HealthyVegetarianFoods

Yes a tomato chutney, I have adapted this recipe to make it a lot healthier and nourishing. A tomato chutney is generally the base for most vegetarin curries, however most of these tomato chutneys are laden with ghee, ground cashew nuts and or cream. I have omitted all three of them and created my very own “Healthy Tomato Chutney”

Tomato Chutney

1 medium onion chopped

25ml cooking oil

2-3 curry leaves

1-2 dry chillies

5ml ginger and garlic paste

5ml coriander powder

5ml cumin powder

2ml turmeric powder

7ml chilli powder

5ml fennel powder

75ml grated onion

100ml finely chopped yellow peppers

200 ml grated tomatoes

200ml finely chopped tomatoes

150ml finely grated carrots

45ml chopped fresh coriander

10ml lemon juice

5ml salt

Method

1. Heat oil in a heavy based pot, add chopped onions – allow to brown, add the curry leaves and dry chillies
2. Add all of the powder spices, lower heat and stir well, before add the grated onion and yellow peppers
3. Allow to cook for a few minutes before adding carrots and tomatoes. ( by adding carrots you are omitting the need of sugar, finely grated carrots also thickens the chutney and therefore you will also omitting the use of ground cashew nuts)
4. Allow this mixture to cook on low heat for about 20minutes or until the tomatoes have dissolved and the mixture is the consistency of a thick chutney (if necessary a little water can be added)
5. Remove from heat and season with coriander, a spritz of the lemon juice and salt
6. This chutney could be used as a base for many vegetable curries you could add:- some blanched peas, few slices of panneer, a can of red kidney beans, or you could add some cooked rice to this and serve as a rice salad
7. Its uses are endless

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Although I post only vegetarian recipes, for some reason i have just not managed to get my post out on “Meatless Monday”, so over the weekend i decided that i am going to ensure my post is out on Monday. This is another one of those dishes that was born out of tit bits left in the fridge at the end of the week. With the heatwave that we are experiancing in Johannesburg, you can’t eat anything but salads.

Red Bean & Corn Salad (Serves 4)

1 can red kidney beans (washed and drained)

125ml corn of the cob

5ml salt

5ml of lemon zest

3ml freshly crushed coriander seeds

1 fresh green or red chilli (finely chopped)

65ml of chopped coriander (garnish)

Dressing

50ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice

50ml avocado oil

5ml freshly ground black pepper

10ml sugar

5ml salt

Method

1. Mix the above salad ingredients together and allow to stand for about 10 minutes
2. Mean while whisk all of the dressing ingredients together and pour over the salad
3. Serve with on its own or with a leafy green salad some pita toasts, garlic or herb bread

Leafy Green Salad

250ml finely sliced crisp lettuce

125ml baby pea shoots

100ml alfalfa sprouts

100ml baby rocket leaves

8-10 baby rosa tomatoes

15ml sesame seeds (garnish)

Method

1. Mix all of salad ingredients together and use some of the above salad dressing and garnish with sesame seeds.

Shrikand is a very popular sweet dish amongst the Gujerathi community, and it is a firm favourite among my family. It is one of those dishes that both my sons enjoy and now my two little nieces (aged 28 months and 12 months) love it. Generally it is made on special occasions, however in my household it is made quite often during the summer months. In India, a variety of fresh or dried fruits are also added to this dish, but I stick to almonds and pistachios. The Gujerathi community always serve dessert before the meals, and this is done so that ones stomach is lined with milk and butter and therefore the spices of the main meal will not cause damage to the stomach. 

Shrikand

1l sour milk (full cream)

250ml castor sugar

30ml condense milk

12ml cardamom powder

                                                                        5-6 saffron strands

25ml slivered almonds

40ml almond powder

25ml slivered pistachios

25ml coloured slivered almonds (garnish)

Method

1. Empty the carton of sour milk into a piece of muslin cloth and tie to form a little bundle
2. This little bundle can be placed into a colander with a dish underneath and this can be placed in the fridge for 3-4 days
3. Remember to regularly throw out the water that is being drained from the sour milk
4. Once you notice that there is no more water draining out, topple the solid mixture into a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly
5. Now add the sugar and condense milk and beat till light and fluffy
6. Add the balance of the ingredients and mix in thoroughly
7. Spoon into ice cream bowls, garnish with the coloured slivered almonds and refrigerate before serving

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Not sure how but somewhere along the line my post for yesterday just did not reach its destination, hopefully this one does.

The humble potato can be so verstile and transformed to suit any occassion and anybody. This dish was born out of a need to get my sons to eat more vegetables, because they are vegetarians who do not like vegetables, how is that possible you might ask, the lord himself knows how that is possible and how i have managed to provide interesting, tasty and innovative meals for them thus far. Once this blog goes live, my secreat is out.

Potato & Veg Curry

 
3medium potatoes (peeled and cubed)

75 ml water

1 small onion chopped

25ml cooking oil

2-3 curry leaves

1-2 dry chillies

5ml ginger and garlic paste

5ml coriander powder

5ml cumin powder

2ml turmeric powder

7ml chilli powder

7ml salt

100 ml grated tomatoes

100ml finely grated carrots

100ml finely grated baby marrows

100ml finely grated baby gems

45ml chopped fresh coriander

2-3 curry leaves for garnish

10ml lemon juice

Method

 
1. Heat oil in a heavy based pot, add the onions – allow to brown, add the curry leaves and dry chillies

2. Add all of the powder spices and salt 

3. Lower heat and stir well before adding the potatoes and about 75ml water and allow to cook for about 6minutes.

4. Once the potatoes are a bit soft, add all of the grated vegetables and tomatoes, and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes—or till potatoes are soft.

5. Remove from stove garnish with coriander, curry leaves and a spritz of the lemon juice

6. Serve with fennel flavoured rice or roti
 

Fennel Flavoured Rice
250ml washed basmati rice

10ml fennel seeds

7ml salt

250ml warm water

Method

 
1. Put rice, salt and fennel seeds in a pot with warm water and bring to a boil, lower heat and allow to cook till rice is done

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Hi 

I have not been regular with my blogging, because i am not sure how and where my time goes, but i am trying to rectify all of that. I also posted a few bloggs on the Taste Mag platform, so i am sharing that with you. Watch this space for new posts.

Diwali has come and gone, the Gujerathi New Year has also come and gone. I have been so busy that I was not able to share recipes of all the goodies that I made as I made them, so I thought even though Diwali has passed – I will still share my tried and tested recipes for the traditional mitais. One of our fellow bloggers from Food24 posted a recipe an adapted version of the Goolab Jamun. My recipe is a family favourite that has been tried and tested by my late grandmother and it has now become my treasured recipe.

Goolab Jamboo

397g can condense milk

125ml fresh milk

5ml cardamom

500ml cake flour

10ml baking powder

40ml chick-pea flour

Syrup

375ml sugar

250ml water

10ml rose water

35ml ghee

5ml cardamom

Method

1. Mix condense, milk, cardamom, ghee and chick-pea flour into a paste
2. Place ingredients for the syrup into a large heavy based pot and bring to a boil
3. Lower heat and allow syrup to simmer, ensuring that it does not thicken (more water can be added if necessary)
4. Gradually add enough sifted flour and baking powder to the condense milk mixture to make a soft dough
5. Grease hands well and shape dough into little sausages, and deep fry on medium heat till cooked
6. Remove from oil and place in simmering syrup and allow to soak
7. Remove from syrup and roll in coconut if desired, and allow to cool before serving or storing

Goolab Jamboo is the one in Front

Chana Magaj is the one on the top Left

I am also sharing a recipe for Chana Magaj, this is a recipe that I have used for years and it is one from my late dads sisters. His two sisters who are in Durban are amazingly creative and the are also amazing cooks & bakers. I myself do not eat chana magaj because the ghee used to make it, however i do know most people love it.

Chana Magaj

250ml chick pea flour

250ml ghee

250ml icing sugar

35ml milk

10ml cardamom powder

20ml ghee

45ml ground almonds

50ml coloured almonds (garnish)

Method

1. Heat the milk with 20ml ghee, and mix into the flour
2. Heat the 250ml ghee in a heavy based pot and add the cardamom and 45ml ground almonds
3. Add the flour mixture to the ghee, continue mixing and cook over med heat for about 45 minutes or until the mixture turns light brown
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool, before adding the icing sugar and more cardamom and almonds if desired and mix thoroughly
5. Pour mixture into greased trays and garnish with slivered almonds, allow set overnight and cut into desired shapes. .

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