Category: Recipe

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Indian Spiced Healthy Plum Chutney- Aloo Bukhara Chutney

Dip, lick or eat.. This chutney is absolutely delicious. Indian Plum Chutney also known as Aloo Bukhara Chutney is a flavor bomb. It is spicy, tangy and a sweet condiment. I made this chutney for the first time in 2019. It happened by chance. I had no intention of making plum chutney. It was only when my husband got so many organic plums that we got tired of eating them. They were just lying around the kitchen counter and no one spared them a glance. They kept getting riper and riper and before they became overripe it caught my attention. And thank God they did otherwise I would have never made this chutney. 

Plums are packed with nutrients. It contains vitamin K, vitamin B3, vitamin B2, vitamin A, vitamin B6, copper, manganese, potassium & phosphorus. Plums also contain antioxidants which will help repair damaged cells and fight free radicals. The antioxidants in plums have powerful anti-inflammatory properties better than any other stone fruit. Also, if you or your child has constipation issues then, a little bit of this chutney can help in easy bowel movement because fibre in plums is extremely good. In Ayurveda, plums are known to aid digestion and strengthen immune system.

Plums are in season and before this amazingly nutritious and yummy stone fruit goes out of season you have got to make this yummy chutney for your family. I promise kids will love it too.

Fun ways to use this Chutney

  1. Use it as a spread for wraps, sandwiches, burgers or a toast.
  2. Use as a substitute for BBQ sauce for pork chops or chicken
  3. It can be an excellent addition to your cheese board to add more dimension and flavour. 
  4. My favourite way is to have it with dal and rice or with simple plain Parantha.

Recipe Ingredients

Plums: Always use black ripe plums that have tart skin and sweet flesh for making plum chutney.

Spices: I have used ginger, garam masala, chilli powder, kalonji (Nigella seeds), nutmeg powder, cinnamon, bayleaf, cloves and peppercorn. If you don’t have some spices, you can still make this chutney without it.

Sweetness: For sweetness I have used jaggery powder. Apart from adding nutrition, jaggery add its own earthy rich caramel flavour. You can use other sweetener like coconut sugar, palm sugar.

Black Salt or Kala Namak: Black salt has a distinct tangy and pungent flavour. It tends to give a dish a rich umami flavour. It also helps to aid digestion. You can substitute black salt with Himalayan Pink Salt.

Recipe: makes 500 grams Chutney

Ingredients

  1. Plums: 1 kg
  2. Jaggery: 250 grams
  3. Rock salt to taste: 1.5 tsp or as per taste
  4. Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
  5. Minced ginger: 1 tbsp
  6. Garam masala: 1/2 tsp
  7. Any Non-fragrant Oil: 2 tbsps (I used groundnut oil)
  8. Water: 1/2 cup
  9. Nigella seeds/Kalongi: 1/4th tsp
  10. Nutmeg powder: a pinch

Whole Spices

  • Bayleaf: 1
  • Cinnamon stick: 1” long
  • Cloves: 4 
  • Peppercorns: 6

Instructions

  • Chop plums roughly and add ginger to it. 
  • In a wok, heat oil. Add bayleaf, kalongi or nigella seeds, cloves, cinnamon and black peppercorns.
  • After 30 seconds, add plum and ginger mix. Cook for a minute. 
  • Break jaggery into small pieces and add to plums.
  • Stir well and let jaggery dissolve. 
  • Then add salt, red chilli powder & garam masala. Mix well. Cook for 2 minutes.
  • Now add water and let it cook for about 30 minutes or till it gets thick and jammy. 
  • Keep stirring in between. 
  • Finish it with some grated nutmeg in the end. Mix well.
  • Let cool and the pour it in clean glass jars.

How to store Plum Chutney

Allow the chutney to cool completely before storing it in a clean dry airtight container. Refrigerate this chutney. It will last you approximately 3 to 4 weeks. However, if you are planning to make a large batch then do follow proper canning procedures. There is no point in going through all the processes of preserving, if it is going to spoil before you get to open the jar.

Notes

  • Fresh whole spices add more punch.
  • Try to get your hands on black salt or kala namak. It goes very well in this recipe.
  • Adjust sweetener as per your taste. When using ripe plums this recipe will yield a sweet tangy chutney, but not overly sweet.
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Wholewheat Jaggery Banana Tea Cake aka Healthy Banana Bread

I am a mother of a ten year old. Now, all the mothers out here will agree with me that when it comes to kids, we always try to find healthy ways to feed them their favourites.

I absolutely love Banana Bread. I think the true existence of bananas were to become over ripe and transform into banana bread. This Banana Cake comes out insanely delicious and is so much more healthier for you. It is dairy free with goodness of wholewheat flour, jaggery and walnuts. Bananas add such a brilliant taste to baked goods that it amazes me every time. The gooeyness of bananas combined with nuttiness of wholewheat flour and earthiness of jaggery makes this banana cake irresistible. This gets polished off at my house before I even know it. I barely get to eat a slice.

Ingredients used that make this Cake Healthy and their Substitutes

Wholewheat Flour: Whole wheat flour is a whole grain that provides more fiber and other nutrients naturally than refined enriched flours. It can be used in place of all-purpose flour in baking and cooking. However, if you don’t have wholewheat flour, you can try this recipe with combination of other flour like rolled oats flour, finger millet or gluten free flour.

Jaggery Powder: It gives banana bread its rich caramel flavour. It is so much more healthier than refined white sugar. Jaggery has cleansing properties that help clear the lungs and respiratory tract. Other health benefits of jaggery include improved immunity, anaemia prevention and improved digestive health. If you do not have it on hand, the you can use coconut sugar, unrefined palm sugar or any other unrefined sugar.

Egg: Apart from nutrition, egg adds structure and texture to banana bread. If you want to make this cake eggless, you use 1/4th cup of yogurt or milk of your choice as a substitute of 1 egg. This will yield similar results.

Cinnamon: With its warm, sweet and slightly spicy flavour cinnamon adds a lot of depth to baked goods. However, if you don’t want to use it, you can omit it.

Walnuts: Walnuts provide great flavour, texture, and a beautiful crunch to banana bread. They have a mild and creamy taste which makes them perfect for cakes. You can skip them if you don’t like or add chocolate chunks or chips or toasted almonds in this recipe. You can also add dried fruits like raisins, dried cranberries, dried blueberries etc.

This recipe is absolutely fuss free and easy peasy. It requires no endless whipping and whisking. Just throw everything in the blender and then mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients. That’s pretty much it. With little effort required, this Banana Bread will fill your house with the beautiful aroma that feels like a warm hug. If you want more of such fuss free healthy cake recipes, you can try my Wholewheat Carrot Orange Tea Cake recipe too.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Wholewheat Flour
  • 2 medium size over ripe Bananas
  • 1/3rd cup Jaggery Powder
  • 1 large Egg
  • 1/4th cup Coconut oil/Olive oil/Non-fragrant Oil
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/4th tsp Cinnamon Powder
  • 1/4th tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 cup chopped Walnuts
  • 1/4th cup mixed Seeds of your choice (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven at 180 C ten minutes prior to baking.
  • Line a 6 by 3 inch rectangular pan with a parchment paper or alternatively grease baking tin with oil and dust it with some flour.
  • In a blender or food processor, add bananas, oil, jaggery powder, vanilla extract and egg and blend till everything combines well.
  • In a large bowl, sieve wholewheat flour 3-4 times. This will add more air and will ensure that the cake doesn’t get a dense texture.
  • In the same bowl, sieve baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon powder. Add chopped walnuts to dry ingredients. Mix everything well and keep aside.
  • Now, add wet ingredients in the blender to dry ingredients in 2 or 3 batches. Cut and fold gently each time. Do not over mix the batter.
  • Add the prepared batter to the cake tin. Top it with mixed seeds. Tap the pan on the shelf 2-3 times to clear out all the air bubbles.
  • Bake for 35 minutes or till toothpick inserted at the centre comes out clean. Allow it to cool for 15 minutes in the pan. To remove the cake from the pan, simply run a blunt knife around the edges and invert on the wire rack. Tap the pan 2 or 3 times and the cake will slide out.

Pro Tips

  1. Use the yellowest of bananas. Actually, the blacker the better. Over ripe bananas are the sweetest and are perfect for baking.
  2. Ensure the jaggery powder is smooth and fine to avoid grainy batter. You can sieve the powder to get rid of grainy bits.
  3. This cake will be a little more moist than your usual cakes because of the use of jaggery and bananas, so let it cool completely before trying to turn it out or you will end up breaking it.
  4. This recipe can also be used to make muffins. It will give 8 to 9 muffins.


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How to sprout moong overnight with one secret step

Green moong sprouts, also known as moong bean sprouts, are highly nutritious and offer a variety of health benefits. Here are some of the key benefits of incorporating green moong sprouts into your diet:

Green moong sprouts is high in plant-based protein, essential for muscle building and repair. It is good source of vitamins such as Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and several B vitamins (like folate). Green moong sprouts contains important minerals like iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. It is Rich in antioxidants like Vitamin C, which help strengthen the immune system and fight off infections.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make green moong sprouts at home:

Ingredients:

1 cup green moong (whole green gram)
Water for soaking

Instructions:

1. Soaking:

Take 1 cup of green moong (whole green gram) in a large bowl. Add enough water to completely submerge the moong.
Allow the moong to soak overnight, typically for about 8-10 hours. This will help soften them and initiate the sprouting process.

2. Washing and Rinsing:

After the soaking time is up, drain the soaked moong using a sieve or strainer. Rinse the moong thoroughly under cold running water. Make sure to wash away any residual starch.

3. Sprouting:

Take a plate and place a strainer (channi) over it. Transfer the rinsed moong to the strainer, spreading them out evenly.
Cover the moong with a clean muslin cloth (or any breathable cloth). Sprinkle some water over the muslin cloth to keep it moist but not soaked. Find a warm place in your kitchen to keep the moong for sprouting you can use microwave without turning it on. Alternatively, you can keep them in a dark, warm corner of your kitchen.
Allow the moong to sprout for about 12 hours. During this time, check and sprinkle water lightly if needed to keep the cloth moist.

4. Checking for Sprouts:

After 12 hours, your green moong should have sprouted. You’ll notice tiny white sprouts emerging from the moong.

5. Using the Sprouts:

Incorporating green moong sprouts into your daily diet is a great way to boost your nutrition. Here are some simple and delicious ways to include them in your meals:

Salads: Add green moong sprouts to your salads for a crunchy texture and extra protein. Combine with fresh vegetables, herbs, and a light dressing.

Smoothies: Blend green moong sprouts into your morning smoothie for an added nutrient boost. They blend well with fruits like bananas, berries, and spinach.

Stir-Fries: Toss green moong sprouts into your vegetable stir-fries. They cook quickly and add a nice crunch to the dish.

Soups: Add green moong sprouts to soups for extra texture and nutrition. They work well in both clear and creamy soups.

Sandwiches and Wraps: Use green moong sprouts as a filling in sandwiches and wraps. They pair well with spreads like hummus or avocado.

Breakfast Bowls: Sprinkle green moong sprouts over your oatmeal, yogurt, or smoothie bowls for a protein-packed breakfast.

Indian Dishes: Incorporate green moong sprouts into traditional Indian dishes like chaat, curry, or kachumber (a type of salad).

Sprout Pulao: Make a nutritious sprout pulao by adding green moong sprouts to rice along with your favorite vegetables and spices.

Sprout Dosa: Mix green moong sprouts into your dosa batter for a healthy twist on this popular South Indian breakfast.

Sprout Pancakes: Add green moong sprouts to your pancake or cheela (savory pancake) batter for a protein-rich meal.

Enjoy your freshly made green moong sprouts, packed with nutrients and great for adding a healthy touch to your meals!

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Highly Effective Homemade Cough Syrup- A Quick Natural Solution

When it comes to flu, I try to resort to home remedies as much as i can. I don’t like over the counter medication like suppressants, expectorants or decongestants to treat my cough unless it is keeping me up all night and a doctor suggests it. 

I have seen so many people who have bad cough and stuffy nose heading straight to a drug store to pick up OTC medication for relief. The labels of these OTC cough and cold medicines are often overseen or ignored; as a result, people don’t know what these bottles contain and what their ingredients can do.

Decongestants provide symptomatic relief from congestion because they cause narrowing of blood vessels in the nasal passages and sinuses. This can help to reduce inflammation and stuffy nose but what people overlook is that other blood vessels throughout the body are not immune from the narrowing effect. It can lead to high blood pressure and elevated heart rate. People who already have high BP should always take such medication under doctor’s supervision and never self medicate.

There are growing concerns about safety and doubts about the efficacy around the use of OTC cough medicines. In fact, most studies have found no evidence that over-the-counter medicines actually suppress or stop coughing. In many cases, they’ve performed no better than a placebo.

Most viral infections anyway don’t need any medical attention. It’s best to resort to home remedies. The more medicines you take, the lower will be your immunity.

This homemade cough syrup remedy was passed on to me by grandmother. I made it for the first time some 7 years back when I had dry cough that just didn’t go away. It had been more than 15 days, the cough didn’t seem to get any better. I tried everything from saline water gargles, hydration, steam, even tried mucolytic drugs prescribed by the doctor. But nothing gave me much relief.

It was then this syrup came to my rescue and worked like a charm. Within 3 days I noticed a huge relief in my cough. The best part is I can give this to my little one without any fear of side effects.

Ingredients used and their benefits 

1) Holy Basil or Tulsi Leaves: Tulsi, the ancient herb, has positive actions on the respiratory system. Tulsi or holy basil helps to effectively liquefy the phlegm. Boiled Tulsi water helps to provide a soothing effect to people suffering from sore throat. Due to its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, Tulsi has been used as part of home remedies for cough and common cold for centuries. Its juice is also effective in bringing down fever.

2) Ginger: Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that can help ease a cough. It can reduce inflammation in your respiratory tract and may even help to suppress the cough reflex.

3) Turmeric: Turmeric is a nutritional powerhouse and is said to contain a nutrient called curcumin, which has significant anti-inflammatory properties. It can relieve congestion and reduce coughing.

4) Black pepper: Due to the expectorant properties present in black pepper, it extends relieve from sinus, cough and nasal infection. It’s anti-viral which can break down mucus and phlegm deposition in the respiratory tract. 

5) Caraway seeds or Ajwain: Ajwain is a powerful spice that provides relief from coughing as well as clear mucus from your nose, both of which make breathing easier. It may also help to widen the bronchial tubes, which can help those with asthma.

6) Banafsha or Dried Sweet Violet Flower: Banafsha is one of the main hero ingredients in this recipe. It is medicinal plant which has a long proven history in treating whooping cough. It is highly effective in treating asthma, fever and also bodyache. It is also used as an ingredient in many herbal medicines. It expectorates phlegm from the chest and relieves chest pain and pneumonia.

7) Mulethi or Liquorice Root: Mulethi or Liquorice also known as “Sweetwood” is a traditional medicinal herb. It is widely used in Ayurvedic practice to treat respiratory and digestive disorders. It is said to contain anti-viral, anti-inflammatory & anti-bacterial properties, which maintains mucosal health. It is also an immunity booster because of its powerful antioxidants. 

8) Cloves: Clove is rich in essential oils which have antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Its anti-inflammatory properties can accelerate healing process. Many people opt for clove oil to clear blocked nasal passages too. It also has a cooling effect on nasal cavity and throat. Cloves show expectorant property that helps to discharge secretions and mucous in the respiratory tract.

9) Star anise: Star anise has been traditionally used in Chinese medicines for centuries to treat respiratory and digestive disorders. Studies indicate star anise may have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-cancer, antispasmodic, and sedative properties. Be careful when it comes to star anise. Use Chinese star anise and not JAPANESE. Japanese star anise is believed to be highly toxic.

Recipe: makes 80 ml

Ingredients

  • 10 to 12 Tulsi leaves
  • 1″ ginger
  • 1″ fresh turmeric or organic turmeric powder
  • 10 to 12 Black peppercorns 
  • 1 tsp Caraway Seeds
  • 1 tbsp Banafsha
  • 1″ Mulethi
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 Star anise
  • 2 tbsps Jaggery powder
  • Water: 300 ml

Instructions

  1. Crush tulsi and ginger together. Coarsely crush peppercorn and cloves.
  2. In roughly 300 ml of water, add all the ingredients except jaggery.
  3. Let it all simmer till it reduces to almost 1/4th. Add jaggery and mix well till it melts. 
  4. Cover it and let it rest till it cools and then sieve it.
  5. Transfer it to a clean glass bottle.

Notes

  • It is safe for children. You can give this to kids above 1 year. One tsp for kids, twice in a day followed by warm water.
  • For adults about 10 ml twice a day followed by warm water
  • If not Jaggery, you can also add raw honey to it. Honey should be added when the concoction is completely cool. Honey should never be added to hot liquids as per Ayurveda. If you would like to know more about it, check out this link- Honey Rules! Why you should never cook honey. Do not give honey to children below 1 year.
  • This syrup will last you 2 days when kept at room temperature. But I prefer making it fresh everyday.
  • Drinking enough water is important with this syrup because some of the spices and herbs used are warm in nature.

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3 Minutes Homemade Chocolate Syrup- Dairy and Gluten free

Homemade Chocolate Syrup is incredibly easy to make and trust me it rivals or dare I say doesn’t come even close to anything you’ll buy at the store. You can literally whip up chocolate syrup using this recipe in 5 minutes and that includes prep time. That’s how quick and easy this Homemade Chocolate Syrup recipe is.

God knows how much I hate those store-bought chocolate syrups. With less than 5% cocoa, it is just full of artificial flavors, emulsifiers, liquid glucose, thickeners, artificial colours and as if liquid glucose was not enough, the second main ingredient in these syrups is Inverted sugar. What a whole lot of crap! And they don’t even taste authentic.

I made this chocolate syrup some 4 years back because I wanted something chocolatey to go with my waffles. I was surprised to see how unbelievably delicious, smooth, sweet and chocolate-y it turned out to be. I just couldn’t stop myself from licking it from the spoon. 

When I found this recipe, it was just too simple to believe. No fancy ingredients required. It is dairy free and gluten free. Looks like store bought syrup but tastes way better. It is perfect to add to a plate of Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes.

Difference between Chocolate Syrup and Chocolate Sauce

If you find yourself confused between the two, you are clearly not alone. They have a lot in common from their appearances and use, whether drizzled over sundaes, pancakes, waffles or bread pudding. They both are often used interchangeably. It all comes down to viscosity. Chocolate syrup is thinner than chocolate sauce. Syrup is mostly created with cocoa powder, water and sugar whereas sauce has cream, butter and sugar, giving it more richness.

Recipe: makes 90 ml or 3 ounces

Ingredients: 

  • Unsweetened Cocoa/Cacao powder: 1/4th cup
  • Sugar: 3 tbsps or as per taste
  • Water: 100 ml
  • Instant Coffee: 1 tsp
  • Pure Vanilla extract: 1/2 tsp
  • Coconut oil: 1 tbsp
  • Salt: a pinch 
  • Dark Chocolate (70%): 25 grams

Method: 

  • In a pan mix together cocoa powder, sugar, salt and instant coffee. Now add water and bring it to boil while whisking continuously till everything incorporates. Use a wire whisk.
  • Cook for 2 minutes on low flame while stirring continuously. Stirring is important to avoid grainy syrup.
  • Take it off flame. Then add coconut oil, vanilla extract and dark chocolate and whisk till chocolate melts. 
  • Allow it to cool. Transfer it in a glass jar. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before using. It tastes even better the next day.

Notes: 

  • The chocolate syrup will be thin when it finishes boiling. But it will thicken quite a bit on cooling and even more after refrigeration.
  • It will last you a week or 10 days in refrigerator.
  • The taste of this sauce will depend on the quality of cocoa powder and dark chocolate you will use. So use good quality cocoa powder & dark chocolate. 
  • This recipe gives 3 ounces but it can easily be doubled or tripled.
  • You can add more sugar if you like. I like it bitter sweet.

How you can use it

  • Pour it over icecream, pancakes or waffles
  • Stir it in milk
  • Drizzle it over brownies
  • Make chocolate trifle 
  • Use it as a dip for fruits

Enjoy. 😊