RICHAS KITCHEN

Achari Paneer

2011-03-08T04:02:00.000-08:00

I heard a lot about achari paneer but I never got a chance to taste it so far.....one day while browsing i found this recipe in Aipi,s blog .It was very easy and sounds interesting so decided to give it a try and believe me this is now among one of so many tasty dishes which i make of paneer.Easy and fast to make and tasty too.

I just followed the recipe given by Aipi,s blog US Masala ,so not going to post it again .Please visit her blog for the recipe,she has an amazing collection of recipes in her space.

I am sending it to Bookmarked recipes-every Tuesday Event hosted by Priya and Aipi.

Moong dal Halwa

2011-03-07T03:13:00.000-08:00

Moong dal halwa is a well known sweet specially from the state of Rajasthan.Its rich and creamy in
taste and people use to enjoy it as dessert in winters after dinner.Its full of energy also as it contains moong dal and lots of pure ghee ,so recommended for weak people too.

Ingredients-

Split Moong dal - 1/2 cup
Pure Ghee or Unsalted butter- 1/2 cup
Sugar - little less than 1 cup or according to taste
Cardamom powder- 1/4 tsp
Saffron a pinch
Water - 2 cups
Few almonds silvers fore garnishing

Method

1- Wash and soak dal in water for about 3-4 hours.
2-Drain dal and grind it into smooth paste just adding little water.
3-In a heavy kadai or non stick pan add ghee and dal paste and mix well,turn on the gas at medium heat.
4-Stir continuously as dal tends to stick at the bottom of the pan,press it gently with spatula and keep stirring the paste for about 15-20 minutes or untill a sweet aroma comes out of it.
5-In another pan mix sugar and water and boil for 4-5 minutes.Add saffron and cardamom powder and keep it aside.
6-After sweet aroma comes out of the dal paste add this sugar syrup to it slowly .keep string well and cover for 2-3 minutes.
7-Remove the lid and stir it if more water is there untill the desired consistency .
8-Switch off the gas and serve it warm ,garnished with silvered almonds.

One more click to tempt you more...............Enjoy.

Daal Pakwan Popular Sindhi Breakfast

2011-03-01T02:20:00.000-08:00

Hii all,so finally I am here with something ,this is my post after a long time ,anyways I took a kinda break......So today my post is about a popular Sindhi breakfast 'daal pakwan'. I remember in my college days we had a sindhi classmate first I heard about it from her but with time I forgot about it,Then one day while surfing internet i found the recipe and decided to give it a try and it came out well .I bookmarked this recipe from Home Made Food.I just followed the recipe as it is in her blog so not going to post it again here,Please visit her blog for the yummy recipe.

I am sending it to Priya,s and Aipi,s Bookmarked Recipe Event'

Roundup Veggie\fruit A month

2011-02-17T02:10:00.000-08:00

Hello ,friends first of all I am really very sorry for the delay in posting the roundup of the Event ,I know you all must be waiting for the yummy recipes made of green peas ,actually I was really very busy so could not even get time to login in last few days........But Its better to be late then never ,rite, Ok you can say its an excuse -

I am really thankful to Priya who gave me this opportunity to host the Event and I am sorry Priya for posting roundup late .

SO here is the roundup --

Shobha of Foodmazaa send her delicious Gobhi Mattar sabji, , Methi Matar Paneer Bhurji , Green Peas stuffed Puris and Green Peas Pulao

Then enjoy the Creamed peas and Peas with Cheese n a Tangy Twist of Priya Sreeram from BON APPETIT

Try Vatana Na Ghughra of Supriya from Queen of My Kitchen

Something new for me from Priya of Priya's Easy and Tasty Recipes ,her recipes are Green Peas Puree and Matar Tawa pulao

Rupali of RecipeGrabbag send her Green Peas with Tofu

Then try Kavita's Green Peas Delight from Seasoned and Dressed

Last but not the least try some Green Peas Chutney of Kanchan from Kitchen gossip

SO here is the round up with so many delicious recipes of Green peas ,Thank you all who send all these lovely entries for my Event and please let me know if I missed anyone of you .

And I apologize once again for delay in posting the roundup and I shall make sure it will not happen again.....Thats all for now,Have a Great Day.................

Veggie/Fruit A Month Event

2010-11-02T12:23:00.000-07:00

So here I am with the 1st Event of my blog.This is actually the Event started by Priya of Mharo Rajasthan's Recipes.Thanks a lot Priya for giving me this opportunity. As the rule of the Event we should choose a fruit or Veggie as the theme of the event,so i choose Green Peas ,who is not aware of green peas ,this is very essential veggie in our daily cooking at least in my kitchen ,I use to prepare some thing or the other with green peas frequently.So I thought lets see what my other blogger friend are cooking with this wonderful vegetable.For this You can use any peas (I mean fresh green peas,canned one or dry peas )

The rules of the event.

Please link this announcement page and Priya's event page with your entries.
We would like a new recipe with the event links and the use of Logo is appreciated.
you can cook the vegetable in any way and presented in some form in any course of the meal.
Only Vegetarian recipes please,can use eggs.
If you would like to participate and do not have a blog please feel free to email; your name, recipe and picture.
This event will be from November 1st to November 3oth.
Send your entries @ richaskitchen@gmail.com and include the following details too -

Subject line -Green peas

Your name

Your blog name

Your site url

Recipe name

Recipe url

Picture of the recipe

Please do participate in the Event,I am looking forward for your emails and host many more Event in the future.

I will be able to post the roundup of the event only after 15th of December because I shall be busy next Month.Happy Blogging and cooking to all.........

Chikpeas Salad

2010-10-27T13:03:00.000-07:00

This post was in my drafts for quite a some time now so today finally i decided to post it.This a very healthy salad with lot of vegetables as well as the nutrition of chickpeas too.I adapted this recipe from Rachel Ray of Food Network ,but of course i made some changes in that and made it suitable for my taste buds .There are two recipe for this with slightly change or i would say hot or cold salad ,so here comes the recipes -

Ingredients

2 cans chickpeas( rinsed and drained) or 1 cup chickpeas (soaked overnite and boiled)
1 small red onion finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
Spinach leaves 7-8 ,cleaned and chopped
1 small carrot ,grated
2-3 tbsp Fresh coconut ,grated (optional)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
juice of half lemon
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
some coriander leaves and lemon wedges for garnishing.

Method (cold salad)-

Combine all Ingredients for salad in a large bowl mix well garnish with coconut ,coriander leaves, lemon wedge,keep it in the refrigerator for some time and serve.

Hot Salad-

Heat oil in a pan add all the vegetable and saute ,add salt and chickpeas and saute some more,Finally add red pepper flakes,black pepper and lemon juice ,take it out in serving plate ,garnish with coriander leaves,coconut and lemon wedges,serve hot.

Note- You can use any vegetable in this salad whatever you have,almost all veggies goes well with it.

Lemon Rice

2010-10-27T12:16:00.000-07:00

Lemon rice is a quite easy and traditionally a dish form southern parts of India,they have many different Varieties of rice in their cuisine among them Lemon rice is very famous.This is the best way to use your leftover rice too.

Ingredients :

Rice       1 cup (cooked & cooled)

Oil                1 Tbsp.

Mustard  seeds     1 tsp

Green chillies     2

Dry red chillies   2

Turmeric            1 tsp

Salt               To taste

Lemon  juice       1/4 cup or less

Peanuts            1/4 cup

Cashew nuts        1/4 (pieces)

Chana dal          1tsp

Urad dal           1/2 tsp

Curry leaves       3-4

Method-

1-Add lemon juice in cooked rice (make sure the rice should not be mushy and grains should be separated)

,keep it aside.

2-soak chana dal in water for at least half an hour.

3-Heat oil in a kadai add mustard seeds ,let it crackle.

4-Add cashew pieces and peanut and fry it for some time till sligtly brown,take them out of the pan.

5-Now in same pan and oil add red chillies,turmeric,curry leaves and chana dal fry for

 some time and then add urad dal and fry some more.

6- Now finally add rice,fried cashews ,peanut and saute lightly ,serve hot.

Garlic Breadsticks T&T from Divya's blog

2010-08-24T11:26:00.000-07:00

I love Garlic bread sticks anytime,with soup or simply for munching at tea time.It is always in my menu whenever i go out ...I tried it so many places but Sbarro's garlic bread sticks are the best......
I tried so many recipes of breadsticks before also but somehow i did not like or may be they did not came out perfect as i wanted,then i came across this recipe of bread sticks in Divya's blog and decided to give it a try and believe me it came out so-so perfect ....soft and chewy.
I just followed her recipe as it is only one change i have done is ,I did not use garlic salt because it was not in hand so i sprinkled chopped garlic and some Italian seasoning on top.

I am sending it to Priya's bookmarked recipes-Every Tuesday Event.

Easy Pasta

2010-08-23T13:42:00.000-07:00

This is the perfect recipe when you are not in mood to cook something elevorate or you don't have enough time and want a quick and easy meal.you can make this in jiffy with very few things,who does not like pasta specially kids ,so try this out ,its very easy and delicious dish.

Ingredients

Thin Spaghetti- 1/2 pack (1lbs pack)
Red onion- 1 medium size
tomato - 1 medium size
tomato Ketchup-2 tbsp
soy sauce - 1 tbsp
Balsamic Vinegar -1/4 tsp
black pepper powder
oil-2tbsp
salt to taste

Method-

1-Cook spaghetti according to package directions .(usually boil 9-10 minutes in boiling water with salt and oil)
2-Chop onion and tomato lengthwise,keep aside.
3-Heat oil in a pan add chopped onion and saute for sometime ,then add tomato and saute a little bit more.
4-Add cooked spaghetti pasta ,soy sauce ,black pepper,tomato ketchup,balsamic vinegar and salt,saute and serve hot.......see how easy it is.....enjoy...

Easy-breezy tomato salad

2010-08-23T13:07:00.000-07:00


This is a very easy and quick salad with very few Ingredients,serve it as a side with any meal ,for me it goes best with dal and rice.

Ingredients

Cherry Tomatoes- 1 lbs box
Sugar - 2tbsp
black salt- 1tsp
salt -according to taste
black pepper powder-1 tsp
Cumin powder-1tsp
some chopped cilantro

Method-

1- Wash and cut Tomatoes into halves.
2-Add sugar and leave it for about 5 minutes.
3-Then add black salt,salt,pepper powder,cumin powder stir well.
4-Finally add chopped cilantro and serve.....enjoy....

I am sending it to Taste of pearl city's 'Anyone Can Cook Event'.

Akeela of Torviewtoranto passed this participation Award for participating in Cold dessert Event.Thanks Akeela........

Bombay street Food -Pav Bhaji T&T from Nupur's Blog

2010-08-17T12:49:00.000-07:00

Well who is not familiar of famous Pav bhaji of Nupur in blogging world.I also came across with her Pav bhaji recipe,although pav bhaji is not new for me ,its a kind of staple food in my house .but my recipe is slightly different from hers (anyways that is the story of some other day).I just followed her recipe as it is one difference i did was i added some chopped carrots as well and it came out so so good mmmmmm.........
Actually a nice change from my kind of bhaji so now i have two different recipes of making bahji.
I tried this recipe from One Hot Stove ,so you can just follow the link and try it out,its just yummy.....

I am sending it to Priya's Bookmarked recipes-every Tuesday event.

Bari-Dried Lentil Dumplings -ICC July Challenge

2010-08-15T06:17:00.000-07:00

This month Indian Cooking Challenge is baris which are made of urad dal ,actually i wanted to try them since so long but just out of laziness i did not try it so far but when srivalli gave this as a challenge ,i tried it out and it came out perfect .The only thing i was thinking before is sunlight but its summer here so just on a sunny a day i tried my hand on it in my Patio itself and for me it took 2 full sunny days to dry it completely.So here is the recipe how I made them.

Ingredients

Urad dal- 2 cups
Bottle gourd - 1 big size (I used bottle gourd in place of ash gourd)
Green chillies- 3-4
Ginger-2 inch piece
Coriander seeds-4 tbsp(coarsely ground)
Coriander Leaves-1bunch (cleaned and finely chopped)
Fennel seed-4 tbsp
Black pepper seeds - 25-30 (coarsely ground)
Red chilly flakes - about 5-6 tbsp
Cloves - 8-9 nos (coarsely ground)
Cumin seeds - 4-6 tbsp
Nutmeg- 3-4 tbsp (freshly grated)
Asafetida -2tbsp

Method-

1- Grind dry Urad dal in a blender coarsely.
2-Add water about half inch above the level of dal and soak it for couple of hours (about 5-6 hours or overnite)
3-Peel and grate bottle gourd and drain out excess water from it, keep it aside.
4-grate ginger and chop green chillies very finely.
5-Now add grated bottle gourd,ginger ,green chillies and coriander leaves to the batter of dal and mix it vigorously to incorporate air in the batter ,so that baris will be fluffy and light.
6-Now add all spices in this mixer and mix them well.It should be of dropping consistency like pakoda mixer (add little water if needed).
7-Grease a plate or tray with little oil.
8-Place small blob of this batter about 1 inch apart in tray.
9-Place them in sunlight and let them completely dry and hard.
10-Store them in a airtight container and use as required.

Note- 1- I made two kinds of baris the above which i mentioned above are masala baris and the other one is plain (only with dal no masala at all) ,so that if i need little less spicy i will combine both badis in the same amount to adjust the heat of my dish.

There are two dishes with baris in my blog one is Wadi ka paani and other is aloo wadiyan .same you can use them in many different dishes.

Palm Leaf Plates

2010-08-05T11:31:00.000-07:00

Today my this post is not related to recipes but yes,with food certainly,In my opinion food is not only about cooking but managing everything in kitchen and pre-planning.Storing things in proper way.cleanliness and some other certain things are also important.
One more thing is that now a days everyone is talking about 'Global Warming' ,when we are the part of any discussion we also say that yes, we should do something or we are doing something or some people even say no we don't care about it because nothing is going to change only if we do or want.For me reducing global warming may require global solutions, but it also requires personal action by millions of individuals.I know we can not change the World but ya a little action which are done by us may help us and others probably.

In terms of food also there are so many things ,if we keep in mind we can help reduce global Warming.Here I am talking about disposable plates and papers.Now a days we are using those disposable plastic and paper plates because they are convenient for us to use .Whether its any Birthday party,potluck party ,picnic or just like that we use to bring those plates and bowls from market and use them ,actually I am also agree that they are very convenient .no mess ,just use and throw.But these things increases more plastic waste ,RESULT-----GLOBAL WARMING.

So I found a alternative way to fight or you can say to help in reduce global warming ,I know little effort but......} Actually I started using Palm Leaf Plates,and found them equally convenient as those of plastic disposable plates.These plates are environmental friendly because-

. No trees are harmed to make them…they’re a super-sustainable, non-timber resource. When the palm trees naturally drop their leaves, they’re collected and turned into plates, so first of all no harm to trees.Secondly They’re not just disposable, they’re biodegradable & compost able! Just like any other leaves, these plates will return to the earth without taking up landfill space.so we are using just the fallen leaves of trees and not the plastic. They are tough and super light also however, people are consistently surprised by how incredibly sturdy they are ,so that you don't need to care about your food if it is hot also you can hold these plates easily thats what i felt after using them.

Here is my personal opinion on this ,actually after using them I felt we are just using those "Donas" and "pattals" made of leaves back in India.I hope all my Indian fellow blogger must be familiar of them.I found these plates convenient and environmental friendly.So just give them a try and give your feedback to me.

Spinach Crakers (Palak Mathri)

2010-08-05T09:15:00.000-07:00

Mathris are very popular snack throughout North India,There are so many ways to make and varieties of mathris ,in fact every household have their own recipe of this delicious snack .Specially in Uttar Predesh you will found mathris in almost every house.
This is kind of comfort snack also because you can store it almost for a month or so.Take it along while you are traveling or for picnic ,or just for munching at home with a cup of tea and pickle............

Ingredients-

All Purpose flour - 2 cups
Fine Semolina - 1/2 cup
Spinach - 1 bundle
salt to taste
carom seed- 1/2 tbsp
Chilly flakes- 1/2 tsp
Oil- 1/4 cup for dough
oil for frying

Method-

1-Wash and clean the spinach and make puree of it in blender,keep it aside.
2-For dough mix All purpose flour ,semolina ,salt,carom seed,chilly flakes with 1/4 cup of oil.
3- Then add pureed spinach slowly to form a stiff dough,add little water if needed.(the dough should be stiff and not like chapati dough)
4- Leave it for at least 1/2 an hour to rest by covering it with a damp cloth.
5-Knead the dough again and divide the dough into small parts.
6-Heat oil for frying on medium heat.
7-Roll the dough into small rounds with rolling pin and prick them with fork so that they will not puff up while frying.
8-Fry these mathris on medium heat till golden brown and take them out on paper towel.
9-Let them cool off little bit and store in a airtight container,they will be fresh for about a month.

Masala Lemonade

2010-08-04T17:52:00.000-07:00

Lemonade is a lemon-flavored drink, typically made from lemons, water and sugar.A quick and refreshing drink,perfect for hot summer days.

Ingredients-

Drinking water -1/2 glass
Sugar - about 4 tbsp
Lemon juice-3-4tbsp
Black salt-1/2 tsp
Roasted cumin seeds powder- 1/2 tsp
Ice cubes
some lemon wedges for garnishing

Method-

1- Dissolve sugar and water together (if the water is at normal temperature,sugar will dissolve fast)
2-Add lemon juice,black salt and cumin seeds powder.
3-Keep it in refrigerator to chill.
4-Add ice cubes in glass and pour chilled lemonade on it ,serve with a lemon wedge in it.

Sago Idli bookmarked from Priya's and Madhuri's blog

2010-08-03T10:21:00.000-07:00

I saw this post sometimes back in Priya's blog and i knew I am going to try this soon.I tried it yesterday and it came out very well.Something new and different from regular rava idlis.Serve it with any chutney or sambhar ,it just tastes awesome.Even i fried some leftover idlis with finely chopped veggies today for breakfast ,they were good as well.

This is originally a recipe from Madhuri's blog ,the picture of this recipe in her blog is very good.Do check her blog for the recipe because i followed her recipe as it is and it just came out perfect.

Thanks Priya and Madhuri for sharing this recipe.

I an sending it to Priya's Bookmarked Recipe-every Tuesday Event.

Microwave quick Mango Burfi

2010-08-02T16:46:00.000-07:00

Here I am with one more mango recipe,this is quick ,easy and delicious . This is also a perfect recipe for fast (vrat)days .

Ingredients --

Mango Puree - 1/2 cup (sweetened)
Milk powder- 1/4 cup
Coconut Shreds -1/2 cup (I used frozen)
Sugar - 4 tbsp (according to taste)
Cardamom Powder- 1/2 tbsp
Almond - 6-7 (halves for garnishing)

Method--

1-Mix Mango Puree and milk powder in a big microwave safe bowl and microwave it for 2 minutes.
2-Stir and microwave it for 1-2 more minutes.
3-Now add thawed coconut shreds in it and microwave it till thick (about 6-8 minutes) ,keep stirring after every 2 minutes.
4-Now add sugar mix and microwave it for 2 more minutes.
5- Add cardamom powder and microwave it for 1 minute .
6-Grease a plate with little butter or ghee .
7-Pour the mix in greased plate to set for about 1 hour at least.
8-Cut it in square or diamond shape and garnish with almonds halves for each piece.

Spinach & Corn Curry

2010-07-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

India has a wide variety of food and in all cuisines curry or subzis plays a vital role ,no meal is complete without different kind of curries .The subtely spiced curry accompanying the rotis is Spinach Corn prepared as the name suggests with spinach,corn,green chillis,ginger,mango powder and cream.The curry dish offsets the rich flavor of fresh cream with the sweet-tangy flavour of corn and mango powder– creating a unique balance.In short,a healthy meal spiced with a myriad of flavors to enhance your taste buds.

Ingredients-

Spinach - 1 big bunch

Onion- 1 big

tomato puree- 1/2 cup

1/2 cup corn kernels(boiled or frozen)

Green chilly- 1

Ginger - 1/2 inch piece

1/2 tbsp cumin seeds

Fresh or sour cream - 1 tbsp

salt to taste

coriander powder- 1 tbsp

Red chilly powder-1/2 tsp

Garam masala- 1/2 tsp

Dry mango powder-1 tsp

Oil- 1 tbsp

Method-

1-Wash and blanch spinach in hot water.

2- puree onion,green chilly and ginger together in a blender.

3-Puree balanced spinach in blender too.

4-Heat oil and add cumin seeds and let it splutter.

5-Add pureed onion and chilly and saute for sometime,add salt.

6-Cook till oil separates and add tomato puree to it.

7-After 5 minutes add pureed spinach along with coriander powder,chilly powder ,bring it to boil.

8-Add corn kernels ,cook for some more time (uncovered),adjust consistency by adding some water.

9-Add dry mango powder ,garam masala and cream and serve hot.

I am sending it to Torview's Veggie fruit a month-Corn event started by priya.

Chokha (Eggplant & potato )

2010-07-22T09:49:00.000-07:00

Today i am going to share a traditional recipe with you all.Simply speaking, chokha, as they call it in Bihar, is a rustic dish of veggies cooked and coarsely mashed, topped with fresh flavourings like green chillies and garlic, and a drizzle of mustard oil. It can be eaten hot or cold.Mainly Chokha of eggplant and potato use to serve as side with Litti,Very simlar to Baati in Rajasthan in India but littis are stuffed Baatis.It is easy and quick to make and it has distinguish flavor of its own.So try it with Litti ,baati or just as a part of your meal as side and give me your Feedback.......

Ingredients-

Eggplant -1 (big one)
Pototo-1 (Medium size ,boiled)
Onion - 1 (small) (Finely chopped)
Tomato-1/2 (small)(finely chopped) optional
Green chillies -1-2 (according to taste) (finely chopped)
Garlic cloves- 1-2 pods (Finely chopped or crushed)
Ginger -1/2 inch piece (Finely chopped)
salt to taste
Mustard oil 1 tbsp (must)
Red chilly powder- 1/2 tsp
Garam masala- 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice -3-4 drops (optional)
Cilantro -(chopped)

Method-

1-Wash eggplant and wipe it ,prick it with the help of a fork and rub some oil on it.
2-Now there are two ways to cook eggplant for this recipe one is in Microwave which is quick and one is in conventional oven which will take little longer time ,i am giving both ways here ---

Microwave Method--Put the whole eggplant in a microwave safe dish and cook it for about 8-10 minutes or till tender.

Oven Method-Preheat the oven at 400 degrees ,put the eggplant in a shallow bowl or on cookie sheet and bake it for about 45-50 minutes ,turn often after every 10 minutes.

3-Let eggplant cool off slightly and peel off the skin and mash it well.
4-Peel and mash boiled potato and add it to eggplant.
5- Add all chopped vegetables excluding garlic.
6-Add salt ,red chilly and garam masala.
7-Heat mustard oil and let it come to smoking point,switch off the heat and add crushed garlic and add it to Chokha.
8-Add Lemon juice if required ,garnish it with chopped cilantro and serve.

I am sending it to Side Dish Showdown Event by Cinnamon Girl .

Easy Tacos

2010-07-12T14:00:00.000-07:00

We love Mexican food,This is quick and easy to make and they use almost all the same ingredients which we use in Indian Cooking so always everything is ready to make Mexican food at home.

Last week I had some leftover Kidney beans so i decided to make tacos out of it ,i used tortilla in place of taco shells because i had tortilla in hand.It was very easy and delicious. The main thing is that use lots of tomatoes and it will taste good.

Ingredients-(For 2 servings)

Corn tortillas -4
Onion - 1 small (finely chopped)
tomato-1 big (finely chopped)
kidney beans -about 1/2 cup (soaked and boiled)(can use canned one too)
Corn kennels -about 1/4 cup (boiled)
Taco seasoning mix- 1 pack
Mozzarella cheese- for garnishing
Spring onion -for garnishing (finely chopped)
Cilantro- (finely chopped)
Little oil
Salt to taste

Few Nacho Chips and salsa on side.

Method-

1-Heat oil in pan add onion and salt ,saute for sometime.

2-Add half tomato and saute for some more time.

3-Add boiled kidney beans ,corn and entire pack of taco seasoning saute and turn off the heat.

4-Heat Tawa and palce one tortilla and flip it over after 30 seconds.

5-Arrange all tortilla into serving plate(as in the picture) and place kidney beans and corn mixture on it ,top it with chopped tomato,spring onion,cilantro,cheese and salsa.

6-Serve it hot with some chips and salsa on side.

NOTE- You can get taco seasoning mix in any Mexican or American grocery stores easily.

Naan Khatai

2010-07-08T12:32:00.000-07:00

I think we all are aware of Naan khatai ,these sweet biscuits with butter and cardamom are divine.First of all these are eggless biscuits and tasty too.I was looking for traditional naan khatai recipe since so long and I found it in Manjulas kitchen .com .I followed her recipe as it is and it turned out awesome ,my whole kitchen filled with sweet aroma of butter and cardamom .I am giving written recipe here but if you want you can check out the video at Manjulas kitchen.com.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup fine semolina
1/2 cup gram flour
Pinch of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon green cardamom seeds
1/2 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
2/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp almond silvers

Method-

1-Mix all purpose flour,gram flour,semolina ,baking powder and cardamom seeds (reserve some ) and set aside.

2-Beat sugar and butter in a bowl till creamy and light.

3-Preheat the oven at 375 degrees F.

4-Add flour mixer and sugar mixer together and knead it gently to form a dough.

5-Grease the baking tray with little butter.

6-Divide the dough into equal size and garnish them with cardamom seeds and almond silvers.(press garnishing a little bit so that it will stick)

7-Bake them in preheated oven for about 15-16 minutes (check every minute after 10 minutes) till lightly golden brown.

8-Let them cool down and enjoy...............

Nectarine Chutney

2010-06-29T18:24:00.000-07:00

I had some nectarine lying in my refrigerator so i tried this sweet and tangy chutney.This chutney is very easy to make and different.It can be serve as a side dish with any type of meal.

Ingredients,

Ripe nectarine -3-4
ginger - 1/2 inch pieces
green chilly - 1-2
sugar - 4-5 tbsp
salt to taste
Red chilli powder- 1/2 tbsp
Crushed black pepper- 1/4 tbsp
A pinch of Garam masala
little water

Method

1-Cut nectarine and take out the seed,chop it along with green chillies and ginger into very small pieces.

2-Heat little water(about 3-4 tbsp) in a pan and add sugar ,let it dissolve.

3-Add chopped nectarine along with chilli and ginger ,stir ,cover it and let it cook in steam for 1/2 an hour on low heat.(stir 2-3 times in between)

4- After it uncover , add all spices ,mash little bit and cover it again for 15 minutes.

5-Stir and let it cool ,store in glass jar ,this chutney can be store for about 2-3 weeks in refrigerator .

Indian spicy crackers

2010-06-29T11:51:00.000-07:00

All time hit,spicy crackers which is fit for anytime munching .Perfect for take along for travel and picnics and can be store for more than a month.

Ingredients,

All purpose flour - 1 cup
Semolina -1/4 cup
oil- 4-5 tbsp
red chilli powder- 1 tsp
carom seeds- 1/2 tbsp
salt to taste
onion seeds (kalongi)-1/2 tsp (optional)
oil for deep frying

Method-

1-Combine all the ingredients except oil for frying and make a stiff dough.

2-Let it sit for 15-20 minutes.

3-Knead it well again and make 3-4 equal size balls and roll one by one and cut it into wedges.

4-Heat oil in a deep pan and fry these wedges on medium low heat for about 10-15 minutes or till golden brown.

5-Let them cool and store in a air tight container ,serve with pickle any type of chutney .

Roomali roti

2010-06-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

I love roomali roti but always thinking how they make it so thin like a roomal (handkerchief) in restaurant.I was looking for a perfect and easy roomali roti recipe which i can make at home.

After surfing internet and gone through so many recipes.i finally came across the recipe of 'Vahchef ' Sanjay and it came out perfect as restaurant.I just followed his recipe so i am going to give the link of his recipe here,which can be easily make at home.

The only change which i have done from his recipe is ,i used all purpose flour in place of rice flour for applying between two dough balls and i think it worked fine.So i am not going to post the recipe again ,you can check out his video link.

Blackberry & Raspberry Muffins

2010-06-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday some friends were coming over at my house so i was thinking of making something special .I had two boxes of raspberry and blackberry lying in my refrigerator so decided to bake some muffins.It was my first attempt but believe me ,they came out so well that they (my friends) were thinking that these are store brought.I also added less egg as i don't like the prominent taste of eggs which use to come from store brought muffins.

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, divided
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 pinch of baking soda
11/2 cup milk
1 cup blackberries and raspberries mixed

Method-

1-In a large bowl cream butter with sugar and egg.

2-Reserve 2 tbsp flour and combine remaining with baking soda,salt and baking powder add milk and vanilla and mix.

3-Preheat the oven at 400 degree f.

4-Now add the milk and flour mixture into creamy butter and sugar mixute,mix it well.

5-Sprinkle remaining flour (2 tbsp) on berries and mix them lightly.

6-Fold berries into muffin mixture gently.

7-Grease muffin pan or use liners .(i used liners)

8-Fill each muffin cup 3/4 and sprikle some nuts (cashew nut,almond,raisins,pistachio etc) as garnish (i used raisins).

9-Bake 20-25 minutes until done ,keep checking every 5 minutes.

10-Remove from oven and let them cool on cooling rack and enjoy.

Avocado Honey Milkshake

2010-06-23T17:54:00.000-07:00

I personally not a big fan of Avocado and do not use frequently in my daily cooking but when Priya announced her Event ,i decided to give try some avocado recipes.I was searching for avocado recipes and found this one here .I did not follow the recipe and made some changes according to my taste...

Ingredients-

Ripe Avocado - 1/2
Milk -1/2 cup
Honey-3 tbsp
ice cubes-1/2 cup
sugar if needed

Method-

1- Peel and scoop avocado.
2-Put all ingredients in blender(reserve 1 tbsp of honey) and blend till smooth.
3-Pour in serving glasses and garnish with remaining 1 tbsp of honey and serve chilled.

NOTE-1-Add sugar if required ,i like mine sweet so i added little sugar to it too.
2-Use of avocado depends on you if you like taste of avocado ,you can use less or more.

I am sending it to Priya's Vegetable/fruit Avocado Event.

Vegetable Cooler

2010-06-22T19:07:00.000-07:00

So here i am with one more summer recipe.........This one is my favorite as it contains all the benefits of vegetables.This is something between soup and juice I think.This spicy drink is perfect for hot summer days as well as tasty and healthy too.

Ingredients-

Spinach- 1bundle
Tomato-1 big size
Carrots-1-2
Beetroot-1 head
juice of one lemon (about 4-5 tbsp)
salt to taste
Black salt- 1 tbsp
Crushed peppercorns -1tsp

Method-

1-wash and clean all vegetables and chop roughly.
2-Blanch all vegetables with little water or Microwave them for about 2-3 minutes.
3-Let them cool.
4-Put all these blanched vegetables in blender and blend till smooth paste.
5-Strain and add water if its too thick or add ice cubes.
6-Add lemon juice ,salt,black salt and crushed pepper.
7-Serve chilled.

I am sending it to spicytasty's sizzling summer contest.

Kaju Masala (Cashew nuts curry)

2010-06-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

A curry with a royal touch ,a hit in any party and easy too.Cashew nuts in a spicy gravy with whole garam masala imparts a very nice aroma.It goes well with any Indian bread like roti,naan or puris.

Ingredients -

Cashew nuts - 1/2 cup (wholes and halves)
Raisins- 1/4 cup or less
Tomato -1big size
onion - 1 medium size
Capsicum-1/2 small size
cloves- 2 nos
peppercorns- 2 nos
black cardamom -1
green cardamom - 2
Cinnamon stick -1/2 inch piece
Bay leaf - 1
red chilli powder- 1/2 tsp or according to taste
coriander powder-1 tbsp
Turmeric powder-1tbsp
cumin seeds- 1 tbsp
milk-1/2 cup or less
Desi ghee - 2 tbsp
salt to taste

Method-

1-Chop onion,tomato and capsicum very finely.
2-Soak raisins in milk .
3-Heat ghee in a wok and add cumin seeds ,let them splutter.
4-Add all whole spices and roast them a minute till the nice aroma comes out.
5-Add finely chopped onions and saute on low heat ,add some salt.
6-Add finely chopped tomato and saute till oil separates then add capsicum and saute till capsicum gets little tender.
7-Add turmeric powder,coriander powder and red chilli powder to masala.
8- Now add cashew nuts and soaked raisins (reserve the milk for later.)
9-Add little water ,stir and cook it covered for about 10 minutes.
10-Then add milk in which we soaked raisins and just give it a boil uncoverd.
11- Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

I am sending it to Sara's 'Think Spice Think Garam masala Event'.

strawberry Milkshake

2010-06-18T12:42:00.000-07:00

Here ,I come with one more summer recipe,in my last post i mentioned that i have lots of strawberries in my refrigerator,i knew that we will not able to finish them so i freeze half of them and now i have frozen strawberries which i can use in shakes,ice creams ,puddings and many different ways throughout summer i guess.................so here is the recipe of strawberry milkshake.........

Ingredients

1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp sugar or according to taste
5-6 strawberries
1 scoop Vanila Ice cream
6-7 Fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup ice cubes

For Garnish

1-2 strawberries
1tbsp light whipped cream (optional)

Method-

1-Thaw strawberries in microwave for 1 minute.(omit this step if using fresh ones),cut them in half.

2-Combine all the Ingredients in blender except ice cream and ice cubes,blend till smooth.

3-Now add ice cream and ice cubes and blend 1 more minute.

4-Pour in serving glasses and garnish it with a dash of whipped cream and strawberry,serve chilled.

I am sending it to spicytasty's Sizzling summer contest.

Mango Strawberry smoothie

2010-06-11T10:19:00.000-07:00

Its strawberry season here.Sweet ,juicy and fresh strawberries are here in the farms,this week we also went for strawberry picking and it was wonderful experience i must say.we picked our own red and sweet strawberries and we were enjoying so much that i picked up more then needed, so now my refrigerator is full of strawberries and i am on the mission of trying new recipes of strawberries.

This smoothie is also the part of my mission .......I added a little less strawberries because i wanted more mango flavor in my smoothie.

Ingredients

Mango Pulp 1/2 cup (sweetened)

Strawberries 5-6

yogurt 4-5 tbsp

ice cubes 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp

Milk 4-5 tsp (if needed)

Garnishing

Few melon seeds (optional)

1-2 strawberries

Method-

1-Combine all the Ingredients in blender and blend till smooth.

2-Add milk if needed for desired consistency ,serve chilled by garnishing it with melon seeds and strawberries.

I am sending it to Divya,s Show me your smoothie Event'.

Pineapple Coconut Curry

2010-06-10T11:11:00.000-07:00

I like Pineapple a lot and can have it in any form such as drinks,dessert or fruit itself.But Pineapple curry, never thought of that and even these two combination pineapple and coconut that too in form of curry looks very weird to me. Then one day I came across this recipe of Pineapple curry while browsing internet and decided to give it a try but i was unsure about the taste .

But believe me it came out yummy and delicious .The sweet and tangy taste with the aroma of coconut gravy makes it different from other regular curries. I followed the recipe from spiceroots .com .I followed the recipes as it is but the only addition i have done is this i added cumin seeds as well as mustard seeds.I am not going to post the recipe again here ,you can check the recipe on spiceroots .com itself.

serve piping hot and enjoy.........)

Aaloo Wadiyan

2010-06-08T12:46:00.000-07:00

Aloo (Potatoes)goes very well in any kind of preparations at any time,so i always keeps boiled potatoes in my refrigerator ,they are very useful in the times when you are in hurry or not in mood of elevorate cooking (It happens sometimes rite: )

Aloo Wadiyan is also a comfort kindda curry for me which goes well with paranthas and wholesome in itself with daal wadis.In my previous post 'Wadi ka paani' ,i mentioned that you can easily get wadis in Indian Grocery stores.(My mother and grandmother makes it at home too).

Ingredients:

Potato - 1 medium size (Boiled )
Masala wadis- 4-5
Tomato Puree-1/4 cup
Ginger garlic paste- 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Cumin seed -1/2 tbsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Oil
1/4 cup water
Cilantro for garnishing

Method-

1-Break the wadis in to pieces and shallow fry them in little oil till golden brown.

2-Cook wadis in pressure cooker with little water till soft (about 4-5 whistles)

3-Peel the potato and cut into pieces.

4-In a pan heat little oil,add cumin seeds and let it splutter.

5-Add ginger garlic paste saute for sometime ,add Turmeric powder ,tomato puree and cook till oil separates.

6-Add potato pieces,salt and cooked wadiyan along with water ,boil it till desired consistency .

7-Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with parantha.

Note- 1- No need to add any other spices as wadis has all spices in it.

Vegetable Frittata

2010-06-03T13:43:00.000-07:00

According to Wiki Frittata is an omelette or quiche, either simple or enriched with additional ingredients such as meats, cheeses, vegetables or pasta. It may be flavored with herbs.

Yesterday I tried it for the first time in my own way thinking that i am going to try bake omelet with some Vegetables ,its now only when i went through Wiki ,came to know that actually i tried Frittata.I was aware of the thing that something call Frittata in Italian Cuisine exist but totally unaware of the recipes......but happy that i tried it yesterday .

It came out so well and it is also full of vegetables so healthy too.Here is the recipe how i tried it for the first time......

Ingredients-

3- Eggs

1-small size onion (chopped)

5-6 Cherry Tomatoes (cut in Halves) (i used regular tomato pieces)

5 tbsp Cabbage (thinly chopped)

1 bunch of coriander

1 clove Garlic

5-6 walnuts (crushed)

Salt and Pepper to taste

2-3 tbp Parmesean cheese (i used mozzarella)

2-3 tsp Sesame seeds

little oil

Method-

1-Heat oil in a Pan on medium high heat ,add Chopped garlic and onions , saute till transparent ,add chopped cabbage and saute for 2-3 minutes.

2-Now add chopped Coriander leaves and keep aside.

3- Beat Eggs in separate bowl lightly and add salt and pepper to taste.

4-Preheat the oven at 300 degree f.

5- Lightly grease a 5-6'' cake pan.(or any flat vessel for oven)

6-Add cooked Vegetables in egg mixture along with crushed walnuts.

7-Pour this Batter in the cake pan and set cherry tomatoes on top .

8-sprinkle cheese and sesame seeds on top and bake it for 15-20 minutes.

9-Broil it for 2-3 minutes at last .

10 -Leave it for 2-3 minutes and cut it into wedges and serve.

I served it with toast and Tomato Ketchup.

6-

Microwave Sweet Saffron rice (Zarda)

2010-06-01T12:36:00.000-07:00

Sweet Rice is a traditional dish of festivals in our house.My grandmother use to make it on 'Basant Panchmi' festival mainly.she use to make it in her own traditional way(on stove top),but i tried it in my Microwave and it came out perfectly well.Microwave sweet rice is a easy,quick one pot meal ,a perfect dessert after any meal .

The look and smell of saffron rice is delicious and tempting. It can be serve cold or warm. (we like it warm)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup basmati rice
2 tbsp ghee or butter
1 cup water
2 tbsp milk
1/4cup sugar or more
Few saffron threads
1/2 teaspoon coarsely crushed cardamom seeds
3 tbsp pistachios,Melon seeds,and cashews and almonds (few for garnishing)
10-14 raisins
1/2 tsp turmeric

Method-

1-Soak rice in water for at least 1/2 hour.

2-soak saffron threads and turmeric in milk and keep aside.

3-Cook rice in microwave with water for 10 minutes,stir occasionally after every 2-3 minutes.

4-Strain access water (if any) and leave rice for 10 minutes.

5-Add saffron-turmeric milk and microwave for 2 minutes.

6-Now add sugar and cardamon and microwave for 2-3 more minutes.

7-Add ghee or butter along with all dry fruits and microwave it for one more minute.

8-Sweet Saffron rice is ready,serve it warm or cold by garnishing it with few more dry fruits on top.

Almond-Saffron Milk

2010-06-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

Homemade almond milk is delicious and very simple to make .Saffron threads impart a beautiful orange-yellow color and distinctive flavor and aroma to this refreshing drink..

This is Delicately flavored with cardamom, the nuts in this chilled, cooling drink don't just make it tasty, they pack a mighty nutritious punch too! Cold Badam Milk is a great summer cooler but if you use warm milk to make it, it's a great winter drink too! so here is the recipe of this wonder drink--------

Ingredients:

1/2 litre full fat milk (can use fat free milk too)
4 tbsp sugar (or according to taste)
Pinch of saffron
1 (tsp) cardamom powder

6-7 almonds (crushed)

For Garnishing

Few almond slivers

a pinch of saffron

Few Melon seeds (optional)

Method-

1- Pour the milk into a heavy bottomed pan, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until milk reduces to half the quantity, Stir occasionally for about 20-25 minutes. (This can be done while doing other works in kitchen easily)

2-Turn off the heat,add sugar and stir till all sugar is dissolved.

3- Now add saffron threads , cardamom powder and almonds ,stir it well.

4- Chill for a couple of hours or serve warm by garnishing it with almond silvers,saffron and melon seeds.

Enjoy.............

I am sending it to Divya's 'Show Me Your Smoothie' event.

Cumin Bread (Jeera bread)

2010-05-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

This was my first attempt to make bread at home and believe me it came out so well and tasty, that i myself could not believe it .......Before attempting bread making at home ,I Googled so many recipes and finally found this one in one of the blog which was looking perfect in terms of measurement and Ingredients and most of all its cumin bread a perfect Indian taste......so here comes the recipe

Ingredients:

1cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup water
1 tea spn cumin seeds (roasted)
1and 1/4 tea spn active dry yeast
1/2 tbl spn unsalted butter
1/2 tea spn sugar
1 tea spn salt
Olive oil

Method-

1-Roast cumin seeds till a nice aroma comes out of them. Crush them slightly(do not make a powder).

2-Heat the water till it is lukewarm, Add sugar, butter and little olive oil. Then add yeast to it. Leave it at a warm place for 10mins till yeast becomes active (the mixture becomes frothy)

3-Add salt, cumin and flours. If necessary add a little more water. Make a dough.(Knead it well for about 10mins.)

4-Transfer the dough to a well oiled big vessel. Cover with a plastic wrap.

5-Leave it for about 1 and 1/2 hrs – 2hrs till the dough doubles in size.

6-Take out the dough on a flat surface. Press down the dough. Knead for a minute and give desired shape.

7-Apply some olive oil on top and leave it covered for another 45mins. The dough should double in size again.

8-Preheat the oven at 500F for about 10mins. Bake the bread for about 10- 15mins. Take it out and brush some butter on top. Then keep it back in oven and bake till you get a nice brown color(about 10- 15mins).

I served it with a simple olive oil-dried basil-salt mixture (like they serve in some of the Italian restaurants here). It was a very crusty from outside, soft from inside.

I sprinkled some of the grated cheese on top and served with hot tomato soup.

I am sending it to Aathidhyam's BREAD MANIA EVENT.

Mango Lassi

2010-05-26T13:08:00.000-07:00

Lassis are traditional Punjabi beverage which blend yogurt with water, salt, and spices into a cooling summer drink. Wikipedia says the idea of making sweet lassis with fruit is a relatively recent variation, but the mango flavor is so delightful in this that I truly can't imagine the drink without it. Mangoes are native to India, and more than 50% of the world's mangoes are grown in India.

Summer is no fun without mangoes and here is one sweet lassi recipe which so refreshing and perfect for hot summer days.

Ingredients:

Mango -1 or mango pulp -1/2 cup

Yogurt(fresh) 1 cup

Sugar 1 tbsp or as needed

Green cardamon powder a pinch

Saffron 2-3 strands

1/2 cup crushed ice cubes

Method-

1-Peel the mango skin and separate the pulp from the seed. Discard seed.(omit this step if using mango pulp.)

2-Combine all the ingredients in a mixer/blender and blend till smooth and serve chilled.

Note- Do not add sugar if using sweetened mango pulp.

I am sending it to Srivalli,s Thanda Mela.

I am sending it to Divya's 'Show Me Your Smoothie Event' too.

Cucumber Chutney

2010-05-26T12:08:00.000-07:00

Cucumber Chutney and my 50th Post.Mostly people celebrate with something sweet but here i come with something spicy to celebrate my 50th post.

This chutney can be serve as a side with any kind of meal ,it is very tasty and some nice change from the regular chutneys.

Ingredients:

Cucumber - 1/2 (medium size)

Coriander leaves- 1 bunch

Raw Mango -1/2 (medium size)

Green chilly-1 (medium)

peppercorns- 2-3

cloves - 1-2

Cumin seeds- 1 tbsp

Black salt-1 tsp

A pinch of Asafetida

salt to taste

Method-

1-Cut cucumber in cubes (with skin),peel and cut raw mango and pick coriander leaves with little stems on and wash it thoroughly by draining excess water.

2- Combine all the Ingredients for chutney and blend it in blender ,add little water if needed,serve with any kind of bhajia or sandwich.

I am sending it to Preeti's Green Gourmet Event-1.

Quick snack rolls

2010-05-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

Hmmm So today I am going to share a recipe which was totally a surprise for me too.How ?Because Hubby in kitchen is always a surprise........This is my hubby;s recipe ,He made it this weekend and it was yummy......well anything cooked by hubby (without my help) is always yummy.so here comes the quick ,easy and delicious recipe of snack rolls........................................

U NEED...

(for 2 snack rolls)

1 Egg

2 tortillas(any kind white or corn)

1 small onion (chopped)

some grated mozzarella Cheese

salt to taste

1/2 tsp Black pepper powder

little oil

Method -

1-Beat egg in a bowl .add chopped onion, salt and pepper and keep it aside

2-Heat a griddle/tawa and place one tortilla ,heat it on one side and flip it over.

3-Now pour beaten egg(half) over it ,and let it cook covered for near about 2-3 minute on medium -low heat

4-Now flip it again(egg side down) and let it cook for one more minute from other side too (egg will cook faster this side)

5-Remove from heat and add some cheese as stuffing ,roll it tightly. (the cheese will melt inside as it will be hot and rolled tightly)

6-Cut from middle and serve with some tomato ketchup and some chips on side.

Note-1-you can add any other veggies too in egg mixture as per your likings.

2-For stuffing also use any leafy veggie along with cheese.

3-It can be ideal choice for any picnic outing also just wrap these roll in aluminum foil and carry.

As this is my Hubby's recipe or can say his experiment ,I am sending it to Priti,s Indian Khana His Cooking Event .

Mango pie

2010-05-23T17:38:00.000-07:00

Its Summer.......and along with all fun ,Mango season is also around the corner.The king of fruit,juicy and tasty Mango......we love it....in all forms either mango milk shake,mango burfi or mango ice cream or anything else.

Here I am going to give you the recipe of Mango Pie which is very quick and tasty.

Ingredients

Mango pulp 2 cups (sweetened)

Unflavored Gelatin 1 envelope

Cream Cheese 2 tbsp

Pie crust (store brought,desired size)

water 1/2 cup

Method

1-Dissolve unflavored gelatin in water and whisk it vigorously ,until foamy .

2-Then add cream cheese and whisk till dissolve.

3-Add Mango pulp to it and mix it well and pour it into pie crust evenly.(pour some more mango pulp over if needed)

4-Keep it in the refrigerator to set for at least 3 hours.

5- Cut it and drizzle some mango pulp over it and serve .

NOTE- 1-Unflavored Gelatin is available in almost all grocery stores.

2-You can also serve it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

I am sending it to Torview's Cold Desserts Event.

Rajma Masala (Kidney Beans Curry)

2010-05-18T07:28:00.000-07:00

I enjoy cooking lentils and beans and there is always a myriad of dried and canned beans in my pantry.What makes them even better is that they come in a wonderful variety. Black beans, pinto beans, white kidney beans, brown lentils, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, soybeans. Each has a distinct flavor and texture that lends itself to different dishes and uses. Beans plays an very important role in Indian as well as other cuisine also in different forms.

Red kidney beans are very nutritious. They are, however, harder to digest than other beans, which is why they're traditionally cooked with seasonings that help break them down, such as ginger in Indian cooking.Here I am giving you the recipe of red kidney beans curry which combines well with Jeera rice and phulkas.

Ingredients

1 cup red kidney beans or use canned one
4 cups water
2 medium onions finely chopped or pureed
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp ginger - garlic paste
½ tsp asafoetida and turmeric powder (optional)
1 tsp cumin seed
2 tsp red chili powder
2 big tomatoes pureed
1 tsp garam Masala
2 tbsp coriander powder
3 tbsp oil
salt to taste

coriander leaves for garnishing

Method -

1- Soak kidney beans in water for overnite,if not using canned one.

2-Drain red kidney beans and wash them well. Place them in a pressure cooker (for speedy cooking). Add water and some salt. Close the cooker and cook on high heat. After one whistle, cook on low heat for about 10 minutes or till the beans are soft.

3-Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat and crackle the cumin seeds. Add bay leaves , asafoetida and ginger-garlic paste. Fry briefly. Add onions and salt saute till they golden brown. Add all the spice powders except garam masala .

4-Add tomato puree, Fry till the oil separates. Add the cooked red kidney beans , mix well,cover and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes.

5-Finally add garam masala and garish it with cilantro,serve hot.

Note--While cooking dry beans can be all day affair, canned beans are a quick substitute. Just be sure to drain and rinse them, which helps lower the sodium content.

Vada Pav

2010-05-17T16:55:00.000-07:00

Vada pav – Indian version of burger, must be one of the most loved street foods.It is one of the tastiest fast food of Maharastra and also a famous "Chaat" in Mumbai city .In fact in the city the day starts with a couple of Vada Pavs and a cutting Chai or tea. Vada is a spicy potato mixture with a coating of gram flour, deep fried in oil. Pav is a special kind of soft bread, almost square in shape. We are great fans of this absolutely yummy dish .

The chutneys for this are very easy to make. I made all the three chutneys even though the green chutney and the red garlic chutney are the most frequently used ones. Sweet chutney is not always a part of it. But I like to have mine with it in place of tomato ketchup.

Method-

1-I make Vada for "vada pav" just as aloo bonda .so just follow the recipe of aloo bonda to make vada .(smaller size)

2-Slit the pav in the middle and heat it on tawa with a little bit of oil.(just warm it little bit) and put a spoonful of each chutney on it.Place a Vada on bun (pav) and fold over,pressing down gently,serve while the vada is hot ...............yummy....

Simple potato curry

2010-05-09T14:06:00.000-07:00

A simple spicy curry with potato. Potato Curry is called Aloo bhaji or Potato Subji in Hindi languages. . This is a very quick and easy to make potato recipe. You can add peas, carrots, cauliflower, french beans to this curry for variation.

You Need---

4 medium potatoes boiled, peeled and cubed
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp of turmeric powder

1/2 tsp asafoetida
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp ginger-green chilly paste
1 tomato finely chopped or pureed
1 cups water
1 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp) oil

1/2 tsp Garam masala
salt to taste
finely chopped fresh coriander leaves to garnish

Method-

1-Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat and crackle cumin seeds.

2-Add asafoetida, turmeric and red chilli powders, then ginger-green chilly paste and saute for some time, letting it get dry.

3-Add the chopped tomatoes and fry for about 2 minutes or till they are soft .

4-Mix in the potato cubes along with the coriander powder, water and salt. Cover and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes or till the potatoes are cooked and the gravy thickens.

5-Add garam masala and keep covered for a while to trap in the aroma.

6-Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves and serve with parantha ,pooris or roti.

Note- You can always use onion in the gravy but for simple potato curry i use to avoid onion.

Restaurant Style Tandoori Aloo

2010-05-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

Tandoori Aaloo at home...........isn,t it sounds interesting.yes it is ........ I was also very excited when i read this recipe in one of the blog....yes it was Madhvi's blog ,Vegetarian Medley and decided to give it a try and it came out really very well.....Thanks Madhvi for sharing this recipe.....I liked it so much that i even don't want to change name ....The only change which i have done is that i did not use Kasoori Methi and garnish it with chopped spring onion in my recipe...so here comes the recipe....

You Need-

5 Medium Red Potatoes
1-1/2 cup Yogurt
1-1/2 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Hot Red Chili powder
1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp All Purpose Flour
Pinch of Turmeric
Chat Masala
Salt to taste
chopped spring onion to garnish

Method-

1. Mix yogurt, chili powder, ginger-garlic paste, cumin powder, turmeric, salt, all purpose flour, sugar in a large bowl.

2. Wash the potato and let them dry.

3. Pierce the potatoes 2-3 times with fork.

4. Place bowl of water in the middle of the microwave.

5. Arrange all the potatoes around the bowl on the microwave plate.

6. Cook the potatoes for 5-6 minutes or more .

7. Cut the potatoes into halves.

8. Put potato in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.

9. Now mix potatoes with yogurt mixture, marinade it and refrigerate it for 3-4 hours.

10. Preheat oven on 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

11. Place parchment paper on cookie sheet and cook potatoes in oven for just 5-6 minutes.

12. Then broil it until it is gets its thin crust.

13. Sprinkle chat Masala and chopped spring onions.

14. Serve hot with lemon or any chutney.

NOTE- Use Paneer cubes in place of potatoes or both together ,it tastes yummmm....

Vegetable Quesadillas

2010-05-01T19:30:00.000-07:00

We love Mexican food but being vegetarian its difficult to get Mexican food which we really want to try outside.so I like to try different Mexican food with little bit of Indian twist in my own kitchen. Here is the recipe of Vegetable quesadillas which is the combination of two different kinds of beans and veggies.

Servings-2

Cooking time-15-20 minutes

You need—

4 tortillas (any size)

½ cup kidney beans (soaked and boiled till tender)

½ cup chickpeas (soaked and boiled till tender)

1 capsicum (cut in lengthwise)

1 small onion (chopped/optional)

1 cup cheese (grated)

1tbsp chili flakes

Salt to taste

1 tbsp. oil

1 tbsp. black pepper powder

Method-

1-Heat oil in a pan, add onion ,capsicum and salt ,saute till tender.

2-Add kidney beans and crushed chickpeas and mix it well.

3-Add chili flakes and black pepper powder, mix and keep it aside to cool down.

4-Spread grated cheese on one of the tortilla, and then spread a layer of veggie-beans paste.

5-Spread one more layer of cheese on it and then cover it with another tortilla.

6-Heat tawa and place it on tawa carefully, cook it from one side till the cheese melts.

7-Flip carefully and cook it from the other side till golden brown or cheese melts.

8- Cut in the wedges and serve hot.

It can be accompanied with any chutney, dip, sauce or salsa……..we had it with below mentioned salsa and it tastes yummy with this.

For preparing Salsa you need-

Tomatoes 2 (finely chopped)

Onion (small) ½ (finely chopped)

Lemon juice 5-6 drops

Boiled kidney beans 5-6 tbsp

Cilantro (chopped)

Salt as per taste

Sugar 1 tsp

Chilli flakes

Method-

Combine all the ingredients and refrigerate it for at least half an hour before serving with hot quesadillas.

Note-1- you can add any veggies of your choice in the beans paste as per your taste.

Papad ki Sabzi

2010-04-26T14:29:00.000-07:00

If you are fond of Papad , you will love this dish! The mildly tangy flavor of the curry goes really well with phulka or parantha or even plain rice too. Papad Ki Sabzi from Rajasthan in western India, is a great dish for when you're in a hurry but want a hot, cooked meal!

You Need-

Papad or popadam 2-3

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Curd - 2 tbspsalt to taste

red chily powder - 1 tsp

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

chopped coriander - 1 tsp

water 1 cup

Coriander powder 1tsp

chopped garlic - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Ghee/oil - 1 tsp

Method-

1- Break papad into 1 inch squares roughly.

2-Add ghee/oil to pan and crackle cumin seeds along with garlic,saute for sometime.

3-Add turmeric powder,coriander powder ,red chilly powder in beaten yogurt separately.

4-Now add this yogurt mixture to the pan and add water immediately,mix it well.

5-Let it come to a boil and add salt (so that your yogurt will not curdle).

6-Now add Papad pieces and switch off the flame.

7-Garnish it with chopped cilantro and serve hot immediately.

Aloo Bonda

2010-04-15T11:36:00.000-07:00

Aloo Bonda is a typical south Indian snack though it has different names in different parts of India . These are fritters made with a simple potato curry, dipped in besan/chickpea flour batter and deep fried. They are usually served as evening snack.A street food in all over Karnataka region .

Just Imagine a rainy evening with hot aloo bonda and Masala chai   slurp""""""""""""'This is a very simple recipe, easy to make and super tasty. Well, everything with potato tastes yummy, right!

Ingredients:

For the Filling

Potatoes - 4-5 medium (boiled)
Onion - 1 medium (chopped)
Green chilies - 2-3 (chopped)
Red Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Dry Mango powder - 2 tspCoriander leaves - 1-2 tbsp(chopped)
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Channa Dal - 2tsp(optional)

For the batter:

Besan/Chickpea flour - 1 cup
Water - 1/2 to 3/4 cup
Salt - to taste

Oil - for deep frying

Method

1- Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add  chana dal and saute for 15-20 secs. Add the green chilies and fry for 30 secs.

2- Add  chopped onions and salt , cook until the onions are soft, for about 5 mins. Add the turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder saute for a minute.

3-Add the boiled potatoes and mash them lightly with the spatula. Cook for about 5-6 mins,add dry mango powder and garam masala mix in the chopped coriander leaves, and set aside to cool.

4-To make the batter, combine all ingredients mentioned for the batter in a bowl and mix thoroughly. The batter should be neither too thick nor too watery.

5- Make small balls of the potato mixture.

6-Heat oil in a deep pan. Dip the curry balls into the batter and drop it in the oil carefully. Cook until they are golden brown uniformly.

7-Serve hot with any chutney of your choice .  

Bread upma

2010-04-15T09:37:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we want to cook a quick meal and we expect it to be delicious too. Bread Upma is that kind of dish which is easy to make and yummy too. And it sometime helps you to get rid of your bread which is sitting in your kitchen for a long time.Bread Upma is a great way to use up leftover bread.Its a perfect snack or a mini meal which is quick and hits the spot all the time.

Ingredients:

Bread - 5-6 slices (2-3 per person usually)
Chopped onion - 3/4 cup
Tomato - 1
Chana Daal 1 tbsp (soaked/optional)
Chilly powder - 3/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
whole red chillies -2
Green Chilly - 2
Minced garlic - 1 tsp
2-3 curry leaves
Butter - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Salt to taste

Method-

1-Take the bread slices and tear them roughly in bite size-- they need not to be of same sizes.

2-Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and whole red chillies. Once they pop up add minced garlic followed by soaked Chana daal,saute for sometime.

3-Then add onion and curry leaves,saute till onion becomes transparent.

4-Add tomato,turmuric powder and salt and saute.

5-Then add green chillies ,red chilli powder and bread pieces and sprinkle little water (to soak the bread) ,saute.

6-Stir well to mix everything for 1-2 minutes ,add butter and stir for 1 more minutes.(Adding butter in end will make the bread pieces crusty).

7-Serve it hot by finishing lime juice and cilantro on top with any chutney.

NOTE-1 -Use any bread whatever is available at home or use different variety bread slices for a different taste.

2-In place of soaked chana daal ,use ground peanuts.

Kadhi pakoda

2010-04-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

Today I am going to give you the recipe of Kadhi pakora which is particularly a Punjabi recipe but there are so many different ways and varieties of making this dish.All time favorite in our house and I am eating it since my childhood...my grand mom then mom and now mom in law ,everybody have their own recipe of making kadhi ,and surprisingly the taste of the dish every time comes out different and awesome....

When it comes to make North Indian style of Kadhi I always make the U.P.type which does not have vegetables added to the pakoras. It goes best with hot phulkas and white rice. so here goes the recipe..

Ingredients:

Kadhi:

1 cup yogurt
2/3 cup gram flour (besan)
6 cups water
2 tbsp ghee or butter
Pinch of asafetida
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric
4 whole red chilies
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of citric acid or tatri if needed

For Pakoda

3/4 cup Gram flour
About 2/3 cup water
A pinch of salt
A pinch of soda if needed
oil for frying

Method (pakoda)

Mix gram flour with about 2/3 cup of water and mix well until smooth.
Whip the gram flour batter using a spoon or whisk in a circular motion for about 2-3 minutes. Batter will become light and fluffy add salt.
Heat oil in a flat pan. The oil should be about 1/2 inch deep.
Place about 1 tablespoon of batter into the oil.
Batter should not be covered with oil. This will allow the pakoras to expand. The pakoras will be softer if they are shallow fried.(if you feel pakoras are not soft enough then add a pinch of soda ti the better )
Fry the pakoras in small batches. Fry the pakoras until golden-brown.

Kadhi:

Beat the yogurt. Mix in 2/3 cup of gram flour and turmeric. Mix until there are no lumps. Add 3 cups of water slowly and mix well.
Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the asafetida, fenugreek seeds, and cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds crack, add whole red chilies, and red chili powder. Stir for a few seconds.
Add the yogurt mixture and keep stirring until the kadhi comes to a boil.
Add 3 cups of water and let it boil and turn the heat to medium low. Stir occasionally and let the kadhi cook for 1/2 hour. When the kadhi is cooked, add salt.
Add pakoras to kadhi in the end and let it cook for near about 4-5 more minutes.
Serve hot with little bit of ghee and red chili tadka.

Note-- 1- Add salt only after curd and gram flour mixer comes to a boil ,it will prevent the curd from being curled.

2- The pakoras in kadhi should be soft for this whisk the gram flour well.

My first award............

2010-04-05T11:51:00.000-07:00

I am very happy and ecxited after reciveing this award today.I got this award after passing only 3 months in the world of blogging............Awards are always a motivation for everyone who is trying to do something in any field, for me it means a lot as i came to know that people are liking my blog and now appericiating too.

I am very happy and greatful to Anu of Anu's yummy recipes who shared this award with me,Thank you Anu.

I would like to share this award with..

Madhavi kapdi of Vegetarian Madley

Manisha Vijay of DEGCTHI

Tan Wiratchada of tan-kitchen

Suvidha Agarwal of Suvidha's kitchen

Anshu of My mom's recipes

Deepti of A Hint of spice

Manjula of Rasoi

Akal of Akal's Saappadu

Ammu of ammaji recipes

Sarah Naveen of Vazhayila

To the award winners,

1. Put the logo within your post.

2. Pass on to atleast 10 bloggers

3. Link the nominees within your post

4. Let the nominees know they have received the award

5. Share the love and link to the person from whom you have received the award...

Mix Vegetable

2010-03-31T09:18:00.000-07:00

This is a side dish ,which you can serve with any meal .An easy and delicious recipe which do not require much preparation and most important we can use all vegetables in one dish what ever we have in hand.It is very colorful too because of different vegetable combination.And the fun part is this that it taste every time different because I use to change the combination of veggies each time...........

Ingredients:

1 potato
1/4 cup of green peas
1 Carrot
2 Cauliflower florets
Half onion ( finely chopped )optional
half a green pepper( finely chopped)
2 inches grated ginger
4 cloves garlic sliced(optional)
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cuminseeds
1 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp dry mango powder
1 tsp garam masala
5 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves
Oil
Salt as per taste

Method-

1-Wash and chop all vegetables in almost same size.
2-Heat oil in a pan add cumin seed and let it splutter.
3-Add turmeric powder and then add garlic and chopped onion(if using............my above picture of the recipe is without onion and garlic)saute for sometime.
4-turn the heat on mid-low and add all chopped vegetables including grated ginger,coriander , chili powder and salt saute for somtime.
5-cover the pan with a tight lid and let it cook for near about 15-20 minutes stirring 1-2 times in between.
6-Sprinkle little water if needed (but i use to avoid the use of water usually).
7-Cook till all vegetables become tender ,then add dry mango powder and garam masala at last to complete the dish.
8-Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot as a side dish for any meal.

Note - 1- You can add whatever veggie you like as per you taste.

Sooji Halwa/Sheera (Semolina pudding)

2010-03-31T09:15:00.000-07:00

I think this is a universal sweet. Everybody likes one or the other version of it.For us it is best as Prasad (offerings) .

Namewise, its called as Sheera/Sanja (Konkani), Kesari Baath (in Bangalore-Kannada, it should be bhath, not Baath though. I wonder why it is called ‘bhath’ because as far as I know ‘bhath’ means rice) and Sooji Halwa.Here is the recipe

Ingredients:

•1/2 cup sooji ( semolina flour)

•1/4 cup ghee or unsalted butter

•1/2 cup sugar or little less

•1 1/2cup water

•Pinch of cardamom powder

•some sliced almonds,cashews,raisin and melon seeds (optional) for garnishing

Method

1-.Melt the butter in a frying pan on medium heat.

2-.Add sooji and roast to golden brown color; stirring constantly this will take about 5 to 8 minutes. Sooji will be golden brown in color and will have a light sweet aroma.

3-Turn the heat on low and add water slowly ,Let it come to a boil.(stir constantlly)

4-After it add sugar and let it boil .

5-Turn down the heat to medium low and let it cook for about 2-3 minutes and add cardamom powder.

6-Garnish and serve hot or cold.

Note-
Sooji will absorb the water, as the Halwa cools so keep Halwa a little more softer than you want.

veg puff/curry puff (patties)

2010-03-25T15:14:00.000-07:00

This is my husband's favourite evening snack. I make it atleast once a week and thankfully we never got bored of this dish till now. In this main thing is puff pastry sheets. You may find these pastry sheets in the frozen section of most of the grocery stores.This is quick and easy to make.so here goes the recipe

INGREDIENTS:

Puff pastry sheets (Pepperidge Farm is the best one)
Boiled Potatoes (mashed)
1 onion (chopped)
3 chopped Green Chillies
1/2 tsp turmeric Powder
a pinch of red chilly powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp dry mango powder
1 tsp coriander leaves chopped
1 tbsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Oil

Method-

1-Thaw the pastry sheets at room temperature or in microwave for 15-20 seconds before using them.

2-Heat oil in pan and allow cumin seeds to splutter.

3-Add onion , green chillies and salt and saute for a while

.4-Add the turmeric, chilli powder and saute .

5-Add mashed potatoes and mix well.

6-Simmer for few more minutesand add dry mango powder and garam masala.

7-Mix well and keep aside. Let it cool.

8-Preheat oven at 400- 450 degrees

9-Cut the puff pastry into the desired shape and just put the potato filling in the pastry sheet. After the filling is done fold it over and stick the ends together (you can use water or milk if needed)

10-Arrange the puffs in a baking sheet and bake them till they turn golden brown. (about 12-15 minutes)

11-Puffs are ready enjoy with tomato sauce.

Note - 1 - In same way we can make egg puffs or mix veg puffs also just change the filling and you will get different variety of puffs.

Spicy Bhel puri

2010-03-16T07:59:00.000-07:00

Bhelpuri is a puffed rice dish with potatoes and a tangy tamarind sauce. It is a type of chaat or small plates of savory snacks, particularly identified with the beaches of Mumbai ,such as Chowpatty.

Bhelpuri is prepared across India, and may be known by different names - Churu Muri in Bangalore, Jhaal Muri in Kolkata (meaning "hot puffed rice") is different in that it does not use any tamarind-based chutney in the mix. The ingredients include diced boiled potatoes, chutney dal, coriander powder, grated coconut, and mustard oil.

Bhelpuri was originally a Gujarati fast food. It later got merged with Mumbai culture and became synonymous with Mumbai. Bhelpuri is best consumed as soon as it is made. If left for a while, the juices from the tomatoes, chutneys, etc. combine to render the sev and mamra soggy.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups Puffed rice
1 Onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 Tomato, deseeded and finely chopped
4-5 fresh springs Coriander leaves, finely chopped
2-3 tbsp Peanuts, roasted
4-6 tbsp Sev
1/2 carrot grated (optional)
Green coriender chutney
Tamarind sauce
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Method -

In a bowl add chopped onions, carrot,tomatoes, puffed rice, peanuts, tamarind sauce,lemon juice, spicy green chutney.
Mix lightly and serve immediately by garnishing with chopped coriander leaves and sev.

Note-

1-Add little bit of salt if needed.
2-You can add any differnent type of bhujia or sev whatever you have in hand.

Semiya upma

2010-03-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

This is a very easy,famous and delicious recipe ,Doesn’t need much to work on, just add vegetables for some nutrition and you have a one pot meal ready for breakfast, lunch or dinner in less than 20 minutes.This is my brother's favoritue breakfast................

I made an easy, tasty and light breakfast dish, Semiya Upma, this morning. I like to add tomatoes and coriander to vermicilli upma . For those of you who dislike vermicilli, maybe it’s time to overcome your fears and give it the attention it deserves.

.

Ingredients:

2 cups vermicilli, roast in a tsp of ghee for 4-5 mts till golden brown

1 finely sliced large onion

3-4 slit green chillis

1″ ginger finely chopped

1/2 cup green peas

1 large tomato, chopped

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriender powder

1tbsp yogurt (optional)

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

1/2 tbsp oil

1 tsp ghee or butter

salt

1 tsp carom seeds

Method

1- Heat oil in a cooking vessel, add carom seeds and let them splutter. Add turmeric powder ,onion ,green chillies ,ginger and saute for 2 min.

2- Add the chopped tomatoes,coriender powder and saute on medium heat for 4 mts. Add salt to taste

3-.Now, add semiya and green peas ,1/4 cup of water to the sauteed onion-tomato base and mix it lightly and see that no lumps form and it combines well. cook covered for 3-4 minutes till green peas become soft.

4-Add a tsp of ghee or butter and yogurt combine well. Garnish with coriander leaves,serve hot.

Fruit Cream

2010-03-11T12:51:00.000-08:00

This is easy,quick and a perfect recipe for any ocassion.It takes almost no time to make so if you are looking for some quick recipe .this is the one for you.This is a colourful chilled dessert for hot summer days.This is all time hit recipe among my guests at my house.

Ingredients:

•2 cup cool whip cream

•1/2 cup sour cream or 1/4 cup whipped yogurt (fresh)

•1/4 cup sugar

•1 mango peeled and diced

•1 orange sliced

•1/2 cup pineapple diced

•1/4 cup strawberries sliced

•1/4 cup grapes sliced

•1/2 banana sliced

•1 tablespoon crushed walnut

•1 tablespoon sliced or chopped almonds

• some dry grapes

Method

1-Slice all the fruits in small pieces.

2-In a bowl mix cool whip, sour cream and sugar slowly.

3-Fold all sliced fruits and nuts with cream (leave some nuts for garnishing.)

4-Garnish it with remaining nut and fruits,serve chilled.

NOTE--- you can use your favorite fruits. Other fruit that will go well are peaches, apples, nectarines, pears, melons, kiwi or almost any fruit can be use.

I am sending it to Srivalli's Thanda mela. .

Gulab Jamun

2010-03-09T14:04:00.000-08:00

Gulab jamun is a very popular Indian dessert.There a very few people who don’t like Gulab Jamun, as for us, we just love them any time. It is a perfect dessert for any occasion – wedding, birthday party, potluck or a romantic dinner for 2! An unbelievable combination is hot, hot Gulab Jamuns with cold, cold Ice Cream…yum…or a splash of cool whip on the hot gulab jamun.......just thinking about it makes our mouth water.........

Ingredients:

•1 cup carnation milk powder

•1/4 cup All Purpose flour

•3 tsp unsalted butter or desi ghee

•1/4 cup whole milk just to knead the dough

•Pinch of baking soda

•1 3/4 cup sugar

•1 1/2 cup water

•4 coarsely grounded cardamom

•1 tbsp sliced almonds and pistachio (optional)

•Oil for deep-frying

Method:

For Sugar Syrup:

1.In a large pan, add water and sugar bring it to a boil.

2.Let the syrup boil for a minute then remove it from the heat.

3.Stir the syrup until the sugar is dissolved add grounded cardamom and keep aside.

For Jamuns-

1-Mix milk powder, flour and baking soda in a bowl, add butter to it and mix well.

2- Add milk to make soft dough.The dough will be little on the crumbly side…so use a little oil on your hands and make the ball and flatten it out and then roll it to a ball…this will help smoothening out the cracks.

3-Allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Make desired size balls, make sure they are smooth and do not have any creases.

4-.Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat.Test the oil by dropping a small piece of dough, if it sits at the bottom of the pan for a minute before coming to the surface, the oil is ready.

5- Fry Jamuns in the frying pan.It should take about 7 minutes to fry the gulab jamuns. While frying keep rolling the gulab jamuns around so they are evenly browned. Fry until the gulab jamuns become dark brown.take them out on a paper towel.

6 - Then place the jamuns into sugar syrup and let them soak for at least 30 minutes.

7-Garnish them with sliced almonds and pistachio ,serve them hot or cold..

Mint Coriander Chutney

2010-03-05T13:55:00.000-08:00

Mint and Coriander Chutney is to North Indians what Guacamole is to Mexican, Nam Pla is to South East Asian, Mayonnaise is to European and coconut chutney to south Indian.

We love to dip almost any snack in this lovely, flavorful, easy to make , tangy chutney,which is an indispensable item for many street food too , in North of India

Ingredients:

A small bunch Coriander leaves

Few twigs of Mint leaves

2-3 Green chillies (Depending upon your taste)

Tamarind, a small lump or lemon juice or raw mango pieces.

4-5 Garlic cloves

1 inch Ginger piece

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

2-4 Whole Black pepper corns

1 small Onion (optional)

Black salt as per taste
Salt as per taste

Method

1-.Pick Mint leaves from the stalks. Pick coriander leaves and rinse thoroughly , drain excess water.

2.In a Food processor or Mixer, grind all the ingredients listed for few times, until you get a smooth mixture.

3- Add few spoons of water for a smoother paste if needed.

4-Store it in refrigerator.

Note -1- you can store it7 days in refrigerator, but better to consume within a day or two .

2 - If going to store for longer time use few drops of oil in place of water and lemon juice.

3-Opptionally you can even add a spoon of sugar to the chutney which adds an entirely different flavor to it.

Methi paneer (Fenugreek Leaves with cottage cheese)

2010-03-01T11:01:00.000-08:00

There are many ways to cook Paneer in India,here is one more variation of paneer recipe.This is very healthy and quick recipe with green Methi (fenugreek leaves).

I do not prefer to fry the paneer for trying to make it a little healthy. All my paneer dishes so not ask for frying the paneer. But if you prefer feel free to fry the paneer. Some cases you do need to have the paneer crisp, or browned , then just shallow fry it in little oil, or bake them.

Ingredients

250 gm Paneer (Cottage Cheese)

2 medium sized tomatoes finely chopped

2 medium sized onion finely chopped (preferably red onions)

1 tsp Finely chopped ginger garlic / paste

2 green chillies chopped

1 small bunch Methi leaves (Fenugreek)

¼ tsp Garam Masala

1/4 cup sour Cream / or thick yogurt

1/2 cup milk, or more

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp red chili powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp sugar

salt to taste

2 tbsp oil.

1/2 tsp chana masala (optional)

Method

1-Cut paneer into 1 inch pieces and keep aside.

2-Take out all the Methi leaves from the stems, wash and chop finely.

3-.Heat oil in a pan. Add the garlic, ginger and green chili's. Cook till the ginger starts turning brown.

4-.Add onions and cook till they are translucent.

5-.Add coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric, sugar and Chana Masala. Cook for a minute till oil separates.

6-Add tomato and cook till oil separates, About 5 minutes.

7-.Add methi and once the methi wilts, add the paneer, salt and milk. Boil and then simmer for 5 minutes.

8-Add sour cream/thick curd and stir.

9- serve hot with any Indian bread.

I am sending this to Healing Foods - Onion event hosted by Priya and started by Siri

Bread pizza

2010-02-22T14:28:00.000-08:00

Simple,easy and quick recipe..............................

Ingredients-

White bread slices-- 4

pizza sauce-- 4 tbsp

butter--2tbsp

onion,tomato,capsicum (chopped)

Cheese (grated)

For Garnishing_

Red chilli flakes

Italian seasoning

Method

1-preheat the oven on 450 degrees.

2-Spread one layer of butter on each bread slice,then the layer of pizza sauce on it.

3-place onion ,tomatoes and capsicum topping on it.

4-Place the bread slices in tray.

5-Sprinkle cheese on top and place it in the preheated oven and bake untill the cheese melts.

6-Serve hot and sprinkle chilli flakes and italian seasoning on top.

NOTE-1 - Use any topping of your choice.

2- Can make on hot tawa too.

As it is simple and quick so ,I am sending this to Niloufer's Twenty-20 Cooking Event. because it can be done in less than 20 minutes..........................

I am sending it to Aathidhyam's BREAD MANIA EVENT. too.

Black Chana masala (Black gram curry)

2010-02-07T09:44:00.000-08:00

Here is the simple and quick recipe for black gram curry which is full of protein and tastes best with pooris.pooris are the ideal combo for this but we can have it with chapati or parotta too.In my house we use to cook this for the Ramnavmi with pooris and sooji halwa as prasad but at that time I avoid the use of onion in the recipe.

This recipe is a hit in my house as our weekend brunch with pooris too sometimes.

Ingredients :

Black Channa - 1 cup (soaked for 5-6 hours /overnight)

Cloves - 1-2

Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Chilli powder - 2 tsp

cumin seeds -1 tbsp

Garam masla powder/Channa masala powder -1 tbsp

Onion - 1 medium sized in to paste

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp

Tomato puree - 1/2 cup

Curry leaves - few

Oil - 1 tbsp

Lemon - 1/2 small size or dry mango powder 1/2 tsp

salt to taste

coriender leaves for garnishing

Method-

1-Boil channa with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt keep aside.

2-In a kadai, add oil and temper cumin seeds, cloves and cinnamon. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 mins...now add onion, tomato, curry leaves and fry well till onions turn light brown.

3-Add boiled channa, chilli powder, channa masala/garam masala powder and mix well.

4-Add water as needed to form the desired gravy.

5- Add dry mango powder or lemon juice before serving.

6- Garnish it with coriender leaves.

Chana (black gram) paratha

2010-02-07T09:39:00.000-08:00

A paratha (also spelled as parantha) (Hindi: पराँठा) is an Indian flat-bread that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Paratha is an amalgamation of the words parat (Hindi: परत) and atta (Hindi: आटा) which literally means layers of cooked flour.

It is one of the most popular unleavened flat-breads in Indian cuisine and is made by pan frying whole-wheat flour on a tava.

There are so many different ways to make paratha,but this recipe is little bit different from the regular paraths.A nice change from the routine paratha.

Ingredients:

•1 cup whole-wheat flour

•1/2 cup water (Use more as needed)

•Pinch of salt

1/2 cup black gram (kala chana) (soaked for 4-5 hours)

•1/4 tsp salt

•1/2 tsp cumin seed powder

•1 chopped green chili

•2 tsp chopped cilantro

•1/2 tsp garam masala (optional)

•1/2 tsp amchoor powder (optional)

•1/4 cup whole-wheat flour for rolling

•Oil or ghee to cook

Method

1-boil black gram untill soft adding little salt ,let it cool and grind them.

2-.Mix flour, salt ,pureed black gram,all spices,green chilli,cilantro and water together to make soft dough (if the dough is hard add a little more water). I like mixing the dough by hand.

3.Knead the dough for a few minutes and leave it sometime for rest around 15-20 minutes.

4 .Divide the dough into equal parts and roll it with the help of little dry wheat flour.

5 Heat the tawa on medium high and place paratha on it.

6.Then flip the paratha over. You will see some golden-brown spots on the topside. After a few seconds, spread 1 tsp of oil or ghee on the paratha. Again, flip the paratha and lightly press the puffed areas with a spatula.
7 cook till golden brown from both sides ,serve it with yogurt,any curry or pickle.

NOTE-
1- This is the best way to use my leftover black gram for me.

Chole palak curry(Spinach and chikpeas)

2010-02-07T09:34:00.000-08:00

Chickpeas and spinach is a great combination and a healthy, protein rich dish. Chickpeas immersed with spicy spinach gravy. This dish can be served with roti, naan ,bhtura or rice.

Ingredients

1/2 cup chickpea (chole)(soaked for about 5-6 hours)

•3 cups finely chopped spinach

•2 medium tomatoes

2 medium onions

2 cloves garlic

•1/2″piece ginger

•1 green chili

•3 tsp oil

•1/4 tsp asafetida

•1 tsp cumin seed

•1 tsp coriander powder

•1/2 tsp turmeric

•1/2 tsp red pepper

•1/2 tsp salt adjust

•1/2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp chana masala (optinal)

Method:

1- Boil the soaked chikpeas till soft and drain the water.

2-.Blend onions ,garlic cloves , tomatoes, green chilies, and ginger to make a puree.

3.Heat the oil in a pan .Add the asafetida and cumin seeds.let it splutter.

4-Then add onion- tomato puree,salt, coriander powder, turmeric, red chili powder and cook for about 4 minutes on medium heat .The mixture will start leaving the oil and will reduce to about half in quantity.

5-Cut and add spinach and one half cup of water and let it cook covered for 4 to 5 minutes on medium heat .

6-.Add chickpeas and mash them lightly with a spatula and let it cook on low heat for 7 to 8 minutes.

7-.Add garam masala and chana masala let it cook for another minute.

Note - 1- you can use canned chikpeas also.
2- Add water as needed to keep the gravy consistency to your liking .

Tadka dal (tuvar dal/Arhar dal)

2010-02-07T09:30:00.000-08:00

This is the lentil curry that makes almost thrice(or more) a week! at my mom's home. My dad simply loves this lentil curry. In fact this is the most popular dal in every household in INDIA. This is a very flavourful and tasty lentil curry. You can have a bowl of this on a cold winter night as a soup all by itself! Some people(Gujrati Indians) add sugar to sweeten this, but we like it spicy! Yet, you will be amazed that this is not very spicy at all, but really a great lunch alongwith rice and yogurt or chapati.

Ingredients:

1 cup toor dal

4 cups water

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp coriender powder

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (ghee)

FOR TADKA

1/2 tsp cumin seed

1/2 tsp red chili powder

2 bay leaves

Pinch of asafetida

1 medium size chopped tomato

1 medium size chopped onion (optional)

1 tablespoon fine chopped ginger

METHOD

1-.Wash dal and soak in water for sometime.

2-.In pressure cooker add dal, water, salt, turmeric,coriender powder and 2-3 drops of ghee, cook on medium high heat.Then on medium heat for near about 5-6 minutes.

3-Let the steam go off,then open the cooker for tadka.

Tadka-

1-.Heat ghee in a saucepan ,add hing and cumin seed,let it splutter.

2-Add bay leaves and chopped onion to it and saute for sometime .

3- Add ginger and chopped tomato and saute.

4-After sometime(4-5 min) ,add red chilli powder .

5- Add this tadka to dal and garnish it with few cilantro leaves.

NOTE- 1- you can make this tadka without tomato and onion too.(then it will be plain tadka dal)
2 - Adding 2-3 drops of lemon juice will give additional taste to it.

Quick & easy salad

2010-02-04T09:24:00.000-08:00

This is a very quick ,easy and healthy salad with almost no dressing at all.You can serve it as a side with anytime .

Ingredients:

Tomato -- 1 big(cut into cubes)

cucumber--1(cut into cubes)

Few lettuce leaves--(chopped )

Red onion--1(chopped)

Lemon juice-- 5-6 drops

Cumin seed powder--1 tbsp

black salt--1/2tbsp

salt to taste

Black pepper powder to taste

Method

1-- Mix all chopped veggies in a bowl.

2-- Add lemon juice,black salt,salt,black pepper and cumin seed powder.

3-- Mix it well and serve immediately.

NOTE--If you want ,can add few drops of honey to give it a little sweet taste.

Paani puri(golgappa)

2010-02-04T09:02:00.000-08:00

Panipuri term used in Western India , also known as Gol Gappa (North India), Phuchka in Bengal, Bataashaa or Gup chup in Orissa is a popular street snack in the India. It comprises a round, hollow "puri", fried crisp and filled with a mixture of water, tamarind, chili, chaat masala, potato, onion and chickpeas. Its size is small enough to fit in the mouth.

This snack or chaat is not just delicious, it is also fun to make and eat,with group of friends or family .

Ingredients

For puris----

•1/4 cup All Purpose flour (Maida or Plain Flour)

•3/4 cup fine Sooji (Semolina Flour)

•1/2 cup water (as needed)

A pinch of salt

Method

1-•Mix semolina, salt , add a little water at a time and knead into a smooth, medium-soft dough. Knead till the dough is absolutely smooth. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and allow to rest for 20 minutes.

2-After the dough has rested, divide it into equal-sized balls. Roll between your palms till smooth. Lightly flour a clean rolling surface and press one ball flat. Roll out into a circle (1/4" thick) using a rolling pin. Now use the circular cookie cutter or( any round shape bottle lid) to cut smaller circles out on the large circle. Remove extra dough from sides of smaller circles.

3- Place over a damp towel and cover with another damp towel.so that they will puff up evenly.

4-.Heat the oil on medium high heat.Fry one puri in the oil and press lightly. When it puffs turn over and put another puri in the oil. Keep adding six to eight puris at a time.

5- Fry them till golden brown and crisp, drain and keep on paper towels,store in a airtight container.

For Paani

Ingredients

•4 cups water

•1 bunch fresh coriander leaves

•1 bunch fresh mint leaves (optional)

•3-4 green chillies
•Juice of 2 limes or 1/4 cup tamarind pulp

•1 tsp black salt

•1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)

•1/4 tsp ginger powder

•1 tbsp roasted cumin seed powder

•1/2 tsp black pepper

Method

1-Blend everything except the water together to make a fine paste. While blending, add water as needed to blend.

3.Strain it and mix the paste with remaining water or according to your taste.

4.The paani is ready refrigrate it for sometime before serving.

For Filling-

For filling panipuris generally chikpeas or potatoes are used. Boiled Potatoes are also used by themselves or are mixed with the boiled chikpeas. Fried boondi is also used sometimes as a stuffing. You may try different stuffings.Tamarind chutney and green chutney,beaten yogurt may also use as filling for puris.

Assembling pani puri before serving:

1.Place 5-6 puris on a plate. Tap each puri on the thinner side to make a hole.

2.Add a spoonful of stuffing in each puri.

3.Add ¼ tsp green chutney and sweet chutney in the puri.

5.Place a cup with the pani in the plate. And serve.

Some people swear that you should eat panipuri only on the street and it is the tastiest.

But as I said, I prefer to make it at home. Just try my pani puri recipe and then tell me how it came out. I have to go and have a plate of panipuri after writing this recipe. My mouth is watering.....................................

Stuffed Eggplant

2010-02-04T08:58:00.000-08:00

Lots of Indian spices flavor these stuffed eggplants. Make this dish part of a multicourse Indian feast along with curried vegetables, basmati rice ,yogurt ,salad and some Indian breads(chapati,paratha,naan or any other) as a side dish.

Ingredients:

Small purple brinjals - 8

Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp.

Red chilli powder - ½ tsp or to taste

garam masala - 1 tbsp

Coriender powder -1tbsp

Turmeric powder- 1 tsp

Fennel seed powder- 1 1/2 tbsp

Dry mango powder-- 1 tbsp

cumin powder - 1 tbsp

Black satl - 1/2 tsp

garlic - paste or chopped finely - ½ tsp

Salt - 1 tsp or to taste.

For seasoning:

oil - 2 tbsp of your choice.

cumin seeds - ½ tsp

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Method-

1-slit the brinjals in four without separating them .

2-Mix well the spices for stuffing with 2-3 drops of oil. Keep aside for 10 minutes.

3-Fill the stuffing into the slit brinjals and press together.

4-Keep aside the leftover stuffing if any.You can use it while cooking.

5-Heat Oil in a deep pan. Add cumin seeds and Asafoetida,let it splutter.

6-Place the stuffed brinjals carefully with open side up.

7-Add the leftover stuffing over the brinjals.

8-Cover and cook on low heat for 10-12 minutes.

9-Move the brinjals carefully with a spoon on their sides. Sprinkle a little water if necessary for cooking.

10-Cover and Cook till just done. The brinjals should not lose their shape or become very soft.

NOTE--1-You may store this in fridge for 2 days and reheat and serve.
2-You can use tamarind pulp in place of dry mango powder.

Bisibele bhath

2010-02-04T08:52:00.000-08:00

Bisi Bele Bhath is the signature dish of many regions in Karnataka. It is a wholesome meal-in-one and has rice, dal and vegetables all in a runny khichdi-like consistency. It is very easy to make also .its a kind of comfort food for me ,when not in a mood to prepare the whole meal ,this is the one and the wholesome meal option

Ingredients:
1 cup Rice

3/4 cup Toor Dal

2 cups Mixed Vegetables (onions, tomato, green peas, beans,cauliflower and corn)

salt to taste

6 cups Water

Masala:

1/2 cup Coconut powder

2 tsp Sambar Powder

2 Tbsp Coriander Seeds

1" Cinnamon

3-4 Cloves

2-3 Cardamom

1 tsp Khus Khus

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

few Curry leaves

Tadka:

4-5 Tbsp Oil

3-4 Red Chillies

2 tsp Mustard Seeds

3-4 Curry Leaves

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

Method for masala--

1-In a little bit of heated oil, fry the masala ingredients, except for the coconut powder and the sambar powder. Grind all of the masala ingredients to a paste with a little water. Keep aside

Method for bisibele bhath--

1-Add rice,dal and mixed veggies in a pressure cooker with salt and water.

2- pressure cook for about 10-12 minutes.

3- Let the steam go off from the cooker ,open it and add bisibele bhath masala to it.

Tadka-

1- for tadka heat oil in a pan add asafoetida,mustard seed and red chilly ,let it splutter.
2 -Then add curry leaves to the tadka.
3- Add this tadka into the rice and serve it hot with any raita,chutney or papad.
4-you can also garnish it with a splash of butter on top.

Note--1-- Bisibele bhath Masala is easily available in the indian grocery stores and they are equally good .
2-- You can use slow cooker also in place of pressure cooker ,but cook it for longer time of course.

Coconut & onion sandwich

2010-02-02T13:23:00.000-08:00

Here is easy and quick sandwich recipe for busy weekdays .Simple but tasty breakfast option.

Ingredients:

white bread -- 4 slices

yogurt--3tbsp

coconut powder--1 1/2 tbsp

onion-- 1/2 medium size(grated)

chilli flakes

salt to taste

For Tadka

Mustard seeds --1tsp

curry leaves--3-4

oil-- 1 tsp

Method-

1-Add grated onion,coconut powder,chilli flakes and salt in yogurt and mix it well.keep it aside.

2-Heat oil for tadka ,add mustard seed,let it splutter then add curry leaves.

3- Mix this tadka into yogurt mixer.

4-Spread this mixer on bread slice by covering it with other bread slice.

5-Cook on medium heat till golden brown on tawa.

Tamarind Sauce (imli ki chutney)

2010-02-01T10:43:00.000-08:00

This is very simple and easy chutney as every body knows it, which can be made either in microwave or stove. Can make it in advance, used to any type of chat, snacks and so on. Here is how i make this chutney as most of my friends wanted to know the recipe :) !!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Tamarind pulp
3/4 cup water
1/4 tsp black salt
1/4 tsp Red chilly powder
6-7 small cubes jaggery

2 tbsp Cumin powder
1/2 tbsp garam masala
salt to taste

Method-

1-Mix water and tamarind pulp together well.
2-Heat on medium flame and add jagerry cubes.
3-Add salt,black salt,chilly powder,cumin powder and bring it to a boil.
4-Boil it till thickens untill desired consistency.
5-Add garam masala let it cool down and store it.

Note

1--you can use 1/2 cup sugar in place of jaggery.

wadi ka paani

2010-02-01T10:18:00.000-08:00

This recipe is a traditional recipe of north India.you can serve it with tadka dal and rice as side.its a kind of soup goes well as side dish.I like to add little more cumin seeds to this dish becoz the taste of cumin seeds blends well in this dish and give it a very nice taste.

Ingredients:

Masala wadi -- 3-4
plain wadi-- 3-4
Cumin seed-- 1/2tbsp(i like to add 1 tbsp)
Turmeric powder--1/2 tbsp
dry mango powder--1 tbsp
salt to taste
oil --1/2 tsp
cilantro leaves for garnishing

Method-

1-Break both kind of wadis into pieces.
2-Add oil in pressure cooker ,heat and roast wadis till golden brown,take them out.
3-Add cumin seed in remaining oil let it splutter.
4-Add turmeric powder,roasted wadis,salt and water.
5-pressure cook for near about 15-20 minutes on medium heat.
6-Add dry mango powder ,garnish with cilantro and serve piping hot.

Note--1-- you can get wadis in Indian grocery stores.
           2-- Good for cough and cold as rasam in south indian cuisine.
           3-- you can use lemon juice in place of dry mango powder.
          4-- No need to add any other spice because masala wadis have all spice in itself.

I am sending this to SARA's Cooking with Seeds - Cumin Seeds event.

Poha(chiwda-matar/Flatten rice with green peas)

2010-02-01T08:30:00.000-08:00

This is a comman breakfast or snack item and very popular in most parts of India.May be you all must be familiar of poha or chiwda matar.But everywhere in India there are so many different ways to prepare poha,mostly with that of some onion ,tomato and potato .

But here i have a different recipe of making poha ,its my mother in laws recipe,and poha is all time favourite in my house.She use to make poha with this recipe that is little bit different and its awesome.

Ingredients

Flatten Rice/Poha -- 1 1/2 cup

Green peas--1cup

Cold milk--1/2 cup

jeera powder-- 1 tbsp

Black salt-- 1/2 tbsp

coriender powder-- 1 1/2 tbsp

Turmeric powder-- 1 tbsp

dry mango powder--1 tbsp

sugar-- 1/2 tbsp

garam masala-- 1/2 tbsp

Cumin seed --1 tbsp

salt to taste

butter or ghee- 2tbsp

Cilantro leaves for garnishing

Method-

1-Heat 1 tbsp butter in kadai, add 1/2 tbsp cumin seed and turmeric powder ,let it spletter.

2-Add green peas and cover it ,let it cook for 2-3 minutes or till peas get tender.(do not add any other spice)3-Spread a layer of flatten rice into a big round plate,sprinkle sugar on it.

4- Add milk to it by sprinkling all over,mix it with soft hands,let the poha soak in milk for some time aroun1-1/2 minutes.

5-sprinkle all the spices on it now,mix it with soft hands so that all the spice mix well and evenly with poha.

6-Add cooked green peas and mix well in plate itself.

7-- Now heat the kadai ,add butter and 1/2 tbsp cumin seed .

8-- Add mixed poha and saute for near about 3-4 minutes.

9-- garnish with cilantro leaves and serve hot.

Note--

1-Use some more milk if you want ,if poha is still now soaked properly or is hard.

2-Never use hot or warm milk otherwise poha become very messy.

3-Always mix poha with soft hands ,otherwise it will break .(but the spices should be mix properly and evenly)

Rice Pudding (Chawal Kheer)

2010-01-27T12:54:00.000-08:00

This is one of the most common desserts , a very simple preparation of rice and milk. This pudding, called "Kheer", is made with rice and is my favorite Indian dessert. No wedding or festival is complete without Kheer on the menu. This creamy and sweet stovetop pudding is fairly quick and easy to prepare.

                                               Ingredients:

•1/4 cup rice

•4 cups whole milk

•1/4 cup sugar

•6 strands of saffron

•Pinch of crushed cardamom

•2 tablespoons sliced almonds

•1 tablespoon sliced pistachios

•1 teaspoon butter (Unsalted) OR pure ghee

                                       For Garnish

Few cashewnuts pieces

                                       Method

.Wash rice well and soak for 5 minutes.

.Melt the butter in a frying pan on medium heat.

.Add the rice and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

.Add milk, cook until the rice is tender and milk reduced to about half. Stir often to ensure the milk does not stick in the bottom of the pan.

Add sugar and dry fruits ,stir for sometime.

Garnish it with cashewnuts and serve hot or cold.

Note -- 1- Always use non-stick pan to make kheer.
             2-Kheer can be make in slow cooker also,it is very easy .
             3- 3 tbsp milk powder can be use to make pudding thicker fast.

Tricolour rice (Tiranga pulao)

2010-01-26T12:53:00.000-08:00

Today I am going to share the recipe of Tiranga pulao .A recipe with a difference....we use to make this for some special occasions........A whole meal itself.you can serve it with any chutney,salad .pickle or raita.

Ingredients

• 3 Cups basmati rice

• 6 Cloves

• 3 Medium-piece cinnamons

• 3-4 Cardamoms

• 1 Carrot, grated

• 1/2 Cup orange juice OR cranberry juice

• 1 Cup chopped onion (optional)

• 1/2 Bunch coriander leaves

• 1 tbsp Coconut, grated (optional)

• 1 Cup paneer, grated OR Ricotta cheese (1/2 cup)

• 1 Cup ghee

• 3-4 Green chilies

2 tbsp cumin seed

1/2 cup cabbage , shredded

• Small piece ginger

• 1/2 Cup green peas

• 1/2 tsp White pepper powder

• Salt to taste

• Few drops of orange color
6 cups water

For Garnish

some cashews and raisins
cilantro leaves

Method--

Wash the rice thoroughly and soak in water for 30 min.

Cook rice with Cloves ,cinnamons ,Cardamoms by adding 6 cups of water and devide it into three parts.
let rice cool for some time (about 10-15 minutes)

First portion ---

Heat 2 tbsp ghee in kadai add cumin seed , let it splutter .
Add chopped onion and saute for sometime then add cabbage and saute for 2 minutes.
Add first part of cooked rice ,salt and white pepper saute .
Switch off the flame add grated panner or ricotta cheese ,take it out.

Green portion---

Grind coriender leaves ,ginger and green chillies.

Heat 2 tbsp ghee in kadai add cumin seed and splutter.

Add coriender ,chilly paste and cooked green peas saute for some time.

Add cooked rice , salt and white pepper and saute, take it out.

Orange portion----

Heat ghee in kadai and add cumin seed,let it splutter .

Add tomato puree and saute for 2 minutes,add carrot and saute.

Add salt,white pepper,orange colour and cooked rice saute.

Switch off the flame and add orange juice.

Arrangement---

Take a serving plate first palce a lyer of green rice ,then the layer of white rice and orange rice on the top.

(as in the picture)

Garnish it with cashews and raisins with 2-3 cilantro leaves.

Note-- 1-Adding coconut is optional,if you want add coconut into white portion.
2-If you want can devide uncooked rice then cook each portion seperately,but i feel its easy to cook rice first and then devide it into three parts.

Kitchen tips

2010-01-25T06:18:00.000-08:00

1-While setting yogurt add a little milk powder. you will get a sweet flavour & the curd will remain same for 2-3 days.

2-While kneading the dough use warm water instead of normal water ...

and keep the dough in a wet cloth or wet tissue for some time then try making the chapatis ... this really helps in getting Soft Rotis /Chapatis .

3-To enable the reuse of cooking oil for a fresh recipe, cut a small piece of ginger & fry in the oil,it removes anylingering odours/ flavours.

4-Add a little milk to onions while frying, this will help retain a rich colour & prevent them from burning.

5-:Add a few drops of lemon juice in the water before boiling the rice to make rice whiter.

6-To make Dosa cripsy add little sugar in the paste.

7-To preserve lemons for long,coat them with cocunut oil &refrigerate them in a open container.

8-Make ripe tomatoes firm again ......... dip tomatoes in cold water , add some salt and leave overnite ..

9-If your gravy/ dal has too much salt, make some dough balls (atta balls) and drop them in. As the gravy boils, the balls will take in salt. Discard the balls later, and your gravy will be fine.

10-While blanching spinach , add a pinch of salt.this helps in retaining it's green colour.(DO not over cook,of course)

Onion Raita

2010-01-21T11:06:00.000-08:00

Today I am going to share the recipe of Onion raita with you.It goes well with any rice dish like Biryani,lemon rice etc.you can also serve it as side dish for dinner or lunch.It is a very easy and quick recipe with little ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup yogurt

onion--1 (finely chopped)

jeera (cumin) powder--1tbsp

black pepper powder--1/2tsp

Black salt-- 1/2 tsp

salt to taste

coriender leaves (chopped)

Method

1-.Put the yogurt into a bowl and mix with a fork or whisk until very smooth. Use some milk if needed .

2-Add chopped onion , black salt,jeera powder,black pepper powder and salt ,mix it well.

3.Garnish it with chopped cilantro and serve cold.

NOTE--

1- Always use fresh yogurt to make raitas.

2-Add salt to it just before serving ,otherwise the taste of raita will change .

3- You can also use this recipe as a dip ,do not add milk while whisking the yogurt.

Vegetable fried rice

2010-01-15T12:23:00.000-08:00

Today it is the turn of Vegetable fried rice in my kitchen .we usually are not very fond of chinese food but this is one dish which we can have solely for lunch or dinner.one can also use leftover rice for this recipe and transform it into a new mouthwatering dish with very little supplies as whatever veggies you have at home you can use for this recipe.

YOU NEED--

Rice -- 1 cup (cooked) (I prefer basmati ricr but you can use any kind of rice)

Mix veggies (chopped)(carrot,green beans,cabbage,cauliflower,green peas)

onion --1 (chopped/medium size)

tomato--1(chopped/medium size)

green chillies--1-2 (chopped/lengthwise)

black pepper according to taste

soy sauce -- 1 tbsp

tomato sauce--1 tbsp

oil

salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in kadai on high heat .

Add chopped green chillies , chopped onions and salt ,saute for sometime.

Add chopped tomato and mix veggies saute and cover till veggies become tender.(about 3-4minutes)

Add cooked rice saute.

Add soy and tomato sauce,black pepper powder.

Vegetable fried rice is ready to serve.

Note-1--In vegetable fried rice let leave the veggies little raw ,it will give it a crunchy taste.

2-- Always add salt to anything while adding onions,salt helps onion to cook fast.

Palak Paneer (spinach and cottage cheese curry)

2010-01-12T11:31:00.000-08:00

This Indian dish combines fresh spinach and cottage cheese in a creamy curry. Use ricotta cheese if you can;t find Paneer! It is absolutely wonderful with basmati rice or naan (Indian flat bread). The key is in the spices .

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
One big bunch of spinach (fresh green ones)

Paneer ~10 to 15 cubes
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 teaspoons cumin seed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
3/4 cup sour cream
1 large tomato pureed
salt to taste

Method---

Clean and boil spinach ,let it cool.
Blend boiled spinach into a fine paste.
Heat oil in kadai on medium heat.
Add cumin seed and let it splutter.
Add chopped garlic and onion ,saute for sometimes till it becomes transparent.
Add tomato puree ,chopped ginger and turmeric powder ,saute for some more time till the oil seprates.
Add all spices salt,coriender powder,chilly powder,and mix well.
Then add spinach paste and saute for sometime, add water as needed .
Bring it to boil and add paneer cubes ,cover the pot for about 4-5 minutes.
Uncover the pot put off the flame and add sour cream .
Serve hot with rotis,parathas or naan ,garnish it with a splash of sour cream on top.

NOTE--- If you want to give natural green spinach colour to it ,put spinach immediately under cold running water after boiling for sometime.

Baked shakkarpara(Biscuits)

2010-01-11T11:46:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe while visiting a food blog and it was looking very appealing so decided to try it out and came out really very well .A great snack for all time munching.Low in fat because baked not fried.

Ingredients-

1\2 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
vegetable or canola oil -1/4 cup
Ghee or unsalted butter -1 tbsp
sugar-- 5 tbsp
Baking powder-- 1/2 tsp
cardamom powder-- 1/4 tsp
Fennel seed 1/2 tsp

Method

Mix wheat flour,all purpose flour,oil,butter,sugar,baking powder,cardamom powder and fennel seed in a mixing bowl.
Knead it slowly with the help of little water.
Cover it and let it rest for 25-30 minutes .
Preheat the oven at 350 degrees.
Uncover it and roll the dough about 1/2 inch thick .(you can dust it with dry flour while rolling)
Cut it into diamond shape .
Greese a baking sheet and place diamond shapes on the baking sheet.
Bake it near about 15-20 minutes.(keep an eye on them as it gets brown very soon)
Bake it till golden brown ,let them cool for some time and enjoy.
.

Note-- you can also use 1 cup bleached flour in place of 1/2 wheat and 1/2 all purpose flour.
Sugar you can adjust according to your taste .

Cluster beans potato vagetable

2010-01-07T11:27:00.000-08:00

This is the recipe of one of my Maharastrian friend,we went to her house for dinner and i came across with this recipe in her house.This is a simple recipe nicely compliments to any dal or curry.

Ingredients:

Cluster beans (gowar phali) 1cup
potato - 1 (medium size)
green chilly-- 1
Garlic-- 2-3 cloves
turmeric powder,coriender powder,chilly powder,dry mango powder,garam masala powder,cumin seed, salt to taste
jaggery (gur) -little
little olive,mustard or vegetable oil

Method

Chop cluster beans lengthwise.
Chop potato in small pieces.
Chop or blend garlic cloves and green chilly.
Heat oil in kadai add cumin seed, let it splutter.
Add turmeric powder ,garlic,green chilly and chopped potatoes.
Saute for sometime and add cluster beans,coriender powder,red chilly powder and salt.
Cover it for about 15-20 minutes on medium heat.
Add jaggery , saute and cover for some more time .
Uncover it ,add dry mango powder and garam masala ,saute for some time and serve hot.

Sabudana (tapioca/Sago) upma

2010-01-06T16:10:00.000-08:00

Upma or khichidi made with sabudana - sago a popular breakfast or snack dish from Maharastra.Sabudana Vadas are also very popular in Maharastra.Very easy recipe and tastes great too.

Ingredients--
Sabudana ---1/2 cup
Boiled potato--1 (medium size)
onoin -- 1 (medium size ,chopped)
                                                                                     tomato ---1(medium size,chopped)
                                                                                     turmeric powder,coriender powder,salt
                                                                                    red chilly powder,garam masala powder
                                                                                    lemon juice -- few drops
                                                                                   cumin seed
                                                                                   cilantro for garnish
                                                                                   Little oil
                                                                                   peanuts (optional)

Method.
Soak sago in water for atlaest 3 hour or till tender rinse and keep aside.
Heat oil in kadai and add cumin seed let it splutter.
Add onion and saute till transparent.
Then add tomatoes and saute till tender.
Chop boiled potatoes and add.
Add saoked sago and all spices.saute for sometime.
Add lemon juice .
Garnish with chopped cilantro and ground peanuts.serve hot.

T-Fal Initiatives 10-Piece Nonstick Inside and Out

Buttermilk (Mattha)

2010-01-06T14:32:00.000-08:00

This is a very popular drink made of yogurt specially in the Northern part of India like Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.It is very tasty and good for health also .You can have it in breakfast ,lunch , dinner or anytime of the day.The recipe is also very simple so here it is----

Indigents

Fresh plainYogurt

Black Salt

Roasted cumin seed powder

salt

Method

Beat plain yogurt with little water and salt in beater or blender.

Add ice cubes and beat little bit more.

Add black salt ,cumin powder and seve chilled.

Note

Fresh yogurt tastes best.

Vegetable Cutlet

2010-01-06T10:46:00.000-08:00

Pure Wesson Vegetable Oil - 1.25 gal

Today its the turn of vegetable cutlet.My Hubby,s favourite.Vegetable cutlets are great combination of vegetables and spices. These are great as an appetizer, afternoon snack with tea, or as a side dish with dinner.so here comes my recipe---
Ingredients:

Potato-1(medium side)
Mix Veggies -1cup (green peas, carrots, green beans, corn,cabbage,cauliflower etc.)
White bread slices-2 or Corn flour (2 tbsp)
salt to taste
Cilantro(dhania), green chillies,ginger (finely chopped)
bread crums -(1/2 cup)
red chilli powder (according to your taste)
oil to fry.

Method-
Boil the potato with skin and let it cool down.
Peel the skin off and mash the potato.
soak the bread in water or milk and squeeze it lightly.
Now mix mashed potato,mix veggies (if you want you can steam the veggies for some time but personally do not like just chop them thinly and add),bread or corn flour,salt,red chilly powder,ginger and cilantro.
With oiled hands, divide the mixture into 10 equal parts and shape them as desired.
.Heat the oil on medium high heat in a frying pan.
Check if the oil is ready,now take bread crums into a flat platter and roll each cutlet in bread crums and fry till golden brown from both sides.
Serve hot with any chutney,sauce or dips.

NOTE-you can make these cutlet in advance and store them into freezer for upto 20 days.just take them out and fry them immediately.