Here is a simple meal idea for a difference from the usual. :) pulkas with bell pepper sabji, aloo poha and a cup of fresh home-made yogurt. When made without garlic and onions this is a wonderful meal for fasting on ekadasi or any other days.

Aloo Poha

Ingredients:

• Poha (Rice flakes) - 1 cup
• Potato - 1, peeled and finely chopped
• Onion - 1 , finely chopped
• Green chillies - 3 or 4, slit
• Roasted peanuts - 1/2 cup
• Ginger - 1 tsp, shredded
• Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
• Corriander leaves - to garnish
• Curry leaves - few
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dhal - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• salt - to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp

How to make it:

Soak poha in water for about 10 minutes. Squeeze to drain the water. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. when it splutters, add urad dhal, onions, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves. Fry until onion turns translucent. Add the potatoes, turmeric powder, salt and asafoetida and cook until potato is well cooked. Add the peanuts. Add the poha and mix well on low flame. Garnish with corriander leaves. Switch off the flame. Close the pan with a tight lid and let it stand until ready to be served. (The poha becomes dry if kept open!)

Pulkas

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour - 2 cups
• Water - to knead,as required
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 2 tsp
  

How to make it:

Mix salt and flour. Add water little by little and make a soft dough. Add oil and knead for one more time. Apply little more oil on dough and set aside for about 3 hours. Make small balls out of the dough and press flat with a rolling pin. Heat a tava, spread the rolled dough and cook until it turns light brown on one side. It puffs up. Now cook the other side of the pulkas by directly showing it over the flame with the help of tongs. Apply some ghee on the pulkas and fold into four. Keep it in a hot pack layered with a thin cloth. Close tightly.

Bell pepper sabji

This is a simple sabji with no much spices or garam masala. But the taste is wonderful!

Ingredients:

• Bell pepper - 1, medium size, chopped
• Onion - 1, finely chopped
• Tomatoes - 2, plum medium size, finely chopped
• Red chillies - 2
• Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida powder - 1/2 tsp
• salt - as required
• oil- 2 tbsp
• Curry leaves - to garnish

How to make it:

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and when it splutters, add urad dhal, red chillies and asafoetida. Add onions and fry until it turns light brown. Add the bell pepper and saute until half cooked. Add tomatoes, red chilli powder and salt. Cook for a while. Add 1/2 cup water and cook covered on low heat for about 10 minutes. Garnish with curry leaves.