Dine With Gitanjali - Page 25 of 29 - Recipes straight from the heart

Desserts

Mango Sandesh Pudding

A desi dessert with a videshi twist- the mango Sandesh pudding is sure to appeal to both kids and adults alike, and I can personally vouch for this since both my husbands and kids cannot get enough of this dessert. Sandesh is a quintessential Bengali dessert made with cottage cheese and sugar, flavoured with fresh fruits or dry fruits. As a result, it is relatively lighter and contains fewer calories as compared to the other indulgent Indian sweets.

Typically in the summer months, I like to use mangoes for this recipe. I tend to favour the Alphonso mango, which I feel work best with this recipe, as these pack a punch of the delicious sweet flavour, unlike the other varieties of mango. However, if you like this recipe, don’t worry about the Mango season ending! The mangoes can just as easily be substituted to strawberries during the strawberry season.

Do give this recipe a try, and indulge guilt-free in this dessert. Let me know in questions or feedback you have in the comment section below.
Continue Reading…

June 30, 2019 By Gitanjali

Soups & Salads

Thai Glass Noodle & Green Raw Mango Salad

I know I’m a little late in posting this recipe due to my hectic summer travels, but I promise you this recipe is worth the wait! My raw mango salad- a light, tangy and fresh summer salad which perfectly highlights the flavor of ‘kaccha Keri’. This flavor takes me straight back to the first days of summers when schools would get over and we, as kids, would sit and enjoy kaccha keri with salt and chilli powder. With that memory in my mind, I worked on this summer salad which is now a staple in my house.

To pair with the beautiful kaccha keri (the unripe green mango) I pair perfectly julienned carrots and the Asian green cucumber to add the crunch. Then I dress it with the light soya sauce, not the dark one as it tends to be extremely salty and heavy for Asian cooking. And for all those following the gluten-free diet, you can skip the soya all together. I promise it tastes just as good without.

As for the noodles, I’ve mentioned my go-to brand which is easily available in my city Indore. Feel free to use any noodle brand which you like and is easily available to you. Go give this recipe a try before the mango season ends. And as always I am happy to receive any feedback or queries, which I will try to solve as best as I can.

June 28, 2019 By Gitanjali

Appetizers

Fresh Mango Salsa

A super quick and easy appetizer recipe which can be made in a jiffy. Usually, in the summer months, my refrigerator is well stocked with Alphonso mangoes. Whenever any unexpected visitor or my son’s friends drop in (which by the way is most common in our household) I chop up the mangoes and make a refreshing fresh salsa. Always use a sharp fruit knife to cut this evenly into dices. Feel free to adjust the seasonings as per your taste and voila you have an appetizer ready in under 5 minutes.

So what are you waiting for! Do try and let us know before the mangoes go out of season!

June 26, 2019 By Gitanjali

Drinks

Ginger Ale

Ginger Ale! A beverage my family and I love…my son in particular-The Ginger Ale syrup from a brand called “ Sheetal”. It’s cold, refreshing, delicious and the proportions are spot on!

I was introduced to this Syrup around 5 years ago by a close friend during a yearly local fair in Indore. The second I brought it home..it was an instant hit! My son almost religiously has at least one glass a day with his evening snacks after school.

In a tropical country like India, this drink is a respite from the heat! The ginger also helps soothe a sore throat. We love it so much that we source it, especially from Kolkata all the way to Indore. But you Kolkata folks are really lucky! You can source this beverage at most general stores in Kolkata. Continue Reading…

June 21, 2019 By Gitanjali

Drinks

Fresh Lemonade with Ginger and Jaggery or Nimboo Paani with Adrakh aur Gur

The quintessential summer drink, Nimboo Pani is a sure way to beat the scorching heat. In fact when we go to think, the simple and no fuss Nimboo Pani made at our Mom’s place has indeed come a long way since with its myriad of twists and flavours…

Even though every household may have their own concoction for this traditional summer cooler my favourite is one with Gud (Jaggery) and Adrakh (Ginger)… a real thirst quencher without the evils of processed sugar!

With temperatures in Indore soaring as high as 43 deg. we usually have a jar of this magic potion for an instant offering of respite to all our guests… be it at home or my husband’s office.

Shikanji, Nimboo Pani or Lemonade or by whatever name one may call it, seems to have originated in the northern parts of India and now a common sight dotting most roads across India during her summer months!!! Apart from Gud & Adrakh this cooler is also made using Basil, Mint leaves, Jeera (Powdered Cumin seeds), Chaat Masala and various other ingredients depending on the desired flavours…

So what’s that special ingredient you add to make your nimbu paani special? Do let me know!

June 12, 2019 By Gitanjali

Soups & Salads

Healthy Barley and Quinoa Salad

Quinoa! Topping the world culinary charts as the latest Super Food!!! This one’s a real boon from heaven for gluten-free diets! Loaded with protein, this is one of the few plant foods that contain an abundance of all nine essential amino acids. Being equally high in fiber, magnesium, vitamin B & E, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and various beneficial antioxidants… this surely lives up to its reputation as the new food prodigy on the block!

Even with these wondrous attributes Quinoa enjoys, I was personally never a great fan of it until I was introduced to this recipe by Rakhee Vaswani …, celebrity chef n friend. Now a
frequent start to many meals in my house, I’m sure it’ll grow just as fast on you’ll. Using multi-coloured quinoa turns it into a visual delight adding a new facet to this already multidimensional elixir.

Indian spices like cumin seed powder and black salt give this salad a desi style chatpata flavor while the fresh orange juice imparts the requisite tanginess.

You can manipulate the texture by adding nacho chips or jowar puffs on top whilst serving for that beautiful crunchiness.

A piece of advice: Serve chilled, and see, it drives away the scorching summer heat.

Happy clean eating folks!!! Do share your feedback!

May 19, 2019 By Gitanjali

Soups & Salads

Arugula and Mango Salad

Mangoes….also known as “King Of Fruits” adorns the markets with the onset of summers in India. Flavorsome and nutritious…this luscious and exotic fruit can be enjoyed as it is or processed into a host of edible forms ranging from welcome drinks to desserts. What really intrigued me was when my mother-in-law introduced me to this gorgeous salad with none other than the prized Alphonso mangoes at its heart…

Apart from a vibrant palate of colors making it a true visual delight…. The contrasting textures of the main ingredients i.e. crisp Arugula and tender Mangoes literally feel like an enigma in your mouth… and to further add as if these weren’t enough to overwhelm you… the heavenly flavors and aromas are nothing short of ethereal and sure to keep you wanting more.

Those trying this recipe… I would like to share a few suggestions from experience….Please try and get hold of the best quality ingredients, add the dressing just before serving to ensure freshness and above all…serve chilled to experience authentic flavors. Thinly sliced mangoes are preferred as they not only enhance the culinary experience but are also a beautiful sight. Most nutritionists recommend consumption of fresh seasonal fruits of which Mango is most often the topper. It’s flushed with an abundance of vitamins, a rich source of antioxidants and also high in fiber. So all the weight watchers this salad can be your elixir for that sculpted body…

Please do share your feedback..

May 13, 2019 By Gitanjali

Appetizers

Stuffed Mushrooms

Lip-smacking, uncomplicated & quick to make, this snack unfailingly makes me delightfully nostalgic…so what better than “Mother’s Day” to share this wonderful recipe with you all…

“Mushrooms” for today’s gourmands and foodies is a whole new world compared to what resonates with me. I was introduced to this gorgeous fungi via the most common kitchen staple i.e “Button Mushrooms” or “Agaricus bisporus” to the more proficient. My mother had adapted an age-old recipe of Stuffed Mushrooms of Tarla Dalal to suit our palates…. needless to say, it was an instant hit back then and ironically remains one even in today’s complex world of mushrooms. While we compliment the “Porcini” mushrooms from the West stretching to the “Shiitake” in the East, these stuffed Button Mushrooms, truly bestowed with beautiful flavours and texture always have and will continue to exude the fragrance of my mother’s cooking and childhood memories.

May 12, 2019 By Gitanjali

Mains

Methi Ki Daal or Sweet n Sour Lentils with Fenugreek

Methi Ki Dal holds a special place in my heart and unfailingly makes me reminisce of the tasty food my Grand-mother .. “MAA” as we call her, cooked for us. When I reflect I’m always in awe of her uncanny culinary skills particularly at a time when knowledge was quite inaccessible and definitely a fry cry from the present internet age. She created this flavorsome Dal using Fenugreek or Methi as commonly known…with a beautiful twist. The sweet and sour flavors veil the bitterness of the Methi in truly an understated style transforming this Dal into every child’s delight.

In addition, the subtle sweetness of Tuvar Dal (Pigeon Pea Lentils) also aids in balancing the bitterness of Methi… and indeed a great way to add greens to your everyday diet.

The word “Fenugreek” is seemingly derived from the Latin language and literally means “Greek hay” and comes bundled with an abundance of health, skin and hair benefits. Known to treat diabetes, constipation, kidney ailments and most importantly lower LDL and triglycerides while pulling up HDL or good cholesterol as many understand. Arising from the fact that this recipe has worked it’s magic upon me and even my children. I’m sure your experience will be similar or still better!!!

May 11, 2019 By Gitanjali

Appetizers

Smashed Avocado and Pesto Sourdough Toast

Experimenting with my newly acquired skills, sourdough is surely the flavour of my kitchen this month. Add to it dollops of smashed Avocado, a garnish of micro greens…..layered on a slim bed of Pesto and voila you have a mouthwatering breakfast with an abundance of health packed into it!!!

Avocado, also known as a superfood is loaded with healthy fats for a healthy heart, high fibre… which keeps you full for longer aiding weight loss & enhanced metabolic health…apart from its various other nutrients. A creamy, rich fatty texture makes it easy to blend with other ingredients rolling out dozens of recipe options for you. An amazing fact: Known to have originated in Southern Mexico it is interesting to note that its global consumption has gone up manifold in the last couple of decades.

An array of gourmet recipes using this wonder fruit occurred to me during my visit to Kitchen Garden by Suzette in Mumbai. Similarly, even though the Italian Pesto has been catering to a select palate of connoisseurs, it worked like magic in this simple to assemble..no fumes recipe. Ironically Pesto has long been one my favorites sauces because of its
the characteristic flavour and ability to transcend any dish to a higher realm altogether….. Egg lovers can add poached or scrambled on the top …a sure shot delight!
Please don’t get disheartened in case Sourdough isn’t available near you…as this recipe works perfectly with any regular crusted bread as well!!!
Looking for options ….Please feel free to contact me for a lil mix and match of ingredients and relish the diversity as it amazes you!!!

May 5, 2019 By Gitanjali

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