Low Calorie Mashed aubergine dip

Low Calorie Mashed aubergine dip 

Sometimes you will be amazed by how much similarity we have throughout this wide wide world. Take the case of the simple roasted aubergine. In India there is spicy robust Punjabi 'Baingan Da bharta' then there is a simpler Bengali version where you just add chopped onions, roasted spices, fresh coriander and it has a fresh taste . Much later in life I learnt to make Baba ghanoush and fell in love with this Middle Eastern delight. Then I discovered a light soupy dish made with roast eggplants from the South of India. There is also a version from Eastern Europe.

Anyway other than the culinary connection roast aubergine can be a delightfully healthy dish and the best part is it makes for a super healthy dip. Now with all the World Cup Madness I realized one thing snacking is not an option when the football field is on fire. Well here is a thought ditch the chips, ditch the nachos , well you can always have baked potatoes but then it doesn't have than thin crispy crunch so here is something which is unusual yet makes for a delightfully healthy snack. Mashed aubergine with dry roasted stale chapatis which makes for an addictive snacks and its healthy low on calorie and utterly delicious.

Serves 2

2 medium sized aubergine
3 to 4 stale chapatis
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp  extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp sesame seeds
3 large cloves of garlic
Salt as per taste
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice
Half a large tomato chopped into tiny pieces


Simply roast the eggplants over gas stove and then when cool enough to handle mash with a fork and take off the skin and then blend the garlic, sesame, cumin, 1 tbsp olive oil  and add the mashed aubergine and blend away some more to create a smooth dip. Now take a girdle and heat it and then turn the gas flame to low and cut triangular shaped crisps from stale chapatis and dry roast till crispy. The flame must always be on low else you shall burn them. Once completely crisp drizzle the extra virgin olive oil on the crispy chapati triangles and enjoy with the dip.

Chocolate chunk banana bread

Chocolate chunk banana bread 

I have heard of people using ripe bananas to make banana bread but I somehow had the spirit of the banana bread cling on to me till today. You see , I wanted to make banana bread a good 3 days ago and all these years I have seen plenty of blackened bananas lying around our house but ah ha just when I wanted to make a banana bread there were good bananas which were hardly ripe. So I waited for my bananas to overripe while keeping an eye out for possible attack on the bananas. It happened yesterday when my grandmother reached for a speckled one and I almost jumped up towards her and she was baffled. To her overripe bananas are good for nothing . Well well clearly she has not tasted a banana bread. Well I am still not clear why this particular baked goody is called a bread, for one its more or less like a cake and secondly most recipes do not use yeast.

Anyway coming back to my banana bread, for a lovely result you need a lovely recipe. After looking here and there I went back to the one man whose recipes has always yielded a 100% superb result, The great Dan as I like to call him. Mr. Dan Lepard is a genius. His recipes yield perfect result and they are the most easy ones out there with explanation of a step which might seem puzzling.

I myself raised my eyebrows at the prospect of melting butter and whisking it with sugar and flour but ah there was the explanation: This yields a super soft and super moist loaf.

Anyway I made my chocolate chunk banana bread and well I didn't use too much of chocolate chunk because you see chocolate has the most overpowering taste, delightful but it can overpower all other tastes so I kept it to a minimum because I was eager to get the 'bare' taste of banana loaf as put by Mr.Lepard himself .

And once I sliced the loaf and took a bite I was transported to a  world of moistness with ultra soft crumbs. I bow down once again to the genius Dan Lepard.

Recipe source : Dan Lepard

What you need for a loaf which can serve 7 to 8 people

200gm overripe banana pulp
250gm all purpose flour
1 tbsp lemon juice (15 ml)
1 cup castor sugar (cups whcih hold 250ml liquid)
200gm butter (I used salted butter)
4 large eggs
3 tsp baking powder
50gm to 70gm chocolate chopped into very very fine pieces else you may also use chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 160 C. Start by first lining your loaf tin with butter paper and then go on to mash  the bananas with a fork and then blending them away to a smooth paste. You should have 3/4th cup to 1 cup of pulp. Now melt the butter and then whisk ti well with the castor sugar and add 100gm (1/2 cup) flour. Whisk well to create a smooth mixture and add the eggs one by one and whisk well to create a smooth emulsion and then add the lemon juice and then the banana pulp and whisk away and then sift the flour and baking powder together and re sift it again in the wet mixture and then whisk only till everything is well mixed and pour half of the batter and sprinkle some chocolate chunks and pour the rest of the mixture and sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chips and bake at 160 C for an hour. Once done test with a toothpick. Insert the toothpick in the center of the loaf and  if it comes out clean you are done. Take out the tin loaf and wait for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes run a palate knife around the edges and transfer the loaf on a wire rack but you must wait till the loaf cools off completely before slicing else your slices will break easily. Enjoy these super soft , super moist slices with a cup of tea or coffee

Savoury nutty Vermicelli

Savoury nutty  vermicelli 

Any food item can be made as healthy or as unhealthy as you make it. Well, more than health this is a story of love. Till this year February I had no idea that Vermicelli can be a savoury dish. I grew up seeing sweet dishes made out of it. My husband prepared it for me for the first time and to be honest I fell in love with the dish.

Then someone posted a savoury preparation and I knew it was a healthy option and so this is what I did :-

Serves 1

A little less than 1/2 cup vermicelli
1/2 a medium sized potato
1 large tomato
1 large onion
2 to 3 green chilies finely chopped
4 whole cashew nuts
6 almonds
10 to 12 raisins
3 to 4 walnuts
1 tsp olive oil
Salt as per taste
1 cup to 1/4th cup water
1 tbsp finely fresh chopped coriander leaf

Simply dry roast the vermicelli and nuts and keep aside . Thinly slice the onion, chop the tomatoes in small cubes and dice your potato. Now heat 1 tsp oil and add your onions and then cover and cook for 1/2 a minute to 1 minute on low flame and then add the diced potato and tomato and cover and cook with 1/2 cup water till the vegetables are well cooked. Now add the vermicelli along with 1/2 cup of water , salt, chopped chilies and bring to a boil and then simmer till done. You might have to add a bit of extra water if it dries out before the vermicelli gets cooked but not more than 1/4th cup. Add the nuts , fresh coriander and mix well. Serve and have a healthy meal.

Oven roast Pumpkin

Oven roast Pumpkin 

Lets face it , most of us want to eat all that we want and stay fit and slim but that is probably not going to happen. Well once you decide that your health is important for you making these tiny changes is a walk in the park especially when you have something as delicious and nutritious as Oven roast pumpkin. There is spiciness and a lot of flavours and its crisp and delightful

Serves 1

1 cup of cubed pumpkin around 100gm
1 small onion diced
5 to 6 medium sized garlic cloves (If using the large cloves use 2 and slice them well)
Salt as per taste
1 tbsp olive oil
Sprinkle of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cumin powder

Simply preheat oven to 220 C and then toss everything together , separate the layers of onions after dicing and then bake for 40 minutes to 50 minutes turning them once mid-way during baking. Enjoy it guilt-free