Low Cal Recipes

Am starting a stream of tried and tested low cal recipes.These are really light and easy to prepare.

Oats Upma

Ingredients:

• Oats – 1 Cup (e.g., Quaker Oats)
• Finely Chopped Onion – 1
• Chopped Green Chillies – 1
• Oil – 1 tsp
• Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dal or Split Black Bean (Gram) / White Lentils – 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves
• Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
• Sugar – 1/4 tsp
• Lemon Juice – 1 tsp
• Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
• Salt

Time to Prepare: 15 min
How to Make Oats Upma :
1. Heat Oil in pan, add Mustard Seeds, once the Mustard Seeds splutter, add Urad Dal (White Lentils) and fry until they turn golden brown.
2. Now add Curry Leaves and chopped Green Chillies and fry for a minute. Then add chopped Onions and Turmeric Powder and fry until the Onions start to look a little transparent.
3. Add Salt and Sugar to the the above mixture and fry for a minute.
4. At this stage, add Oats to the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes or till you smell a nice aroma and Oats turn light brown in color.You can also add vegetable of your choice to the above.Serve with plain curd or cucmber raita.

Mixed Dal Chilla :
Yield : 6 chillas



Ingredients :
Arhar dal   : 2 tbsp
Chana dal  : 2 tbsp
Moong dal : 2 tbsp
Urad dal    : 1 tbsp
Onion        : 1 small one finely chopped
Green chillies : 2 nos/or as per taste
Ginger      : 1 small piece finely chopped
salt to taste

Method :

Soak all the dals in 2 cups of water overnight or for 6 hrs and grind to a smooth paste,without water.Add the chopped onion,ginger,green chillies & salt to the batter.

Spread the batter onto a non-stick pan like a dosa.When the side starts to lift from the pan,flip it and cook on the other side.Serve hot with tomato chutney

Rawa Idli

Ingredients

• 1 cup Rava
• 1 cup curd
• 1/2 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp chana dal
• 1 tsp chopped green chillies
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp chopped coriander
• 3-4 curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp fruit salt
• 1-2 tbsp of oil
• salt to taste

Method

1. Heat the oil in a pan, and splutter in the mustard, and chana dal.
2. add in the chopped chillies,coriander, ginger and curry leaves.
3. Add this mixture to rawa alongwith salt.
4. Add the beaten curd, add water if necessary to make thick batter that you can scoop with your hand.Before steaming idlis add the fruit salt and mix well. 
5. fill in the idly maker and steam on high for 5-7 minutes.
6. Serve hot with coriander chutney/sambhar/coconut chutney(as preferred)

Note : After adding fruit salt the idlis should be steamed rightaway.Prepare the idli moulds by coating it with a bit of oil so that the idli comes out easily when it is cooked.

Besan Dhokla

Ingredients:
1 cup besan
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp green chilli paste
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp oil
1/2 cup sour curd
1/2 cup water
1 tsp fruit salt

For tadka
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
5-6 green chillies-slit(you can increase or reduce the amount as desired)
1 tbsp oil

Method: Mix the besan, ginger paste, chilli paste, salt, turmeric, sugar and oil and beat in the curd. Beat till smooth. Add the water and mix well again.
Add the fruit salt, stir gently and pour immediately into the greased tin and place in the steamer.
Place a thin cloth between the lid and the steamer, and close tight. Steam for 20 minutes.
Remove the tin from the steamer and keep aside.
Heat the oil for the tadka, add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chillies.

Saute till slightly colored, and add 1 cup water. Cut the dhokla into desired sized pieces and pour the tadka over. Garnish with the coriander and coconut and serve

Note : In the tadka,the quantity of water should be such that it really sinks into the dhokla,or your dhokla will be dry.

Scandinavian Brownies with hot chocolate frosting

Ingredients

1+1/3 cup (150 g) all-purpose flour
1+½ cup (330 g) sugar
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup (170 g) butter
3 fl oz (0.9 dl) boiling water
3 eggs
4 oz (120 g) chocolate chips (40-50% cocoa)
5 oz (150 g) chopped walnuts or pecan nuts

Frosting

1/3 cup (75 g) butter
8 oz (220 g) sweet or semisweet dark chocolate
1/2 tsp coffee

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).
2. Line a 13 x 9 in (33 x 23 cm) cake tin with grease proof or other non-stick paper and grease the tin.
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan.
4. In a bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and vanilla extract.
5. Add eggs, melted butter and hot water and mix until smooth.
6. Add chocolate chips and nuts.
7. Bake at 350 degrees F until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 20-30 minutes.
8. Cool the cake. Glace with the chocolate frosting.
9. For the frosting, mix butter, chopped chocolate and coffee and heat in a double boiler until melted. Stir until smooth and spread over the browie block.
10. Cut the brownie block into square pieces and serve with icecream of your choice.I used butterscotch.

Individual Raisin Coffee Cakes

Ingredients:

·         2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

·         1 tablespoon baking powder

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         2/3 cup sugar

·         1/4 cup shortening

·         1/4 cup butter

·         2 teaspoons grated orange peel

·         2 eggs, beaten

·         2/3 cup milk

·         1/2 cup chopped raisins

·         Raisin Filling

·         .

·         Raisin Filling:

·         1/2 cup peanut butter

·         2 tablespoons brown sugar

·         1/4 cup coarsely chopped raisins

·         1 tablespoon melted butter

Preparation:

Sift together the sifted flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles meal. Add grated orange peel. Add beaten eggs, milk, and 1/2 cup chopped raisins. Stir just until blended. Spoon into generously greased large muffin cups or 5-ounce custard cups. Fill cups about 2/3 full.

Blend together the filling ingredients; heat slightly to soften over low heat or in microwave. Drop a spoonful of filling on each coffee cake; swirl through the batter with a knife. Bake at 425° 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot.
Makes 6 to 8 coffee cakes.

PS : For browning on top,beat an egg & brush the mixture on top of the cakes & bake for another 2-3 mins or untill brown.

Paneer Makhani

Paneer Makhani or Paneer Butter Masala is one of the best paneer dishes and due to it being mildly spiced it has a global appeal.Below is a tried and tested recipe(acquired from my sister-in-law's sister-in law...)

Paneer Makhani

Ingredients :

250gms Paneer
200gms Fresh Cream
200gms Tomato Puree
2-3 tblsp Butter
2tblsp Dried Fenugreek leaves/Kasoori Methi
1/2tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2tsp Garam Masala Powder
2-3 Green Chillies
Salt as per taste

Method :

Melt the butter in a pan and add slit green chillies,tomato puree(grated fresh tomatoes are the best),kasoori methi,salt,red chilli powder & let it simmer on a low flame for 5-6 mins.Add fresh cream to this mixture alongwith garam masala powder & cook for further 2-3 mins.Add the paneer pieces and cook for a minute.Serve hot,garnished with coriander.

Great with rotis/naans.

BEDMI PURI (RAJASTHANI RECIPE)

Hi All,

This is my first day at blogging,on a blog related to cooking,which as a matter of fact,is my passion.I simply love cooking for my friends & family.My first recipe today is an easy one from Rajasthan,which is very easy to make and tastes delicious with any curried vegetable,but the best accompaniment is,off course,Dum Aloo.So here goes....

Bedmi Puri

Ingredients :

500 gms Maida/Wheat Flour(tastes equally great with both,I prefer the latter,however)
100gms Moong Dal
1tsp Red Chilli powder(kutti Mirch or coarsely grinded chilli works best)
1tsp Ground Coriander
1tsp Garam Masala
Oil for frying & adding in flour
Salt to taste

Method :
Mix Moong dal,red chilli powder,coriander powder,garam masala & grind it.Make a paste of the ground mixture.Add the ground paste & a bit of oil in the flour & make a dough out of it by adding water as required.Dough should a bit tough,as fit for puris & paranthas.If the dougH is loose(ie.contains excess water) it will absorb more oil.Make small balls out of the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin to make a round puriS.Deep fry in oil till it blows up.

Serve hot with Dum Aloo or any vegetable curry.