Easy recipes: September 2013

Sunday, September 29, 2013

NO COOK CHOCOLATE SANDESH- CHOCOLATE COTTAGE CHEESE BALLS

INGREDIENTS

cottage cheese/ paneer crumbled well 1/2 cup
mawa/ khoya/ thickened milk 1 cup, crumbled well
icing sugar 1/2 cup ot according to taste
cocoa pdr. 3 tsp cook in little water till thick
milk 2-3 tbsp

METHOD

mix well with your hand, cottage cheese, mawa, icing sugar well
add cocoa pdr., mix well, if need be add little milk so that you're able to bring all together like a smooth dough
make small balls, flatten, put a piece of nut on top serve.
this should be kept in fridge, may last 2-3 days, depending on how many sweet tooths are there around !

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KULCHA/PIZZA TOPPED WITH SPINACH-COTTAGE CHEESE

INGREDIENTS
spinach puree 1 cup
sugar 1/2 tsp
cream 1 tbsp
cottage cheese/ paneer 1/2 cup cubed
oil 1 tsp
ghee 1 tsp
onion 1 small chopped fine
ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp
salt to taste
green chilli paste/ chilli pdr. 1 tsp or to taste
tomato chopped 2

for topping
grated cheese as needed
kulcha/ pizza base 2
garlic butter as needed/ plain butter
chilli flakes little
Italian seasoning little

METHOD for spinach topping
in a pan, heat oil & ghee, add onion, ginger-garlic & chilli paste, wee bit of salt, fry well
add tomatoes, fry well, add the powders, fry well for 2 minutes on low flame
add cottage cheese, spinach puree, salt, cook till it thickens, add cream
remove & keep aside

to assemble
on a kulcha/ pizza base, spread the spinach mixture, spread some chilli flakes, seasonings, cheese
bake in a hot oven till cheese melts
serve garnishing with some chilli flakes, slice it to serve hot.

SPICED BRINJAL BONDAS ( SOMETHING LIKE CUTLETS, BUT IN ROUND SHAPE)

INGREDIENTS
for stuffing
brinjal 8-10 small round ones
potatoes 2 big, boiled, peeled and mashed
garam masala 1 tsp.
salt to taste
coriander pdr. 1 tsp
cumin pdr. 1/2 tsp
turmeric pdr. 1/4 tsp
bread crumbs 3-4 tbsp as needed
coriander leaves chopped 1 tbsp
chilli pdr. 1-2 tsp or to taste

for batter
besan/ chickpea flour 1 cup
rice flour 1/2 cup or you may even use about 2-3 tbsp of cornflour instead of rice flour
salt to taste
chilli pdr. 1/2 tsp
asafoetida/hing 1/4 tsp
ajwain/carom seeds 1/2 tsp
water to mix
hot oil 2 tsp
oil for frying

METHOD
for stuffing
boil brinjal, then remove the skin, mash its pulp part well
add rest of the ingredients, mix well
make small round balls, keep aside

for batter
mix the dry ingredients well, add water mix to form a thick batter, add hot oil, mix well
heat oil in a deep pan, or in a wok/ kadai
dip the ready balls in the batter to coat it well, fry in hot oil till brown & crisp
serve it hot with ketchup/ chutney

cooking tip- when you use rice flour or corn flour, then the fried snacks will be crisp !

HONEY NOODLES SERVED WITH ICE-CREAM

INGREDIENTS

noodles 1 packet
oil 1 cup
sugar 2 tbsp
water 1 tbsp
honey 4 tbsp
vanilla ice-cream as needed

METHOD

boil noodles in plenty of water with 2 tsp of oil
drain, dry the noodles of all the moisture
deep fry, taking care that the oil doesn't splatter around, fry till crisp
in a pan, melt sugar, add the water, stir in the honey,
pour the honey sauce over the fried noodles
this can be served as a hot and cold delight with scoops of ice-cream on it.

AMERICAN CHOPSUEY

INGREDIENTS
noodles 2 packets
onion 1 big thinly sliced
cabbage 2 cups finely chopped
carrot 1 cup thinly sliced
pineapple 1 cup chopped
green chilli 1 slit
cornflour 1 cup, dissolved in approximately 2 cups water
capsicum 1 cup julienned
tomato ketchup 1 cup
sugar 3 tbsp
salt to taste
oil for deep drying

METHOD

break the noodles into finger-sized sticks. Boil it in hot water, with a teaspoon of oil.
drain, cool, deep fry the noodles in hot oil for 15-20 seconds, drain & keep aside.
once cool, slightly break the noodles into pieces.
in a pan, heat oil, saute onion & green chilli, add carrot, cabbage, pineapple
saute for 3-4 minutes.
in a pan combine ketchup, cornflour mixed with water, capsicum, sugar & salt, and cook till it forms a thick sauce, add the sauteed vegetables, stir well.
spoon into a plate, sprinkle a layer of fried noodles, serve hot.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

NOODLES BHEL PURI

INGREDIENTS
noodles uncooked 1 packet broken into small bits
potato 1 big boiled, peeled & cubed
onion 1 chopped
sev 1 cup
puffed rice 1 cup
chilli sauce 3-4 tbsp or to taste
noodles masala tastemaker 1 packet
dates syrup/ sweet chutney 2 tbsp
roasted peanuts 1/2 cup
coriander leaves finely chopped 4 tbsp

METHOD

dry roast the noodles in a wok/ kadai, stirring continuously until it is golden.
in a bowl, combine potato, peanuts, onion, sev 1/2 cup, crushed papdi, puffed rice. add the crisp noodles & half of the coriander leaves
in a small bowl, mix chilli sauce, sweet chutney/ date syrup. masala tastemaker.
pour sauce over the prepared ingredients, toss the ingredients well.
serve at once, garnish with sev & chopped coriander leaves.

Friday, September 27, 2013

poppy seeds/ kaskas balls

INGREDIENTS

ghee/ clarified butter 3 tbsp
poppy seeds 50 gms, soaked in milk, keep it out for 2 hours, then keep it in fridge overnight, crush
milk 3-4 tbsp
mawa/ thickened milk 1/2 cup
sugar 4 tbsp
dates crushed 3 tbsp more if you want to avoid sugar
cardamom pdr. 1/2 tsp
nutmeg pdr. 1/4 tsp freshly grated
nuts to garnish
coconut pdr. to garnish

METHOD

heat ghee, add crushed poppy seeds, fry well for 5-7 minutes
add milk, cook well, along with mawa crumbled, fry till dry
add sugar/ dates only if you prefer, cook well, till it comes together & thickens
remember, you've to keep stirring well & continuously or it will stick to the bottom
add cardamom pdr., nutmeg pdr.
remove cool
add nuts, if you prefer, you may add some coconut pdr. also
make small balls, roll in coconut pdr, mixed with sweetened cocoa pdr.
keep a piece of cashew nut/ almond on top to serve

DAL PAKWAN- LENTILS IN A CUP- STARTER

INGREDIENTS

for dal
oil 3 tsp
jeera/cumin 1 tsp
bay leaf 1
red chillies 2
hing 1/4 tsp
curry leaves 1 sprig chopped fine
green chillies finely chopped 1 tbsp or to taste
garam masala 1/2 tsp
jeera pdr. 1 tsp
lime juice 1 tbsp
turmeric pdr. 1/2 tsp
chilli pdr. 1/2 tsp
coriander leaves 1 tbsp
chana dal cooked 1 cup, take care not to overcook the dal

TO MAKE DAL
heat oil in a pan, add jeera, once it crackles, add bay leaf, hing, red chillies, curry leaves, fry well
add green chillies, dal, turmeric pdr., chilli pdr., jeera pdr., garam masala,mix well, let it boil well,
add salt, coriander leaves, the dal should be thick, remove, add lime juice, mix well & keep aside

TO MAKE THE CUP/MOULD
1/2 cup each of wheat flour, maida
salt to taste
ghee 2 tsp
oil 1 tsp
ajwain/ carom seeds 1/2 tsp
mix all well, add enough water to make a stiff dough.
roll the dough according to the size of the mould
grease the mould lightly, press the rolled out dough in the mould, prick well, so that it doesn't rise
heat oil in a pan/ kadai, dip the mould carefully in the hot oil, after few minutes, when you tilt the mould, the cup will fall apart, then fry it till crisp & golden brown
drain well, make all in similar way & keep
you may even make these cups/ moulds earlier, cool & store in airtight container

to serve on each mould, fill some dal, put some finely chopped spring onion green, coriander leaves, sprinkle some garam masala if you like, those who are fond of cheese/ paneer, some grate some on top, if you want it warm, slightly warm in microwave & serve at once.

ONION-CORIANDER ROTI WITH CHUTNEY- STARTER

INGREDIENTS

for chutney
oil 3 tbsp
ginger 2" cut into small pieces
garlic 3-4 cloves
jeera/cumin 2 tsp
tomato puree 1/2 cup
tomato 1 big chopped fine
salt to taste
turmeric pdr. 1/4 tsp
pav-bhaji masala/ garam masala 1 tsp
chilli pdr. 1 tsp or to taste
coriander pdr. 1 tsp
kasturi methi 1 tsp crushed
oats 1 tbsp to thicken
lime juice 1-2 tsp

method for chutney
pound in a mortar & pestle cumin, ginger, garlic well
heat oil, add the pound masala, fry well, add tomato puree, chopped tomatoes cook well
all the spices, mix well, add little water, salt, let it boil, if it needs to be thickened, add oats
let it boil well, add kasturi methi, remove, add lime juice

FOR Roti
flour/ atta 1 cup
onion finely chopped 2 tbsp
green chillies finely chopped 1 tsp
fresh coriander leaves finely chopped 2 tbsp
salt to taste
jeera/cumin pdr. 1/2 tsp
turmeric pdr. 1/4 tsp
chilli pdr. 1/2 tsp or to taste
oil 3 tsp + for cooking in case you don't prefer ghee.clarified butter

METHOD for roti
mix flour with salt, dry ingredients well, add onion, green chillies, coriander leaves mix well
add oil, mix well, then add water little by little to make a soft dough
make small rotis about 3 cm in diameter, heat a tawa/ griddle, put the roti, let it cook well on both sides, add ghee/ oil, once brown, remove
to serve, on each roti, put the chutney, some grated cheese, coriander leaves, sprinkle some chaat masala, serve at once.
OR prepare rotis & chutney, just before serving, assemble them

Health Tip- by using oats to thicken , it is very healthy, as is full of fibre, helps to reduce cholesterol.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

BREAD BALLS IN GRAVY

INGREDIENTS
for bread balls
bread slices 4 cut the corners
besan/ chickpea flour 3-4 tbsp
curd 2 tbsp
salt to taste
ginger-chilli paste 2 tsp
coriander leaves chopped 4 tbsp
oil for frying

in a bowl, put one slice of bread, pour 1 tbsp curd, put another slice, sprinkle some besan, put the next slice, some more curd, then the last slice, add besan, salt, coriander leaves, paste
mix all well, make small balls & deep fry till brown.
ps- if it is little sticky, add some maida/ breadcrumbs/ rice flour

for gravy
oil 1 tbsp
onion 1/2 cup
tomatoes chopped 1/2 cup
ginger-garlic paste 1 tbsp
red chilli pdr. 1 tsp or to taste
mint leaves 4-5
water as needed
salt to taste
cream 1 tbsp
coriander leaves 1 tbsp
cumin 1 tsp
curd 1/2 cup
turmeric pdr. 1/4 tsp
coriander pdr. 2 tsp

heat oil in a pan, add cumin, once it crackles, add onion, wee bit of salt, fry well, then tomatoes, paste, all the dry powders, mix well, let the tomatoes cook well on low flame
add curd, mix well, mint leaves cut into pieces, water as needed, let it boil, add the bread balls, keep it covered for 3 minutes, check for consistency, or add little water
add cream, simmer for 2 minutes till the right consistency is reached, add coriander leaves , reserve some for garnishing

this can be served hot with rice/ roti/ bread

HEALTHY BROCCOLI-CAULIFLOWER RICE

INGREDIENTS
cauliflower 1/4 cup chopped into big pieces
broccoli 1/4 cup chopped into big pieces
tomatoes 4 chopped into small pieces
peas 2 tbsp
cumin 1 tbsp
salt to taste
ginger-garlic-chilli paste 1 tbsp
turmeric pdr. 1/4 tsp
rice 1 cup
coconut milk 1 cup
water 1 cup
oil 2 tbsp

METHOD
roast the rice lightly, then cook with coconut milk & water for 2 whistles, so that the rice is cooked well, also the grains are separate
in a big pan/ kadai, heat oil, add cumin, once it crackles, add the tomatoes, little salt, paste, cook well, add turmeric pdr., add rest of the vegetables, salt, cook on high heat for 2 minutes, for toxins from cauliflower & broccoli to escape, then lower the heat, cover & cook till done
mix rice, check for salt, add chopped coriander leaves, serve hot with raita/ plain curd

RICE PUDDING WITH ROSE ESSENCE/ ROSE KHEER

INGREDIENTS

full fat milk 1/2 litre
cream 2 tbsp
rice cooked with milk & water 1/2 cup
sugar 2-3 tbsp
rose water 1 tbsp
rose syrup 3-4 tbsp + for serving
rose petal for serving

METHOD

in a heavy pan, boil milk, once it boils well, add rice, let it simmer for 2-3 minutes
add cream, sugar, mix well, let it simmer for 3 minutes
remove from gas, add rose water, rose syrup, mix well
to serve, pour little rose syrup around the glass, then fill the kheer at once, so it looks nice
put a rose petal on top & serve hot/ cold

CORN-COCONUT-POTATO CUTLET/ TIKKI

INGREDIENTS
for tikki
oil 1 tbsp + for shallow frying
corn boiled, slight crushed 1/4 cup
potato boiled & mashed 1/4 cup
coconut grated/ dry pdr. 1/4 cup
maida/ all purpose flour 4-6 tbsp
salt to taste
ginger-garlic-chilli paste 3 tsp
bread crumbs 3-4 tbsp
fresh coriander leaves 1/2 cup
onion 3 tbsp

to serve
hung curd 1 cup
boondi 2 tbsp
salt to taste

for seasoning
oil 1 tsp
cumin 1/4 tsp
red chillies 2
curry leaves 4-5
red chilli paste 1 tsp

METHOD
for tikki
heat oil, add onion, paste, fry well with wee bit of salt
add corn, potato, salt, mix well
remove, add coconut, coriander leaves finely chopped, maida about 1-2 tbsp, breadcrumbs 2 tbsp
mix, see if it binds well, or else add little more bread crumbs
shape cutlets in desired shape, dust/ roll in flour & bread crumbs
heat oil in a pan, add cutlets & shallow fry till brown on both sides
make all in similar way & keep aside

for serving
mix curd, boondi, salt well, with little coriander leaves
heat oil in a small pan, add cumin, once it crackles, add red chillies, curry leaves, cry, add chilli paste, switch off the gas, mix well, pour over curd mixture, mix well

to serve, in a plate arrange the cutlets, in a small bowl, keep the curd mixture, garnish with coriander leaves & serve.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

MIXED BEAN SALAD

INGREDIENTS
black-eyed beans 2 tbsp
red kidney beans 2 tbsp
garbanzo beans ( chick peas) 2 tbsp
green beans 2 tbsp
green bell pepper chopped 1
red bell pepper chopped 1
shallots chopped 5
olive oil 2 tbsp
lime juice of 2 lemons
salt to taste
sugar 1/2 tsp
crushed garlic 1 clove
fresh coriander leaves/ cilantro 1/4 bunch
cumin pdr. 1/2 tbsp
black pepper pdr. 1/2 tbsp or to taste
chilli pdr. 1/2 tsp or to taste

METHOD
in a large bowl, combine cooked beans, bell peppers & shallots.
in a small bowl, whisk together, olive oil, lime juice, salt, sugar, pepper pdr., garlic, cilantro & cumin pdr. season it with chilli pdr.
pour the olive oil dressing over the beans & vegetables, mix well.
chill thoroughly & serve cold.

HEALTH BENEFITS of beans- contains a lot of fibre, polyunsaturated fats, no cholesterol. Approximately half a cup of cooked dry beans provides almost 25-30 % of the daily fibre requirement, which is good in preventing hypercholesterolemia. They are high in antioxidants, which help to eliminate free radicals from the body. This helps to slow down ageing & prevent a number of cancers. Beans can cure & prevent constipation, piles & bowel problems. They help in weight management & reduce the risk of diabetes & heart diseases.

Monday, September 23, 2013

RAGI TOAST WITH TOPPING- STARTER

INGREDIENTS
ragi flour 1 cup
maida 2 tbsp
yellow corn meal/ makki ka atta 2 tbsp
chilli flakes 1 tsp or to taste
ajwain/ carom seeds 1/2 tsp
salt to taste
vinegar 2 tbsp
water as needed
oil for frying

for topping
boiled corn 2 tbsp
tomatoes finely chopped 2 tbsp
capsicum finely chopped 2 tbsp
salsa sauce 2 tbsp
fresh coriander leaves finely chopped 2 tbsp
salt little ( as salsa sauce will have salt)
chilli pdr. 1/2 tsp or to taste
cheese spread 1-2 tbsp
mix all well

METHOD for toast
knead the flours with salt, chilli flakes, ajwain, oil 1 tsp & water to make a soft dough
roll the dough either into small rounds of approximately 3 cm each OR
make a big flat round, then cut into desired shapes
roast them in a tawa/ griddle on both sides till spots come
cool them , heat oil, fry them till crisp, drain well.
to serve- on each small toast, put 1-2 tsp of toppings, serve at once.
or you may keep the toast, cool & store them, just before serving, mix all the topping ingredients, put on the toast & serve at once.
TIP- make small bite pieces, so easy to take in one bite
this is a very healthy starter, as it has calcium, iron, fibre, vitamins, proteins.

RED TIKKI/ CUTLET

INGREDIENTS

mixed vegetables ( carrot, peas, cauliflower, potatoes, beans) boiled & mashed 1 cup
chaat masala 1/4 tsp
cumin/ jeera pdr. 1/4 tsp
coriander/ dhania pdr. 1/4 tsp
garam masala 1/4 tsp
green chillies finely chopped 1 tsp
salt to taste
red chilli pdr. 1 tsp or to taste
garlic finely chopped 1/2 tsp
ginger finely chopped 1/2 tsp
cashew nuts finely chopped 2 tbsp
red chilli paste 2 tsp or to taste
grated cheese 2 tbsp
maida/ all purpose flour 3-4 tbsp( this is to bind all together, at times you may need little more)
besan/ chickpea flour 1 tbsp
fresh coriander leaves finely chopped 2 tbsp
oil for shallow frying
flour for dusting

METHOD
mix all, except the last 2 ingredients well
shape in desired shape to make cutlets
heat a non-stick pan, put about 1 tbsp of oil, once hot, place the cutlets, after dusting some flour on each, so that it gets crisp well, also won't stick to the bottom of the pan.
once fried well on both sides, drain & remove on kitchen towel
serve hot with sweet chutney/ mint chutney/ tomato ketchup

SABZI HARIYALI- VEGETABLES IN GREEN GRAVY

INGREDIENTS

oil 2 tsp
ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp
onion chopped 2 tbsp
peas, carrot, potatoes, cauliflower boiled 1 cup
palak/ spinach puree 1/4 cup
salt to taste
chilli pdr. to taste
kasturi methi/ dried fenugreek leaves 1 tsp crushed well
tomato puree 1 tbsp

METHOD

heat oil, add ginger-garlic paste, fry well for a minute
add onion, fry well with wee bit of salt
add boiled vegetables, salt, chilli pdr. fry well for a minute
add palak puree, let it simmer, so that the gravy gets mixed well with the vegetables
if too thick, you may add some water to get the desired consistency, boil well
last, just before taking off the gas, add tomato puree, kasturi methi, mix well, remove after 1 boil
serve hot with rice, roti/ breads

Sunday, September 22, 2013

sorry too tired to post today

Hi Folks

just too tired to post anything new. But thanks all for viewing my blogs, which keeps me going. Have been busy crocheting a garland with tiny flowers & a peacock ! hope to finish them by tomorrow as it is needed for a festival, Navarathri/ dassera here, I've to see how to keep the peacock's feathers nicely open, got to try some trick, hope it works !
shall post the picture once done in my crochet blog.

Then today, one of my friend info to increase platelet count the natural way, was searching for it, & then posted in my cancer & health related blog, as one of their friend is suffering from low count. I just try in my own small way to be helpful to people around.

Take care. All the best, went to some old temples this morning with hubby, prayed for good health for all & peace in this world.

Saturday, September 21, 2013

PEANUTS-TIL PURANPOLI- PEANUTS-SESAME SWEET INDIAN BREAD

INGREDIENTS
for filling
peanuts roasted 1/4 cup
sesame seeds roasted 1/4 cup
grated jaggery/ brown sugar 1/2 cup
cardamom pdr. 1 tsp
powder nuts well, then add sesame seeds & jaggery, powder well, mix cardamom pdr.

for covering
all purpose flour/ maida 1 cup
ghee 2 tsp
salt a pinch
saffron pdr./ turmeric pdr. 1/4 tsp
water to knead
mix the dry ingredients well, add ghee, mix well, then add water slowly to make a soft dough

ghee for cooking

METHOD

take small ball of the dough, flatten it little, put enough filling, cover it carefully from all sides
then roll it carefully taking care that the filling doesn't come out as thin as possible
heat a tawa/ griddle, place the prepared poli, smear little ghee, cook on both sides till brown spots come, remove, serve hot
make all in the same way. this can be stored for 2-3 days also, as none of the filling ingredients will get spoilt easily. If by any chance, some filling is left over, it tastes good to eat it plain too ! it is full of protein, calcium & iron,so enjoy it, anyway.

FRUIT RICE FONDUE

INGREDIENTS

rice 40 gm
milk 100ml
cream 60 ml
condensed milk 4 tbsp
sugar 3-4 tbsp or to taste
China grass soaked in water 10-15 gm

in a heavy pan, add milk, mix cream, then once the milk boils, add rice, cook on low flame stirring from time to time till rice is well cooked, then add condensed milk & sugar, mix well, let it cook for another 2-3 minutes, till sugar fully dissolves.
add China grass, which is well soaked, mix well, so that it will help it to set well
cool, set in fridge for an hour

In a mould, put pieces of pineapple & cherry alternately
mix kiwi purée about 1 cup with China grass 1 tbsp well
pour it over the fruit pieces, shake well for it to level
keep it in the fridge for about 30 minutes to set
once the rice pudding is cooled, pour over the fruit, set it for an hour in the fridge
to un-mould, keep the mould in a pot of hot water for a minute, carefully, seeing that water doesn't enter it, then invert it on a serving plate carefully
to decorate, you may put some pipe some cream all around & in the centre, then drizzle some chocolate cream over.

TIP- when you want to make rice pudding, the ratio or rice to milk should be 1-3, then you'll get a perfect pudding !

BASIC MAKNI GRAVY WITHOUT ONION

INGREDIENTS

tomatoes 1/2 kg

cinnamon 1/2 "

cloves 2

green cardamom 2

red chillies 5

cashew nuts 50 gms

ginger 1"

oil 1 tbsp

METHOD

take a little oil, saute all the ingredients together, cool & grind to a paste without adding any water, keep aside

this forms the basic makni gravy without onion & garlic

it can be used as the base for any vegetable/ paneer

parboil 1/4 kg cauliflower, a handful of peas & a chopped carrot. you may also use potatoes, paneer

saute these vegetables in a tbsp of ghee with chopped capsicum, set aside

to season, add 1/2 tsp of kasturi methi & 1/4 tsp of Kashmiri chilli pdr to hot oil

add the paste & after a minute, add 1/2 litre of milk, bring to a boil, let it simmer for 5 minutes

then add the vegetables to cook in it.

CAULIFLOWER SABZI

INGREDIENTS

cauliflower 1 kg
ginger 50 gms
tomatoes 500 gms sliced
turmeric pdr. 1/2 tsp
salt to taste
chilli pdr. 1 tsp or to taste
oil 2 tbsp
fresh coriander leaves 1 tbsp

METHOD

heat oil in a heavy pan, add julienned ginger & turmeric, saute well
add tomatoes, cook till they're soft
add cauliflower, cut into pieces, salt
cover & cook till the vegetables are almost cooked
remove the lid, let it cook for few more minutes on low flame
once done, garnish with coriander leaves
serve hot with bread/ roti/ rice

RAW BANANA CURRY

INGREDIENTS

raw bananas boiled 3
tamarind 10 gm
coconut grated 4 tbsp
red chillies 4-6 or to taste
coriander seeds 1 tsp
jeera/cumin 1/4 tsp
garlic pearls 2 ( optional)
turmeric pdr 1/4 tsp

for tempering
oil 2 tsp
mustard seeds 1 tsp
curry leaves 1 sprig
red chillies 2
garlic pearls 6 ( optional)

METHOD
roast coriander seeds, cumin, red chillies, garlic, coconut well, with wee bit of oil, then grind with turmeric to a fine paste, adding little water
peel, cut banana into small pieces, boil in salted water with tamarind till cooked, but not over cooked
strain the banana, remove the tamarind, then put it in a pan, add the ground paste, mix well, check for salt, let it simmer for 3-4 minutes
heat oil in a small kadai/ pan, add mustard seeds, once it crackles, add red chillies, garlic pearls fry well, then add curry leaves, saute for a minute, add the banana masala
serve hot with rice/ roti

VEGETABLE KURMA - VEGETABLES IN THICK GRAVY

INGREDIENTS

carrot 50 gms
beans 50 gms
cauliflower 50 gms
green chillies 6-8 or to taste finely chopped
coconut 40 gms
cashew nut 20 gms
khus khus/ poppy seeds 10 gms
garam masala whole 10 gms
oil 6 tbsp
coriander leaves 1 tbsp finely chopped
turmeric pdr 1/2 tsp
cumin/ jeera 1/2 tsp

METHOD
cut the vegetables in small pieces
make a paste of coconut, cashew nuts & poppy seeds
heat oil, add whole garam masala, fry well till a nice aroma comes, then add cumin & green chillies
add ginger finely chopped, add the boiled vegetables, turmeric pdr. , mi well
add the ground paste, salt, mix well, simmer for 5-8 minutes
garnish with coriander leaves, serve hot with rice, roti/ breads

PUDINE WALA GARAM ALOO KA CHAAT- MINT AND POTATO STARTERS

INGREDIENTS

baby potatoes boiled and peeled 250 gm
oil 6 tbsp
cashew nuts 50 gms
mint/ pudine leaves 1 bunch
green chillies 6 or to taste
hung curd 6 tbsp
ginger 1"
black salt 1 tsp
cumin/ jeera pdr. 2 tsp
chaat masala 2 tsp
salt to taste
lime juice of 2 lemons or to taste

for garnishing
chaat masala
mint leaves chopped 1 tbsp
green chillies 4 slit lengthwise

METHOD

heat oil in a non-stick pan, add potatoes, stir fry on low heat till potatoes change colour & get little crisp.
grind cashew nuts, mint leaves, green chillies, curd, ginger & black salt to a fine paste
add the chutney & the dry masalas, salt to the fried potatoes & stir for 2-3 minutes on low flame till the potatoes are well coated with the masala
add lime juice, serve hot garnish with chaat masala, mint leaves & green chillies

Friday, September 20, 2013

BAIGAN KA SAALAN / AUBERGINE IN GRAVY

INGREDIENTS
small round brinjals 1/2 kg, with the stem, slit in the other end in 4 pieces, but not till the stem
peanuts 1/4 cup
roasted coconut 1/4 cup
grated ginger 3 tbsp
sesame seeds/ til lightly roasted 1 tbsp
asafoetida/ hing 1/4 tsp
beaten curd 1/2 cup
turmeric pdr. 1 tsp
cumin/ jeera pdr. 1 tsp
coriander/ dhania pdr. 1 tsp
tamarind a small marble sized ball's extract
garam masala 1/2 tsp
oil 5 tbsp
salt to taste
red chilli pdr. 1 1/2 tsp or to taste

METHOD
heat oil, add hing, saute the brinjals, keep aside
make a paste of roasted peanuts, coconut, til & ginger
cook the paste till the oil separates
add haldi, jeera, red chilli pdr. & dhania pdr. to the curd along with salt, mix well
add curd mixture to the masala cook for 3-4 minutes
add the fried brinjals, cook covered for 5 minutes
add tamarind extract garam masala, add water to adjust the gravy to the required consistency
simmer for 10 minutes, serve hot garnished with finely chopped coriander leaves.
this will go well with rice, roti/ breads.

Easy recipes