Sweet and sour Vegetables-Vaanya's favourite

They say you can never understand the heart of a mother till you become one. Truly so, your world just flips over the moment you become a mother and it automatically starts revolving around the little one. Your likes, your dislikes, your things...everything takes a second seat and your child takes the center stage of your life. 

I have been thoroughly enjoying all the phases and stages of bringing up Vaanya. Most of the times, I realize I am doing things wrong and in the pursuit to mend things I learn it all over again. Life is a constant channel of learning new things, new skills, new emotions every single day. Life would have been such a drab if we think and believe that we know it all. 

Parenthood is not really a subject that you learn in college. It is an ongoing study of finding the best possible way of imparting knowledge, skills and emotions. The best way is to be an example to your children. I realized that I was doing so many things wrong till I wanted Vaanya to do them right and in that whole process I had to re-learn so many things.

One of the most common issue with parents is their child's eating issue. I have gone through different phases of this anxiety where Vaanya's not eating would freak me out to no end. With time I have understood that its okay for her to not eat or drink properly on certain days. As long as your child is healthy, it is silly to get anxious with little things. 

Every child has favourites in food and I feel very satisfied to see Vaanya enjoy her vegetables thoroughly. The sweet and sour vegetables was a very lame attempt from my side to try and make her eat all her favourite vegetables. It is the most easiest and simple recipe and one that I have made over and over again. Whenever I make it for Vaanya, I am assured that she will finish her food in no time and relish all the healthy vegetables in it.

Ingredients : For 2 servings

• 1 carrot
• handful of french beans
• 4-5 mushrooms
• 4-5 babycorn
• handful sweet corn
• few florets of broccoli
• 5-6 cloves of garlic
• half of an onion
• 1 tomato
• 2-3 tbsp Tomato ketchup
• 2 tsp cornflour
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp sugar
• Red chilli powder, optional

Procedure :

Peel and trim the vegetables as required

Cut them in bite size and keep aside.

Chop garlic finely.

Tear onion in rough pieces.

Chop tomato and keep aside.

Take 1 tbsp of refined oil in a pan and add garlic to it. Add carrot and french beans. Let them cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add broccoli and baby corn. Cook for 2 minutes and then put the mushroom, sweetcorn, onion and tomatoes. Add salt, sugar and tomato ketchup.

Cook for a minute and then add 2-3 cups of water.

Turn the flame to high and let the mixture come to a boil.

Dissolve cornflour in little water and add to the boiling mixture in a stream. Keep stirring till the mixture thickens. 

Check for consistency and adjust to your liking.

Serve with boiled rice.

Note : 

• You may add or subtract vegetables to your liking
• Add cooked chicken or fish pieces to it for a non veg version. 

Happy Parenthood

Amrita

Mummy ke Sauce Wale Chhole

Know your Kolkata Food Blogger's event comes to an end with a big bang as I proudly present a very learned and experienced blogger Indrani Dhar who blogs from Recipe Junction. I got the oppurtunity to meet her quite later and have known her as a busy Mother of three beautiful children who balances her real life and blog life with elan. Her blog is a reflection of the loving and caring person that she is with recipes that are tried, tested and approved by her family. 
I had the most difficult time trying to choose one single recipe as her blog is enriched with several interesting and yummy recipes. I finally chose to recreate her Punjabi Chhole recipe which can be viewed here
Coming from a Sikh family, Chhole has been staple to our diet along with Bhaturas and sliced onions. But today I wanted to share my mother's no fuss and very yum recipe which we lovingly call Sauce wale Chole. After the initial boiling of the chole/chickpeas, they are tempered with very simple ingredients and then are mixed with some tomato ketchup which gives the unique yummy flavor. 
I love to have them with hot puris and some tamarind chutney. That is my absolute favourite Savoury side!

Ingredients: Serves 2-3

• 300 gms Kabuli chana/White Chickpeas
• 1 Tej patta/Bay leaf
• 1" dalchini/cinnamon stick
• 2 laung/cloves
• 1 badi elaichi/black cardamom
• Salt to taste

Tempering :

• 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
• 2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp garam masala powder
• a pinch of turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup

Garnish:

• Ginger julienne
• chopped Coriander leaves

Procedure :

Soak kabuli chana/chickpeas in water overnight.

Boil the kabuli chana in a pressure cooker with salt, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, black cardamom and cloves with water that should be 1" above the ingredients. 

After 1 whistle, reduce the flame to low and cook for 25 minutes.

Take oil in a pan for tempering and add cumin seeds. As they start browning, add the chopped onions. Cook till they turn brown and then add the chopped tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes till the oil starts separating. 

Add turmeric powder,red chilli powder and garam masala powder.

Now add the boiled chickpeas and stir well. 

Cook on high flame to dry the water. 

Add tomato ketchup and stir well.

Adjust seasoning. 

Garnish with ginger julienne and chopped coriander and serve with hot puris, tamarind chutney and sliced onions

 

Happy Sauce Wale Chhole enjoying

Amrita