Anshu's Food Odyssey

Well, Dosa is one of my most favorite South Indian dishes that I can hog on in all three meals of the day. With that said, the actual dosa recipe which calls for fermenting the urad dal and rice batter is such a tedious and laborious job that needs a lot of patience as well as planning. Plus, because it has the major portion of it comprising of rice, I do not prefer having it every other day. Now, because I love dosa and yet cant have the normal version frequently, I recently tried this instant sprouted moong dal dosa, which was so easy to make and required no fermentation. And yes, it didn't even require the use of rice. So what is that one thing which lends this healthy recipe that much needed crispiness?. Well, its none other than the barnyard millet also locally known as Sama, Samai and Samak ke Chawal. Trust me, adding a little of these tiny pearls give the dosa such a nice texture and crispiness, that too without any fermentation. Try it the next time you are planni...

Palak Chicken or Chicken Saagwala is a popular North Indian recipe made with chicken smeared in a subtly flavored spinach gravy or sauce, which is semi-thick in texture. One of the popular dishes on the menu at many Indian restaurants, it is not only healthy (because of the greens) but, also quite delicious that goes well with plain chapati, naan or lachcha parantha on the side. Palak Chicken | Saag Murgh | Saag wala Murgh "Saag" in Punjabi refers to all leafy greens - be it spinach, sarson (mustard greens), bathua or methi. Since, this recipe is made using fresh spinach, it came to be called as saagwala chicken or palak chicken and is one of the authentic piques from the Punjabi cuisine. And since it is loaded with the goodness of these greens, let me tell you, its a great dish to feed those picky eaters...awesome! isn't it? INGREDIENTS Chicken on bone - 1/2 kg. Please don't go for boneless chicken for this recipe as it's also th...

Gajak or Chikki is a recipe famous in different parts of India and is best enjoyed during winters as it has all the ingredients like gud (jaggery) and til (sesame seeds) which provide the much needed warmth to the body. Traditionally this healthy and wholesome recipe is cooked on the auspicious occasion of Makar Sakranti, which is also celebrated as Lohri in Northern parts of India such as Haryana and Punjab. Best part is, the crunchy brittle can be stored for months and can be enjoyed as and when need be. So, lets start with the ingredients and the recipe. Til Gud ki Chikki | Sesame Brittle INGREDIENTS While til/sesame seeds - 3/4 cup Crumbled gud/jaggery - 3/4 cup Chopped cashews and pistachios(optional) - 2 tbsp Water - 1 to 2 tsp Ghee - 2 tsp Til Gud ki Chikki | Sesame Brittle Til Gud ki Chikki | Sesame Brittle Til Gud ki Chikki | Sesame Brittle METHOD Start by dry roasting til along with chopped...