Dhokla

I think Dhoklas are the most popular food Gujarati food. I have been asked to demonstrate Dhokla preparation by my non-Gujarati friends more often than any other item so far, making Dhoklas an absolutely worthy dish for my posts. Nisarg also loves Dhoklas very much, so I get to make them often :).

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups rice

1/2 cup urad dal

1/4 cup yogurt

1 tbsp ginger-chili paste

2/3 cup shredded bottle gourd

1 tbsp urad dal-chana dal

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (I didn't use it this time)

1 tbsp cilantro (chopped) (optional)

1/4 tsp asafoetida

3/4 tsp soda-bi-carb

1 tsp oil

1 tsp black pepper (coarsely ground)

salt as needed

Method:

• Soak the rice and urad dal overnight and grind in a mixture the next day. Add yogurt, 1/8 cup of hot water and allow to ferment for 6-7 hours.
• Add all the ingredients except black pepper and mix well.
• Apply oil spray on a flat metal dish (see picture-2) and pour batter to fill half the height. For thinner dhoklas, make this layer thinner (see picture-3).
• Sprinkle black pepper on top and steam for 13-14 minutes. Repeat with rest of the batter. 
• Cut into pieces and serve hot with green chutney.

I'd like to send this dhokla over to Lubna's FIC-white (Food in color),which was started by sunshinemom of ToungeTicklers.

Enjoy!!!

Blueberry-Orange Oatmeal Sundae

Last Friday night, I was browsing through various recipes looking for some nice oatmeal breakfast. I had bought a large box of old-fashioned oats some weeks ago for a particular dessert, and after that one-time use, I had forgotten all about it!! I found this really easy, healthy and yummy recipe, although I had to make some changes according to what I had in my pantry. I must say the end result was as delicious as it looks in the snap :).

Ingredients:

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup frozen/fresh blueberries

1/2 cup mandarin oranges

1 cup orange juice

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1 tbsp corn-starch

2 tbsp honey (add more if you need)

2 tbsp roasted walnuts (chopped)

pinch of nutmeg

pinch of salt (optional)

Method:

• Put orange juice, blueberries, honey, nutmeg, corn-starch in a pan and bring to a boil. Set aside.
• Heat water and milk in a pan and bring to a boil. Add oats and salt. Let it cook for 5-7 minutes or until oatmeal is thickened.
• Pour oatmeal into two bowls and top with warm blueberry sauce, mandarin oranges and walnuts. 

Enjoy!!!