hamaree rasoi

Mutton Keema Gravy / Mangshor Ghugni

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:09:48 PST

I guest posted today at Saffron Streaks, where I shared few things about myself and my journey in the blogging world so far. Thanks to Sukanya for giving me this platform to share one of my recipes. So please click here to know how to prepare this Bengali special Keema curry. Look forward to your valuable feedback.

Masala Biscuits -Loaded with Spices

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:56:30 PST

If you like spicy biscuits then these light on weight but full of spices biscuits are the right munchies for you.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup All purpose flour
1/2 tsp Baking powder
75 gms unsalted Butter
1 tbsp Powdered sugar
1 tbsp hung Curd
2 tbsp Milk

Spices:
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp grated Ginger
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
Pinch of Cinnamon powder
Pinch of Oregano
1/2 tsp Black pepper powder
4-5 Curry leaves
1 tsp dry Fenugreek leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh Coriander leaves, finely chopped
3-4 Green chillies, finely chopped

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 180°C and line the baking tray with parchment paper.
Sieve flour, baking powder and sugar in a bowl and keep aside.
In a bowl beat butter on low speed till it becomes creamy. Add all the spices along with hung curd and beat once more. Add dry flour into the bowl and knead well with milk for few minutes. The dough should be soft and smooth. Now divide the dough into 2 equal parts and roll out each portion of dough between waxed paper. Cut out the desired shapes. I have used square shape cookie cutter and pricked them with toothpicks.

Bake them for 12-15 minutes or until edges are light brown. Since I rolled my biscuits very thin so mine took just 12 minutes to bake. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy these tea time biscuits.

User Comments & Tips:

You can adjust the spices here according to your taste.
For more crispy and crunchy biscuits, roll out the dough very thin but do keep an eye on baking time as the thinner ones will take less time to bake.
If you find the dough little tight during kneading even after adding 2 tbsp milk, add 1 or 2 tsp milk to make a soft dough.

Gokul Pithe - Makar Sankranti Special Bengali Sweet

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 02:20:59 PST

Pithey is one of the most traditional sweet /dessert that we Bengalis prepare on the occasion of Poush Sankranti. Makar Sankranti is a major harvest festival which is widely celebrated across various parts of India and given various names. We Bengalis prepare a lot of traditional Bewgali sweets, specially made with 'palm jaggery', 'rice flour', coconut and milk.

I have learnt this from my mother who every year on Sankranti used to make this delectable sweet along with Patishapta, Nolen Gurer Payesh and both me and my sister would wait in the kitchen to grab the first hot gokul pithey.

Ingredients:
For the Outer Coating / Batter-:
1 cup All purpose flour
2 tbsp Sooji
3-4 tsp Ghee
1/4 cup Milk
Pinch of salt

To make the outer coating:-
Mix all the above ingredients in a bowl and make a thick batter. If you find the batter too tight , then sprinkle little water but remember batter should be thick. Keep aside.

For the Filling:
2 cups grated Coconut
1/2 Palm jaggery (optional)
2-3 tsp Sugar
1 cup Kheer (boil 1 1/2 litres of milk in a saucepan and stir occasionally till it reduces to 1 cup)

To make the filling-:
Melt palm jaggery in a kadhai on low flame, stir continuously to avoid burning from bottom and add coconut. Continue stirring for 5-6 minutes, add kheer, sugar and keep stirring till the mixture becomes dry and sticky. Remove from heat and let it cool down.

This is how Palm jaggery (/khejurer /patali gur) looks like

For syrup:
3 cups
1 1/2 cups Sugar
2-3 Cardamom pods
Pinch of saffron strands

To make syrup:-
Mix sugar and water in a heavy bottomed pan on low heat and bring it to boil. Stir continuously until sugar dissolves completely, add cardamom pods and saffron strands. When the consistency of syrup is single string, remove from heat. The ugar syrup is ready.

To make Gokul Pithey:

Divide the palm jaggery-coconut mixture into 18-20 small balls. Slightly flatten the balls, dip in flour batter and immediately immerse the flatten ball into piping hot oil in a frying pan. At a time you can fry 2-3 flatten balls and deep fry until golden brown. Take out the fried ones and dip them into sugar syrup. Repeat the process until all the flatten balls are finished in the form of Gokul Pithey.

My friend Faseela of Good Food Ends With Good Talk has shared an award with me. Grateful for this gesture Faseela. Do visit her lovely blog for more bites.

Strawberry Cake With Whipped Strawberry Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 03:43:51 PST

Today I'm posting Strawberry cake which I have made from the scratch. Thanks to the farm fresh strawberries I managed to find, that I could immediately start baking this delicious dessert which neither has any artificial coloring as found in commercial baking shops nor any gelatine. Moreover, this cake has been baked with only strawberry slices as toppings and I have used strawberry puree along with heavy cream for frosting. Dear Blogger Friends, hope all of you try this one out and come out with results even better than mine.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups All purpose flour
1 cup Granulated sugar
*1/2 cup fresh Strawberry puree
3/4 cup Butter, softened
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Salt
* To make fresh strawberry puree, slice and toss with 1 tbsp sugar and leave them in room temperature for almost an hour. Then place the strawberries in a food processor and puree. For smooth texture, press strawberries through a sieve to remove the seeds.

For Frosting:
*Fresh strawberry puree (for smooth texture remove the seeds)
1 cup Heavy whipped cream
1/2 cup Icing sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 325 Degrees. Prepare two 8-inch cake pans, spray and dust with flour. Keep aside.
Sift the dry ingredients together and set aside. Take a large bowl, with the help of hand blender, beat butter and sugar on medium speed till light and fluffy. Add all the wet ingredients into the bowl and mix well. Now with the blender, on low speed, mix dry ingredients and mix until combined. Divide the batter evenly among the two pans and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (time may vary depending on the type and efficiency of your oven). Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Now it's ready for frosting.

For Frosting:
Beat heavy cream at medium speed until soft peaks form, this will take just one minute. Then add sugar, vanilla essence, strawberry puree and beat just until stiff peaks form. Adjust the sweet part, as lot of depend of your strawberry batch.

To assemble the Cake:
Slice the cake in half carefully by either long serrated knife or by running a thread in between. Place the bottom layer and cover with whipped strawberry frosting and carefully level the top of the other cake, and place it directly on top of the frosted one. Now cover the whole cake with the remaining frosting and give a smooth finishing. Decorate with few strawberry slices and keep this in fridge for half and hour before you serve.

This picture was taken at night so please bear with the poor outcome

Labra (A Bengali Delicacy)

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:41:33 PST

Labra is a simple and unique recipe of Bengal. And assimilation of readily available assorted vegetables, easy to cook, non-spicy yet a palatable dish. Generally compliments along with 'Kichuri Bhog', 'Tomato Chuteny', 'Pickle' and papad as shown in the picture.

Kichuri Bhog (a very familiar term in Bengal household) is prepared as an offering to God on various religious occasion .However with or without any function labra could be served with plain rice and even rotis. At the end of it you can realize that the preparation is nutritious and also all the veggies individually contribute to the taste of it.

Ingredients:
100 gms Red pumpkin, cubed
1 Carrot, cubed
1 Radish, long strips
1 Eggplant, long strips
1 Potato (peeled and cut into long thin slice)
1 cup Cauliflower, small florets
1 cup Cabbage Chopped (but not finely)
Palong saag /Spinach
2tsp Ginger, chopped
2 Green chillies
1 whole Red chilly
2 tsp Panch phoron
1 1/2tsp Turmeric powder
2 tbsp Ghee
6 tbsp Mustard oil

Method:
Wash all the vegetables and chop the way I've described above. Take spinach in a large vessel, add water, salt, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and keep aside.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. When the oil reaches smoking point, switch off the burner and let it cool. Reheat again, add panch phoron and when it stops spluttering, add sliced chillies and whole red chilly. Add chopped ginger, stir for a minute. Add all the vegetables, sprinkle some salt. Cover and cook, simmer for 10 minutes.

Add turmeric, red chilly powder and mix well. Let the vegetables cook in their own juices as much you can. If you find the veggies are sticking to the pan but are not done yet, then sprinkle some water. Before taking off from heat add sugar, mix well. Add ghee and serve with Kichuri / Kichdi.

Paneer Bhurji (Scrambled Cottage Cheese)

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 02:29:37 PST

Paneer ( Cottage Cheese ) is a very popular dairy product particularly in the Northern India. Right now in Delhi the winter is at it's peak and many of my friends are going for long drive till India Gate just to have ice-cream !!

When I shifted to Bangalore from Delhi I had a tough time to find quality paneer. After many hit and trials finally found a good shop which makes fresh paneer. Anyways today, I am about to post a very common dish called Paneer Bhurji ( Cottage Cheese Grind) which can be had as a meal as well as a snack.

It is a hit with all age groups. Basically a very healthy and quick recipe which needs just 10-15 minutes to make. I use the bhurji as a side dish for chapatis /parathas, stuffed mughlai paratha or even for sandwiches.

Ingredients:
250 gms fresh Paneer (cottage cheese)
1 big Onion (cut into long thin strips)
1 small Capsicum (cut into long thin strips)
1 Tomato (cut into long thin strips)
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
2 Green chillies
1 tsp Red chilly powder
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Pinch of garam masala
Pinch of Black pepper powder
Chopped coriander leaves
1 1/2 tbsp Cooking oil
Salt to taste

Method:
In a plate mash paneer with fingertips and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and allow them to splutter. Add ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and stir. Add onions, capsicum, red chilly powder, pepper, turmeric powder and mix well. Cover and cook or 5-6 minutes. Open the lid, add tomatoes and stir fry till the tomatoes are well cooked. After that add paneer, garam masala, salt and stir fry on meduim heat for 2 minutes. Garnish with corander leaves and serve hot with chapatis or plain paratha.

Basic Vanilla Cupcake

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 02:47:40 PST

Winter is the time where your appetite increases and you start craving for various preparations. For last few weeks I had posted a lot of chocolate based cakes, cookies etc. So after getting few requests from my readers for simple /basic vanilla cupcakes, I am posting this recipe which was lying in my archive for a very long time. Another key point of this recipe is that it is very easy to prepare. So friends, till the time you prepare this your selves, the visual treat is for you.

Ingredients:
2 cups All purpose flour
2 large Eggs, room temperature
1 cup granulated Sugar
1/2 cup unsalted Butter
1/2 cup Milk
2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 350 F (175 C) and line/grease cupcake pan. In a large bowl sift the dry ingredients and keep aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time and allow to mix thoroughly in between each egg. Add vanilla extract, milk and mix well. Add flour little by little and mix the batter with cut and fold method. The batter will be little watery, so don't panic yet.
Pour the batter into the cupcake pan with just 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes and check if they are done by inserting toothpick in the center. Remove the tin from oven and leave them on a cooling rack. Serve warm or cold as per your preference.

Sheem Diye Moong Dal (Broad Beans and Lentils)

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:43:55 PST

Wishing You The Best In 2012

At the beginning let me wish my readers, fellow Bloggers and Visitors a Happy and Prosperous 2012. May all your wishes and aspirations be fulfilled in the current year. As for me after a break of few days I am back to blogging , but this time around I am starting the year on a healthy note by posting a lentil recipe which is not only delicious in taste but also comforting to the body as well. It is called as Sheem Diye Moong Dal ( Broad Beans & lentils) which is highly popular amongst Bengali community. The beauty of this dish is that the Moong dal retains it's flavor amongst all the added vegetables particularly sheem. And since this vegetable sheem is available only for a short period of time during winter, I recommend that you try it out at least once this season. And as always your feedback and encouragement is what makes me go on, so requesting you to keep on posting your comments and suggestions and I promise to respond accordingly.

This is how broad beans look like(Picture courtesy here )
Ingredients:
1 cup Moong dal
200 gms Broad Beans
1 big red Carrot
1/4 cup Cauliflower florets
1/4 Green peas
1 tsp grated Ginger
2 Bay leaves
2 Red whole chilly
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Panch phoron (Bengali special spice: mixture of five spices-aniseed, cumin, fenugreek, mustard and nigella)
Salt and sugar to taste
4-5 cups of Water
2 tbsp Ghee

Method:
In a kadhai (wok)dry roast moong dal till you get nice aroma on medium heat. When the colour starts changing, turn off the gas and wash the dal thoroughly.
Wash and chop all the vegetables into bite-sized chunks and keep aside.
Put the moong dal on boil with turmeric, salt and water on gas stove. Simmer until dal is half cooked (to fasten the process you can also do the same with pressure cooker). Add the vegetables according to their cooking time. Add more water if required and cook till all the vegetables are cooked and tender. The consistency should be medium.Add sugar, stir well and remove from heat.

In a separate pan add ghee and add panch phoron, red chillies and fry until it begins to splutter. Add bay leaves, ginger and stir for a second. Add this to the dal and mix well. Serve hot with rice.

Delicious Delectables of 2011 - Journey by Each month

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:56:39 PST

New Year’s Toast

Here’s to the new year...
May it bring more joy and success
And less grief and regret.

To our dreams...
May we never stop believing in them
And taking the actions that will make them a reality.

To our friends, loved ones, associates (or colleagues)...
May we take the time to let them know
How much it means to us
To have them in our lives.

Let us encourage more and criticize less,
Give more and need less.
And whenever we can,
Let us create harmony and peace.

To new beginnings...
Let us start fresh, right now,
To make this the very best year ever.

A very Happy New Year to all of us!

By Joanna Fuchs

Lubna of Yummy Food, Prathibha of the Chef And Her Kitchen, Priti of Indian Khana and me had planned together for our last post of the year. A toast to our friendship ! I'm so happy to have these wonderful people in my life.
Gradually we are nearing the end of the year 2011 and are about to welcome 2012 with hope, belief and confidence for a better year. 2011 was eventful in many ways which could be remembered, but personally for me this is the year when my child left all his inhibitions and progressed in the Montessori school with renewed enthusiasm and aptitude. When I see him asking questions at his age which was unthinkable when I was a child, then I feel that my son is progressing very well in this changed world.

As far as world events, this was the year when we lost many of our legends, like Shammi Kapoor, Dev Anand, Steve Jobs, Bhupen Hazarika, Jagjit Singh, Nawab Pataudi, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi amongst many others. Pray to the almighty that their souls rest in peace.

Now coming back to my Blog, 2011 was the year when I posted maximum number of recipes and tried to share a wide variety of dishes for all my online friends. Thanks to all of you and I sincerely hope that I would obtain all the encouragement and support from you my online friends, who have been with me for last three years. Hope that all of you have a happy and prosperous 2012 and your wishes for a better tomorrow comes true.

I have selected 12 recipes from each month of this year for a quick recap. To view each months detailed recipes please click on the respective months.

Joyful January: Nolen Gurer Payes (Bengali Style Pudding With Date Jaggery)

Fabulous February: Nutella Filled Gulab Jamun

Marvellous March: Replica of Hide & Seek Biscuit

Awesome April: Naan- Indian Flat Bead Recipe

Mighty May: Nutella Sandesh

Juicy June: Chicken Samosa

Just July: Kaju chocolate Marbles

Adorable Augusthttp://hamareerasoi.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html: Kadai Chicken

Sweet September: Honey Chilly Chicken

Overdose October: Vanilla Buttermilk Cake

Nostalgic November: Peas Kachori

Delightful December:Gobhi 65

Bhetki Fry (Bengali Style) - Deep Fried Fish Fillets

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 03:02:20 PST

I would like to break away from my earlier trend of posting Christmas based recipes which were sweet. In my earlier posts, I had emphasized upon the fact that we Bengalis are voracious Fish Eaters. However, when there is a social occasion like annaprashon, birthday where you have to treat a large number of friends all of whom are not Bengalis, who find it difficult to separate bones and also Children , then I recommend this preparation called Bhetki fry. The beauty of this recipe is that not only it is bones free but also it is quick to prepare and crispy. All you need is a Wok and few spices, breadcrumbs and pastes to form a delicious fry.

As an additive a Mustard Sauce ( called kasundi ) could also be added with it and it is well complimented by cut onions and cucumbers. So friends, enjoy yet another tasty fish preparation from my end and do let me know how it turned out to be when you had it with your friends and family.

Ingredients:
1/2 kg Betki fish (cut into finger chips size)
2 Eggs, beaten lightly with salt
1 Lemon
1 1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1 1/2 tsp Garlic paste
1 tsp Green chilly paste
1 tsp Black pepper powder
1 tsp Red chilly powder
1/2 cup Breadcrumbs
Salt to taste
Mustard Oil for deep frying

Serving suggestion: These fillets goes well with Kasundi (Mustard Sauce) and onion rings

Method:
Marinate the bhetki fish fillets with lemon, red chilly powder, black pepper, ginger, garlic, green chilly paste and salt for 30 minutes. Make sure that each piece of fillet is well coated with spices. Since the nature of this fish is very soft and tender it doesn't need marination for longer hours.

Heat mustard oil to smoking point and then switch off the heat. Let it cool. Reheat again on medium flame, take one fillet and dip in egg mixture and lightly coat with breadcrumbs. Then again for better binding dip the same fillet in egg and coat with breadcrumbs on both sides. This process will provide a nice crunchy layer once fried. Arrange few cutlets in a plate fore frying. Slide 2-3 fillets in the oil and deep fry until they turn golden and crispy. Place these fillets on absorbent paper to soak excess oil. Your bhetki fry is ready to be served with mustard sauce.

Merry Christmas to all my readers & friends :-)

Best Chocolate Brownie and an Award

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 02:35:37 PST

As the Christmas day approaches, there is more and more excitement throughout all works of life. Shops and roads are glittering with Bright Lights, Christmas Trees, and Gifts. Also , in my son's school there is an event organized on 23rd Dec called Secret Santa. Here Children are asked to bring gifts and sweets which are shared amongst themselves personally handed over by Santa himself.

Keeping the rhythm of Christmas, I have prepared Chocolate Brownie for my guests during their visit to my home during this period. Hope once you try out this preparation, it brings joy to your friends and family as well.

Ingredients:
150 gms Dark Chocolate
1/2 cup unsalted Butter
1/2 Granulated sugar
1/2 cup Brown sugar
2 tbsp cocoa podwer
1 tsp pure Vanilla extract
1 cup All purpose flour
3/4 cup chopped Walnuts
2 Eggs
Pinch of baking powder
1/4 tsp Salt
Icing sugar to dust

Method:
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and keep aside. Pre-heat the oven to 200 Degree Celsius, grease and flour a square pan (8 inch) with butter paper. Set aside.

Chop the chocolate into small pieces and butter into small cubes and place them in a heat proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Let the mixture melt and keep stirring the mixture with rubber spatula. Let the mixture be slightly cool. Don't mix all the ingredients in piping hot chocolate mixture yet.

Add cocoa powder, 2 types of sugar and vanilla extract, mix well till there's no lumps. Add one egg at a time and whisk. Add flour and stir to combine well. Fold in the walnuts and the batter is ready. Pour the mixture in the prepared tin and bake it for 25-30 minutes until the top surface is set. Set aside to cool completely before cutting them into 12-14 pieces. Enjoy these moist brownies for several days by keeping them in an air tight container in fridge. Mine was finished within 3 days !!!

My friend Faseela of Good Food Ends With Good Talk has passed 'Fabulous Blog' award to me and I'm so happy to receive this. You are doing fantastic job dear, keep it up. I particularly like her non-veg section. Thanks again for the award dear.

Gobhi 65

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 02:59:28 PST

During this winter period the sun sets early and a cool air flows within the city and you get fresh vegetables. So, thinking about both these events , today the vegetarian snack that I have prepared is perfect for a winter evening is called Gobi 65 which can be accompanied by either tea or coffee.

Hope this preparation is liked by your family and friends alike when they drop in for an evening tea. This is not only simple but easy to make also.

Ingredients:
1 medium Cauliflower
1 cup hung Curd
1 1/2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
2 tbsp Rice flour
1/4 cup Cornflour
2 tbsp Kashmiri red chilly (or you can use red food color)
2-3 Green chilies, finely chopped
2 tsp Lemon juice
1/4 tsp Garam masala
Pinch of white pepper powder
Fistful of curry leaves
Salt to taste

Method:
Wash and clean the cauliflower and cut into bite size florets. In a container heat these florets with water and salt for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Now take a big bowl and add cornflour, rice flour, hung curd, ginger-garlic paste.

Mix green chilies, salt, red chilly powder, garam masala and mix well. Make sure that florets are nicely coated. Marinate this for at least an hour. Heat oil in a kadhai/deep frying pan and fry the florets in batches till golden and crispy. Drain out excess oil and transfer to paper towel. Serve hot with ketchup.

Eggless Whole Wheat Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 01:56:42 PST

No Christmas is complete without cakes and cookies. It is the season of giving and the joy is increased many times when you share your freshly baked cakes and cookies with your friends and neighbours.

Also it is my humble quest to look around and see if there are any lesser privileged people and share these food with them to bring smile to their faces. So with this thought in mind, I have prepared wheat cookies which doesn't have eggs. I really like these cookies as they are not only eggless but healthy too.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Wheat flour
3/4 cup unsalted Butter, room temperature
3/4 cup Sugar, powdered
1/2 cup mixed nuts(almonds, walnuts, cashews)
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 Nutmeg powder
1tsp Baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp Milk

Method:
Preheat oven to 300 Degrees Celsius and line cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl sift flour, nutmeg powder, baking powder and salt. Using an electrical mixer, beat butter for few seconds and add sugar and beat it on medium speed till it turns light and creamy. Add vanilla extract, stir in the chopped nuts into the mixture. Add dry ingredients and mix well until a smooth dough forms.

Scoop dough into 2 inch sized ball and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Lightly brush cookies with milk. And bake these for 12-15 minutes or until cookies are light brown. Remove it from the oven and let the cookies cool down completely. Store in an air tight container at room temperature.

Sending these eggless wheat cookies to Vardhini's Sinful Delights event, Julie's Christmas Delicacy , Winter Carnival by Radhika, Love Lock With Sweets hosted by Killer On The Plate and started by Vidhya's Sweet Karam Kapi and last but not the least to Pari's Only-Cookies & Cakes

Rajasthani Style Meat Gravy

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:52:07 PST

This Friday, 9^th Dec ’11 was our Marriage Anniversary. For the first time we celebrated it away from home at a holiday resort called Holiday Village in the outskirts of Bangalore. So me, my hubby and my little son packed our bags and drove off after lunch and reached there just in time to enjoy the receding sun.

Thankfully the weather was pleasant and sunny which enabled us to play soccer, relax by the poolside, chase the geese at the garden and take a lot of pictures. During night the ambience changes to a cozy and dimly lit place where every Friday there is Mehfil E Ghazal ( Ghazal Song ) performed by a very talented singer, who not only is an expert in ghazal but a range of classical songs.

Hosh walo ko khabar kya Aashiqi kya cheez hai....

This coupled with absolutely stupendous Kababs and mughlai food made a great evening. Just thought to share this experience with all my blogger friends.

Tandoori Nights......

Now coming back to posts, I had the opportunity to prepare Lal Maas from Soma (Ecurry ). After thoroughly following her step by step process, it was close to as delicious as her’s.

However, I would not like to mention the recipe yet again as it has been very comprehensively explained by Soma. Also, I also liked that she has used both garlic and chilies generously much to my liking. I know many of you have already seen and practiced recipes from her blog. Still for those who haven't I recommend that you visit her blog.

She explains the recipes with minutest of detail and her recipe pictures are fabulous. Thanks Soma for sharing this wonderful flavour of red mutton curry with us.

The USP of this dish is that she challenges her readers to apply a lot of chili garlic paste which eventually turns the gravy into bright red color which overshadows all the other dishes on the table. Also the garlic adds up to the zing of the dish which stays with you for a long time.

Fish Cutlet

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 09:11:27 PST

This is no news that we Bengalis are avid fish eaters. Therefore, it is in our blood that we crave for different kind of fishes cooked in various forms. However, one reason that fish has a number of bones inside deters some people from having it. Hence for them who find it difficult to separate bones from the flesh, this cutlet would taste very good minus the hassle of removing bones as they have to be removed before cooking.

Personally I found out that the fishes which have more number of bones ( Hilsa) taste better than ones with less bones. However, staying to the topic, here is the Fish Cutlet, which I hope would be liked by all. This quantity will make 15-20 cutlets.

Ingredients:
5-6 Rui/ Rohu fish or you can use any other boneless fish
2 Onions, finely chopped
4 Green chillies
1 tsp chopped Ginger
5 Garlic pods, chopped finely
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp Chilly powder
Salt to taste

Outer coating
3 Potatoes, boiled
2 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp Pepper powder
Fistful of curry leaves
3 tbsp cornflour
4 tbsp Breadcrumbs

Method:
If you are using fish fillet then skip this boiling part otherwise boil fish pieces with some salt and cook till they are tender. Drain, discard the water and allow it to cool. Remove the bones from the fish and mince the fish. Peel off the skin of potatoes and add ginger-garlic paste, pepper powder, coriander leaves, curry leaves and salt. Mix well and mash to make a smooth dough.
In a heavy bottomed pan add oil and onion, green chilles, ginger, garlic and fry for a minute. Add minced fish and stir well. Add all the spices and fry till the mixture becomes dry. Allow the mixture to cool. Take a portion of mashed potato and make a ball and flatten into oval shape, stuff 2 tsp fish mixture in the center and shape into balls or square (like I did here). Dilute cornflour with water and dash of salt. Keep the plate ready with breadcrumbs near it. Dip each fish cutlet into cornflour mixture batter and then rolled into breadcrumbs. Now you can deep fry or shallow fry these in a frying pan till golden brown. Drain onto an absorbant paper. Serve these cutlets with ketchup or chutney and onion rings. I love to have these with mustard sauce.

Masala Paratha

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:22:18 PST

I am posting today a preparation that has been based upon roti( flatbread) but is spiced up with various additives. As usual waiting for your valuable feedback. Best to have this with tea.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups Wheat flour
1 Onion, finely chopped
1 tsp Ajwain (carom seeds)
1 tsp Jeera powder (Roasted and ground to powder)
1 tsp dry Pomegranate seeds (anardana)
2 Green chilly, chopped
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
4-5 Black pepper balls
Fistful dry mint leaves
1/2 Garam powder
2 tbsp Ghee
1 tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves
Salt to taste

Method:
In a small pan, dry roast pomegranate, pepper balls, jeera and grind them coarsely in a coffee grinder.

In a mixing bowl add flour, dry roasted powder, salt, ghee and all the above ingredients.

Added all the dry spices...

Mix well, rub ghee into the flour and with little water knead the dough tight. Keep this aside for 15 minutes. Divide the dough into equal parts and roll them into a round shape. Heat griddle on medium heat and place the masala roti on the griddle. Cook both sides using a little ghee, till both sides are golden brown.

Serve hot with tea.

Mixed Vegetable Curry

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:30:01 PST

Winter is the season where you get maximum variety of fresh vegetables and your appetite is also increased more than what you used to have during summer time. What better way to have a nice meal at home than preparing a dish which is a mixture of all veggies complimented with either rice or bread. Mixed vegetable if prepared with measured quantity of oil would not only taste great but will also maintain the nutritional values of each and every vegetables added in the curry. Also an important point is that sans cream this side dish turns out to be very healthy as it becomes low in fat.

Ingredients:
1 small Cauliflower
1/2 cup Peas
2 medium Carrot
1 Capsicum
100 gms French beans
1 big Potato
100 gm Paneer
3 Onion, thinly sliced
8-10 Garlic pods
2" inch Ginger
4 Green chillies
3 Tomatoes
1/2 cup Curd
1 tsp Garam masala
1 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Black pepper
2 1/2 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

Method:
Wash all the vegetables and remove the skin of carrot, potato and cut into bite size pieces.of water. Add cauliflower, peas, potato, carrot, french beans (except capsicum), 1 tsp salt and boil for 5 minutes on low flame. Drain and keep aside. Make a paste of ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and keep aside.
Heat oil in a vessel, add the semi boiled vegetables and stir-fry until they just begin to soften about 3-4 minutes. Keep aside and in the same remaining oil add onion and saute for some time. Add the ginger-garlic-chilly paste and fry until the raw smell goes off and then add tomato paste. Saute till the oil leaves and add black pepper powder, salt, coriander, garam masala powder and mix well. Add beaten curd and mix well with a spatula. Add the vegetables, paneer, capsicum, cover and cook till the vegetables become tender. Garnish the vegetable curry with grated paneer and serve hot with rice or chapati.

Thanks Lubna for this lovely bookmark :-)

Brown Sugar Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 02:13:41 PST

This recipe is a real keeper. These cookies were very easy to make and quick, as the dough doesn't require to be chilled in the refrigerator. And believe me the flavor is complete in itself. Crunchy on top, chewy in the center but not overly sweet. My little one wanted minimum 4 cookies for his tiffin break.

For those of you who celebrate the American holiday of Thanksgiving, I want to wish you a wonderful holiday.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups of All purpose flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Salt
1 cup Butter, softened
1 cup Brown sugar
1/4 cup Granulated sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 Eggs
1 tbsp colored Sugar to sprinkle on top

Method:
Preheat the oven to 375 Degree F. Sift flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and mix well. Beat butter with a hand mixer on medium speed, after 2 minutes add sugar (both- brown & white) and beat until smooth and creamy. Beat eggs, one at a time and mix well. Pour vanillas extract and blend well with the mixture. Add dry ingredients and beat on low speed until everything blends well. Use a spatula to bring together into a dough. Pluck walnut sized ball from the dough and make them into small balls.

Place them on baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Don't have to press the balls to flatten, as they will flatten automatically inside the oven. Just sprinkle some colored sugar on top and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Let the tray remain inside the Oven for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool. Let the first batch cool completely and then proceed with the remaining batch. Later store in an air tight container.

A closer look at cookie

Peas Kachori / Koraishutir Kochuri

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 02:35:27 PST

Nowadays there is something about weather in Bangalore that is making me do crazy things. Like after dinner on a cold night the sudden urge to go to my favorite place 'Corner's House' Ice Cream Parlor for Death By Chocolate or to have garma-garam jalebies in the evening. Oh God am I the only one behaving in this peculiar manner it is the arrival of winter that has increased my appetite manifold.

One such incident happened only last week, I (who shy away from fried food) one fine evening craved for Koraishutir kachori. And it was not something very popular here that my hubby could fetch it on his way to home. So decided to make them at home !! Now it is very similar to luchi which is made from all purpose flour and deep fried. But the difference is, it has coarsely grounded peas stuffing. These kachoris are tardionally served with aloor dom (potato curry) I love having these stuffed delicious green peas filling with red chilly pickle.

Ingredients:
For Dough:
2 cups all purpose flour /maida
1/2 tsp Carom seeds
2 tbsp Refind oil (moyen)
1 tsp Salt
Water to knead the dough

Filling:
1 cup Fresh or frozen peas
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds, crushed
1/2 tsp Red chilly
Pinch of Asefoetida
1/2 tsp Ginger, chopped finely
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Roasted cumin seeds and grind to powder (bhaja jeere guro)
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method:
Grind the peas and chilly coarsely without adding water. To make the dough, take a mixing bowl and add flour, carom seeds, salt, refind oil and mix well. Add water little by little to the bowl and knead to make a smooth, soft dough. Cover it with a wet muslin cloth and keep aside for 20-30 minutes.

Peek-a-boo

Heat 2 tsp oil in a non-stick pan and add asafoetida, when it sizzles add ginger, crushed fennel seeds and saute it. Add green peas, sugar and salt to the pan. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. The consistency of the mixtures should be such that it shouldn't be sticky, the mixture would be dry.

The peas mixture is ready..

Now turn off the heat and add roasted cumin powder and mix it well. Let this cool for 10 minutes and then divide into equal sized balls and keep aside.
Now make 18-20 equal size balls out of the dough and flatten it into 3 inch poori shape. Place the green peas ball in the center and gather the edges to make a ball again. Pinch of the extra dough and slightly press with rolling pin. Keep 4-5 stuffed pooris ready and heat oil in a large kadhai. Deep fry one at a time on medium heat to turn golden and crispy. Drain on an absorbent paper. Serve hot with aloor dom (potato curry) or with tomato ketchup.

closer look inside

Pasta With Creamy Mushroom Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:54:10 PST

Now a days thanks to electronic media , there is a greater awareness amongst people about various types of excellent tasting vegetarian food from all over the world. One of such recipe is pasta with creamy mushroom sauce. As it is pasta combined with veggies would ensure the presence of carbohydrates and vitamins, also the presence of mushroom sauce would ensure the protein content of this meal.

Overall this recipe would be a complete meal with great taste. Trust me even I was tentative for the first time, but after the preparation, my family members were pleased of my effort.

Ingredients:
1 packet of Mushrooms
2 cups of Chicken broth / Vegetable broth
1 big Onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup Green peas
1/2 cup Broccoli
4 clove of Garlic
small bunch of Parsley
Salt and Black pepper to taste
1 tsp Oregano
1/2 Chilli flakes
1/2 cup Heavy cream
1 tbsp Butter + 2 tbsp Extra-Virgin olive oil
Cooked Pasta (penne) for 2 persons

Method:
Wash and cut mushroom into chunks. To puree the garlic cloves, crush garlic cloves with the flat of a knife. Heat olive oil, add chopped onions and saute for about a minute on low flame until it begin to turn translucent. Add chopped mushroom pieces and season with salt. Add garlic puree and mix it well.When the color of mushroom turn light brown, pour chicken broth. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the quantity has reduced by 2/3. Now add cooked pasta, broccoli, peas, chilli flakes, oregano, pepper to the pan and mix well. Stir in the cream, parsley and stir continuously till the sauce thickens, add butter and check the seasoning. Serve immediately.

Galouti Kebab

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 03:05:33 PST

Today's special is Galouti kebab, which is slightly inspired by Nita Mehta's 'Mughlai' book. I have added many spices in it to suit our tastebuds. The essence of this kebab is that it should be beautifully aromatic and while eating it should melt in the mouth.

Ingredients:
500 gm Keema (lamb mince)
2 Onions, chopped
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 Green chilli, chopped
2 tbsp Besan (gram flour), roast on medium flame till light brown
4-5 Black pepper balls
5 Green cardamoms
1/2 inch Cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp Nutmeg powder (jaiphal)
1 Egg
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp Red chilli powder
Take a fistful of fresh Pudina leaves, chopped
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method:
In the pressure cooker add minced meat with salt and 1 cup of water. Cover the lid and cook on medium till 1st whistle then on simmer for 10 more minutes. Drain, squeeze out the excess water and let it cool.
Dry roast cinnamon stick, cardamom, black pepper balls on low flame and when it leaves aroma, remove from the heat. Let these spices cool down and then grind to form a powder. Keep aside this powder.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadhai and fry the onions till golden brown. Remove from oil and then grind to form a paste.
In the mixer blender jar, add mince meat, onion paste, egg, salt, green chillies, jaiphal powder, ginger-garlic paste and blend till you get a thick, sticky consistency. Transfer this mixture to a bowl. Now add roasted powder, red chilly powder and roasted besan to it along with the pudina leaves. Leave this mixture for an hour and then make 18-20 balls of the mixture and slightly flatten them. Shallow fry the kebabs till golden brown (I used a griddle plate).

Serve these kebabs with green chutney.

Pyaj Ke Pakora / Pyaji / Onion Fritters

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 02:01:51 PST

India is a nation of varied colorful cultures and cuisines. But during my course of stay from North to South India one of the street snacks which I found to be omnipresent is Onion or Pyaz Pakora. Be it during winters of Delhi or rainy climate of Bangalore, this snack is savored by all and sundry.

During cloudy weather when cool breeze gushes into the balcony of your house, a plateful of pakoras with a cup of tea or coffee or with muri( puffed rice) would definitely ensure perfect bliss and relaxation of the body and mind. So here is my recipe of enjoyable snack for a cool and cloudy weather. Since the quantity of besan is low as per my liking, therefore you get the real taste of the onion without compromising the crispness of the pakora. Moreover the taste of the pakoras doesn't get overshowed with the taste of the besan.

Ingredients:
3 Onions, thin slices
2-3 tbsp Chickpea flour (besan)
2 Green chillies, finely chopped
1/2 tsp Red chilly powder
A pinch of Baking soda
Fistful Coriander leaves
Little water if you need
Oil for frying

Method:
Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Mix all the above ingredients except Oil. Combine well and if the dough seems to be dry then sprinkle little water. Take little amount of mixture between your index and thumb fingers and drop into the hot oil. Don't overcrowd the frying pan. Fry until the pakoras are crispy brown. Repeat with the remaining batter. Drain on kitchen towel and serve with chutney. As already mentioned above, I enjoy having these pyajis with muri (puffed rice).

Sprinkle some Chat masala and enjoy.....

Instant Semolina Dhokla (Sooji Dkhokla in Microwave)

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 04:34:53 PDT

In today's hectic life, all of us are hard pressed for time and particularly us the Ladies have to play many roles ranging from Mother, Wife, Professional, etc within a single day. Hence, it becomes more important that we have tasty and healthy snack between meals which does not take much of our time. Therefore, I have come across this recipe called Instant Sooji Dhokla. Not only this recipe can be prepared within 10 minutes but it does not taste any different than the traditional method. It is more so useful if some unexpected friends and relatives have dropped in and you have to treat them with a delicious snack. So here it is to satisfy the taste buds of yours and your guests.

Ingredients:
For the base:
1 cup Semolina (sooji)
1/2 cup hung Curd
3/4 cup Water
1/2 tsp grated Ginger
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
2 Green chilly, ground to paste
4-5 Curry leaves
2 tsp Eno powder

For Tempering / Tadka:
1 1/2 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Black mustard seeds
1 tsp White sesame seeds
2 whole Red chillies
A pinch of Asafetida (hing)
A Fistful of curry leaves

For Garnishing:
Grated coconut, fresh
Combine all these in a cup and keep this syrup ready for later use -2 tbsp Water + 1 tsp Sugar + 5-6 drops of Lemon juice

Method:
Take a large bowl, add semolina and add all the above ingredients which comes under 'for the base' except Eno. Mix well until you get a smooth paste. Keep aside this mixture for 20 minutes. Now grease a microwave safe bowl and pour eno over the rested batter. Mix well and immediately transfer it to the greased bowl. Microwave on high for 6 minutes (by this time you will see the top surface is set nicely and it will leave the sides of the bowl).

Let it cool down completely and then cut into wedges.

To prepare the tempering, heat oil in a small kadhai and when it reaches smoking point add mustard seeds. When it starts spluttering add green chilly, white sesame seeds, hing and curry leaves. Immediately pour the tadka over Dholka cake. Pour the prepared syrup over the dhokla. Garnish with coconut and serve this warm.

Aate ki Pinni (Wheatflour Sweet)

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:35:13 PDT

This is one preparation which I call as hunger buster. Whenever between meals I feel hungry, I munch into these ladoos to satisfy my hunger. The best part is that these ladoos when stored in airtight container can last up to weeks. Not only they are easy to prepare but it is great to taste. During my stay at Haridwar I learnt this simple and humble sweet from my neighbour. Since wheat (aata) and sugar is readily available, you can make these laddoos in no time.

Ingredients:
1 cup Wheat flour
1 cup Ghee
1/2 cup powdered Sugar or you can adjust the sweetness accordingly
1/2 cup Dried fruits
2 tbsp Milk (optional)
1 tsp Cardamom powder

Method:
Melt ghee in a pan on low heat. Add wheat flour and stir continiously till it is evenly brown and aromatic. Remove it from heat and transfer the mixture in a plate. Allow it to cool for few minutes. Just when the temperature of mixture is warm add sugar, cinnamon and mix dried fruits. Mix well and shape into round balls. If you are not able to bind and you may add milk and shape into round equal sized laddoos. Let them cool and then serve. Later store them in an air-tight container.

A Humble Bengali Delicacy- Narkel-Chinir Nadu

noreply@blogger.com (Hamaree Rasoi) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 04:48:57 PDT

This is that time of the year Folks, when the Festival of Lights, Deepavali ( Diwali ) will be celebrated next day. Also, tomorrow is Goddess Kali's Puja which is a festival , mainly celebrated in West Bengal. So I thought why don't I celebrate this wonderful festival by preparing a unique Bengali Sweet called Narkel Chinir Nadu ( Coconut Sugar Dumplings) . So, I wish all my Blogger Friends a Very Happy and Prosperous Diwali & Kali Puja. I made these today morning and was in a great hurry to make breakfast simultaneously, so could give much time in presenting nice pictures.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh Coconut, grated
3/4 cup Sugar
1 tsp Cardamom powder
2 tbsp Milk
Ghee to grease the molds

Method:
Grate the coconut finely and mix it with sugar. Now take a heavy bottom wok and pour 2 tbsp milk with low flame. Add the coconut-sugar mixture and keep stirring on low flame. When the mixture become thick and sticky, add cardamom powder. Remove from heat and let it cool down for a minute (if you leave the mixture like this for a longer time you will not be able to mold them in shapes).
Apply little ghee on your palm and make small marble size balls and press them on greased molds. After holding for few seconds, remove from molds with great care without breaking the shape and place on greased surface. And if you don't have these molds that are specially meant for narkel er nadu ( coconut dumplings) then simple make the small balls with the palms of your hand while it is still warm. Store in sealed jars and keep the jar in fridge for easily 2-3 weeks.

User Comments & Tips:

The idea of using milk here is to prevent the coconut and sugar mixture getting burnt from the bottom. so just a little bit of milk is required.
Cooking this mixture for a longer time will leave you with harder naru. As naru hardens when it cools down completely
Don't leave the mixture unattended when it is on stove as it might get burnt from the bottom, so keep stirring.

This simple Narkel er Nadu goes to various events-

Sukanya's Healing Food -Coconut , an event started by Siri of Cooking with Siri

Garyatri's Only Sweets and Desserts Event, an event started by Pari

And finally to Diwali special Sweet and Savories at Tickling Palates