Cheese-stuffed Eggless Gnocchi

From classy restaurants to street cafes, Italian cuisine is found, adapted and relished everywhere. While Pizzas and Pastas rule the roost at most places, let's not forget the humble, yet delectable Gnocchi. 
Mashed soft potatoes combined with flour, rolled in different shapes and poached to perfection, Gnocchi tastes amazing with different sauces.
Here's a cheese-stuffed one that can be served with any sauce. 

CHEESE-STUFFED GNOCCHI

Ingredients : 

Potatoes - 2 large

All purpose flour - 1/2 cup

Wheat flour - 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Garlic powder - 1/2 tsp

Dried oregano - 1/2 tsp

Grated cheese for stuffing

Method : 

1. Wash the potatoes and prick all over with fork. Boil in salted water till soft, or pressure cook.

2. Remove, cool and peel. Mash well. Add salt to taste, garlic powder, dried oregano and mix well.

3. Now add the 2 flours alternately, but a bit at a time. Keep mixing till the mixture is less sticky. Do not add too much flour as we do not want a dough-like consistency. Gnocchi is best left a little sticky but it just enough flour to make it manageable. Cover and keep aside for about minutes.

4. Meanwhile simmer water, add little salt. Roll out the potato dough into a cylinder. Cut out equal portions and roll roughly. Make an indent and stuff a little grated cheese inside. Carefully seal and make a peda-like roll. Dust your hands with a little flour if needed. 

5. Once the water has reached boiling point, reduce the flame and keep it on uniform heat. Drop the rolled potato rounds very carefully into the water and poach them.

6. After about 5-6 minutes the rounds will start rising to the surface. Remove them carefully using a slotted spoon and keep aside.

7. Prepare a sauce as desired, cheese or tomato-based. Place the Gnocchi gently on the serving dish and lightly pour the sauce over it. Do not pour too much sauce. Finally sprinkle cheese just before serving.

Raw Banana Curry

Raw banana is an interesting vegetable, that is known for its starch and fibre content but is also high in potassium. It's a game changer for quite a few recipes, but makes for interesting dishes on its own too. Like this grated Raw banana curry....

GRATED RAW BANANA CURRY

Ingredients :

Raw Banana (Kachcha Kela) - 1 large
Green Chili - 1 medium(sliced)
Ginger - 1" piece (chopped)
Salt to taste
Hing (Asafoetida) - 1/4 tsp
Grated coconut -  2 tbsps
Curry leaves - a few

Tempering :
Oil - 2 tbsps
Mustard seeds (Rai) - 1/2 tsp
Split Black gram (Urad dal)  -1 tsp
Split Bengal gram (Chana dal) - 1 tsp

Method :

1. Wash the raw banana and steam cook with the peel intact, till the peel changes colour (i.e, becomes brownish). This should be approximately 10 minutes, take care not to let it become too soft else we will have difficulty grating it.

2. Remove and let cool. Peel the banana and grate it. Keep aside.






3. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once they start crackling, add the chopped green chili and ginger. Saute for a bit.

4. Now add the urad and chana dals and fry for about half a minute. Finally add in the grated raw banana. Stir well to let the oil coat it evenly.

4. Add salt to taste along with hing. Finally add the grated coconut and curry leaves. Cook for about 5-7 minutes stirring in between.
Remove and serve hot.