Thel Ghosalyachi Bhaji#SundayFunday

Today’s recipe is one of the simplest sabzi/bhaji that one learns in East Indian cuisine. This is my Mom's recipe. It is just a method sweating the onions in a pan, add the ghosali a letting them cook together. There a two type of these gourds, one is a ridge gourd (turai or dodka )which we East Indians call it shirali ghosali, because of the ridge that this vegetable has.
The other one is the thel ghosali/sponge gourd which is plain, although both taste the same when cooked, just the variety changes. 

This vegetable goes by many names, ridged gourd, lufa, turai, turia, beerakaya, or peerkangaai, smooth luffa.

You can prepare this dish when you crave for something really simple. It tastes great with chapatti/hand breads (love the sweetness of the vegetable that goes so well with these flat breads) and also with rice or fish/meat curry.

Serves 3
Ingredients
650 Grams Thel Ghosali/Ridged Gourd
1 Large Onion finely sliced
1 Tablespoon Bottle Masala
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt or to taste
3 Tablespoons Oil
Method

Wash and peel the gourd, cut the gourd vertically and then make thin slices out of it.

Heat oil in pan/kadai, add the onions and fry them for a minute. Place a lid on low flame let it soften for 3 minutes. After that you will see the onions are translucent ( this give the bhaji a sweet taste). Now add the ghosali and stir fry it on high flame for a minute or two. Cover with a lid and reduce the flame to low for 5 minutes. Now you will see it has released all its moisture/water. Open the lid and give it a stir, let it cook on medium low flame without the lid for 10 to 15 minutes or till the water nearly evaporates.

Now you can see the water has nearly evaporated, add the bottle masala and salt, give it a good mix, cover with a lid on medium low flame let it cook till the spice marries together with the ghosali for about 4 -5 minutes.
Open and you will see oil has started to seperate give a final mix.  

This vegetable does not require any garnish. Serve hot as a side dish to any meal. It taste delicious.

Labels: Sponge Gourd, East Indian, Side Dish,Sunday Funday, Indian 

• Chive Blossom Salt by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Dandelion Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigretteby Food Lust People Love
• Porcini Risottoby Culinary Cam
• Rosehip Jellyby A Messy Kitchen
• Thel Ghosalyachi Bhaji by Sneha's Recipe
• Wild Mushroom Frittata by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Upvasacha Cake#Alphabet Challenge

Upvasacha Cake( Farali/Vrat cake) is an eggless one made using vrat ka atta or farali/falhari flour. These flours are made from non-grain, gluten-free ingredients like buckwheat (kuttu), barnyard millet flour (bhagar/moraiya), water chestnut (singhara), and amaranth (rajgira) that are permitted during religious fasts.

Ingredients
½ Cup Fresh Yogurt
¾ Cup Kesar Milk - divided
½ Cup Caster Sugar
¼ Cup Melted Desi Ghee
1 Cup Singhada Atta (Water Chestnut Flour)
1 Sachet Eno Fruit Salt
⅛ Teaspoon Rasmalai Essence
2 Drops Yellow Food Color
¼ Cup Chopped Dried Fruits
Method
Grease and line a 6" Cake Pan
Preheat the oven 160°C.

In a bowl add the yogurt, melted ghee, sugar, essence, half of the kesar milk, yellow color and with beat well till blended, then add the sifted Singhada atta and fold it well into smooth batter. Now add in the eno and pour the remaining kesar milk and mix well ( this batter will be thick) add the dry fruits.

Pour it into the prepared pan and again sprinkle chopped nuts.Bake in a preheated oven for 40- 45 minutes. 

Cool then slice and enjoy!!

Labels: Alphabet Challenge,Water Chestnut, Gluten free, Desi Ghee, Yogurt, Indian, Vrat, Cake, Eggless

Let's take a look at the recipes being shared today with Alphabet Challenge 2026 - Alphabet "U"

• Fall Pear Ugly Duckling Cake (Cake Mix Recipe) from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Miso Roasted Sweet Potatoes from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Sourdough Discard Walnut Ginger Cookies from A Messy Kitchen
• Ugali - Savory Maize Meal Porridge from Food Lust People Love
• Unicorn Popcorn from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Unicorn Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies from Blogghetti
• Upvasacha Cake from Sneha’s Recipe
• Urchin Butter from Culinary Cam
• Uzbek Rice with Beef and Carrots (Plov) from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• White Urad Dal from Mayuri’s Jikoni

Nutty Miso Banana Bread#BreadBakers

Making a bread with bananas is best to use is ones that are very brown or turning black and overripe and that no one is willing to touch those. You will love this unique style of banana bread so much that you will want to eat it all the time, it's buttery, chocolaty and the miso gives a punchy dose of umami.

Miso is a paste made by fermenting soybeans — it is typically used in Japanese cuisine, taste so good, it gives a slight salty and umami taste that is incredible. I have used organic red miso, any type of miso paste will do. If you’re worried about it being overwhelming in flavor and taste, in banana bread, just trust me you can't really tell the taste in this bread and you would just think that it was a really good, delicious, loaf of bread. This is a big loaf use a 9×5 inch loaf pan, I used a 8×4 inch pan and it took more than an hour to bake.

Ingredients
100 Grams Butter - softened
245 Grams Fine Brown Sugar
2 Large Bananas- mashed
¼ Cup Miso Paste
¼ Cup Greek Yogurt / Hung Curd
2 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
250 Grams All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Salt
¾ Cup Small Chocolate Chips
½ Cup Chopped Walnuts, Pecans & Almonds
Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Sieve the flour, salt, baking powder and soda, keep aside.
In a blender jar add the banana and miso paste and pulse it 2 -3 times to that paste well mixed. Keep aside.
In a large bowl beat the butter and brown sugar and whisk until light and fully. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, whisk until incorporated. Then add the banana miso mixture and whisk well. Add the flour and yogurt mixture in batches and fold it in with a spatula till all the flour and yogurt is incorporated and no lumps are formed. Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Pour this in greased and lined 9x5 inch loaf pan & bake (see my notes) in a preheated oven for about 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let it cool , then slice & enjoy!

My Notes

Half way through the baking time tent the pan with a aluminium foil for the loaf tends to brown faster on top.
Labels: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack, Banana, Breads, Miso Paste, Asian Cuisine, Bread Bakers, Quick Bread

The Blurb #BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

Bread Bakers - October 2026  theme  is Bread With Nuts

• Classic Alabama Pecan Bread from Food Lust People Love
• Coconut Flour Banana Nut Bread from Passion Kneaded 
• Cranberry Pecan Boule from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Easy Cinnamon Nut Loaf from A Messy Kitchen
• Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls from Magical Ingredients
• Mini Chocolate Almond Babka from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Nutty Miso Banana Bread from Sneha's Recipe 

Homemade Flaky Pop Tarts With Indian Blackberry(Jamun) Chia Jam#SundayFunday

These Homemade Pop Tarts are filled with Homemade Indian Blackberry Chia Jam and are the perfect treat! The jam in it is delicious, but you can substitute it for any jam you would like! You will love this recipe, because the buttery flaky pie crust with my favorite Indian Blackberry Chia Jam is so amazing!
Ingredients
For The Crust
310 Grams All Purpose Flour
50 Grams Icing Sugar
200 Grams Cold Salted Butter- cubed
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Tablespoon Ice Cold Water - or as required
Other Ingredients
Homemade Indian Blackberry(Jamun) Chia Jam 
Sprinkles as required

For The Glaze
1/3 Cup Icing Sugar - sieved
1 +- Teaspoon Water
Method
To Make The Crust

Add the flour, salt, and sugar to a food processor and pulse and few times to blend everything together.
Add in the cubed cold butter and pulse until the butter is like pea sized. Add the water and mix just enough so it lightly comes together. It will still look loose but will stick together when you squeeze a chunk of it in your fist.
Take the dough out onto a well-floured surface and lightly knead until it forms a disk. Divide it into two equal disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour or you can keep this in refrigerator for 5 days or freeze it up to three months.
To Assemble The Pop Tarts
Roll out the doughs into about a 10 x 14 sheets.

Using a rectangle cookie cutter, or a rectangle stencil, cut out 6 pieces out of each layer, 12 rectangles in total. 

Place half of the pieces on a lined baking sheet and add 1 tablespoon of the jam. 

Dip your finger in a bit of water and run it around the outline of the rectangle (this will help it stick to top layer).
Place the other piece on top and seal using a fork to push down around the border. Poke a few holes in the dough for the steam to release.

Repeat with the remaining rectangles. Refrigerate this for at least 30 minutes . I placed the tray in the freezer 15 minutes. Preheat the oven at 180°C , bake the pop tarts for about 18 to 20 minutes or until the edges are light brown. Let them cool till the come to room temperature.

To Make The Glaze

Take a bowl add the sieved icing sugar add a teaspoon of water at a time and make it into a thick pouring consistency glaze.
Pour a tablespoon of glaze on each pop tart and place the sprinkles on top. 

Enjoy them with your favorite cup of coffee or tea.
My Notes 

Use cold or frozen butter. Cold butter helps create air pockets in the dough, which helps creates flakey layers. Room temp butter will thoroughly blend into the dough and not create those layers.
Labels: Pie, Homemade, Jam, Baked, International Cuisine, Sunday Funday, Tart 

For Sunday we sharing "Pop Tarts Recipes"

• Ghostly Pop Tarts by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Homemade Flaky Pop Tarts With Indian Blackberry(Jamun) Chia Jam by Sneha's Recipe
• Homemade Pepperoni Hot Pockets by Amy's Cooking Adventures 
• Giant Nutella Pop Tarts by Karen’s Kitchen Stories 
• POG Tarts by Culinary Cam 
• Sloppy Joe Pop Tarts by Our Good Life 

Keto Khoresh Bamieh With Beef Mince#EatTheWorld

Iranian Khoresh Bamieh/Okra & Beef Mince Stew is a flavorful dish made with tender okra, beef mince, spices, garlic, pepper, and slowly simmered stew. It's delicious Keto/Low Carb Recipe. Makes a delicious meal to have with Keto Flatbread or Keto Rice.

Ingredients
500 Grams Minced Beef
400 Grams Tender Bhendi / Okra - can use frozen
4 Medium Tomatoes
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Medium Onions - diced
1 Tablespoon Chopped Garlic
1 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Coriander powder
¼ Teaspoon Cumin powder
½ Teaspoon Curry Powder
½ Teaspoon Red Chilli powder
1 Teaspoon Black pepper powder
1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
400 Grams Bhendi / Okra
¾ - 1 Teaspoon Salt or to taste
¼ Teaspoon Saffron - soaked in ¼ cup hot water
1 Tablespoon Lime juice
Method
Shallow fry or air fry the okra until lightly golden. Set aside.

Score a cross in the base of each tomato. Bring a large pan of water to the boil over high heat. Add the tomatoes and blanch for 1 minute,
then drain and immediately plunge into a bowl of iced water. Peel the tomatoes, then dice and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add the onions and cook for around two minutes until golden, add the minced beef, garlic then stir fry for two minutes then add all the dry spices and cook for a minute. Add the tomato paste and chopped tomatoes cook, breaking up the mince with the back of a wooden spoon, for 3 -4 minutes.
Add the a cup of boiling water. Bring the mixture to the boil, cover and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove the lid and then add the fried okra, saffron water, lime juice continue to cook for 10 minutes or until the mixture is reduced, thick and the okra is cooked. Transfer to a serving dish and scatter the parsley or chopped coriander leaves over the top. 

Serve with the keto rice on the side. I enjoyed this with Keto flatbread.
Labels: Beef, Iran, Main course, Mince, Persia, Side Dish, Eat the World, Middle Eastern, Keto, Low Carb

Check out all the wonderful Iranian recipes 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 Iran.

• Ash Reshteh by Pandemonium Noshery
• Keto Khoresh Bamieh With Beef Mince by Sneha's Recipe
• Khoresht Gheymeh Nesar by Culinary Cam
• Sālād-é-Shirāzi by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Sohan-e Qom (Saffron Brittle) by Amy's Cooking Adventures