Uttapam is a well know South Indian breakfast dish which belongs to the dosa family. Generally most of the dosa’s are thin and crispy however; uttapam is thick and soft similar to pancakes. The batter for preparing any kind of dosa is the same however; the cooking process is different for different kinds of dosas. Uttapam is generally topped with vegetables like onions, tomatos and carrots and served with coconut chutney and sambhar. The batter for regular uttapam is prepared using 1 cup of urad daal and 3 cups of idli rice, however; in this recipe I have used red rice, quinoa, yellow moog daal and red poha to prepare the batter. This is slightly different than traditional uttapam and gives a different taste and texture to it. You can add your favorite veggies and the healthy uttapam is a perfect breakfast and after school snacks for kids.
Archives
Gatte ki sabji( Sabzi)
Rajasthan, a state in India, has its own specialties when it comes to delicacies. Gatte ki sabji is one of that delicacy prepared using simple ingredients however has amazing taste. Though it is specialty of Rajasthan,its famous all over India. Other parts of India have their own variation of besan curry similar to to gatte ki sabji and I have shared couple of recipes of the same. It seem Rajasthani marriage celebrations are incomplete without this dish. The main ingredient of the recipe is besan (gram flour) which is used to prepare Gatte. The curry is based out of tomato, curd and mix of spices. In this recipe, I have also added fresh fenugreek (methi) leaves which make Gatte’s more delicious. Making dough for Gatte is little tricky and it should be of wheat flour chapati’s consistency. The delicious curry goes very well with Roti, Rice, Naan and Paratha.
Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup
Soup, generally used as an appetizer in Indian cuisines comes in variety of flavors based on ingredients. There are soups with ingredients such a lentil, tomato, beans, chicken and so on. The Chinese noodle soups are a entree rather than an appetizer. The two main kind of soups are clear and thick soups. This thick soup is prepared using sweet potato and carrot as main ingredients. It has beautiful red-orange color of carrot & beetroot, naturally sweetened by sweet potato and has hint of spices. This healthy and delicious soup is easy to prepare and best served with garlic bread and croutons. This is a favorite in my family and I keep getting demands for making this very often. 
Ghevar With Raspberry Rabri
Ghevar is a very popular Rajasthani dessert which is prepared during festivals like Teej, Rakshabandhan or any other special occasion. Traditionally, this awesome dessert goes really well with milk rabri. In this recipe, I have used rabri with raspberry and mango yogurt which gives it a sweet and sour taste and neutralizes its sweetness. At first it is a little complicated recipe to prepare however once you get a hang of it, it comes out really well and the effort is worth it. Ghevar is made using all purpose flour batter and deep fried in oil or ghee. Ghevar has a light, lacy and crispy texture. The two very important aspects of making Ghever are batter consistency and oil/ghee temperature. The right batter brings out the lacy texture and oil/ghee temperature helps it to rise and give the right shape and texture. Once ready, it is soaked in sugar syrup before serving. The ghevar can be stored in air tight containers for up to 2 weeks, and just before serving, soak in warm sugar syrup and garnish with raspberry rabdi and mango yogurt. I am so excited to share this recipe as it is my first time making it, and took me couple attempts to get it right.
Paneer Mutter Masala
Paneer mutter masala is one of most popular dish in North India. Paneer is one of the most liked ingredient to adults as well as kids. There are varieties of paneer recipes like paneer butter masala, methi paneer mutter masala, paneer tikka masala, palak paneer, chili paneer masala and so on. This recipe is a considered as a delicacy and prepared only on special occasions. It is also one of the most sought out dish in restaurants. The recipe looks very appealing in its orange red color gravy which is generally due to food coloring. However I have used beetroot to get the same color to the recipe. The main ingredient in the recipe is paneer and mutter which is added to a rich tomato based gravy with spices, cashew nut and cream. The wonderful aroma due to spices and awesome taste of curry is extremely appetizing. The curry goes very well with Naan, Poori, Parathas and plain or jeera rice. If you are not a fan of paneer, you can use Tofu instead. Prepare this dish to celebrate your special days with family and friend, however indulge at your own risk.
Tulsi Ginger Lemongrass Tea
Tea is a very common hot beverage in India which is made using milk, sugar, water and dried tea leaves. Many people feel relaxed and fresh after drinking this beverage. It is also one of the commonly served beverage to guests along with salty snacks. There are varieties for tea available like green tea, herbal team, lemon tea and so on. This tea recipe is a simple recipe with added benefits of Tulsi leaves, Ginger and Lemongrass. Tulsi leave is an Indian herb also known as Indian Holy basil and it’s plant is worshiped in India. All the three ingredients are anti-bacterial and have lots of health benefits. This tea also helps when one has cough, cold and throat pains in winter and helps in fighting infections.
Chicken Masala
There are varieties of recipes which one can make using Chicken. Different states in India have different chicken masala flavor. This recipe preparation is specifically based on the one which is used in Northern part of India. For this recipe chicken is roasted and cooked in a pan and then mixed with beetroot & tomato based gravy. Using whole spices in the preparation gives awesome garam masala flavor. Chicken masala goes well with plain rice, jeera rice, paratha, naan or phulka. We all loved this recipe, even kids too as I did not make it very spicy. If you a chicken lover, I am sure you and your family would like this too.
Red Beans Curry
Red Beans Curry is a side dish prepared mainly from dry Red Beans. There are variety of beans available in grocery store like kidney beans, pinto beans, soybeans and so on. Using these beans you can also prepare variety of recipes like a soup, curry and salad. Beans are good source of fiber and protein. This recipe preparation is more like Indian style Rajma recipe. The recipe is very simple to prepare basically soak the beans overnight, boil it and then cook with some spices. The curry goes very well with plain rice, jeera rice and well as poori and paratha. This same recipe I have also used for Beet Greens Rice Roll. 