Sunday, December 20, 2009
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
Till then, wish you all Merry Christmas and a very happy, healthy & wealthy new year.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Chegodilu/Chekodilu for ICC
Check if the oil is in the correct temperature, by dropping a tiny bit into the oil. Then gently slide the rings or the chakodis in batches of 4 -5. The flame has to be on high until the chakodis come up to the surface, then lower the flame to medium and cook till you get a golden colour on the chakodis.
When the chakodis are golden all over, using a slotted ladle, remove to a kitchen towel and cool. Store in an air tight container for longer shelf life.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Dahi Batata Sev Puri
Dahi batata sev puri is made rarely in my home since my picky elder one doesn't enjoy them much. Sev is the thin noodles kind of snack made with gram flour. You can easily get it in any Indian grocery store. Batata means Potato in Mumbai local language, dahi is curd/yogurt and Puri is puri.
I think enough of my chaat puraan, lets go to the recipe.
What you need:
20-30 Puffed deep fried Puris (store bought or home made)
½ - ¾ cups Sev
1 Red Onion, finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
1/4 cup coriander leaves chopped finely
1 tbsp Red chilli powder (optional)
Potato Filling:
1 large Potato, boiled, cooked and mashed
Black salt
Chaat Masala
Table Salt to taste
Sweet Tamaring-Dates Chutney
Spicy Green coriander-mint chutney
Curd/Yogurt Filling:
2 cups Yogurt, beaten till smooth
1 tsp roasted Jeera/Cumin Powder
A pinch of Black salt
Table Salt to taste
How to assemble:
First boil the potato, peel and then mash it. Add black salt, chaat masala and the salt to taste.
Beat the curd well if you feel it is too thick add little water. Add the roasted jeera powder, the black salt and the table salt.
To Assemble the Dahi Batata Sev Puri:
Arrange puris in a plate, making small opening on top of each puri with the thum, big enough to add the fillings.
First fill each puri with a tsp of Potato filling. Add the chopped onion, and then the tomato. Then fill it with ¼-½ tsp of both the chutneys. Now start filling the puris with the yogurt mixture. Then sprinkle some coriander and sev on each puri. Sprinkle some more chilli powder if you like it hot like us.
Serve this delicious plate of Dahi Batata Sev Puri immediately as if kept for long it will become soggy. Remember to use your finger to eat it no spoon please. Enjoy this finger-licking delicious Chaat.
Very soon I will post the recipes of the sweet tamarind dates chutney and the spicy green coriander-mint chutney. But for now you can buy these from any Indian grocery store.
No-Egg, No Butter Carrot Cake
What I used :
2 Cups Maida/All Purpose Flour
2 Cups carrots finely chopped/grated
1 cup chopped walnuts
What I did:
Instead of grating the carrots I used mini food processor and chopped the carrots. I chopped 5 carrots for the 2 cups of gratings. I pulsed the walnuts before chopping the carrots. In a big bowl, sieve the all purpose flour and the baking soda. Mix together the carrots, coconut, walnuts raisin and the flour.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Gulab Jamun for October challenge
Water – 1 cup (increase if you’re increasing sugar)
Bakind Soda – 3 pinches
Cardamom – 4 pods
Saffron leaves – a few
Oil – 1 cup (for deep frying)
Method
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Ras Malai
The procedure is a bit lengthy, but the end product is really worth of it.
Things you need:
4 cups Milk ( For discs)
1 & 1/2 cups Sugar (for making syrup)
2 cups Milk (for Ras)
1/2 cup Heavy whipping cream(Optional)
1/2-3/4 cup Sugar (for Ras)
2 tbsp unsalted Pistachios coarsely ground
2 tsp Almonds sliced thinly
1 tsp cardamom powder
Few saffron strands
Preparing paneer:
Friday, November 6, 2009
Aloo Palak Paratha
1 bunch spinach/Paalak
1-2 green chillies (Optional)
salt to taste
1-2 tsp oil
1 tsp oil
Salt to taste
What to do:
Blanch the paalak/spinach with green chillies, if using. Drain and make a paste without adding any water. In a bowl, take the chapati flour add salt and oil. Mix the spinach puree in the flour. Make a soft and pliable dough. Use water if required.
Heat a kadhai/fry pan. Pour oil, when hot add cumin seeds and ajwain when they pop add the ginger garlic chilli paste. Add the turmeric powder if using. Then add this to the mashed potatoes. Add salt. Set aside to cool.
Knead the dough again for a minute and make equal lemon sized balls. Roll this dough ball in flour and roll them using a rolling pin into thick poories of 4 inch in diameter.
Place one aloo ball in the centre. Cover and seal the ends and roll again, dusting flour if necessary, into ½ cm thick roties using rolling pin.
Mean while, heat a griddle at high flame and lower it to low-medium flame.
Gently dust off the excess flour and place Stuffed Paratha on hot griddle and cook on both the sides till its cooked well and brown spots start to appear on top. Apply little ghee/oil if desired.
Serve hot Aloo Palak Parathas immediately with any curry or with plain yogurt and pickle of your choice and enjoy.
Punjabi Kadhi Pakoda
1 tbsp fresh Coriander/cilantro leaves
1 Green chilly chopped
1/2 tsp Ajwain/Ova/Omam
1 tsp Chilly powder
Salt to taste
2 whole Dry red chili
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Chilly powder
A pinch of Hing
½ tsp ginger garlic paste
½ tsp methi (fenugreek) seeds
3-4 green chillies, chopped
1/2 tsp Jeera seeds
1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds
Few curry leaves
1 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
Dhania/Cilantro leaves for garnishing (Optional)
Method
For Pakoda :
Mix all the ingredients for the Pakora except the oil. Heat oil in a kadai for frying the pakodas. Add 1 tbsp of hot oil to the pakoda mixture. Add water and mix nicely to make a thick batter. Check if the oil is sufficiently hot by putting a drop of the batter in the oil.It sizzles right away and floats on the top. Using a spoon (teaspoon) drop portions of the batter in the hot oil and fry till golden brown. Drain on a paper napkin.
For the Kadhi :
Mix the buttermilk with the besan and blend it thoroughly, ensuring that no lumps are formed. Add salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. In a wok/kadai heat oil. Add the mustard seeds and once they crackle add the cumin seeds and the dry red chillies. Add the fenugreek seeds and then the ginger garlic paste and the chopped green chillies. Now add the buttermilk- besan mixture heat the mixture on a medium. Bring to a boil continuously stirring. If you won't stir, the curd will split. The Kadhi will thicken after a few minutes. Switch off the gas and add the Pakodas. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with Steamed Rice.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Shankarpaali or Shakkarpaari
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Easy breezy Naarali Bhat
A pinch of Orange food colour (Optional)
This is what I did with the ingredients:
Friday, October 16, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Vegetable Fried Rice
This is what I use to make it:
2 cups long-grained rice
1/2 cup french cut beans,
1/2 cup carrots cut in matchsticks,
1/4 cup red, green, yellow and orange capsicums, finely chopped
1 green chilli finely chopped
1-2 Garlic cloves chopped finely
1 tbsp. Green chilli sauce
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Jantikalu/Murukku for Indian Cooking Challenge
Ingredients:
Raw Rice - 4 cups
Urad Dal - 1 cup
Water - app 1/2 cup or more
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Sesame seeds- 1 tsp
Asafetida/ Hing - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Butter - 75 gms
Method to prepare:
Wash and drain the rice. Shade dry the Rice for 1/2 hr. Dry roast the Urad dal to light brown. Allow it to cool. First grind rice into a fine flour, keep it aside. then grind the urad dal to fine powder.
In a big wide vessel, take both the flours along with salt. Mix well. Add cumin, Sesame seeds to the flour, mix well. Mix hing in water, make sure it is dissolved before adding to the flour.
Mix in the hing to the flour and finally add the butter. Gather everything well and you will get more of a crumbling mixture. Now slowly add water and knead in a soft dough.
Heat a kadai with oil enough to deep fry. Once the oil is hot enough, simmer to low flame.
Divide the dough into equal balls. Fill the greased Muruku maker with the dough.
Press over a paper and gently slide the murukku down the hot oil. You can press it directly over the kadai.
Cook over medium flame, using a slotted spoon, turn it over to other side to ensure both sides turn golden colour. Remove to a kitchen paper and store it in a air tight container.
This is my entry to the cooking challenge started by srivalli.
Pedhe
Monday, September 21, 2009
Veg. Manchurian
For Manchurian balls
Cabbage- 2 cups finely chopped
Carrots- 2 grated
garlic-2 cloves chopped finely
green chilli- 1 chopped finely or Green Chilli sauce 1 tsp
spring onions(scallions)- 1/2 bunch chopped finely
cornstarch- 3 tbsp
Pinch of Aji-no-moto
salt to taste
chilli powder- 1 tsp
oil for deep frying
For Manchurian Sauce
Spring onions- 1/2 bunch chopped finely
ginger- 1/2" piece chopped finely
garlic - 2 cloves chopped finely
green chilli- 1 chopped finely
chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
Soya sauce- 2-3 tsp
cornstarch- 1 tbsp
water- 1.5 cup
salt to taste
oil-4 tsp
This is how I make it-
Mix all the ingredients under the for manchurian balls except oil for deep frying in a bowl with hand and no need to add water as the water from vegetables are enough to bind.
Make small balls out of this mixture and deep fry in hot oil till golden brown.
For the manchurian sauce heat oil in a pan. You can use the same oil in which manchurian balls were fried. Add ginger, garlic and the spring onions. saute for a minute and add salt. Meanwhile make a mixture of chilli powder, corn flour and soya sauce. Add water to it and pour the paste in hot oil carefully. Boil till bubbles arise.
When the sauce starts to thicken add the manchurian balls and remove from the stove immediately. If you like add some top green portion of the spring onions. Serve right away with Fried Rice.
If not serving immediately make the sauce when you have plans of servings as it thickens immediately.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Tomato Rice
Ingredients:
Monday, August 31, 2009
Modak for Ganesh Chaturthi
Preparation of outer shell:
Meanwhile, in a heavy bottomed pan take the water add the salt & oil. Let the water come to rolling boil. Once the water is boiled slowly add the rice flour stir & close the lid. Let the dough cook for 2-5 mintes. After a big steam, take the pan away from gas. Take out the dough in another bowl/plate. When it is warm enough to handle start kneading the dough. There should be no lumps in the dough. It should be soft & smooth like play dough.
Final stage:
Start boiling water in a large vessel that can fit a steamer. The water should not touch the steamer. Oil the steamer and set it aside. Make about 20 balls of the dough and 20 parts of the stuffing. Start making small bowl with the dough ball with oiled hands & fingers this really needs skill. Once the bowl is ready keep one part of stuffing in the bowl. Now make pleats around the bowl. Then collect all the pleats in the center of the bowl on the top. Alternatively, Start making small puri with the dough ball on a oiled paper/aluminum foil. Keep one part of stuffing in the middle of the puri and gather the puri gently to make shape like modak. You will have to handle the dough very gently. Follow the step to make remaining modaks. Now dip each modak in cold water and put it in the steamer. Put the steamer on boiling water and cover it. Let the modaks steam for 15-20 minutes on medium to high heat. Take the steamer off the vessel and let it sit for 5 minutes before removing modaks from steamer.
Serve the modak hot with ghee/sweetened coconut milk.
I followed Srivalli's recipe to make boorelu. This was first time I made them so I made a small batch. Everybody liked them, now I can make more also.
Ingredients:
For the cover :Black gram dal/ Urad dal - 50 gms
For the Stuffing :
Bengal gram/Channa dal - 1 cup
Grated Jaggery - 1 cup
Fresh/frozen grated Coconut - 1/4 cup (opt)
Cardamom powder - 3/4 tsp
salt to taste
oil for deep frying
Method: Wash and soak Urad dal. Drain water from the Urad dal and grind to fine paste adding very little water. The batter should be like the dosa batter before adding water or like the batter to dip batata wada. Add salt and leave it aside covered.
For the stuffing, pressure cook the channa dal with just enough water to cover it. Cook the jaggary to remove any scum. Then once the dal is well cooked, drain and cook it along with the jaggary. It should become very soft enough for you to mash well. You can either grind it to a smooth paste or mash it to fine consistency with a masher. If you find the puran is very loose, you can cook this in sim to get a thick paste. Add Cardamom powder and grated coconut. You will know its done when the dal starts to leave the sides. Remove and cool. Divide them into equal balls.
Heat a thick bottom kadai for frying. Once the oil is hot, turn to sim. Then dip each ball in the Urad dal batter. Make sure its coated on all sides. Then drop them into the hot oil. Keep turning to cook on all sides. Once couple of batches are done, strain the oil to remove the scum. It takes only 2-3 mins to get cooked. Drain them on to a kitchen towel. Serve hot.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Godache Aappey
May the Vighnaharta remove all the obstacles from our life.
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This is a very simple recipe from my mom. I made these yesterday for naivedya for lord Ganesha. I am keeping Ganapati Bappa for 5 days and everyday I am making one sweet dish. For Sunday I made Modak & Sesame Laddu & today I made Appam & coconut milk. Today I will be making Naarali Bhat. I will post the recipe later. Now here is the recipe for Gode Aappey.
What you need:
1 Cup fresh/frozen Coconut,
1 Cup Jaggery
1.5 cups Coarse Rava/Sooji/Bombay Rava
1 Tbsp Roasted Peanuts
Ghee for frying
What to do:
Lightly dry roast rava. In a mixing bowl, take coconut & grated jaggery. Mash both of them together. Add the peanuts & rava. Soak everything together. If you feel this is of not dropping consistency add little milk to the mixture. Keep this aside for 3-4 hours.
After 3-4 hours, heat the appey patra and half fill the cavities with ghee. When the ghee is hot, add a spoonful of the above mixture and cover.
After 2-3 minutes remove the lid, if you see the sides of the appey has turned brown, turn them upside down with a knitting needle or a chopstick. Let the appey cook on the other side.
Once done remove from the patra & serve. You can keep these appey for 3-4 days also.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Lapsi - A healthy sweet dish
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Shahi Jackfruit Kofta
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Sabudana khichadi & JFI-Peanut
I am sending this to Pavani's JFI-Peanuts which is brainchild of Indira.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Stuffed brinjal
What you need:
6-7 Small round brinjals, available in all Indian grocery stores
5-6 garlic cloves
1 Tbls Coarinder/Dhania Powder
1 tsp Cumin/Jeera Powder
1-2 tsp red chilli powder depending on how hot you want it
2 tsp Amchur Powder
Salt to taste
2 Tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Rai/Mustard Seeds
Few curry leaves
How to proceed :
In a mortar, take the garlic cloves and crush them with the pastel. Add the coriander & cumin powder, chilli powder, salt, amchur powder and make a rough paste adding 1-2 tsp oil. Make cross slits on the brinjals. Don't take off the stem. The stem has to remain intact. Stuff the brinjals with small amount of the paste. Repeat for all the brinjals.
In a fry pan, hear oil. Add mustard seeds, when they cracle add curry leaves. Throw in the brinjals one by one. Sprinkle some salt on the brinjals, reduce the heat now. Cover the pan.
After some time say 3-5 minutes open the pan & turn the brinjals carefully not to allow the stuffing to fall out. Once the brinjals are cooked switch off the heat. If you like sprinkle some fresh dhania leaves on the brinjals. Serve with chapati or daal-rice.
I am sending this dish to Sanghi's FIL Season 3.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Appam with coconut milk
You will need
1 Cup any rice like Sona masoori never take basamati rice
1/2 Cup Idli rice
1/4 Cup Urad Dal
1/2 tsp Methi(Fenugreek seeds)
Salt
Pinch of Baking Soda
Coconut/Coconut Milk
Sugar
What will you do
Soak both the rice varieties, dal & methi for 4-5 hours. Grind to a fine paste. Add salt. Set aside for fermenting.
Next morning, add a pinch of baking soda some water so that the water will be little runny. Apply a drop of ghee to the appam chatti. Heat the appam chatti. Pour the batter in centre & rotate the kadhai. If you do not have appam chatti, you can use small kadhai. The appam should be soft in the center & paper thin on the sides.
Grind the coconut & extract milk. Add sugar to sweeten the milk according to your taste.
Serve the hot appam with the sweet coconut milk. Eat and go back to sleep.
I am sending this to Padma's "Dosa Corner" and Srilekha's "EFM Theme - Breakfast Series".
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Vada Paav & RCI-Mumbai Street Food
Monday, June 15, 2009
Simla Mirchicha JhuNakaa
Ingredients:
1 Green Bell Pepper i.e. Simla Mirchi chop finely
1 Medium sized Onion finely chopped
4-5 Tbsp. Besan/Chana dal flour
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds/Rai
1 tsp Cumin Seeds/Jeera
1 tsp Red Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Dhania & Jeera Powder
2 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
This is how I made it:
In a deep Kadhai, heat oil.
Once the oil is hot add the rai & jeera, add onion & the simla mirachi. At this point of time, reduce the gas to low. Hence forth all throughout keep gas on low.
When the capscicum is cooked sprinkle the besan flour give a stir. Put the lid on.
Cook till done on a very low flame.
Tastes great with phulka/chapati.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Protein packed Puris
Daal Puri
Ingredients:
1 Cup Whole wheat flour/Chapati flour, I used Nature Fresh
1/4 Cup Soya Flour,
1/2 Cup Chana Flour/Besan
1/2 Cup leftover cooked dal (any dal), I used masoor dal.
Salt to taste,
Oil for deep frying.
Method:
Mix together all the flours, salt & dal.
With minimum water knead into a semi-soft or chapati like dough.
Divide the dough in golf size balls.
Roll the puris.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan.
Fry the puris.
The puris turned out extremely crispy.
Maintained the same crisp till next day.
Serve with any curries or anything u like.
I served mine with Shrikhand & Aloo Gobhi, I will give the recipe some other time.
The Puris soaked very less oil as compared to the normal puris we make.
U can use any dal that's leftover with u even tadka dal.
I have not tried it with Makhani Dal yet if any one has tried pls. let me know how it tastes.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Fruit Custard
My Mother's day special is Fruit Custard. Here is the simple recipe:
1 Apple,
12 grapes each colour, green, red & black,
5 Strawberries
1 cup papaya & pineapple chunks,
4 cups Milk,
6 tsp Custard Powder,
Mango Pulp (Optional)
4 tbsp Sugar
Method:
Wash & cut all the fruits.
Prepare the custard according to the package directions.
Once the custard is cooled pour it on the fruits.
Refrigerate & serve chilled.
U can add jelly chunks also in the on the fruit custard.
If u like u can add mango pulp also in the custard once it is cold.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Ragda Pattice - Mumbai Street Chaat
Here comes the recipe so that you can still enjoy Mumbai favourite at your home outside Mumbai the Mumbai way still healthy & hygienic.
What u need:
For Ragda:
1 Cup Dried White/Yellow/Green Peas or Kaabuli Chana/Garbanzo Beans
Baking Soda (Optional)
1 Tbsp Cooking oil
1 Medium Onion
1 Small Tomato
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Coriander/Dhania Powder
1/4 tsp Cumin/Jeera powder
1 tsp Chaat Masala
1 tsp Sabzi Masala (Optional)
Salt to taste
How to prepare:
Soak the peas/beans for 5-7 hours. Wash the soaked beans in 3-4 changes of water.
I used the white/yellow peas as the street hawkers of Mumbai use the peas. Take the peas in a pressure cooker add salt, haldi powder & soda if using and water.
Pressure cook the peas till soft.
In a pan heat oil, add ginger garlic paste, onion. Saute till onion turns pink.
Add tomato and saute till they turn soft. Add some salt. Make a thick paste of Haldi powder, chilli powder, Dhania-Jeera Powder, Chaat Masala and Sabzi Masala if using.
Add a cup of water and then the cooked peas. Cover & boil for a minute. Check for salt.
Ragda is ready.
Now comes the pattice:
Ingredients:
3 Medium Potatoes boiled
2 Bread slices or 1/2 cup bread crumbs
Salt to taste
Cilantro/Coriander Leaves
Oil for shallow frying.
Method:
Assembling:
In a plate/bowl, keep two pattice, top the ragda on it.
Sprinkle some green chutney & tamarind dates chutney.
Sprinkle some finely chopped onion & coriander leaves.
Some fine sev(available in indian store) & serve hot. ENJOY!!!!!!!!
Note: U can top it with some beaten curd/yogurt.