Vermicelli Upma or Semiya Upma is made out of vermicelli/sevaiyan we use to make kheer. It is seasoned with onions, peppers, chillies and salt and forms an excellent breakfast or snack.

Ingredients:

200 gms semiya or vermicelli (roasted or non-roasted),

1 large onion, chopped,

1 small red pepper; deseeded, halved and sliced,

1 small green/yellow pepper; deseeded, halved and sliced,

2 green chillies; deseeded and finely chopped,

1/2 tsp mustard seeds (rai),

1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera),

A pinch of asafetida (heeng),

1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi),

Few curry leaves,

Salt to taste,

Oil for tempering,

Water for cooking vermicelli,

Freshly chopped coriander leaves to garnish.

Method: 

If using non-roasted vermicelli then add heat a kadhai and roast the vermicelli on a low flame until they turn light brown in color.

When roasted (or using already roasted ones) add hot water only enough to cover them, add some salt, give it a nice stir, cover with a lid and let them cook for 3-4 minutes or until they break easily when pressed between your fingers. Drain out the water completely and toss with little oil.

Meanwhile, in a pan heat 3 tbsp oil for tempering. Add mustard, cumin, asafetida, curry leaves and when the seeds splutter add onions and chopped chillies. Sauté until they turn light brown. Then add turmeric powder, peppers and cover and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Then add some salt (adjust as per taste since we added some salt while cooking vermicelli), stir and add the cooked vermicelli. Stir well and let them cook for few minutes.

Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve as a breakfast or snack.

TIP:

You can also add tomatoes if you like.

Christmas is almost here and that is why I baked these delicious little bundles of joy. Banana Strawberry Jam Muffins are flavorful banana muffins filled with liquid strawberry jam. And as you bite into the muffin, luscious melted strawberry jam oozes out…hmm…yum.

Prepare them for Christmas breakfast or give them as Christmas gifts.

Ingredients: (Makes 12)

4 large ripe bananas,

Strawberry Jam as required,

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour,

1/2 cup granulated sugar,

1/2 cup salted butter; melted at room temperature (or place it in the Microwave oven for 20 seconds),

1 egg; lightly beaten,

1 tsp baking powder,

1 tsp baking soda (soda bicarbonate),

1 tsp vanilla extract/essence,

Other -

Muffin baking tray and disposable muffin cups.

Method:

Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar, with a whisk, until smooth and soft. Then add beaten egg, vanilla extract and whisk the mixture for around 5 minutes. Mash the bananas in another bowl and add them to the butter and sugar mixture.

Lightly fold in the mixture until mashed bananas are evenly mixed. Add half of the sifted flour mixture to the bowl. Lightly fold the mixture until well mixed.

Repeat for the remaining flour and mix the batter until even. At this point, you may feel the batter is thicker than usual. But that is the perfect consistency.

Preheat the oven at 180° C (350° F). Line up the muffin cups in the tray. Scoop out a spoonful of mixture and fill the cup to 1/3rd of its capacity.

Spread some strawberry jam over it.

And then spread little more muffin batter over the layer of jam. Do not fill the cups till the rim, as they will expand when they bake.

Place in the preheated oven at 180° C (350° F) on the low rack for 20 minutes. Let them rest on the rack for few minutes before you take them out.

NOTE: I prepared this recipe using my Microwave Oven.

TIPS: Top it with some fine granulated sugar, if you like.

This is one of those recipes that are prepared in every household in Maharashtra, especially during festivals. I remember eating this on the occasion of Pujas and other festivals. The recipe is simple, can be made in minutes and tastes exceptional with puris. I made it today on the occasion of ‘Durgashtami’. Hope you like it.

Ingredients:

5-6 medium size potatoes; boiled, peeled and chopped,
2 onions; sliced or finely chopped (as per your choice),
1/2 tsp rai (mustard seeds),
1/2 tsp jeera (cumin seeds),
1/4 tsp heeng (asafoetida),
3-4 green chillies (as per taste); each broken into two pieces,
10 cloves of garlic,
2-3″ pieces of ginger,
2-3 sprigs of fresh curry leaves,
Salt to taste,
4 tbsp vegetable oil.

Method:

Grind the ginger and garlic.Heat oil in a kadhai. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then lower the flame and add jeera and ground ginger-garlic. Roast for a minute or until fragrant. Do not burn. Then add curry leaves, green chillies, heeng and onions. Saute onions till soft. You can add salt at this stage since it will help onions to turn soft. Later add turmeric powder, mix well and add mashed potatoes. Stir until the potatoes are nicely coated with the onion mixture and are evenly yellow in color. Then cover and cook for 4-5 minutes. Uncover and stir occasionally. Serve hot with puris or parthas.

Tip:
You can use this same vegetable to stuff into Masala Dosa or make small balls of this vegetable, dip them into gram flour batter  and deep fry them to make batata vadas.

Ingredients:

1 cup sprouts (moong bean),

A handful of fresh coriander leaves; chopped,

1-2 green chillies (or as per taste,

6-7 cloves of garlic,

1-2 inch piece of ginger,

1/2 cup of freshly grated coconut,

Salt to taste,

1/2 tsp of soda bicarbonate (optional)

Water for grinding,

Oil for frying.

Method:

In a mixer grinder, combine sprouts, ginger, garlic, chillies, few coriander leaves (reserve more than half for later use) salt and water (as required) and grind into smooth paste.

Transfer the batter into a bowl. The consistency of this batter should be similar to the pancake batter or dosa batter. Add soda bicarbonate at this stage. Give it a nice stir.

Heat a griddle on low flame and smear it with some oil. Scoop out a spoonful of batter and drop it into the center of the griddle. Using the same spoon immediately spread the batter into circular motions (only in one direction) to prepare a thin pancake. Make sure the batter is evenly spread. This process is similar to that of dosa and you may need some practice to get it right, if you are not used to make dosas.

Sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves and grated coconut on top. Drizzle some oil from the sides of the pancake.

Cook from this side until light brown in color. Then drizzle some oil on the top of the pancake and flip it over using a spatula. Cook for 2-3 minutes and serve hot with chutney or tomato ketchup.

TIPS:

You can add some rice and/or urad dal (split black gram) to this batter too. Soak rice and urad dal for atleast 5-6 hours before you add it along with the other ingredients while grinding.

Ingredients:

7-8 slices of brown/white bread,

1 cup gramflour (besan),

1/2 tsp ground garlic,

1/4 tsp turmeric powder,

3/4 tsp red chilli powder,

A tbsp of finely chopped coriander leaves,

Salt to taste,

Water,

Oil for frying.

Method:

Scrape of the sides of the bread slices or cut them into round shape with a small bowl, as seen in the picture.
In a mixing bowl, combine rest of the ingredients except oil. Prepare a batter of dipping/coating consistency.

Heat some oil in a frying pan. Dip each bread slice into the batter and place it into the frying pan. Cook from both sides until golden brown in color (on medium flame or adjust accordingly). Serve hot with tomato ketchup or green chutney. Bread Fritters or Pakoras can be served as breakfast or brunch.