Zaiqa

Snacks at the evening time after a small afternoon siesta were always so looked forward to by us all kids during my childhood in Hyderabad. Mirchi ke bhajiye, Palak ki pakodi, Aloo ke bhajiye, Pyaz ki pakodi, Bhelpuri, Aloo cutlets with chutneys, Samosa, or a variety of Fruit-chaat etc are the usual typical Indian tea time snacks.

Black Chickpeas-Kala Chana     ~     White Chickpeas-Kabuli Chana
Top-Pressure cooked Chana; Middle-Soaked Chana; Bottom-Dried Chana

There are two types of Chickpeas found in the market, black chickpeas called as Kala Chana in Urdu, and white chickpeas called as Kabuli Chana in Urdu. The black chickpeas are also sprouted and consumed in salads or lightly stir fried for a nutritious snack.

Note: Fresh chickpeas are green in color, in fuzzy pods, and are called as Hara Chana or Hari Boot. Have a look at them here. Fresh green chickpeas are sweetish in taste and taste awesome when dry roasted in pods in pans on stovetop until lightly charred, then shelled and eaten warm. When these green fresh chickpeas are dried in sun, they get dark in color with brown skin and rock like, called as the Kala Chana or Black Chickpeas. When these black chickpeas are skinned and split, we get Chana Dal or Bengal Gram. Instead when the black chickpeas are roasted and then skinned, we get Phula Chana, also referred to as Dalia or Bhuna Chana or Roasted Chana.

Spicy Black Chickpeas – Chatpate Kale Chane

During a recent visit to one of the grocery stores here, I spotted a bag of Kala chana which I quickly bought home and decided to enjoy them the way one of my aunt used to prepare during my childhood which I had always loved.

Spicy Black Chickpeas – Chatpate Kale Chane

Ingredients:

Dried Black Chickpeas/Kala Chana – 200 grams
Salt – 2 tsp
Canola oil – 1 tsp
Kalonji – 1 tsp
Dried red chilli – 1, whole
Cumin seeds/Zeera – 1 tsp
Red Ripe Tomato – 2, medium sized
Amchur powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Onion – finely chopped, for garnish
Cilantro – finely chopped, for garnish
Green chillies – finely chopped, for garnish

Method:

1. Wash and soak the dried kala chana covered overnight in cool fresh water.
2. The next day, drain the water and wash the kala chana in cool water. Drain and put them in a pressure cooker. Pour 1 glass of cool water and add salt into the cooker and pressure cook the chana until tender, around 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a pan at medium heat, pour oil and add the kalonji and zeera. As they splutter, add the tomatoes, stir and cover the pan for 2-3 minutes. Add the red chilli powder and amchur powder and stir them again. Add the pressure cooked kala chana with the water and stir gently to mix well, half cover the pan and let cook until it is mostly dry. Add a few more splashes of water if needed. Once done, the chana should be fairly dry.
4. Serve them into individual plates. Garnish with chopped onion, green chilli and cilantro. Enjoy with a cup of warm evening tea as a snack.

Luv,
Mona

Pulses are an essential component of Indians meals. They are the main source of protein and iron in an Indian diet.

Split husked Moong dal~Dhuli hui Moong dal and Tomato

Moong is one variety among the common Indian pulses. Whole Moong, as called as Green gram, in Urdu language is called as Hari Moong. These whole moong beans are sprouted to increase their vitamin C content and consumed in salads or sauteed lightly. Split moong with skin is called as Chilkon wali moong. And split husked moong, which I have used today to prepare this dish is called as Dhulli hui moong ki dal.

Tamatar-pyaz wali dhulli Moong dal
served with store bought warm whole-wheat Afghani bread

Split husked moong is oval shaped and pale yellow in colour. I love to prepare them this way in a tomato-onion mixture for breakfast as my Ammi used to do during my childhood.

Tamatar-Pyaz wali Dhulli Moong dal – Tomato-Onion flavored split husked Moong lentils

Ingredients:

Split Moong Da/Dhulli hui moong dal – 1 cup
Canola oil – 2 tsp
Onion – 1, finely sliced
Tomato – 1, large, finely chopped
Red chilli powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
Cilantro – 2 tbsp, finely chopped

Method:

1. Wash and soak the split moong dal for about an hour in cool fresh water.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan at medium heat and add the sliced onion. Stir and cook until just lightly browned. Add the chopped tomato, red chilli powder and salt. Mix well and cover the lid and let cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes are mushy.
3. Drain the dal and to the tomato onion mixture. Mix well and pour in 1 cup warm water. Cover and let cook until the dal is soft but not mushy. Add more water if needed. Once done, remove from heat, garnish with cilantro and serve warm immdiately.

This delicious dal is my entry to the event ‘Delicious Dals from India’ being hosted by Suma at her blog Veggie Platter.

Luv,
Mona

Pan-roasted spicy Potatoes

I enjoy these simple and easy to prepare spicy pan-roasted potatoes along with scrambled eggs, a toasted bread and home made butter for a scrumptious breakfast. You can also enjoy these versatile pan roasted potatoes along with roti and a vegetable curry for a light meal, some grilled sheekh kababs and a fruit salad on the side for a yummy brunch. Kids will especially love them.

Bhune Aloo – Spicy Pan-Roasted Breakfast  Potatoes

Ingredients:

White Potatoes – 5, medium sized, peeled and quartered, (or cut thinly as shown in the picture below)
Red Chilli powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Salt – 1 tsp
Canola Oil – 1 tbsp
Nigella seeds/Kalonji – 1 tsp (optional)

breakfast potatoes along with omlette

Method:

1. In a bowl, add the quartered potatoes, red chilli powder and salt. Mix it all with your hands so that the potatoes get evenly covered with the spices.
2. Pour oil into a large heavy bottomed non-stick frying pan at medium heat. As it heats up, add the kalonji. Immediately add the seasoned potatoes from the bowl and stir well. Cover the lid for about a minute.
3. Stir them scraping the pan with a wooden spoon, sprinkle a few drops of water and immediately cover with the lid. Repeat the process of scraping and sprinkling with water while covering the pan with lid in between every one or two minutes until the potatoes are tender, about 10-15 mins. Pierce a knife into the quartered potato to check for doneness. Serve warm.

I am sending these pan roasted potatoes over to Ammalu’s Kitchen for the Think Spice, Think Kalonji event.

Luv,
Mona

Fresh seafood always has the best taste. And lightly seasoned grilled fresh along with a light salad for a meal is just perfect.

Grilled Salmon Steaks

I tasted Salmon for the first time in Canada, and since then I have developed a great liking for this fish. I get a few fresh Salmon steaks, pep it with a few spices for flavor, then grill it, and there you go, healthy sea-food for your family. Pacific Pink Salmon is my favorite. Enjoy it with fresh crunchy salad on the side or savor it along with rice and a vegetable curry for a hearty meal.

Fresh Salmon Steaks ready to be marinated

Salmon fish has a unique taste, different from all other fishes. It is my favorite fish that I love to eat very often. It has a pink flesh due to pigments and is rich in proteins, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin D, vitB3 and vitB12. Lipid lowering fats like the EPA and DHA present in this cold-water oily fish can help protect from cardiovascular diseases by lowering cholesterol if regularly included in diets. Always go for the fresh or frozen, locally caught, wild salmon or any other fish from the markets, as they are the sustainable and safe option compared to the farm raised kinds, because the farm raised Salmon or any other fish for that matter are said to be fed with industrial chemicals and synthetic pigments.

Grilled Salmon Steaks

Ingredients:

Salmon Steaks – 4
Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
Salt – 2 tsp
Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Canola oil – 1 tsp

Marinated Salmon Steaks

Method:

1. In a small bowl, make a paste of red chilli powder, salt, lemon juice and ginger garlic paste. Rub this paste on the salmon steaks and let marinate for about 15 minutes at room temperature.
2. Heat your stove top grill pan on medium high. Sprinkle a few drops of water on it, if the water sizzles, the pan is ready.
3. Brush the grill pan with oil using a silicone brush so that the fish doesn’t stick. Gently place the salmon steaks on the grill pan and let cook 8 minutes per side or until flaky.
Note: Discard the skin after cooking, do not consume it, as it quite fatty and hence unhealthy. I usually cook the fish for 8 minutes per inch of thickness.

You could even grill them on your charcoal grill for a smoky flavor, or using the gas grill, or in the broiler, the same way.

I was reading an article in a magazine and it listed a few fish that are good in nutrition as well as good for the ocean:

Anchovies
Atlantic Mackerel
Farmed Rainbow Trout
Farmed Oysters
Alaskan or Canadian Sablefish
Wild Alaskan Salmon
Arctic Char
Yellowfish Tuna
Sardines
U.S. farmed Shrimp

Luv,
Mona

The combination of Soya nuggets and Spinach is very healthy with added nutrition from Soya proteins. Soya is an excellent source of protein including all amino acids, being the only vegetable whose protein is complete. It is also a good source of calcium, vitamins, omega-3-fatty acids and dietary fiber. Benefits of Soya include promoting heart health with LDL cholesterol (Bad Cholesterol); preventing Cancer and alleviating menopausal symptoms.

Dried Soya Nuggets available in the market  ~  Soaked Soya Nuggets

Soak Soya nuggets in surplus fresh cool water for 1-2 hours. Later, squeeze them, drain the water and put the squeezed nuggets in a dry bowl. Add fresh cool water to it and again squeeze them, drain the water and put them in a bowl. Repeat this about 8 times, until there is no lather in the water when you squeeze them while washing them up. This is important, otherwise the lather in soya will cause severe flatulence. So, be careful there.

Likewise, Spinach or Palak, the most common green leafy vegetable is rich in iron, hence valuable for the treatment of anemia. It is also full of various antioxidants and vitamin A,B and C, folate, potassium and ample dietary fiber. Including Spinach regularly in your diet also improves eye health and fights against cancer.

Soya palak along with Rice and Lemon Dal ~ My Lunch plate

Wash the leaves thoroughly and pat them dry before you chop them to ensure that there are no pesticides.

I prepare this curry quite often in my house as a replacement for Palak Gosht. The Soya nuggets that I have used here taste yummy paired with spinach. They are available at various food stores very commonly.

Soya Palak – Spinach with Soya Nuggets

Ingredients:

Spinach/Palak – 300 gms, chopped (Fresh or frozen)
Canola oil – 1 tbsp
Yellow onion – 1, large, finely sliced
Dried Soya nuggets/Soya Vadi – 3/4 cup
Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
Roasted cumin seed powder – 1 tsp
Roasted coriander seed powder – 1 tsp
Tomato – 1, large, finely chopped

Method:

-In a pan, add the sliced onion and stir fry it for a few seconds. Add the soya nuggets and fry them along stirring frequently for 5 minutes.
-Add spinach and the remaining ingredients. Pour in half cup water and mix well. Cover the lid and let it cook until the spinach is tender. Serve warm.

Go Unplugged: Earth hour, a worldwide voluntary movement initiated by WWF in the year 2007, to raise global awareness against climate change, is 1 day, 5 hours and 18 minutes from now, depending on where in the world you live. Be sure to participate by turning off all non-essential lights and electrical appliances for an hour on March 28, 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, that is tomorrow ~ www.earthhour.org

Remember it is not only at the Earth Hour to do our part to save the earth, we have to be conscious all the time and practice ways to save our earth for a healthier, safe and cleaner place to live. Teach your kids to always shut down lights when not in use. It is one thing my parents have always taught me. Contributes a lot in conserving energy.

Also, head over here to watch the very pleasant Hyderabadi culinary celebrity – ‘Kunwar Rani Kulsum Begum’, the niece of Salar Jung III, dishing out a wonderful TAMATAI MURGH. Enjoy the video!

Luv,
Mona