Bhuna Jeera, as it is called in India, roasted cumin seeds can add a distinct tangy flavour to any recipe. It can be used a spice while cooking and it goes really well when added to yogurt drinks, cocktails, fruit punches and salads. Prepare Bhuna Jeera (roasted cumin powder) at home by simply roasting cumin seeds in microwave for 1-2 minutes moving it every 30 seconds so that it does not burn. Grind the roasted seeds to a coarse powder and store in air tight container.
Tag: lavina masand mehra
Healthy Green Beans-फलियाँ आलू
Why this recipe? why should I try it? How is it green? How am I contributing to making this earth green by following four steps or less recipes?
This recipe is quick, is loaded with dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals, and plant derived micronutrients.
You save: considerable fuel energy and precious time by using water in the recipe to make the ingredients cook fast. By using alternate high and low heat you get the right colour that appease your eyes and flavour that satisfies your taste buds.
SERVES: 2-3
COOKING TIME: 6-10 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 palm sized potato cut in small pieces
500 grams cut french beans (fresh or frozen)
1 teaspoon oil
1 pinch asafoetida powder (hing)- optional
2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
1/4 glass of water
1 teaspoon mango powder or lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon all spice (garam masala)
STEPS:
Step 1. Put asafoetida powder and Cumin in heated oil, after 30 seconds add cut potatoes, cut beans, salt, red chilli powder and turmeric.
Step 2. Add 1/4 glass of water, cover the lid and turn heat to high for 3-4 minutes.
Step 3. Turn potatoes around and keep it with lid open on low heat for 2-3 minutes.
Step 4. Add mango powder and garam masala before putting it into serving dish.
HANDY TIPS:
You can replace mango powder with lemon juice.
YOGURT DILL DIP-दही की चक्का सोई चटनी
Gluten Free, quick and nutritious
Ingredients:
750 grams yogurt
1 teaspoon salt
2 inch frozen crushed green chilli
2 teaspoon dill weed or fresh dill
Preparation:
Put yogurt in the muslin cloth and hang it for 1-2 hours for the water to drain out.
STEPS:
Step 1. Remove yogurt block from the muslin cloth and put it in a container.
Step 2. Add salt, frozen garlic, frozen crushed green chilli and dill weed.
Step 3. Mix everything thoroughly and store in refrigerator.
Handy Tips:
1. You can be as creative as you want to be , replace Dill weed with other herbs like chives, rosemary, basil, mint, coriander or spices like red chilli pepper, black pepper.
2. You can also add finely chopped bell peppers, mushrooms or cucumber.
Cocothai Fish-थाई सब्ज़मछली
SERVES: 3
GLUTEN FREE, HIGH IN OMEGA 3 FATS AND FIBRE
Why this recipe? How is it green and quick? How am I contributing to making this earth green by following this four steps or less recipe?
It is quicker than a quick recipe.
Using frozen stir fry vegetables, will save 10-12 minutes of your time required to wash, cut, chop veggies.
By using this recipe you save 10-12 minutes of your precious time that is about 5 to 8% of the total time you spend in kitchen on an average (assuming you spend a total of 2-3 hours in a day in the kitchen)
COOKING TIME: 8-10 minutes
PREPARATION:
Marinate Fish for 10-15 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
For Fish Marination
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoon all-spice (garam masala) or any other spice mix
1 tablespoon lemon juice
For Curry Topping:
2 teaspoon oil (1 for fish,1 for curry)
1 tablespoon of sesame (til) seeds
1 tablespoon Thai curry paste ( Green, Red or Yellow)
1 can of coconut milk
½ teaspoon of red chilli powder
500 grams of mixed frozen vegetables
1 square inch of frozen chopped green chilli (if preferred)
STEP 1. Put sesame seeds in heated oil. Stir for 30 seconds and add thai curry paste to it.
STEP 2. Add coconut milk, thawed frozen vegetables. Keep it on high heat for 2-3 minutes. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes with lid covered.
STEP 3. On another stove, put marinated fish on to heated oil in a pan and cover the lid. Turn it once after 3-4 minutes while vegetable sauce is cooking on the other stove.
STEP 4. Fish and sauce will be done almost at the same time within 5-6 minutes. Serve sauce over fish. You can chose to garnish it with spring onion, craisins and nuts of your choice.
HANDY TIPS:
1. This preparation can be served as a soup, a topping on grilled veggies or meats or as a curry to go with rice or with roti, naan or bread.
2. Bring your creative side to play and add some flavourful herbs like lemon basil, rosemary, cilantro or dill.
Energy Smart Tip-बिजली बचाओ सलाह
When baking a cake or using an oven for a recipe, consider using the same electric energy and your time to roast/bake/ grill ingredients for another recipe for another day. If you think hard, there will always be something that can be done like roasting an eggplant, potatoes, or another vegetable, or meat or nuts that can be stored in the refrigerator for use for another meal. Conventional cooking range ovens have enough space to accommodate several dishes on its racks, so make use of the space, energy and time.
This way not only you get better organized for the next meal, you help make the earth green, save some carbon footprint you may otherwise leave with using oven time and again. To add to this, be Energy Smart and check out the off peak time for your province and plan using the oven at a time when it costs the least and you can save energy cost.
Roast Eggplant Mash (Baingun Bharta)-गुणों वाला बैगुन भर्था
Why this recipe? How is it green? Am I saving some time by following four steps or less recipes?
GLUTEN FREE, Source of dietary fibre, vitamins and rich in antioxidants compounds
Using Pre sautéed onions and pre roasted eggplant/Aubergine is saving 15-25 minutes of your time.
You save: 40% of fuel energy and 15-25 minutes of your precious time that is about 8 to 10% of the total time you spend in kitchen on an average(assuming you spend a total of 2-3 hours in a day in the kitchen).
COOKING TIME: 10-15 Minutes with preparation following time saving tips
INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon oil
1 large roasted egg plant, peeled and cut into small pieces
1 big tomato chopped
2 big onions chopped small (and sautéed, if you followed save time for next time tip)
2 inch frozen ginger
1 inch frozen chopped green chilli
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
1 ½ teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon of mango powder or pomegranate powder
Coriander leaves or spring onion for garnish
STEP 1. Put bay leaf and cinnamon into heated oil, let them get brown and add sautéed onion (If using fresh cut onion , sauté until they are translucent)
STEP 2. Add chopped roasted aubergine, salt, chilli powder and coriander powder
STEP 3. Add chopped tomatoes and sauté until all water from tomatoes dries out
STEP 4. Add pomegranate powder or mango powder before putting it in serving dish.
HANDY TIPS:
Aubergine/eggplant can be roasted right on the stove by putting it on a metal mesh or in the oven. Conventional recipe requires it to be roasted in a clay oven called tandoor. To get the smoky flavour on an oven or stove roasted eggplant, follow the process in smoking hot tip
To ensure energy efficiency and minimize carbon footprint of your cooking, put the eggplant in the oven when you are using the oven for some other baking. Roasted eggplant can be stored in fridge for days before you make the bhartha/Mash.
To save time for this recipe use pre sautéed onions that you stored in your fridge the last the time around. (remember the save time for next time tip)
More Pondering
It has now been over a week since I launched my blog and website. All of the last week went by in the excitement of picking up a new technology and social media skills. I thoroughly enjoyed brainstorming how best to convey all that’s on my mind. The more I think about it, the more I feel that it is quite a task to be able to connect to people through writing. I am glad I am giving it a shot, though not sure how much time it will take for me to learn this craft. This is one thing I have not done much of in my life so far.
When I ponder over some reactions from family and friends on the blog, I feel, maybe I have not fully accomplished articulating my drive behind this initiative. It is really not the recipes that I want to share,
it is through the recipes that I wish to talk about some quick cooking methods, the urge to optimize time in the kitchen, and the zeal to save energy – both fuel and human. And through all this, to make this planet more green, use energies smartly, and squeeze more time out of our busy lives for the family to create some special moments and memories. Moments that are lost do not come back – गुज़र जाते है॑ जो पल वो फिर नही॑ आते, so we must seize the opportunity to enjoy precious moments with our loved ones. And, the best thing about memories is that we make them. So we need to find time to continue to create more memories. If my blog can help you save some time in your kitchen (to start with), it will be a feat for me.
Another reflection that I would like to share at this time is that being creative with cooking is not just replacing one ingredient with an alternate one, or decorating or garnishing the dish differently each time. What it really means to me, is to be able to connect things. Some salty flavour mingled with a sweet or sour flavour, or a regular bland soup infused with a spice or herb can do the trick to tingle ones tastebuds. Creativity requires one to be bold and use ingredients from conventional recipes in an unconventional one, or experiment with something different and unique. Just like some people simply follow fashion trends and others create trends. Be the trendsetter not the follower. With confidence and creativity you will have won even before you have started.
I will continue to jot down more of my thoughts as I look at reorienting my posts and work on sharing my underlying thoughts for this initiative. I genuinely appreciate all the valuable advice and feedback some friends have offered and would love to continue receiving more.
Cocothai curry-गरीथाई करी
SERVES: 3-4
Why this recipe?
Gluten Free , Quicker than any quick recipe. Just 3 Steps
COOKING TIME: 6-8 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon oil
2 teaspoons of sesame seeds(white til seeds)
1 tablespoon of Thai curry paste (Red, Green or Yellow)
1 can of coconut milk or coconut cream
500 grams of mixed frozen vegetables or fresh mixed veggies
STEP 1. Put sesame seeds in heated oil. Stir for 30 seconds and add thai curry paste to it.
STEP 2. Thaw frozen veggies in microwave for 2-3 minutes or steam fresh veggies with a cover in microwave for 2-3 minutes.
STEP 3:Add coconut milk, thawed frozen vegetables and salt. Keep it on the heat for 2-3 minutes with lid covered. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes with lid covered.
HANDY TIPS:
1. You can add boneless chicken or any other meat to make it a non-vegetarian option.
2. This preparation can be served as a soup, a topping on grilled veggies or meats or as curry to go with rice or with roti, naan or bread.
3. Bring your creative side to play and add some flavourful herbs like lemon basil, rosemary, cilantro or dill.
4. If you do not have readymade curry paste, make a paste with ginger, green chillies and fresh curry leaves or coriander leaves for a green curry.
Coconut Veggie – Cocotom curry-तु॑गटम सब्ज़ी
SERVES: 3-4
Why this recipe?
Gluten Free , Quicker than a quick recipe.
COOKING TIME: 6-8 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon oil
2 teaspoons of mustard seeds
5-10 tender curry leaves
2 medium sized chopped tomatoes
1 can of coconut milk or coconut cream
500 grams of mixed frozen or fresh vegetables
½ teaspoon of red chilli powder
1 square inch of frozen chopped green chilli
2 square inch of frozen grated ginger or 25 grams fresh ginger
STEP 1. Put mustard seeds and curry leaves in heated oil. Stir for 30 seconds to a minute.
STEP 2. Add chopped tomatoes, ginger, green chilli and red chilli powder and let it simmer for 2 minutes with lid covered.
STEP 3. Thaw frozen vegetables or steam fresh veggies in microwave in the meanwhile for 2-3 minutes
STEP 4. Add coconut milk, thawed frozen vegetables and salt. Keep it on the heat for 2-3 minutes with lid covered.
HANDY TIPS:
1. You can add boneless chicken or any other meat to make it a non-vegetarian option.
2. This preparation can be served as a soup, a topping on grilled veggies or meats or as curry to go with rice or with roti, naan or bread.
3. Bring your creative side to play and add some flavourful herbs like lemon basil, rosemary, cilantro or dill.
Luscious Indian baby pumpkin-पश्छिम के बेसनी टिंडे
SERVES: 2-3
GLUTEN FREE, HIGH IN PROTEIN AND FIBRE
Why this recipe? How is it green? How am I contributing to making this earth green by following four steps or less recipes?
Using Pressure Cooker will take 8-10 minutes whereas it will take 20-25 minutes in a regular pan.
You save: 70% of fuel energy and 10 minutes of your precious time that is about 5 to 8% of the total time you spend in kitchen on an average (assuming you spend a total of 2-3 hours in a day in the kitchen)
This is a completely gluten free recipe that is a delicacy from Western India.
COOKING TIME: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon oil
2 teaspoons jeera (cumin)
1 pinch of hing (asafoetida powder)
1 big tomato chopped
1 tablespoon besan (chickpea flour)
½ kilo tinda (baby pumpkin), each cut into 4 pieces
1 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
½ tablespoon haldi (turmeric powder)
½ teaspoon garam masala (all spice)
1 square inch of frozen chopped green chilli
2 square inch of frozen grated ginger or 25 grams fresh ginger
100 ml or 1/2 glass of water
Dhania (coriander) leaves for garnish
STEP 1. Put asafoetida powder and cumin seeds in heated oil and let it brown.
STEP 2. Add chopped tomatoes and besan (chickpea flour), sauté it with tomatoes for 2-3 minutes for chickpea flour to roast. This will take 1-2 minutes.
STEP 3. Add all of the rest of ingredients and 1/2 glass of water before you close the pressure cooker/pan lid.
STEP 4. Let it whistle 1 time (4-5 minutes) and open the cooker after all steam is released (it might take 5-7 minutes). Add garam masala and coriander leaves as you serve.
HANDY TIPS:
Asafoetida has a very unique flavour, the recipe will still come out fine, even if you decide not to use it.
Always wait for the steam in pressure cooker to release by itself. This is a safety precaution as well as retains all flavour of the food.
Four Steps or Less 