Bhojan Bites

  Instant Pot 3-Quart: Your Everyday Indian Cooking The Instant Pot has revolutionized the way we cook, and its smaller 3-quart version is a perfect fit for Indian cuisine. With its versatility, speed, and convenience, this compact pressure cooker can handle a wide range of dishes, from everyday curries to delicious desserts. Let's dive into how you can harness the power of your Instant Pot 3-quart for your Indian cooking adventures. Why a 3-Quart Instant Pot is Perfect for Indian Cooking Ideal for smaller portions: Perfect for individuals or small families. Quick cooking times: Saves you precious time without compromising flavor. Versatile: Handles a variety of dishes from lentils to rice. Easy to clean: Minimal cleanup compared to traditional cooking methods. Everyday Indian Dishes in Your Instant Pot Dals and Lentils: Cook your favorite dals like toor dal, masoor dal, and chana dal effortlessly. The Instant Pot ensures tender and flavorful results every time. Ri...

  Veggie Tortilla Pinwheels Ingredients: 8 large tortillas ( Spinach Herb Tortilla Wraps ) 1 (8 oz) package Spicy Jalapeño Cream Cheese Spread  or vegetable cream cheese dip 1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper strips 1 cup thinly sliced carrot strips 1 cup thinly sliced yellow bell pepper strips 1 cup baby spinach leaves 1 cup shredded purple cabbage Instructions: Spread the Cream Cheese Dip of your choice evenly over 8 of the tortillas. Leaving a 1-inch border on all sides, arrange the vegetables in rows across the tortillas. Roll up each tortilla tightly, adding a bit more cream cheese to seal if needed. Cut each roll into pinwheels and serve. Tip: These pinwheels can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to serve.

  Equipment 9"x5" standard loaf pan Large mixing bowl Hand mixer Ingredients 2 large or 3 small ripe bananas, about 1 cup mashed 2 cups Complete Pancake mix (add water only version) ⅓ cup milk ⅓ cup canola or vegetable oil ½ cup brown sugar or regular sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips ½ cup chopped walnuts Instructions Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray loaf pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside. Mash bananas in a large mixing bowl. Add pancake mix, milk, oil, brown sugar, and vanilla to the mashed bananas. Mix well, but avoid overmixing. Fold in ¾ cup chocolate chips and chopped walnuts. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs. Let cool in pan for 10-15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

  Moist Banana Poppy Seed Bread (Makes 2 Loaves) Ingredients: 3 overripe bananas 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup plain Greek yogurt 1 stick softened butter 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 3/4 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. sea salt 2 tbsp. poppy seeds 2 tbsp. melted butter (for brushing) Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and spray two 9-inch loaf pans with cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with vanilla extract. Stir in the Greek yogurt, sugar, and softened butter until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, folding until just combined. Gently fold in the poppy seeds. The batter will be thick. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared loaf pans. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the loaves i...

  Ingredients: For the Bhaji: 1 medium cauliflower, chopped 1 medium bell pepper, diced ½ inch ginger, crushed 2-3 cloves garlic, minced 3-4 medium potatoes, diced into small cubes 1 medium carrot, diced 1/3 cup shelled green peas Salt to taste 1 cup chopped onion 2 cup chopped tomato pureed  2-3 green chilies, chopped 2-3 tbsp butter  ¼ cup oil ½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste 1 medium capsicum, chopped 1 tbsp degi red chili powder 1 tbsp prepared pav bhaji masala Water ¼ tsp sugar 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves For the Pav: 2 ladi pav or Hawaiian buns  Butter A pinch of degi red chili powder Instructions: Prepare the Bhaji: Cook the vegetables: In a large pot or pressure cooker, combine cauliflower, bell pepper, ginger, garlic, potatoes, carrots, green peas, and salt. Add water and cook until vegetables are soft. Mash the mixture thoroughly. Sauté the base: Heat butter and oil in a large tava or shallow pan. Add chopped onion and sauté until...

Nimona: A Flavorful Curry Yields: 4 servings Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Ingredients: For the paste: 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 2 green chilies 5-6 garlic cloves 1-inch piece ginger For the Nimona: 2 tablespoons mustard oil 3-4 medium potatoes, cut into cubes 500 grams green peas, blanched ½ teaspoon asafoetida (hing) ½ teaspoon amchur powder (dried mango powder) 1-2 dry red chilies 1 teaspoon cumin seeds ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon garam masala Instructions: Make the paste: Grind together the coriander seeds, green chilies, garlic cloves, and ginger into a smooth paste. Prepare the peas: Divide the blanched green peas in half. Grind one half into a smooth paste. Heat the oil and add spices: Heat the mustard oil in a large pot or pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle until fragrant. Add the paste and spices: Stir in the asafoetida, turmeric powder, garam masala, and the prepared paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally,...

Ingredients: For Dabeli Masala: 1 tsp coriander seeds ½ tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp fennel seeds ½ tsp black peppercorns ½ inch cinnamon stick 1 black cardamom pod 6 cloves 1 star anise 1 bay leaf 1 tsp sesame seeds 2 tbsp dried coconut 3 dried red chilies ½ tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp amchur powder (dried mango powder) 1 tsp sugar ½ tsp salt For Garlic Chili Chutney: 10-12 Kashmiri red chilies, soaked ½ cup garlic cloves ½ lime, juiced Salt to taste For Green Chutney: 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves 1 cup fresh mint leaves 2-3 green chilies Salt to taste 1-2 pinches sugar 2 pinches citric acid For Potato Mixture: 2 tbsp tamarind chutney ¼ cup water 2 tbsp oil 3 boiled and mashed potatoes ½ tsp salt 1 tbsp grated coconut 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander 2 tbsp sev (optional) 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds (optional) 2 tbsp spiced peanuts (optional) For Serving: Pav buns Green chutney Garlic chutney Tamarind chutney Masala peanuts Finely chopped onion Butter for toasting Instructions: Prepare Dabeli Masal...