Bhogichi Bhaji#SundayFunday

Bhogichi Bhaji is actually  mix vegetable sabzi prepared on the occasion of Makar Sankrati in Maharashtra.  This is typical Maharashtrian style of making  winter special veggies which are available during this time.. i.e. its  made on Bhogi ( which is a day before Makar Sankranti ). This Bhaji is best eaten with Bajri Tilachi Bhakri... a classic combo. 

If some veggie is not available that does not mean you should not try this.. one can add or minus any of these veggies, like I, did not add hurda.

Ingredients
2 Medium Potatoes - cut into big cubes
2 Medium Green Brinjal/ Eggplants - cut into 4 pieces
¼ Cup Green Peas
¼ Cup Pavate/Fresh Vaal /Green Lima Beans
¼ Cup Harbhara/Fresh Green Grams
¼ Cup Fresh Groundnuts - soaked in water
1 Carrot - cut into cubes
¼ Cup Hurda / Fresh Tender Jowar
¼ Cup Fresh Tur
2 Drumsticks - cleaned and cut into big pieces
2 Green Chilles - whole
2 Medium Onions - finely chopped
1 Big Tomato - cut into fours
2 Teaspoons Red chili powder or to taste
1 Teaspoon Jaggery or Sugar
2 Tablespoon Fresh Grated Coconut
1/3 Cup Oil
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 Teaspoon Sesame Seeds
¼ Teaspoon Asafoetida
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Salt to taste

Method

In pan add oil, cumin,  sesame seeds and asafoetida immediately,   add onion and sauté till onions are translucent. Add the chilly powder and the pavate, tur, hurda, green grams, peas,  groundnuts and give it a stir , cover and cook for 3 minutes. 

Then open add the potaotes, salt and sugar or jaggery add ½ cup water and bring it to boil then cover and cook on slow flame till potates are 3/4th cook then add the brinjal, carrot, drumstick, green chillies and mix well add 1 cup water cover and cook till done.

Now add the & tomato, coconut, corinader leaves, cover and cook till tomatoes are half done (do not over cook the tomatoes).

Serve granish with coconut and  sesame seeds. 

Serve hot with Bajri  Tilachi Bhakri.

My Notes

It is slightly wet bhaji so keep in mind water requirement to avoid overcooking.  The veggies should be firm but cooked, do not make them mushy.

If  fresh groundnuts are not available then you can use dried groundnuts soak them in water and cook them till done, then use it to make the vegetable. 

Labels: Pavate, Harbhara, Groundnut, Tur, Hurda, Drumstick, Potato, Green Peas, Green Brinjal, Maharashtra, Makar Sankrati, Vegetables

For Sunday Funday we are sharing recipes using "Fresh Vegetables".

• Sneha's Recipe: Bhogichi Bhaji 
• Amy's Cooking Adventures: Cottage Cheese and Spinach Egg Bites (Green Eggs and Ham Mini Souffle) 
• Culinary Cam: Fun with Veggies and Thoughts on Real Bento 
• Karen's Kitchen Stories: Thai Cabbage Salad 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Vegetable Enchilada Casserole 
• Mayuri's Jikoni: Vegetable Masala Sandwich

Dal Sultani#AlphabetChallenge

This yummy dal is a Mughlai cuisine of Uttar Pradesh. Its rich and creamy .  Goes well with both rice/pulao or chapattis.
Ingredients 
1 Cup Moong Dal - washed and soaked for an hour
2 Cups Water
1 Tablespoon Red Chilly Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt 
For the Gravy 

200 Grams Yogurt
200 ML Milk
100 ML Fresh Cream
6 Cloves  - coarsely ground
6 Small Cardamoms  - coarsely ground
½ Teaspoon Saffron Strands - mix in a Tablespoon water

For Tempering 
½ Cup  Butter or Ghee - I used  half of each
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
8 Cloves Garlic  - chopped
For garnishing coriander leaves  - finely chopped
A Piece of Coal for Dungar / Smoke 

Method

Soak lentil for half an hour, add in it water, salt, chilly powder and boil the dal till its cooked. 

In a another bowl mix,  yogurt,  milk and  malai (cream), beat  well, add the cardamom and cloves powder mix well.  

When lentil  is cooked, add in creamy mixture, stir the dal well, cook on slow flame for 10 minutes  stirring it so that it does not burn at  the bottom.  Switch off flame,  add the saffron water give it quick stir.

Prepare The Tempering

Heat ghee and butter in a pan add the cumin, chopped garlic when the garlic starts to brown take off flame and pour on dal . Cover with a lid. Lastly place the lighted coal in piece of foil or a small bowl pour ghee over it and keep it over the dal covered for 5 minutes. Open garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot. We had this thick, rich, creamy and yummy dal with roti or Naan. 

My Notes 
This dal is not spicy so don't add more chilly powder, this will ruin the taste and color of the dal. 
Do not skip giving dungar/smoke to the dal, as this enhances the flavor.
You can use split pigeons peas/tur dal too instead of moong dal. 
Labels: Dal, Moong dal, Lentils, Mughlai Cuisine, Uttar Pradesh, Alphabet Challenge, Vegetarian

Let's take a look at the recipes being shared today with Alphabet "D"

Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Double Dark Chocolate Waffles 

Blogghetti: Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowl 

Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Dutch Macaroni 

Mayuri’s Jikoni: Date Salad, Ottolenghi Style 

A Messy Kitchen: Sugarplum Date Balls 

Culinary Cam: Gluten-Free Crystal Dumplings 

A Day in the Life on the Farm: Chicken with Dates 

Palatable Pastime: Balkan Lamb and Rice Casserole (Djuvec) 

Magical Ingredients: Dill Pickle Dip 

Food Lust People Love: Small Batch Dried Apricot Jam 

Sneha’s Recipe: Dal Sultani 

Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Sun-Dried Tomato Dip with Italian Seasoning 

Sourdough French Bread#BreadBakers

The sourdough bug has got on me and now I am only baking sourdough breads, be it flatbread which I make daily to enjoy with sabzi or curry. I have revived my sourdough starter in the month of December 2024 which I had freezed in year 2021.

This sourdough French bread recipe makes two long, soft and fluffy loaves of bread that are perfect for making po' boy sandwiches, sub sandwiches, garlic bread, or French bread pizza.

Makes 2 Loaves

Ingredients
For The Active Sourdough Starter Feeding
25 Grams Sourdough Starter
50 Grams Bread Flour
50 Grams Water
Main Dough 
430 Grams Bread Flour
50 Grams Whole Wheat Flour
300 Grams Water
100 Grams Active Sourdough Starter
50 Grams Milk
14 Grams Olive Oil
14 Grams Honey
10 Grams Salt
Method

The day you want to bake early in the morning, take 25 grams of leftover sourdough starter out of the fridge and feed it 50 grams of water and 50 grams of flour. Mix together thoroughly, mark the top of the starter with a rubber band, and set it on the counter. Let it rise for 8-12 hours ((if you are in a city like Mumbai it make take about 5 - 6 hours depending on temperature of the kitchen). The starter should have doubled in size in 5 -6 hours.

After the starter has reached it's peak, begin mixing all of the wet ingredients into a mixing bowl, adding the flour last. Mix water, milk, honey, olive oil, starter, and salt together until well combined. Then, add the  flour and whole wheat flour. Mix until a shaggy dough is formed.
Cover up the bowl of dough with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Stretch & Folds

- Perform the first set of stretch and folds. Stretch an edge of the dough up into the air and fold it over the top of the dough. Turn the bowl and grab another edge of the dough and do the same. Repeat this process, stretching and folding until you feel the dough tighten and resist stretching( about 8 turns). Then cover the dough and let it rest for 30 more minutes.
- Perform two more sets of stretch and folds with 30 minutes of rest in between the sets.
Shaping The Bread

After the last set of stretch and folds, flip the dough over in the mixing bowl so that the smooth side is facing up. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise at room temperature for 4-8 hours (if you are in a warm country like India it make take between 2 -3 hours depending on temperature of the kitchen). This step is commonly called the first rise, or bulk fermentation.

Once the dough has doubled in size, place the dough, sticky-side-up, on a floured counter. Stretch the dough out into a rectangle, and then divide the dough into two equal smaller rectangles with a bench scraper or knife.

Roll each rectangle longways into a long, tube-shaped loaf ( about 14inches  long). Place the shaped loaves onto a metal sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
Cover up the loaves with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 2-3 hours. This is the second rise, or the final proof.
30 minutes before you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 220°C and place a metal cake pan or any metal pan onto the bottom rack of your oven. You will put boiling water into this hot pan later to add steam to the oven. ( Do not place a glass dish or else you will break your's  like mine cracked into pieces)

When the dough is done proofing, it should have increased in volume and feel slightly puffy to the touch.
Score five diagonal lines into the top of each loaf with a razor blade, bread lame, or a serrated knife.

Transfer the sheet pan of Sourdough French Bread into the middle rack of the oven and pour a cup of boiling water into the metal pan on the bottom rack. Steam will fill the oven and allow the bread to expand as it bakes, giving it a better crust.
Let the bread bake for 15 minutes, then remove the pan of water. Bake for an additional 15 - 20 minutes, or until the bread has a brown color on the crust that you like.

Let the bread cool on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes before slicing into the bread. A perfectly baked Sourdough French Breads.

Serve slices with olive oil or butter, turn the slices into garlic bread, or cut the sourdough French bread lengthwise to make sandwiches or French bread pizza. Enjoy!

Labels: French Loaf, Sourdough, French, Bread Bakers, Breads, International Cuisine, Eggless 

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.
We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. This month’s theme is French Breads.  

• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Brioche 
• Food Lust People Love: Cheater Pain aux Raisins 
• The Wimpy Vegetarian : Fougasse 
• Karen's Kitchen Stories: La Couronne Lyonaise 
• Culinary Cam: Pain au Chocolat 
• A Messy Kitchen: Pain Brié 
• Zesty South Indian Kitchen: Pain de campagne 
• Sneha's Recipe : Sourdough French Bread  

Burmese Tofu With Garlic Ginger Soy Sauce#EatTheWorld

This makes a fresh, delicious meal with a flavorful garlic, ginger and sauce. 
Makes 3-4 servings 
Ingredients
400 Grams Extra Firm Tofu
2 Tablespoons Peanut Oil / Olive Oil
2 Scallions - finely chopped
1 inch Fresh Ginger - minced
5 Cloves Garlic - minced
3 Tablespoons Light Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Toasted Sesame oil
1 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Red Chilly Sauce 
1 Teaspoon Chili Flakes
1 Fresh Red Chilly - chopped - optional
Sesame seeds, for garnish - optional
Chopped Coriander leaves - for garnish -optional

Method

Pat the tofu with a paper towel until dry.  Cut into 2" cubes.
Heat a large frying pan or skillet on high heat and add some of the oil, then immediately turn the heat to low. Add a batch of the tofu, laying the pieces face-down on the pan  and let fry for  until brown on the pan side. Keep on flipping the sides until all sides are brown. Remove and plate. You will likely need to fry the pieces in batches. The oil can splatter, so be careful.
Mix together the, ginger, garlic, chopped fresh red chilly, all the sauces, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and chili flakes to make the sauce.

In another pan add the sauce, when the sauce  comes to a simmer switch off the flame add in scallions.
When the tofu is done cooking, turn off the heat for the pan. Plate the tofu and pour the sauce over the tofu. Garnish with the coriander leaves / green scallions.
You can eat this dish at any temperature you like. Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Enjoy this satisfying dish!!

Labels: Eat the World, Burma, Tofu, Soy Sauce, Asian Cuisine, Vegan, Gluten free, Keto, Low Carb, Vegetarian

Check out all the wonderful Burmese dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Find out how to join Eat the World here and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!

• For Eat The World we are sharing recipes of Burma
•  Tasty Trio from Myanmar by Culinary Cam
• Burmese Tofu with Garlic Ginger Soy Sauce by Sneha's Recipe
• Chile Garlic Oil Noodles ;by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Garlic Oil Noodles with Chicken by Amy's Cooking Adventures 

Flying Saucer - Toaster Sandwich /Jaffle#SundayFunday

I call this sandwich a Flying saucer because it looks like a disc-shaped flying craft. You give this to a child with this name, he or she will happily enjoy it. This how I use to give this to my daughter when she a little girl and very often she would say Ma make for me flying saucer. If you have leftover potato sabzi then this is even quicker, I make this sandwich with whenever there is leftover potato sabzi. These are also know as jaffle in Australia.
Ingredients
6 Slices White bread
1 Cup Potato Sabzi
100 Grams Butter
Tomato Ketchup to serve
Method
Spread butter on all the sides of bread, spread the potato sabzi on one slice. 

Cover with second slice, place it in the toaster place, put over medium flame, turning occasionally on both side until done ( see pic).

Serve with ketchup.

Labels: Potato, Sandwiches, Vegetarian, Kids delight, Jaffle, Australia

For Sunday Funday we are sharing recipes with "Potato". 

Cheesy Crockpot Tater Tots by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Flying Saucer - Toaster Sandwich /Jaffle by Sneha's Recipe
Gnocchi and Team Gorgonzola Cream by Culinary Cam
Matar Bateta Nu Shaak by Mayuri's Jikoni
Potato Smiles |by Amy's Cooking Adventures
Scalloped Potatoes with Caramelized Onions by Karen's Kitchen Stories |
Smothered Potatoes and Sausage | Food Lust People Love