Handvo (Indian Baked Opo Snack)

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:
1 Opo (Dudhi), peeled and shredded
1 Serrano Pepper (Leela Marcha), finely shredded
3-4 cloves Garlic (Lasan), finely shredded
~ Approximately 1 garlic cloves worth of shredded Ginger (Adu)
1 bunch chopped Cilantro (Dhana)
1/4 cup Yogurt
Handvo Flour (enough to obtain texture in pictures, ~ 1/2 cup)
Salt, to taste
Sesame Seeds, garnish

Tempering:
Cooking Oil
Mustard Seeds (Rye)
Asofetida (Hing)
Dry Red Chili

Preparation:
1. Add some salt to the shredded Opo and let stand for 2-3 minutes so that some water will be released.
2. Now add Handvo Flour until you can make small, loose balls out of the dough (Not too hard, not too soft).
3. Add the spices and let sit overnight.
4. Then add yogurt and chopped Cilantro
5. Now pour the Vaghar over the Handvo
6. Top with sesame seeds.
7. Cook in the oven at Temperature 350 for approximately 40 minutes, then for 5 minutes on convection heat or the top layer gets crispy.

Handvo Flour:
Grind together in a Vitamix - Rice, Toor Daal and Moong Daal in 2:1:1 proportion. 

Homemade Granola

Sooo easy, you have to try it!

Ingredients:
3 cups old-fashioned oats
Almonds + Walnuts (coarsely processed) - use the amount desired in the granola. Take advantage of the fact that it's homemade and customized!
Raisins or Cranberries, to taste
1 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Tablespoons Agave or Honey
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar (or less if desired)
2 Tablespoons Canola Oil


Preparation:
1. Mix all the dry ingredients on a baking sheet which include: oats, almonds, walnuts and raisins.
2. In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients which include: agave or honey, brown sugar, canola oil, salt and vanilla extract.
3. Now add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients on the baking sheet and mix/coat well. Make sure it is all evenly spread.
4. Toss in the oven at 325 degrees and bake until golden brown (10-15 minutes). Open the oven once in between and toss the granola so that it cooks evenly on all sides.

Yummy! 

Muug Daal Shak (Moong Daal Curry)

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
Split Moong Daal (approximately 1 cup)
Salt
Ginger (Adu)
Green Chili (Leela Marcha)

Tempering:
Cooking Oil
Turmeric (Haldar)
Mustard Seeds (Rye)
A pinch Asofetida (Hing)
Chopped Garlic (Lasan)

Preparation:
1. Cook the Split Moong Daal until soft, either in a pressure cooker or stovetop. The first few times I made this, I did it stovetop so I could add water as I went along and make sure I got it to the desired consistency (You could end up with a soup if over-watered!)
2. Once cooked, warm oil in a separate Vagharyu for tempering. Once warm, add Asofetida, Mustard Seeds, Turmeric and Chopped Garlic.
3. Add the Vagharyu to the Daal.
4. Now add Salt, Ginger and Serrano Pepper to taste.

Dudhi Nu Shak (Opo Curry)

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
Dudhi (Opo) - Medium Size, chopped
Jeeru Seeds (Cumin Seeds)
Salt
Haldar (Turmeric)
Marchu (Red Chili Powder)
Dhana/Jeeru Powder (Cumin/Coriander)
Dhana (Cilantro Chopped)
Hing (Asofetida)

Preparation:
1. Pressure cook chopped Opo in a cooker until soft/tender.
2. In a separate pan, warm cooking oil. Once warm, add Cumin seeds and Asafetida.
3. When Cumin seeds start "dancing" in the oil, add the Opo.
4. Add Turmeric, Cumin/Coriander Powder and Red Chili Powder.
5. Add Chopped Cilantro as garnish.

Enjoy! You have simple Dudhi Nu Shak! Allow it to cook a little more so the spices can all integrate!

Kadhi (Homemade Yogurt Soup)

In the same way that we Indians/Gujarati's eat our meals with Daal... we like to change it up now and then. And when we do, we make Kadhi. For the first 4 years of my marriage, I used to slave over Daal and it wasn't until way late in the game I realize that Kadhi would have been soooo much easier to make all those years after a long day at work!

When you know better, you do better. So here's to simple, quick dinners and yummy food! 

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

Yogurt (1.5 cup)

Water (2.5 cup)

Besan Flour (Chickpea Flour) 1 small vadki full

Turmeric (Haldar)

Salt

Green Chili paste (Green Marchu)

Ginger paste (Adu)
Sugar (optional)
Chopped Cilantro
Sliced potatoes, onions (optional)

Tempering:

Ghee (Clarified)

Curry Leaves

Asofetida (Hing)

Cumin Seeds (Jeeru)

Fenugreek Seeds (Methi)...very little

Preparation: 

1. In a small bowl, combine the Yogurt, Water and Chickpea flour. Mix it with a hand blender and make sure there are no lumps. You will see them in your final product if these ingredients are not mixed well now!

2. Once blended, add a pinch of Turmeric. Add salt to taste. To this same bowl, add half a sliced green chili and a smidgen of ginger paste. Note: You can also add green chili paste but because there are so many warm spices in this meal, it becomes spicy very quickly. Go easy, especially if you're making it for the first time. Adding the sliced green chili will give your Kadhi flavor without kicking up the heat level. You can remove it before serving.

3. Now place this mixture in a pan and turn the stove on low-medium heat. With water + yogurt, you need them to mix evenly. And for this to happen, you must keep stirring your pot until you reach a boil (6-8 minutes). If you don't do this, the yogurt and water will separate...you don't want that after the effort you've put in so far. So keep stirring!

4. Once that is complete, in a Vagharyu (a small pan, temper the remaining ingredients). Place some ghee (clarified butter) in the Vagharyu. Once it's warm, add the Jeeru and Methi (if the temperature is right, they will be "dancing" around in the ghee when you put them in). Quickly add a small piece of cinnamon stick, 2-3 cloves, a pinch of asafetida and 3-4 curry leaves. Once they are all dancing and sizzling, pour it all into the Kadhi pot. 

5. If you have to have something sweet, and tonight is the night to impress or to indulge...go ahead and add some sugar. We enjoy this dish just as much without the sugar. Try some both ways and let me know! Enjoy ;) 

Bhaji Na Muthiya (Steamed Spinach Dumplings)

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
3 cups shredded Dudhi (Opo), with water
Salt, to taste
Fada (Indian Lentil) - 1/4 cup
Oil (1 tsp)
Muthiya No Lot (Muthiya Flour) 1 3/4 cup approximately
Turmeric (Haldar)
Cumin/Coriander Powder (Dhana/Jeeru)
Red Chili Powder (Laal Marchu)
Asofteida (Hing)
Mustard Seeds (Rye)
Chopped Garlic (Chopped Lasan)

Preparation:
1. Mix the above ingredients. Add enough Muthiya Flour so you achieve desired consistency which is a soft/sticky dough that you can manipulate into smaller balls.
2. Prepare the steam cooker: spray oil on the tray you plan on putting into your steam cooker.
3. Create smaller balls from the dough and place into the tray.
4. Steam for approximately 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. You can eat them this way with yogurt, your favorite "Athanu" or "Chas."
6. Optional: Tempering - Warm oil and add Mustard Seeds, Asafetida and chopped Garlic in a large pan. Once the mustard seeds pop, add the muthiya inside and mix completely. Enjoy!

Muug (Mug Daal Lentil Soup)

Muug is full of protein - you can enjoy it as a soup alone or have it the Gujarati way - served with Roti, Rice and a Curry! It's yummy any way you have it and once you realize how easy it is to make, you'll quickly make it a staple on the menu. There are many different ways to make it and you may find your own varation, but this recipe is my grandmothers' and I love it!

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
Muug Daal (Dry) - pressured cooked until soft
Salt, to taste
Cumin/Coriander Powder (Dhana/Jeeru)
Turmeric (Haldar)

Shredded Ginger (Adu)

Juice of 1 lemon

Jaggery (Gaud) - optional

Tempering:
Cooking Oil
Mustard Seeds (Rye)
Dry Red Chili
Asofetida (Hing)
Curry Leaves (Limbdo)
Garlic (Lasan)
Red Chili Powder (Laal Marchu)

Preparation:
1. Transfer the pressure cooked Muug into another pot.
2. Add salt, cumin/coriander powder and turmeric.
3. In a "Vaghary" or separate small pot, warm some oil. Once warmed, add the mustard seeds and dry red chili. Once the mustard seeds start popping, add a pinch of asofetida. Add red chili powder, limbdo and chopped garlic also.
4. Transfer the items in #3 into the Muug.
5. Add shredded ginger.
6. Add the juice of 1/2-1 lemon, to taste
7. Some like it with jaggery and some don't. Add some if desired.

You are ready to eat, Yum-o!