a bowl and mix well; this is how I prepared my hassle-free stuffing. [However, the tastier one is got by: spluttering cumin seeds in hot oil; then saute the chilies, onion, grated cauliflower in it; add chili powder, turmeric powder,  garam masala, amchoor powder and finally adding the coriander]

Step 4: Now divide the dough and stuffing into equal number of similar sized portions.

Step 5: With the help of dry flour roll the dough portion and grease center with some oil, place a portion of stuffing in there, fold on top-bottom sides and then side edges towards the center thus forming a square shape.

Step 6: Massage gently with fingers to spread the stuffing inside evenly, then with the help of some dry flour roll it again to a thinner paratha, retaining the shape. Repeat for all parathas.

Step 7: Heat a tawa, grease some oil or butter and roast both the sides to nice brown; ensure the inside is cooked as the parathas are thicker and multi-folded.