Aloha sandwich

Alohaaa.... :) That's a Hawaiian word which means Hello or Goodbye... On our way to Hana in Maui, we tasted a dish called the "Aloha sandwich" and really liked it. A few days after coming back home, I tried recollecting the ingredients and here is what became my version of the Aloha sandwich.This is a real quick sandwich recipe for breakfast or an evening snack.

Sandwich bread - 2 slices (I used hamburger buns here but sandwich breads are preferred)
**Refried beans -  (1/2 cup). Add Schezuan sauce (11/2 Tbsp ), Pepper - (1 tsp).Add Paprika - 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp red chili powder to the refried beans spread.
Veggies - Cucumber slices, lettuce, Alpha alpha sprouts (optional) 
Small fruit chunks - Pineapple, papaya (optional) 
Shredded cheese - 1 Tbsp

Salt  - to taste

 Spread the butter ( 1 tsp)  and  Refried beans spread(1Tbsp for 2 slices)  on the bread slices. Arrange all the veggies and fruit chunks. Put the shredded cheese ( opt.) on it and enjoy the sandwich with ketchup ... Alohaa :)
* If refried beans are not available, you can use boiled and blended black eyed peas and add 1 tsp onion powder, 1 garlic powder and salt to taste.





 

kakdi nu pudala / Cucumber pancakes

Ingredients -
Cucumber  ( Grated ) - 2
Rice flour    -  1 cup
Wheat flour  - 1 cup
Semolina OR rawa - 1 tbsp 
Curd            -  1/2 cup
Green chilies  - 3-4
Ginger           - 1 tsp
cumin seeds   - 1 tsp
Amchur OR dry mango powder - 1/2tsp
Cilantro, salt
Oil  - 

Recipe -
1. Grate cucumber and then mix all the ingredients in the bowl.
2. Then add the water and make a pancake like consistency.Use semolina only if the coarsely ground rice flour is not available.
3. Grease the pan or put some oil in the pan and heat it .
4. Put these pancakes or pudalas.
5. Put a lid n let it cook for 2-3 mins and then turn it.

6. It  should be served with the hot tomato chutney, lasun chutney or thecha ... tastes awesome !!!

This is again one of my favorite recipe and nutritious too !!!  Actually my neighbor use to make these n I use to love it. She taught me how to make these.
Fresh cucumer  has a very high water content ( 95% ) and they are low in calories 15 kcal/ 100gm. They are fair source of iron, potassium, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Peeled cucumber have only the traces of Vitamin A. It is cool , refreshing, filling and not fattening.
Also, according to the practitioners of herbal medicine, the consumption of cucumber induces copious urination which helps the body to get rid of the excessive water. ( Foods & Nutrition Encyclopedia )

Sago Khichdi

Ingredients -

Sago ( soaked)  -  2 cups
Peanuts ( roasted ) - 2 Tbsp
Potato ( opt.) Boiled & cubed - 1/2 cup
Green chilies  - 4 no.

Cilantro  -
Cumin seeds   -  1 tsp
Curry leaves   -  4-5
Olive oil  OR ghee -  2 tsp
Sugar  -  1 1/2 tsp
Recipe -
1. Soak the sago for at least 6 -8 hrs.
2. Roast the peanuts and crush them. Some people prefer to totally grind  them. But, I don't.
3. Mix the soaked sago and crushed peanuts, sugar and salt in a bowl. It will keep the sago grains separated from each other. and microwave it for 3 minutes.
4. Heat the olive oil or ghee in the pan. I prefer the olive oil.
5. Put the tempering of cumin seeds, chopped chilies, curry leaves, boiled and cubed potatoes.
6. Put the cilantro and garnish it.
7. Serve hot with the curd.
I hardly know someone who doesn't like Sabudana Khichdi. Its a very popular dish. I had some misconception that I can't prepare it without at least 2-3 Tbsps of ghee. But using this microwave option saves many calories that comes from fat and that too without spoiling the texture and consistency of the dish.

Sago is the starch extracted from the trunks of  various tropical palms. It  is the basic food in the southwest pacific where sago meals are used for making various puddings, soups and cookies. To make the sago , the trunks of the palm trees are cut into pieces.The bark is taken off and the inner portion is soaked in water to remove the starch.The pulpy paste that results is dried and used as a sago meal.  When the paste is rubbed through a sieve, it results in the pearl sago.  ( The nutrition and health dictionary - By Percy Russell, Anita Williams )

cabbage thalipeeth

Ingredients -

Bengal gram flour - 1 cup
Rice flour  -  1/2 cup
Wheat flour -1/2 cup
Cabbage    - 1 1/2 cup chopped
Onion        -  1 med. chopped
Green chilies - 3-4
Cilantro -
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste- 2tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Recipe -
1.  Mix all the ingredients and make a sticky dough. Take the  plastic sheet or a bag. Spread the 2-3 drops of water on it. and then take a dough .
2. Now lightly place the dough on the plastic bag. Use the fingertips to pat the dough -ball  into flat pancake.
3. Make the hole in the center of the pancake.
4. Heat the pan and put some oil into it.
4. Now gently turn the thalipeeth  upside down and put the thalipeeth into the preheated  pan .
5. Put some water on 1 side and then put the lid.
6. let it cook for some time and then turn it. Thalipeeth is ready to serve.

Thalipeeth is the  traditional Maharashtrian dish. It is the multi-grain pancake. Thali means plate and peeth means the dough. One can find ready-made mix for Thalipeeth in the market. I didn't have it, so I have used different flours available. One can use Ragi in this which is really nutritious, high fiber and  high calcium source. Addition of dal -flour and cereal flour makes it good quality protein. Addition of Cabbage , onion provides the fiber. One can add palak, methi, or any possible veggies to it. It meets the requirements of the balanced dish. One can make it for a weekday dinner or a Sunday brunch.Its quick, easy and nutritious !!! Usually people love to eat it with the curd or raita and lahsun chutney.

aaloo- methi paratha

Ingredients-

mashed Potato - 1 cup
Fenugreek leaves - 1 bunch
green chilies - 3-4
garam masala - 11/2 tsp
Onion - 1 med.
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Bengal gram flour - 1 cup
Salt
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
oil - 1 Tbsp

Recipe -

1. Knead the dough by adding wheat flour, Bengal gram flour,salt, pepper and 1 tsp oil.
2. Chop onions and green chilies. Put oil in a pan and then saute chopped onions , green chilies,fenugreek leaves, garam masala, salt.
3. Add mashed potatoes to the mixture.
4. Divide the dough into small round portions and roll it. Then add the stuffing to it. and then again roll the paratha.
5. Roast the paratha and then add some oil .
6. serve with raita or salad.

Addition of bengal gram flour to the wheat flour, makes it complete protein. addition of methi and onions add fibre to it.Fenugreek is the cleansing and soothing herb which also has mild laxative properties. When we eat these parathas with curd or raita it makes a complete meal as it meets all the food groups.