Preparing a lunch box every morning can be tiring but incredibly satisfying, especially when you know you’re giving your kids a healthy meal. Using all-natural ingredients without any artificial flavors or substances is the key. Packing a healthy lunch box for your kids ensures they get the nutrients they need to stay active and focused throughout the school day. Incorporate a mix of fruits, vegetables, proteins, and whole grains to provide a balanced meal. Including snacks like these non-fried gulgule can make lunch more exciting and enjoyable for your little ones. Today, I’m sharing a non-fried gulgule recipe that’s perfect for your kids’ lunch boxes. This nutritious and tasty snack will keep them energized throughout the day.
Ingredients:
1 cup Wheat flour 2 ripe Bananas, mashed 1/2 cup Jaggery, grated or powdered 1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds 1/4 cup Milk 1 tablespoon Ghee or Butter 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
Method:
In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas until smooth. Add the grated or powdered jaggery and fennel seeds to the mashed bananas. Mix well until the jaggery is dissolved.
Pour in the milk and mix the ingredients until they are well combined. Add wheat flour into the banana mixture. Mix until you get a smooth batter without any lumps.
Heat the appe pan on medium-low heat. Grease each cavity of the pan with ghee or butter. Once the pan is hot, pour a spoonful of batter into each cavity, filling them about three-fourths full. Allow the gulgule to cook on medium-low heat until the bottom side turns golden brown and crispy. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Carefully flip each gulgula using a skewer or small spoon and cook the other side until it becomes crispy and golden brown.
Once both sides are cooked, remove the gulgule from the appe pan and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Repeat the process with the remaining batter, adding more ghee or butter to the pan as needed. Let the gulgule cool down slightly before packing them into your kid’s lunch box.
Do give this recipe a shot. If you try this recipe, do give us a shout out. Just click a picture and tag us on @masala.monk or use the hashtag #MasalaMonkRecipe and share on Instagram and Facebook. We would love to hear from you!
Welcome to my kitchen, where I am always experimenting with fresh and exciting flavors! Today, I’m thrilled to share a delightful recipe that combines the sweet and tangy taste of plums with the exotic flair of dragon fruit. Enhanced with the rich, caramel-like sweetness of jaggery and the warm spice of cinnamon, this compote is a versatile treat perfect for topping your favorite desserts, breakfast dishes, or simply enjoying by the spoonful. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or just love to dabble in the kitchen, this Spiced Plum and Dragon Fruit Compote with Jaggery is sure to become a new favorite. The best part? You can store this compote in a jar and keep it in the fridge for a few days, making it a convenient and delicious addition to your meals throughout the week. Let’s dive into this easy-to-make, yet irresistibly delicious recipe!
Ingredients:
3 ripe plums, pitted and chopped 1 dragon fruit, peeled and chopped 1/2 cup jaggery powder 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions:
Start by chopping the plums and dragon fruit into small, bite-sized pieces. This will ensure they cook evenly and blend well in the compote.
In a medium saucepan, combine the chopped plums, dragon fruit and cinnamon stick and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Now add the jaggery powder. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fruits begin to soften and the jaggery dissolves, about 5-7 minutes. You’ll notice the wonderful aroma of the fruits and jaggery blending together.
Continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes, until the mixture thickens to a compote-like consistency. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the compote cool slightly. Once cooled, remove the cinnamon stick and transfer the compote to a clean jar. Seal the jar tightly and store it in the fridge. This compote will keep well for a few days, allowing you to enjoy it throughout the week.
Serve the compote warm or chilled. It’s a fantastic topping for yogurt, ice cream, pancakes, waffles, or toast. You can also enjoy it on its own for a simple, satisfying treat.
Tips: Adjust the sweetness by adding more or less jaggery powder to suit your taste. For an extra flavor boost, consider adding a splash of vanilla extract or a squeeze of lemon juice towards the end of cooking. This Spiced Plum and Dragon Fruit Compote with Jaggery is not only easy to make but also a wonderful way to incorporate unique flavors into your meals. I hope you enjoy making and eating it as much as I do! Happy cooking!
Carrot cake is my and my child’s all time favourite. There’s something so heartwarming about a good carrot cake. As soon as those orange carrots hit the Indian market, this is one thing I crave.
Why did I add orange to this cake? Well, I think it gives it that special subtle finesse that makes it stand out. Orange flavor goes beautifully with carrots. It gives a burst of citrus flavour along with a bright punch.
One bite of this can even convert those silly people who don’t like carrot cake 😄 Who are these people anyway!
My child loves to carry a slice of cake or a muffin in his school snack box. So I had to make it healthy and equally delicious for my child. This is the recipe that I mastered after a few failed attempts. Well, not exactly failed though. Those failed attempts were edible too but this one comes out to be perfectly soft, moist and fluffy.
It is made using Wholewheat flour and Jaggery. Now baking with wholewheat flour can be a little tricky. It can make the texture of the cake dense. To ensure that your cake remains light and fluffy, the trick is to sieve wholewheat flour 3-4 times. This will add more air and the cake will not come out dense.
This recipe is actually so easy to make that anyone who hasn’t tried baking before will be able to crack it. Being a mother I understand how busy days get and trying those time consuming recipes can be quite daunting at times. To save you from all that hassle, all you have to do is put everything in a blender and Viola! Your batter is ready in less than 5 minutes. This will also save you from washing too many bowls which is quite a task when you have to bake.
Do try out this recipe and let me know. Trust me it will not disappoint you. 🙂 You can frost this cake with your favourite cream cheese frosting. This recipe is a make-ahead cake recipe whose taste and texture will not be compromised.
This cake is not overly sweet. I don’t prefer too sweet desserts. Feel free to add more jaggery if you like.
Recipe: cup measurement 250 ml
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Ingredients
2 medium size Carrots, shredded
3 heaped tbsps Orange Marmalade
60 grams softened unsalted Butter or any non-fragrant oil
1/2 cup Jaggery powder
1 1/2 cup Wholewheat flour
A generous pinch Salt
2 small Eggs
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp Baking powder
Handful of Chopped Walnuts (optional)
Method
In a blender, add butter, jaggery, lightly beaten eggs, milk, shredded carrots, marmalade & vanilla extract. Blend well on high speed till everything comes together. Take it out in a large bowl.
In another bowl, sieve wholewheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add walnuts now if using and combine everything well.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in 2 to 3 batches. Gently cut & fold each time till everything incorporates well and there are no lumps. Don’t mix rigorously or over mix the batter. This will lead to a dense cake texture.
Preheat oven at 180C 10 minutes prior to baking. Grease a 7 inches diameter round pan or 11x7x2 inches rectangular baking pan with butter and line it with parchment paper or alternatively you can dust it with some flour.
Add the batter. Tap the pan on the shelf 2-3 times to clear out all the air bubbles. Now, bake for 30 minutes on the middle rack of your oven or till a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.
Allow it to cool for 15 minutes in the pan and then transfer it on a wire rack to cool completely. If you find that the cake is sticking to the bottom of the pan, leave the cake upside down for sometime and let gravity do it’s thing.
My Pro Tips:
Use fresh baking soda. It looses it potency after 6 months of opening it.
When measuring dry ingredients, level it off using the straight edge of a spoon or a butter knife.
This recipe makes 12 muffins. Bake them for 14 to 18 minutes and allow the muffins to cool completely on wire rack.
You can add cinnamon and ginger powder to this recipe to add a warm touch to it.
If you want this cake to be perfectly moist, use fresh carrots and shred them. DO NOT USE packaged pre-shredded carrots for this recipe. This is the prime moisture for your cake and you don’t want to miss it.
In case you want to bake this cake for yourself and are feeling fancy, I would highly recommend adding Orange Whiskey Marmalade. Orange and whiskey combination can lift your simple cake to something gourmet. You can buy it here-
Eggs: You can either use flaxmeal or 1/4th cup Greek yogurt for every egg. For flaxmeal, take 1 tbsp flaxseeds for every egg. Coarsely ground them. Add 4 tbsps of water and let it sit for 15 minutes. It will become like a slimy gel like mixture. Use this as a substitute for one egg.
Orange Marmalade: If you don’t want to use Orange Marmalade, you can use 1/4th cup of freshly squeezed orange juice along with a tsp of orange zest instead. If using orange juice, you might have to adjust sugar accordingly. Add 1 or 2 tbsps of extra jaggery powder.
Jaggery: In case you don’t have jaggery powder, you can use any unprocessed sugar like palm sugar, coconut sugar etc.
Kids have limited appetite. Give your child the best nutrition in that little food that they eat. The biggest struggle for vegetarians or vegans is to fulfill their child’s iron needs. While balanced diet here is the key but we all know how balanced it gets with the children especially the ones who are picky eaters.
So, I am going to share with you a simple recipe which has a great balance of protein and iron.
We all make BESAN CHEELAS at home. Sharing with you a simple way wherein you can make the best out that one Cheela that your child eats. 😊 And trust me it comes out delicious and packed with flavours. Also, this makes a great lunch box recipe too.
This recipe requires no elaborate preparations, so don’t need to plan ahead either. Just stir together the ingredients to make a batter, pour it on a hot griddle & cook up a delicious healthy meal.
What is Cheela?
Cheela is a sweet or savory Indian Pancakes made using lentils, cereal or grain flour. They are often made without any leavening agents, so they are considered to be healthy.
What is Besan?
Besan is a Hindi word which means “gram flour”. It is a pulse flour made using channa dal or chickpea flour. So besan cheela is gram flour pancakes. These pancakes are Gluten Free, vegan and nutritious. Gram flour is a fabulous source of protein, iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6. Just 100 grams of gram flour can give you 22 grams of easy to digest natural protein. You can make these pancakes with basic ingredients as well but when you add green leafy vegetables to it, it not only enhances the taste but also makes it wholesome and an amazing source of iron for your kids.
Also the vegetables I have added are all homegrown. If you don’t have enough space, grow them in small pots. It’s no rocket science. Just get a few pots or grow bags, potting soil and seeds from any nursery near your house. Engage your children while planting it. The satisfaction of eating your homegrown organic vegetables is unmatchable. Try it!
Ingredients
Prep time: 5 mins
Serving: makes 3 Pancakes
Cook time: 5 mins
Besan/Chickpea flour: 1/2 cup
Sattu/Roasted Gram flour: 1/4th cup
Semolina/Suji: 1/4th cup
Cumin seeds/Jeera: 1/8th tsp
Bishop seeds/Ajwain: 1/8th tsp
Garam Masala: 1/4th tsp
Roasted Cumin powder: 1/4th tsp
Turmeric: 1/4th tsp
Salt & Black pepper to taste
Chat Masala to taste (optional)
Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp
Water as required
Chopped Methi (Fenugreek), Spinach, Radish leaves, Mint leaves, Curry leaves & Coriander leaves: 1 cup
Onion: 2 tbsp, finely chopped
Ginger: 2” long, grated
Ghee or Oil as required
Method
1 Take Besan/Chickpeas flour, Sattu or Roasted Gram flour (great source of protein) and Semolina/Suji (for crispiness) in a bowl.
2. To this add turmeric, cumin seeds, ajwain/bishop seeds, garam masala, roasted cumin powder, black pepper, salt, chaat masala and coriander powder. Mix it well. Add enough water to make a thin but not a runny batter. Start with 1/4th cup water and the gradually add more as required. Continue whisking until the batter has a smooth, flowing consistency. There shouldn’t be any lumps, so make sure to break those up while mixing the batter.
Tip: Use a wire whisk to whisk the batter. This will ensure that your batter is lump free.
3. Now add chopped methi (fenugreek) leaves, spinach leaves, onion, grated ginger (fabulous food for digestion), curry leaves, coriander & mint leaves. Use the leaves that are in season. All the green leaves are a great source of iron and this is one of the best ways to incorporate this in your child’s and your diet.
4. Keep the batter aside for 10 minutes. Heat a cast iron tawa on a medium to low heat. I have made it on normal tawa in which we make rotis but if you can’t make it on tawa then you can use a non stick pan as well.
5. Brush the tawa with desi ghee or oil. Add generously to avoid dry cheelas because besan tends to soak ghee/oil. Take a ladle or ¼ to ⅓ of a measuring cup full of the batter and pour on the pan. Spread the batter evenly with the back of your ladle to make thin cheelas.
6. Then continue to cook the chilla on a low to medium-low heat until the top begins to set. You can drizzle some more oil or ghee along the edges for a crispy cheela.
7. You can flip the chilla once or twice for even cooking. Once the base gets golden brown, it’s time to flip the cheela. Cook the other sides till you see golden spots on cheela. You can flip the cheela once or twice for even cooking.
8. Finally, fold it and then serve it mint chutney, homemade ketchup or the way your child likes it.
Enjoy!! 😊
Notes:
If some of the spices mentioned above are not available, feel free to skip them.
Incase you don’t find sattu or roasted gram flour, feel free to skip it and add more besan or chickpea flour. However, sattu is a great source of protein and iron, so it’ll be great if you can get your hands on it.
