ALOO OATS CORIANDER TIKKI

A CHOICE OF SNACKS MAKES ME HAPPY!

I feel happier when food tastes better than expected. We have Bengali's Shyama Puja, Hindus' Diwali celebrations on 31st October, Halloween    is celebrated on the 31st of October. This is pretty challenging, which recipe to share? Bengalis would prefer hotchpotch with vegetables, puffed bread with halwa or mutton curry with pilaf. Diwali observants wouldn't even touch garlic, onion. I could have shared a sweet recipe that would perfectly suit the South Asians, then how can I ignore the Halloween observants? Our boy has affinity for skulls, skeletons ever since tween hood. I don't know why. Ghosts are usually friendly towards me, my family though I am extremely scared of them. We like some specific sweets, do not want them regular on our plate. We are aging, also tastebuds don't remain the same always. Then what to cook and share? Let us come to it later!

LOVING MEALS ARE SIMPLE IN OUR LIVES!

I cannot cook just for the blog share anymore, we must be able to eat what I cook. I dislike wastage of food, I do intermittent fasting, the man & Cristine eat minimal, the son left home few years back. Hence, I need to be tactical while planning and executing a recipe. I can't eat something I don't enjoy. Snacks I love, more ever since I have learnt to use minimal oil. Learn to cook your pakora using minimal oil, eat with less of guilt. 

However less I cook, there are leftovers. I have to manage them well, right? I made two small parathas from a leftover dough, served them with egg curry to the man. A snack added completed the meal plate, we cannot have a bird's diet, please. I had my meal with leftover rice. Last Saturday, I cooked my choice of dishes, my tummy is satiated. I am extremely occupied. Just now, had some electrical works done, I have to clean the dusty rooms now. It is Dipaboli after all, no corner of your homes should remain dark, mind it.

WHAT IS ALOO OATS CORIANDER TIKKI?

Now you all know I had little of paratha dough, little of cooked rice, lot of cooked food on a Sunday morning, a Kalipujo cum Diwali cum Halloween friendly recipe to share with my readers on Monday. What to share became a big question. I was sure it wouldn't be a sweet, we still have narus I made on Lakshmi Puja. Aloo is a love we have at home all the time, how harmful it is depends upon the amount of it's consumption, do not overeat anything, not only potato. I stock oats at home for these purposes, to use as an ingredient for snacks and sweets. I like overnight oats but I do not have breakfasts. This vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian snacks, starter ALOO OATS CORIANDER TIKKI tasted great. It was cooking without any effort, you give it to me everyday, I would have with my tea or coffee. I used only few spices, confidently can challenge Japanese potato croquettes, such bland the latter is. If you deep fry them, they would get a nice even brown finish, I preferred to go healthy.

Few Oats recipes from the blog are EASYMADE FRAGRANT SWEET, BANANA ORANGE OATS CAKE, OATS MATAR GREEN KEBAB.

INGREDIENTS :

POTATO : 2-3

OATS : 3-4 TBSP

CHOPPED CORIANDER : 3-4 TBSP

CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1/2 TSP

RED CHILLI FLAKES : 1/4 TSP

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/4 TSP

TANDOORI MASALA : 1/2 TSP

LEMON JUICE : 1 TBSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

CHOPPED DRY FRUITS OF CHOICE : 1 TBSP [I USED RAISIN & WALNUT]

OIL : 1 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Check the stepwise photos column wise!

I peeled the potatoes, cut each into 4 pieces, washed them. I took the potato pieces in a saucepan, added enough water and microwave cooked at low heat until they are boiled well.

I let the potatoes cool. I drained the water and mashed the potatoes. I added all of the ingredients except the oats to the boiled and mashed potatoes. I washed the chopped green chillies, fresh coriander leaves before adding.

I mashed well, added the oats. I folded in well, shaped as I wished.

I greased an oven proof plate with oil, placed the kebabs on it. Mine is a convection mode microwave oven. I placed the low height wired stool inside, atop it the oven proof plate.

I used the combination cooking method, grill+microwave; cooked one side for 15 minutes, the other side for 10 minutes. 

Serve and have them immediately with your choice of condiment.

KULAMBU SPICED OVEN COOKED FULKOPI

 I AM UNWELL SINCE THE MORNING!

I woke up with a blocked forehead and pain. I thought  my blood pressure may have gone up or down. Jokingly, I told the man, "if there is a sudden heart failure, you and the son would stay together, not far from each other." Though anyone can go through a heart failure any time, we have to stay healthy. Though I have lost weight, I am an overweight, I dislike heavy workouts. It is scary how my brother, his wife, some friends allow themselves to put on weight. I keep warning Bhai & son. Later in the day, my nose got blocked, I kept sneezing. I understood I have caught cold. Both of us feel that we had covid flu, may be it had low impact because of the vaccines and the boosters we have taken. Earlier Bengali Kids were fed mutton leg soup to strengthen immunity. The mother fed us regular. The man says Covid happened, we did not understand. On Lakshmi Puja day, I felt dehydrated in the evening. I was thirsty, had chilled water. Perhaps that is the reason I am unwell. We are managing our home well but we do not want to, we are used to a luxury called Cristine. I complain about the son not calling us enough, now can feel it is difficult to do all by himself after being pampered by mumma & Cristine didi until age 18. He had the courage to say goodbye to the safe, secured mumma's lap, step into an unknown land alone. Yet, I told him to set aside 1-2 hours every day for home cleaning. Even if I have fever tomorrow, I have to keep my home clean, I cannot sleep in a messy home. 

UNWELL, I DID SET A SIMPLE LUNCH BOX!

I prefer packing the lunch box. On the Lakshmi Puja day, I asked him to eat out. Yet, it took long hours to finish the puja. Separating the husk from the Khoi / popped rice, dressing and frying five varieties of vegetables take time. Kolkata sells de-husked one too at a higher price, I do get that. Feeling unwell, I made the quickest sandwich for the man, boiled potato in microwave, peeled mashed with butter, salt, black pepper powder, placed atop a bread slice with cheese.

In a hurry, I forgot to discard the bread edges. I make them eat food without much of wastage. Certain middle class values should be imbibed within us forever. Okay, licking fingers after meals is bad manners, I am helpless, I end my meals with a clean plate, lick my fingers. I made semolina toast for myself, I thought I clicked, now cannot find.

WHAT IS KULAMBU SPICED OVEN COOKED FULKOPI?

I was to share a Bengali tiny fish recipe of choice today. Something did not feel right about it. I had a cauliflower / fulkopi / gobi resting in the refrigerator, I forgot to bake it for the visiting friend last Saturday. I did a marination mainly with Kulambu Spice Mix, cooked this vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian appetiser, side dish using the microwave+grill option. I named it KULAMBU SPICED OVEN COOKED FULKOPI. It is time consuming but uses less of oil. We can call it healthy. I started to write late today, let me wrap up quickly. It is not a compulsion, I enjoy writing a blogpost in this era of "reels". I lack technical knowhow, also got busy watching son's activities in social media. Of course I am proud about the good things he is doing, it is natural.

Few other cauliflower recipes from the blog are; FULKOPIR DATA PATA DIYE SHUTKI, DIM FULKOPI CURRY, FULKOPI ALOO DIYE KOI MACH ER JHOL. 

INGREDIENTS :

CAULIFLOWER FLORET : OF ONE STANDARD SIZED

KULAMBU SPICE MIX : 1 TSP

CUMIN POWDER : 1/2 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER : 1/2 TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1/4 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP

LEMON JUICE : 2 TBSP +1 TBSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

SUGAR : 1/2 TSP [YOU MAY SKIP]

CORNFLOUR : 1 TBSP

OIL : 2 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Wash and soak the florets in hot water for half an hour. Drain the water.

Marinate with the spices, cornflower, salt, sugar, 2tbsp oil, keep at rest for an hour.

Grease a grill plate with few drops of oil, place the marinated cauliflower florets on it.

Mine is a convection mode microwave oven. I placed the low height wired stool inside the oven, place the grill plate on it.Close the door. 

I cooked at microwave+grill option for 20 minutes one side. Turned the cauliflower florets thereafter, cooked for 10 minutes.

Take out and have immediately if you are eating it as a starter, appetiser. I had to refrigerate. We would have it tomorrow with hand rolled bread. I can get you more of recipes if I am alive, it got pretty hot, but Kulambu mix is a wonder spice blend.

LIGHTLY SPICED PEAS RICE

 I AM TOO TIRED!

I must visit a Durga Puja venue each day of the occasion but don't like the idea of wearing sari, ornaments, travel to different venues. I mess with the attire, I sweat a lot. It irritates, more when I see the beauties around well kept. If RKM did it the traditional way as in Belur Math, I would have been there all four days, it is near to home. But I want to be with my family on such occasions. The man would not go inside a temple, neither the son. Since yesterday evening, I was thinking of sharing an old recipe from the blog with my readers. I was far from my much loved blog the past four days. How we managed home, attended our biggest festival we do not know. When we assist each other nothing seems a challenge. This would not be the case on Lakshmi Puja, he would not help with rituals, cooking. Today I was extremely busy cleaning my home, yet wished to share a new recipe.

YESTERDAY EVENING I COOKED AFTER FIVE DAYS!

We still have some food left that we would eat tonight. We cannot eat too many things in bigger quantity these days. I cooked"Luchi o Shada Aloor Chocchori"for our dinner last night, Priya's Mixed Vegetable Achar was there on the side. We love such meals. The son enjoys still I know, may be other Western Food are in the same league like Luchi for him now.

There was a little of dough left, not enough for the lunch box. I made four luchi made with it for my first meal. 

I cannot have roasted papad which I want deep fried, only sago papad I like oven roasted.  

Without the son around, without Cristine's assistance, we are managing our home well but as long as we are here, we would need Cristine.

WHAT IS LIGHTLY SPICED PEAS RICE?

My strong will to share a new recipe won over my tiredness. I thought of Oats Kachori, even Oats Balushahi. Those require effort to make, I am not high on energy at this time. I am not stocking much of food at this time, not required. I wished to share something related to Lakshmi Puja. I had some left over rice in the refrigerator, cooked a vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free rice dish; LIGHTLY SPICED PEAS RICE. I am to cook a traditional khichuri / hotchpotch platter on the occasion of Kojagori Lakshmi Puja. But an expat can be excused from cooking a traditional platter in a foreign land. What if few guests are non-Bengali speaking? I am trying to be liberal these days. 

Few other rice based recipes from my blog are these; MATAR DAL O BASMATIR KHICHURI, CHICKEN RICE IN MEMONI SPICE MIX, GHOROYA BANGALI POLAO

INGREDIENTS :

LONG GRAINED RICE : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

GREEN PEA : 4 TBSP

POMEGRANATE KERNEL : 1 TBSP

CASHEW NUT : 8-9 [HALVED]

CUMIN SEED : 1/4 TSP

CHILLI FLAKES : 1/4 TSP

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/4 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

SUGAR : 1/2 TSP [OPTIONAL]

OIL : 2 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Wash the rice few times, cook in enough water until 70% done. Drain the water fully.

I have thrown away the skin of the green peas, you do not need to. 

Heat the oil in the wok, temper with cumin seeds. Add the cashew nuts, fry for half a minute, add the green peas.

Season with salt, crushed black pepper, red chilli flakes, stir.

Add the rice, gently fold in. Add more salt if only required.

We should be done. Pair it with a choice of side.

EASY ORANGE SPREAD

THAT CHILDHOOD LOVE CONTINUES!

Our tastebuds keep changing, my love for homemade jam, jelly, spread however continues. Eons back our mother made jam and jelly, also a bottle of Kissan's mixed fruit jam was stocked. We would spread it atop Cream Cracker, Mary Biscuits, no other biscuits were allowed. Later, Priya's butter biscuits, Good Day, Biskfarm's, Parle-G were allowed. I used to eat countless biscuits, today I don't fancy them. I want sugary toast biscuits I am not allowed to, better I quit. On this day, I prefer having organic jam I make at home, that amount of sugary stuff I allow myself once a week. I regret not making them often when the son was in school. He mostly had store bought jam, spread. I have mentioned earlier his earliest lunch box had luchi-jam roll, idli, Luchi-aloo bhaja. The man used to carry bread-butter or bread-jam in his lunch box while in school, had boiled eggs, fruits too. He doesn't want fruits, jam in the present day, love eggs. The son shifted his allegiance to cheese may be, neither my brother enjoys jam anymore. Till date I love jam, preserve, spread, jelly. I knew their difference but forgot.

BREAD-JAM-BUTTER SEEMS LIKE A DESSERT!

It seems to me a dessert ever since I was diagnosed with diabetes and desserts got restricted in my life. At home I stock jam and butter, I wish I could add whipping cream too. I do not keep fearing a spike in the blood sugar level. Cream Cakes I avoid having regular, similar to it is bread with butter and jam, I allow myself though not regular. I wish I could have "Bun Maska & Chai" every day. I can't digest milk tea but like. I mentioned earlier it is in 1997 December at Toshali Sands, Puri the man asked me to have the bread toast together with butter and jam, till date I enjoy it. He told he had seen American's eat like this, I see it is similar to Parsi "Bun Maska".

WHAT IS EASY ORANGE SPREAD?

I did not follow rules and regulations of making a spread or jam while doing a vegan, gluten-free condiment EASY ORANGE SPREAD. But it is organic made with fresh juicy oranges; Mandarin or Clementine I could not distinguish. They turned out to be sour. I was surprised, they are sweet in general. I cannot have sour fruits, made the easiest spread  using them. They were seedless, I did not even take out the skin. Some variety of citrus fruits' skins do not taste bitter. I tasted the skin, felt little of bitter tone would balance the sweetness of the spread.

I fear to add generous amount of butter, jam on toasts, I am a diabetic. Your kids would love generous servings. The stepwise pictures below would encourage you to make a fresh orange spread in less time. I was at the Far East Plaza today and enjoyed a Korean meal.

INGREDIENTS :

ANY ORANGE VARIETY : 5-6 [PREFERABLY SEEDLESS]

SUGAR : 6-7 TBSP

LEMON JUICE : 3-4 TBSP

ORANGE ESSENCE : 2-3 DROPS [I DID NOT USE, DO NOT LIKE ARTIFICIAL FLAVOURS]

PROCEDURE :

I cut the small sized oranges each into four pieces. I did not discard the skin. Only kept aside a little bit to add later.

I blended the cut oranges with skin into a paste. They were seedless.

I strained the fresh orange pulp, I was left with a bowl of fresh  juice.

I transferred it to a vessel with the sugar, put for boil on the gas oven.

It got simmered at minimal heat for 10-12 minutes. 

I added the lemon juice and the washed orange skin cut into strips.

It got simmered until thick and sticky.

Once cool, it is to be transferred to a sterilised jar. I always refrigerate.