We are pickled out at Chachi's Kitchen

Left to right

4 bottles of mango and carrot pickle, gunda and mango, fresh turmeric, amba haldi and garmar (tuberous roots of Coleus forskhohlii) pickle, lime and ginger pickles.

In preparation are sprouted methi pickle and green almond pickle

Watch this space for the recipes

Mung jo soup; Mung Bean Soup

Mung beans are nutritious and easy to digest they are a good source of protein, thiamine, niacin, vitamin B6, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, and a very good source of dietary Fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K, riboflavin, folate, copper and manganese.  

Ingredients
1/2 cup mung beans; soaked overnight.
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock or water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion; chopped fine
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 400gm can of plum tomatoes; liquidised

Method

1. Boil the beans in 3 cups of water or stock foe 20 minutes
2. While the beans are cooking, heat the oil in a pan large enough for the soup.
3. Add the chopped onion and fry until slightly brown, add the flour and fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes, and cook for a further 10 minutes.
5. Add the beans and the stock / water
6. Cook for a further 10 minutes.
7. Serve with garlic bread

Gujarati Muthia / Spicy Steamed Dumplings from Leftover Rice

What to do with leftover rice?  Traditionally, it is used to make chapatis, vagarala rice, bhajia and muthia.  Dolubai our neighbour made some muthia for us recently.  They were so delish, I asked her for the recipe and here they are. Thank you Dolubai

Recipe
1 cup cooked rice,
1/4 cup methi / fenugreek finely chopped
1/4 cup coriander; finely chopped
1/4 cup onions; finely chopped
1/2 cup courgette / zucchini; finely grated
2 cloves garlic; minced
2 inch ginger; grated
2 green chillies; finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 cup millet flour
1/4 cup chapati flour
1/4 cup semolina / soji
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1/2 teaspoon Sodium Bicarbonate
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup yogurt
for tempering / vaghar
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
a few curry leaves
salt to taste

1. Put all the ingredients except for the vaghar/tempering spices with the salt in a bowl and mix. Let it stand for 10 minutes, as water will be released from the courgette.
2. If it is too dry add a few drops of water until you get a fairly firm dough, it should be a little sticky. 
3. Take a small lime size ball of dough in your palm and shape with your fingers to form sausage shaped muthia
4. Place in a steamer for 15 minutes.
5. When cool, cut into bite size pieces and place in a serving dish
6. Heat the oil, add the cumin, mustard and sesame seeds with the curry leaves, let the brown and pour over the muthia.
7. Garnish with coriander if desired.
8. Put it in your lunch box for tomorrow!

The taste is similar to dhokra

Paya / Lamb Trotters in a spicy sauce

I have had lots of people asking me for this recipe.  It is usually eaten for breakfast and is supposed to be full of nourishing goodness.  

Ingredients

8 lamb trotters; ask the butcher to cut them into 2 pieces

juice of 1 lemon

4-5 cloves of garlic; minced

2-3 inch piece of ginger; grated

2-3 green chillies; very finely chopped

2 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 large onion; finely chopped

1 400g can of tomatoes; liquidised

2 teaspoons coriander and cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon tumeric

salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon garam masala

Method
1.  Clean the trotters throughly, make sure you remove all the short hairs. Marinate in lemon juice, garlic, ginger and chillies for 30 minutes
2. Place them in pressure cooker with 2 cups of water and bring to boil, cook for at least an hour.
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan large enough to fit the paya / trotters and fry the onions until dark brown.
4. Add the tomatoes, stir and cook at low heat for about 10 minutes
5. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric  powders and salt, mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add the trotter and enough of the liquid to cover the bones, bring to boil and simmer for a further 30 minutes. Add the garam masala and mix.
7. Serve with paratha or nan bread

Navroz Menu

Biryani

Bateta champ

and
Lapsi