Tag Archives: Mandir Food

Banaras Tamatar Ki Chaat

Chaat, Gluten Free, Vegan, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tamatar ki Chaat is a popular street chaat from Banaras. This vegan and gluten free tomato chaat is a unique dish that bursts with flavor. It is made with a delectable combination of tomatoes, potatoes, nuts, spices and drizzled with a spicy sugar syrup. I ate this chaat almost a decade ago while visiting Banaras and can remember the unique flavor till today! The unforgettable flavors of this chaat made me want to see if I could recreate it! After several tries, I feel like I came pretty close to making this dish how I remember it. I served it at a recent lunch with friends and was overwhelmed at the positive response. My friends raved about this chaat and insisted I do the video recipe for it as soon as possible.

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Crispy French Fries

Appetizers, Gluten Free, Kid-Friendly, Quick & Easy, Snacks, Vegan, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Crispy delicious French Fries! Who doesn’t enjoy French fries? It’s the perfect comfort food! Homemade Fries, it’s actually quite simple and easy to make. In fact, this is a great treat for my grandkids when they come to visit me. My grandson will say very proudly my dadi (grandmother) makes the best fries.

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Crispy Vegetable Pakoras

Appetizers, Gluten Free, Snacks, Vegan, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Crispy Vegetable Pakoras are probably my all-time favorite and satisfying appetizer. They are perfect for any occasion, not to mention they are a favorite with all –young or old! These bite-sized snacks are fried to crispy golden-brown perfection. I serve pakoras with tamarind or cilantro chutney. When cooked right they are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. These pakoras also have the added benefits of being vegan and gluten-free.

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Dahi Puri Chaat (Street Food)

Appetizers, Chaat, Quick & Easy, Snacks, Street Food Recipes, Summer Recipes, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dahi Puri is a very commonly found Indian street food! I have been wanting to do this recipe for my channel for quite some time, but I wanted to put my own twist on it. After experimenting with different fillings, I was finally able to come up with a combination that my family approved of – a healthy and delicious salad style filling.

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Healthy Chickpea And Tofu Salad

Gluten Free, Soups and Salads, Vegan, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chickpea and tofu salad is a new favorite in our family. It is both heart healthy and delicious. It’s packed with plant protein and fiber and is also a great option for those who are vegan and gluten free. These days everyone in my family is eating clean and will usually ask me to make a salad bowl. This colorful and delicious salad has become part of my salad recipes. There’s nothing like a fresh salad. Salads are of course healthy and contrary to popular belief they can be quite filling and satisfying! This particular salad is a combination of greens, cucumber, tomatoes, and some fruit which gives it a fresh taste. Add in some chickpeas and tofu with my special homemade dressing and you have a great meal! It’s unbelievably tasty and nutritious too! I love eating leftovers all week long. This super delicious salad is full of flavor and textures and is really easy to prepare.

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Khasta Kachori Besan

Appetizers, Snacks, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Khasta kachori is a delicacy from north India. Khasta kachori is a spicy puffed pastry. Kachories are made with a variety of different filling, and I have many recipes for Khasta Kachori. They are my favorite over samosa. Maybe one of the reasons is I can prepare them even a few days before and can be served at room temperature and served many different ways, even serving as chaat. Traditionally kachori is sold at HALWAI (a sweet and snack shop). Today, I am using spicy besan filling. These mouthwatering Kachories can be served as a snack, chaat or part of the main meal, making the meal exotic.

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Kokum Coconut Kadhi

Gluten Free, Soups and Salads, Vegan, Vegetables Curry / Gravy, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

To make Kokum Coconut Kadhi, we have to know what is Kokum. Kokum is a fruit used as a souring agent in many parts of India and it is mellow in taste compared to tamarind. For me, how it can be a kadhi without besan? So, this Kokum Coconut Kadhi is my twist, by adding a little roasted besan (gram flour). This is both delicious and very refreshing. You can serve this as a soup or with rice. My son who is a very picky eater thoroughly enjoyed it! This is a quick and easy recipe which you must give it a try. This Kadhi is also vegan and gluten free.

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Lauki Vadi Ki Sabji

Dal (Lentils), Diabetic, Gluten Free, Instant Pot, Low Fat, Vegan, Vegetables Curry / Gravy, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Laucki is also known as Bottle gourd. This is a healthy and wholesome lentil and vegetable main dish. I like making Lauki as it is mild in taste and easy to digest. I usually will serve this with plain rice or rotis.

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Mexican Refried Beans and Salsa

Appetizers, Gluten Free, Vegan, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

My ultimate favorite cuisine is of course Indian. But I must say that Mexican and Italian cuisines are close seconds! Overall, I enjoy trying new cuisines with a variety of flavors. After coming to the United States, Mexican cuisine was the first new cuisine I tried. As you already know, I have a story behind every dish.

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Missa Paratha

Breads, Vegan, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Missa paratha is a traditional North Indian bread. At our house, this recipe was a staple. Adding spices to the dough makes these parathas very enjoyable. Missa Paratha is often mistaken by besan ka paratha. Missa atta (flour) is made with whole gram with the skin on and besan is made with split gram without skin. This makes a very noticeable difference in the flavor and texture of the paratha. This bread is healthy and a better substitute for people who are diabatic. I decided to use whole chana instead of buying the flour, which is not readily available. This also gives a better taste. You can also try spices of your choice. These parathas pair well with gravy-based dishes like Mixed Dal and Aloo Tamatar. Finish this great meal with Salted Mint Lassi, which is a good complement. I also enjoy these parathas with a simple cup of hot chai. This recipe will make 6 parathas

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Paneer Petha Ka Ladoo

Desserts, Gluten Free, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Many sweets are made using paneer, which is freshly made homemade Indian cheese. Paneer Pethe Ka Ladoo is delicious and easy to make. This recipe was suggested by my friend Usha, who lives in Jaipur. I must say I really enjoy paneer-based sweets, which include Rasgullas, Ras Malai, Sandesh and many more! I decided I would give a paneer-based dessert a try, Paneer Petha Ladoo. Paneer desserts are considered very classy and for a sophisticated palate. They also are typically very refreshing, delicious, and easy to make. Another reason I like to make paneer sweets is because it is very difficult to mess up the recipe! You can start with one recipe for a paneer dessert and then if it doesn’t turn out right, it is very easy to fix and come up with a new recipe! Another favorite dessert of mine is Petha, which is a famous sweet from Agra (India). Petha is made from white pumpkin and sugar.

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Paneer Tomato Curry

Gluten Free, Paneer (Indian Cheese), Vegetables Curry / Gravy, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Paneer tomato curry is a delicious and sophisticated side dish. My husband, who enjoys paneer dishes in every form, asked me to make a paneer dish, which is different than what I have made before. It should not be creamy. So, I decided not to add cream or nuts. Also, as per Alex’s request, I did not add spinach. After trying to make a new recipe, I landed on Paneer Tomato Curry. Alex really enjoyed this. I knew this was a hit with him because he cleaned up the entire plate. You all know he is my videographer, so this was the next recipe he wanted me to make.I have done many paneer recipes. They all are starting to look the same. In this recipe the paneer is first grilled and then simmered in tomatoes. This is an amazingly simple and quick recipe and is very satisfying. Hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy!

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Pineapple Sheera (Sooji ka Halwa)

Desserts, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Delicious Pineapple Sheera or Halwa. This delicious combination of flavors is sure to please. Sweet and sour pineapple sheera really compliments Sooji halwa nicely to make a unique dish! Especially on holiday times I enjoy making one dessert which I can serve many ways. Sooji sheera and pineapple sheera I will serve combining both and top with ice cream, drizzle with chocolate ganache, forming them small bite size cake. You can also serve them individually with some garnishing. any way you decide to serve this will have wow factor with adults and kids. I will like you to share with some other serving ideas.

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Pithla (Besan Curry)

Dal (Lentils), Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetables Curry / Gravy, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Pithla is a variation of Kadhi. Kadhi is made in many ways. In North India, Kadhi is made like a thick soup with pakoras dumplings. Another popular variation is Gujarati Kadhi, which is sweet and sour and made watery with a soup-like consistency. When first time I had gujrati Kadhi, I thought it was yogurt hot and spicy drink, and enjoyed very much, still my perception has not changed. Pithla, however, is thick in consistency. Sometimes I call this is Besan Ki Sabji. This is a quick and easy recipe to make. Pithla is made with few ingredients. It’s also gluten-free and vegan. Traditionally Pithla is served garnished with hot ghee (clarified butter). Pithla is a complete and satisfying meal.

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