Quick & easy fat-free snacks

GRILLED SALT AND PEPPER TOFU
Ingredients

Tofu, ¾ inch cubes 200 grams
Spring onions, sliced at a slant 2
Celery, chopped 2 inch stalk
Garlic, chopped 3-4 cloves
Ginger, chopped 1 inch piece
Salt to taste
Green chillies, sliced 2
Black peppercorns, crushed 7-8
Cornflour 1 tablespoon
Lemon juice 1 tablespoon


Method

1. Heat a pan, add the tofu cubes and grill on medium heat.
2. Add spring onions, celery, garlic, ginger, salt and toss. Add green chillies, crushed black peppercorns and mix.
3. Blend the cornflour in quarter cup of water and add. Mix and add lemon juice. Mix again.
4. Serve hot.

KHAMAN DHOKLA
Ingredients

Gram flour (besan), sieved 2 cups
Curd, beaten 1 cup
Green chilli-ginger paste 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder ½ teaspoon
Salt to taste
Lemon juice 1 tablespoon
Oil 2 tablespoons
Soda bicarbonate 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon
Sugar 1 teaspoon
Coconut, scraped ½ cup
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 2 tablespoons

Method

1. Take besan in a bowl. Add curd and mix. Add a little water to make a batter which is neither too thick nor thin. Whisk well so that there are no lumps. Cover and keep overnight in a dark, warm place to ferment.
2. Heat water in a steamer. Grease the dhokla patra.
3. Add green chilli-ginger paste to the fermented batter and mix well. Add turmeric powder and salt and mix again.
4. Mix together lemon juice, one teaspoon oil, soda bicarbonate in a small bowl and add to the batter and mix well.
5. Transfer the batter into the dholka patra. Put them on the stand and place the stand in the steamer. Cover with the lid and let it steam, over medium heat, for about ten minutes.
6. Insert a satay stick or a tooth pick into the dhokla to see if it is done. If it comes out clean, the dhokla is ready.
7. Heat remaining oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds and let them crackle. Add quarter cup of water and sugar. Cook till sugar dissolves and pour this over the dhokla. Set aside till all the water is absorbed.
8. Cut into large squares. Garnish with coconut and coriander leaves and serve.

BROWN POHE
Ingredients

Brown pohe 3 cups
Rice bran oil 2 tablespoons
Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves 10-12
Onion, chopped 1 medium
Green chillies, seeded and slit 2
Potato, boiled, ½ inch cubes 1 medium
Roasted peanuts 3 tablespoons
Turmeric powder ¼ teaspoon
Salt to taste
Green peas, boiled ¼ cup
Lemon juice 1 tablespoon
Fresh coriander leaves , chopped 3 tablespoons

Method

1. Soak brown pohe in water for fifteen to twenty minutes. Drain.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves, onion and green chillies and sauté for two minutes.
3. Add potato cubes and stir. Add roasted peanuts and turmeric powder and mix.
4. Add soaked brown pohe and salt and stir to mix. Cook for two-three minutes. Add green peas and lemon juice and mix again.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves, toss and serve hot.

HEALTHY SANDWICH

Ingredients

Multigrain bread 8 slices
Cucumber 1 medium
Tomatoes 2 medium
Tofu 100 grams
Pickled onions 4-5
Green chillies, broken 2
Sundried tomatoes 5-6
Hung yogurt ½ cup
Salt to taste
Iceberg lettuce, hand torn a few leaves

Method

1. Slice cucumber and tomatoes. Slice tofu and pickled onions.
2. Grind green chillies, sun dried tomatoes, hung yogurt and salt into a paste.
3. Spread this paste over the bread slices. Place lettuce, tomato, cucumber on one slice. Sprinkle some salt and cover with another slice and press lightly. Cut and serve.
4. Similarly make the remaining sandwiches.

Rossogolla

Ingredients:
1 litre milk
1/2 tsp. citric acid
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 cups water
2-3 drops rose essence
Method:
Heat the milk and bring to boil.
Cool the milk for a couple of hours. Remove the cream layer.
Reheat the milk and bring to a boil.
Add the citric acid dissolved in some water.
Stir slowly till the milk is fully curdled.
Keep as it is for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile heat the sugar and water in a wide sauce pan. Bring to a boil.
Strain the milk through a muslin cloth. Wash the chenna in the cloth under cold running water.
Press out the excess water and remove in a wide plate.
Gently knead into a soft dough by passing between fingers.
Make twelve equal sized balls of the dough.
Let them into the boiling water. Cover with a perforated lid. Boil for 13 to 15 minutes.
Take off from heat and cool them to room temperature.
Add essence and chill for at least 4 to 5 hours.
Serves: 6 helpings
Time required: 1/2 hour.