Tag: lavinamasandmehra

Crazy Spicy Cranberries- फ़िरंगी करौंदे

On By lavinamehraIn 10 minutes or more recipesLeave a comment

Why this recipe?

This is a quick recipe. Unique flavour of spices added to cranberries.

Cranberries are loaded with vitamin C and dietary fibres, calcium and other vitamins. Needless to say cranberries are a known remedy for so many gynaecological problems, so try it if you want to experience a different flavour of the same good old cranberries.

COOKING TIME: 5-8 Minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon cooking oil
250 grams of frozen or fresh cranberries (karonde)
2 inch of frozen green chillies or 4 fresh green chillies
¼ glass of water
1 tablespoon of cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons red chilly powder
IMG_0812STEPS:
Step 1. Put cumin seeds (jeera) in heated oil, sauté for 30 seconds
Step 2. Add all of the rest of ingredients to the pan and cover lid. Keep on heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 3.Open lid and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
Step 4. Enjoy spicy, sweet, sour crazy cranberries.

Roasted Garlic-भुनी लहसुन

On By lavinamehraIn TipsLeave a comment
As healthy as garlic is, it adds a distinct flavour to our foods. This stinking rose, if roasted does wonders and turns an ordinary recipe into a gourmet meal. Check out the steps below for a quick way to always have roasted garlic ready with you to add to any recipe.
STEPS:
Step 1. Cut the garlic bulb into half horizontally.
Step 2. Wrap the halves of bulbs in silver foil and throw it in the oven when the oven is already in use for something else. Roast for 15-20 minutes.
Step 3. When the foil cools down, open the foil and hold the half cut bulb in the foil and press it to squeeze roasted garlic out of it. It will smoothly come out completely mess free leaving the shell of the cloves within the foil.
Step 4. Store roasted cloves in an airtight container in the fridge. These can be stored for months without it going bad.
Handy Tip:
Add mashed roasted garlic to yogurt dips, hummus or any other recipe that requires garlic as an ingredient.

Quick Savoury Gluten Free Crispy Crepe-बेसन सोंधा चिला

On By lavinamehraIn Less than 10 minutes Quicker RecipesLeave a comment


Why this recipe?

GLUTEN FREE- loaded with vitamins and minerals

QUICK TO MAKE- Takes 6-10 minutes to cook and come out yum.

This recipe saves you :  your precious time and provides a nutritious snack or breakfast option

You can be creative -add other ingredients like nuts, raisins, tomatoes, cottage cheese, spring onion, chopped spinach or mushrooms.. Amaze yourself and your family by being different each time you try this recipe. For non vegetarians, you could try rolling a sausage or adding sautéed chicken pieces inside the crepe before you serve it or minced cooked meat in the dough.

COOKING TIME : 6-10 MINUTES
SERVES – 2 to 3
Will make 7-8 crepes

INGREDIENTS: 

2 tea spoon oil
200 grams chickpea flour
250 ml glass of water
2 tea spoon salt
1 tea spoon red chilli powder
1 tea spoon garam masala (all Spice)
2 square inch of frozen ginger or fresh grated ginger (optional).
1 small tomato- chopped (optional)
1/2 medium green pepper/capsicum – chopped (optional)
1/2 small onion – finely chopped (optional)
1 handful of chopped fresh coriander leaves (optional)

STEPS

Step 1. Add salt, red chilli powder and garam masala to chickpea flour in a mixing bowl, add water and whisk it well for 2-3 minutes. If adding cut veggies, fold in all chopped veggies.
Step 2. Pour a ladle of mixture on heated non-stick pan surface. (Optional- Put a few drops of oil around the crepe . Let it cook for a minute
Step 3. Turn around the crepe, let it get brown/roasted for about a minute other side as well. It is ready to serve.

HANDY TIPS:IMG_0757
1. You can be creative with adding veggies to this crepe. Spring onion, grated cottage cheese, chopped spinach, green chillies, other herbs, all go well.
2. Adding vegetables will make the crepe more moist and soft.
3. This crepe will go well with spicy or sweet tomato chutney, coriander

Freeze Fresh Herbs-हरी बर्फीली सलाह

On By lavinamehraIn Tips1 Comment


We all love herbs and their distinct flavours, however whenever we buy fresh herbs we do not use them all at the same time. It seems cumbersome to save them and keep them fresh until the next use. For me, it is really painful to see the herbs die down and then thrown away.

IMG_0706An easy way to use the herbs multiple times is that you can freeze fresh herbs by simply washing and chopping them while they are fresh and wet (no need to dry them out). Put chopped herbs in an empty ice cube tray. Put as much quantity in each cube as you would need for your average recipe. Add a little water to the cubes to help herbs freeze well and form the shape. Once frozen, store these cubes in the tray itself or in a freezer zip bag or container. When you use frozen herbs, you will find them in the same colour and as flavourful as they are when fresh.

Flavourful Tip-ज़ायकेदार सलाह

On By lavinamehraIn TipsLeave a comment

thumb_IMG_0237_1024Bhuna 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.

Healthy Green Beans-फलियाँ आलू

On By lavinamehraIn 10 minutes or more recipesLeave a comment

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:IMG_0467
You can replace mango powder with lemon juice.

YOGURT DILL DIP-दही की चक्का सोई चटनी

On By lavinamehraIn Less than 10 minutes Quicker Recipes5 Comments
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:IMG_0450
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.

Energy Smart Tip-बिजली बचाओ सलाह

On By lavinamehraIn TipsLeave a comment

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

On By lavinamehraIn 10 minutes or more recipesLeave a comment

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

On By lavinamehraIn MusingsLeave a comment

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,lavina masand mehra 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.