Mixed Dal Poha Cutlets

It is a fun to utilize leftovers to have a whole different presentation.One day I found in my fridge, some leftovers like poha, khichdi, chana dal and aloo methi sabji. I just combined these leftovers with boiled potato, chopped onion and green chilies and prepared crunchy delicious cutlets.

Exact amounts are not included because it depends on the amount you have left over. Just use your good judgment and imagination and enjoy your creation.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups total leftover (chana dal, matar poha, arhar dal khichdi, aloo methi sabji)
• 1 cup potato boiled and mashed
• 2-3 green chilies finely chopped
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• ¼ cup green cilantro leaves finely chopped
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp chat masala
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2-3 tbsp grated cheese
• Breadcrumbs to coat cutlets
• Oil for deep frying

Method:

• Mix all ingredients except oil and breadcrumbs.
• Shape into cylindrical structures (you can give any shape you like). Roll each cylindrical cutlet in breadcrumb and refrigerate for about 10-15 minutes.
• Deep fry in hot oil till crispy brown. If cutlets are flat in shape, these can be stir fried.
• Serve as a snack with chutney/ketchup of your choice.

Do You Know?

• Proper refrigeration is essential for foods leftover. Consuming spoilt food can result in disaster. Beware that food gets spoiled before it looks, smells or tastes bad. Therefore use a refrigerator thermometer to ensure proper storage below 40 degrees Fahrenheit
• Food should be reheated once and once only. A cooked item that is reheated for more than once can harbor bacteria which could make one seriously ill.

Anda Roti Roll (Egg Flatbread Wrap)

Make tasty egg wraps of old chapatis/rotis and serve for breakfast. For stuffing, you either cook onion tomato mix or use any leftover vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp milk
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of black pepper powder
• Stuffing (onion tomato mix):
• 1 small onion chopped fine
• 1 green chili finely chopped
• 1 tbsp green coriander leaves chopped fine
• 1 small tomato diced in small pieces
• 1 tsp ginger chopped fine
• 2 tbsp capsicum diced in small pieces
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• Salt to taste
• Pinch of black pepper

Method:

• Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. Stir fry all the ingredients together for stuffing till little soft or according to your choice. Keep aside for making the wraps.
• In a bowl, beat one egg; add 1 tsp of milk, salt and fresh-ground pepper. Mix well.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan on low flame, pour the egg mixture in the frying pan and swish it around so that a fine uniform layer of egg sticks to the bottom and side of the pan. Do this by picking up the frying pan and rotating it slightly.
• Leave the egg mixture alone for a few minutes to allow it to cook and "set up."
• When the egg is about 70% cooked solid, it is time for layering the roti over omelet. After layering the roti over the omelet, let it continue to cook until the crispy thin egg edge starts to pull away from the pan.
• Take a spatula, run it under the omelet and flip it. Now roti is underside towards the frying pan and the omelet is on upper side. Arrange stuffing in the centre of the omelet and roll it. Roti will be on the outer side and omelet will be on the inner side of the roll but visible from the sides.
• Serve hot.

Green Chutney Rice

Stir fry leftover rice with leftover green chutney (Coriander or Mint Chutney) and enjoy the dish with plane yogurt.

Ingredients:

• 2 cup of boiled rice (leftover)
• 3-4 tbsp green Cilantro or Mint chutney
• ½ tsp sugar granules
• 1 tbsp lemon juice ( adjust according to your taste)
• 2 green chilies
• ½ tsp white pepper powder
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• a pinch of asafetida powder
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• salt to taste

Method:

• Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Splutter cumin seeds. Add asafetida, green chilies, curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
• Add chutney and sugar. Fry for a minute. Before chutney changes its green color, mix in cooked rice, pepper powder and salt. Fry on low flame for another minute.
• Remove from fire. Stir in lemon juice.
• Serve with yogurt or pickle of your choice.

Do You Know?

In India, chutney is often made to be eaten fresh, using whichever strongly flavored ingredients are locally available at the time. It would not normally contain preserving agents, since it is intended to be consumed quickly after preparation.

Many authentic types of chutney contain significant amounts of fresh green chili peppers; the other main ingredient can be any of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Most vegetable chutneys are prepared cold in a blender, while many fruit chutneys require cooking.

Stir-Fried Idlis (Stir-Fried Steamed Rice Cakes)

This is an excellent way to utilize leftover Idlis (Steamed Rice Cakes). Stir fry bite-sized pieces of idlis with curry leaves, spices; and serve with coconut chutney as a tea time snack.

Ingredients:

• 5-6 left over Idlis cut into bite sized cubes
• 2-3 tbsp cooking oil
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• Pinch of asafetida
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 1 dry red chili broken in 3-4 pieces
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 green chili chopped fine
• 1 tbsp lemon juice or 1 tsp amchur powder (dry mango powder)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• 2-3 tbsp warm water
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan; temper with asafetida, mustard seeds and red chili pieces. When mustard seeds stop spluttering, add chopped green chilies and curry leaves; fry until they crackle.
• Add turmeric and red chili powder; immediately add 2-3 tbsp of warm water and diced Idlis. Shake over little salt (remember Idlis already have some salt). Stir-fry for two to three minutes on medium flame.
• Take out in a dish, drizzle lemon juice.
• Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve hot with coconut chutney as a teatime snack.

Do You Know?
The idli , also romanized "idly" or "iddly", is a savory cake most often eaten at breakfast or as a snack, popular throughout South India. The cakes are usually two to three inches in diameter and are made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented split and skinned black gram and rice. The fermentation process breaks down the starches so that it is more readily metabolized by the body, and is considered a health food.

Namkeen Roti

It is an excellent way to use up leftover pulp from soup of vegetables like tomatoes, beans, carrots, spinach etc. Instead of throwing strained pulp in the trash, I knead it in wheat flour to make Namkeen Paratha.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• ½ cup besan (optional)
• 1 cup pulp of strained vegetables
• ½ tsp carom seeds
• 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro leaves
• Salt to taste
• Desi ghee

Method:

• Put whole-wheat flour in a large bowl. Add all the ingredients except ghee. Add very little water to knead the flour. Knead softly until you get smooth, medium-soft dough. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky or too soft.
• Add 2 tbsp of ghee now and continue to knead. Once the dough is done, put it in a closed container and keep it in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough into equal sized portions and roll each portion into a ball between your palms. Use dry flour or oil to make smooth balls.
• Lightly flour a rolling board and roll out each ball into a 6-7” circle.
• Place the roti on heated griddle or tawa.
• When toasted on one side, turn it over and let the other side cook for few seconds, until tiny brown spots appear on the side facing the griddle.
• Turn it over once again and press it with a muslin cloth all around the chapati. Flip the chapati and press gently around the other side too. When it is light brown on both sides, remove from heat.
• Apply butter on the upper surface of the roti.
• Serve with Dal (lentil) and Sabji (curry) of your choice.

Do You Know?

Dietary fiber or roughage is the indigestible portion of plant foods that pushes food through the digestive system, absorbing water and easing defecation.

Chemically, dietary fiber consists of non-starch polysaccharides such as cellulose and many other plant components such as dextrin, inuline etc.

Fiber-rich plants can be eaten directly or through supplements and fiber-rich processed foods.

Benefits of eating fiber are many: The consumption of soluble fiber has been shown to protect you from developing heart disease by reducing your cholesterol levels. The consumption of insoluble fiber reduces your risk of developing constipation, colitis, colon cancer, and hemorrhoids.

Rice Cutlets

Do you have left over rice at home….don’t worry …just mix chopped onion, green chilies, cilantro leaves and make cutlets. Serve as teatime snacks.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups boiled rice
• 1 cup potato boiled and mashed
• 1 tbsp green chilies finely chopped
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 1 tbsp green cilantro leaves finely chopped
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp chat masala
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste (optional)
• Oil for pan frying

Method:

• Mix all ingredients except oil and shape into two inch round patties.
• Heat oil in a frying pan and panfry them.
• Garnish with salad and serve as a snack with chutney/ketchup of your choice.

Do You Know?
Basmati rice has been reported in India since the early days of the 19th Century though it may have been named differently.
Basmati rice is grown only in Northern India and in parts of Pakistan touching India.
'Bas' in Hindi language means "aroma" and 'mati' means "full of" hence the word Basmati is ‘full of aroma’.
Basmati rice has two characteristic features, which no other rice has, which have made it a delicacy. These are aroma (of sweet taste) and post cooking elongation (more than twice its original length).

Khasta Dal Paratha (Crispy Lentil Pan-Fried Flatbread)

This recipe is especially for the use of leftover chana dal (split Bengal gram). If you once eat this paratha, I am sure, you will make more then required chana dal every time so that you can make these parathas next day.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup cooked or boiled chana dal
• 2 tbsp cooking oil for kneading
• ½ tsp carom seeds
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro leaves
• 2 green chilies finely chopped
• ½ tsp amchur powder
• Salt to taste
• ½ cup ghee or cooking oil for pan frying

Method:

• Put whole-wheat flour in a large bowl. Add all the ingredients except ghee or cooking oil for pan-frying and knead the flour. You may not require water to knead the flour if dal is thin. Knead until you get smooth, medium-soft dough. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky or too soft.
• Add 2 tbsp of oil now and continue to knead. Once the dough is done, put it in a closed container and keep it in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
• Divide the dough into equal sized portions and roll each portion into a ball between your palms. Use dry flour or oil to make smooth balls.

• Follow Making Paratha -method II
• Lightly flour a rolling board and roll out each ball into a 6-7” circle. Now roll it into a finger shaped structure. Coil this into a spiral.
• Flour the rolling surface again lightly and very gently roll out the spiral into a flat circle about 5-6” in diameter.
• Heat a griddle and put a paratha over it. Flip the paratha when you see tiny bubbles rising on the surface of the paratha. Drizzle a bit of ghee/oil on the top and spread well over the surface of the paratha. Flip again and drizzle some more ghee/oil on this surface too. The paratha is done when both sides are crispy and golden brown.
• Serve hot crispy paratha with Aloo ki Sabji and green coriander chutney.

Khichdi Paratha ( 'Hodge Podge' Pan-Fried Flatbread)

Made from leftover khichdi, this tasty pan fried bread is great with your favorite pickle and raita/yogurt.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup leftover khichdi
• ½ tsp carom seeds
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro leaves
• 2 green chilies finely chopped
• ½ tsp amchur powder
• Salt to taste
• ½ cup ghee or cooking oil

Method:

• Put whole wheat flour in a large bowl. Add all the ingredients except ghee or cooking oil. Add very little water to knead the flour. Knead softly till you get a smooth, medium-soft dough. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky or too soft.
• Add 2 tbsp of oil now and continue to knead. Once the dough is done, put it in a closed container and keep it in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
• Divide the dough into equal sized portions and roll each portion into a ball between your palms. Use dry flour or oil to make smooth balls.
• Lightly flour a rolling board and roll out each ball into a 6-7” circle.
• Heat a griddle (tawa) and place a paratha on the griddle. Flip the paratha when tiny bubbles rise on the surface. Drizzle a bit of ghee/oil on the top of the paratha and spread well over the surface of the paratha. Flip the paratha again after few seconds and drizzle ghee on other surface too. The paratha is done when both sides are crispy and golden brown. Remove from the griddle and repeat with the other parathas until all are cooked.
• Serve hot crispy paratha with raita/yogurt and pickle.

Do You Know?

The word "khichdi" literally means "hodge-podge" or mish-mash. Hodge-podge or not, khichdi makes for a complete one-pot meal. The rice provides the carbohydrates, the lentils provide the protein, the vegetables add the vitamins and minerals and fiber. A dollop of ghee provides the right amount of fat and calories, which are as important in a diet as any other food-group.