Ingredients

250g lady’s fingers / okra / bhindi
Oil 1- 2 tbsp
Turmeric 1 tsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Jeera powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Amchur powder ½ tsp [dry mango powder] or Juice of half lemon
Salt as your prefer

Method

1] Wash and dry the okra. It’s important to dry them before cutting, or they becomes soggy.
2] Trim both ends and then slit the okra in 4 pieces each.
3] Line the baking tray with parchment paper and preheat the oven at 180ºC for 10 minutes.
4] Place all the sliced okra over the parchment paper. At this step, I also sliced an onion and added it to the okra. Sprinkle the oil and dry spices [EXCEPT salt ] over the okra and gently mix. If you add salt before baking it becomes a sticky mess. If you’re using lemon juice in place of amchur powder then add it in the end, with the salt.
4] Bake this for 20 – 25 minutes at 180 – 200ºC. You may want to check in after 15 minutes or so, as oven temperatures vary and in some ovens the cooking time is shorter.
5] Once done the okra will look brown and slightly shrunk. Now remove from the oven, transfer to a serving bowl or tray, sprinkle with salt, mix well and serve.
6] If you want it crispier, you may transfer it to a pan [No oil needed] and toss it for 2-3 minutes on high flame. Serve immediately.

The post Oven roasted crispy bhindi/ lady’s fingers/okra appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

This uttapam is made using whole moong dal. The veggies can be added to the batter, as mentioned in the recipe, or you can sprinkle them on one side of the uttapam and cover it to cook well.

Makes: 6 uttapams

Soaking time: 4 hrs

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• ½ cup uncooked yellow or green moong dal [soak for at least 4 hours]
• ½ cup rawa [semolina]
• ¼ cup onion, chopped finely
• ¼ cup tomato, chopped finely
• ¼ cup cabbage, chopped finely
• ¼ cup capsicum, chopped finely
• ¼ cup carrots, peeled and grated
• 4 green chillies, chopped finely
• ½-inch piece of ginger
• 4 tbsp sour curd
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped finely
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tsp oil

Preparation method

1. Heat a pan and roast rawa for 1 minute; set aside.
2. Rinse and drain soaked dal. Grind in a blender with half the chopped green chillies, ginger and ¼ cup of water.
3. Add the rawa to the batter. Add chopped veggies, salt, curd, 1 tsp oil, chilli powder, fresh coriander and remaining green chillies. Add ¼ cup water or until you achieve a semi-thick paste.
4. Heat a non-stick pan and spread 1/3 cup batter to make an uttapam [pancake] 4 inches in diameter.
5. Drizzle ¼ tsp oil around the edges, cooking over low flame for 2 – 3 minutes, until golden brown.
6. Flip the uttapam, again drizzle ¼ tsp oil and cook until golden brown.
7. Repeat for remaining batter.

The post A protein packed version of the regular uttapam appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Makes: 12 cups
Serving Size: 2 cups
Serves: 6
Pre-preparation time: 6 – 8 hrs
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• 1½ cups rice, uncooked
• ½ cup uncooked red chana [soak for 6 – 8 hours]
• ¼ cup French beans, chopped finely
• ¼ cup carrots, chopped finely
• ¼ cup green peas
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 cup tomato purée [made from 3 large tomatoes]
• 1/3 cup fresh curd, made from toned milk [or peanut curd for vegans]
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 cardamom pods
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 cloves
• ½ tsp jeera [cumin seeds]
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped finely
• 2 dry red chillies
• 1½ tsp lemon juice [juice of ½ lemon]
• Pinch of saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 3 tsp oil
• 2 tsp salt or as per taste

For the garlic paste

• 7 large garlic cloves, chopped finely
• 2 green chillies, chopped finely
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1-inch piece of ginger, chopped finely
• 2 tbsp coriander powder
• 2 tbsp water

Preparation

1. Rinse the rice and soak for 20 minutes.
2. Pressure-cook the chana for 8 – 10 whistles.
3. Heat ghee in a pan; add the jeera. Once the seeds begin to splutter, add red chillies, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks. Sauté for 1 minute over a low flame.
4. Add rice, 4 cups of water and 1 tsp salt. Cover and cook over a low flame.
5. When the rice is half cooked, add saffron along with the water in which it was soaked; add lemon juice. Cover and cook until all the water dries up. [Keep checking that the rice does not get burnt at the bottom].
6. Remove from heat and cool. Discard the red chillies, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks.
7. For the garlic paste, grind the ingredients together in a blender.
8. Heat 2 tsp oil and sauté the paste for 5 minutes.
9. Stir in the tomato purée and add 1 tsp salt; sauté for another 8 minutes.
10. Add the boiled chana, carrots, beans, peas and curd; cook for 5 – 7 minutes.
11. Add sugar and remove from heat.
12. In a separate pan, heat 1 tsp oil and sauté the onion until dark brown.

To Serve

1. Preheat the oven at 160C° for 7 – 10 minutes.
2. In a baking dish, first spread the chana.
3. Top with the rice.
4. Garnish with the sautéed onions and bake in pre-heated oven for 5 – 7 minutes.
5. Serve hot.
6. Complete your plate with a bowl of mint raita.

The post How to Make the Perfect Vegetarian or Vegan Biryani From Scratch appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.