Kitchen Sojourn

Pav Bhaji

2020-01-19T20:06:00.000-08:00

Pav Bhaji is one of the most popular street foods found in India. Pav means toasted buns whereas Bhaji means mashed vegetables. I grew up eating Indian food, and this is one dish that I crave for every few days!

Here is my take on Pav Bhaji but much much healthier one ;)

Pav Bhaji

Ingredients:

1 Medium sized onion - sliced
2 Peeled Potatoes
2 Tomatoes
1 Cup chopped cauliflower
1 cup mixed vegetables (I used frozen Green Giant Mixed vegetables)
1 chopped green pepper
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
Half tsp turmeric powder
Half tsp red chilli powder
Half tsp Pav Bhaji Masala (I used MDH Pav Bhaji Masala from the Indian Store)
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste

Method:

In a deep bottomed non stick pan add 2 - 3 tsp of oil. Add the onions and fry till slightly brown. Now add ginger garlic, turmeric, red chilli and pav bhaji masala. Fry for a minute and then add the potatoes. Cook another 5 minutes and then add the green pepper, cauliflower and the mixed vegetables. Saute for a few minutes and then add the tomatoes and the lemon juice. Then cook until the vegetables get mashed, if you like you can puree with a hand blender for a paste like consistency. But I like it to be in between not too pasty and not too whole. I use a potato masher to give it the right texture. Add salt according to your taste.

Serve it with toasted dinner buns!

Moroccon Style Fish (Family Recipe)

2017-08-16T16:33:00.000-07:00

I'm not a big fan of fish. But my family, especially my father is a huge fish lover. Before marriage, at my parents house, fish was made every Friday. My Dad had made this ritual that Friday lunch should consist of deep fried fish (he loves Sea Bream), daal and rice with a simply onion and tomato salad!
When I got married, fish was never a part of our meals. But now as we started to make changes in our lifestyle, we first wanted to modify our dietary habits. Eating fresh, healthy and organic has now become our priority. So I have now introduced fish to our meals, and we try to consume it at least twice a week! This recipe is my mom's recipe but a very healthy and cleaner version with very less oil!

Ingredients:

(For the Fish)
Basa Fish Fillets - 2
Chopped Garlic - 2 tsp
Cayenne Pepper - half tsp
Salt and Pepper - half tsp

(For the sauce)
Onions - 1 large (thinly sliced)
Tomatoes - 4 to 5 large
Pitted and sliced black olives - Half cup
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Capers - 1 tsp
Italian seasoning - Half tsp
Dried parsley leaves - Half tsp
All spice powder - Half tsp
Cayenne pepper - 1/4 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Fresh cilantro - a few sprigs
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

For the fish, marinate the Basa with the garlic, salt, pepper and cayenne for half hour. In a pan spray Pam coconut oil, let it warm up and then add the fish. On medium to high heat cook the fish on each side for five minutes, or until it is nice golden brown. Set aside in a plate.

For the sauce, in a pan heat the coconut oil and then add the onions. Fry for a few minutes and then add the garlic, and the rest of the spices mentioned in the list. Now add the tomatoes, olives, capers, parsley, italian seasoning and salt. Let it simmer on low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the lemon juice and mix well. Remove from heat.

Pour the sauce on the fish, and garnish with fresh cilantro! You can squeeze some extra lemon juice on the dish for added flavour. Enjoy!

Mantu - Afghani Stuffed Dumplings in Yogurt Sauce

2017-07-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

Mantu is an Afghani dish that has dumplings (stuffed with minced meat) which are steamed to perfection and dipped in a flavoursome yogurt sauce and topped with cooked lentils and tomato sauce.
I first had Mantu at a food festival in Mississauga, Ontario. The presentation of the dish itself was so tempting that I knew I had to try it out and as I finished my first bite, I told my husband I cannot share this plate with him. Finished it all. It was delicious!!!
I made Mantu for the first time last Ramadan for Iftaar. And I realized that home made Mantu was better than the ones made in restaurants. Try the recipe below, you'll know what i'm talking about ;)

Ingredients:

Prepared ground Chicken / Lamb (Kheema)
15-20 Wonton wrappers

For the yogurt sauce:
1 cup whipped yogurt
Quarter cup water
Zeera dhania powder(cumin seeds and coriander seeds powder) - half tsp
Dried Mint leaves - crushed
Oil - 1 tsbp
Salt to tase

For the lentil and tomato sauce:
Half cup - chana dal (boiled until tender)
Tomatoes - 3 to 4 chopped
Ginger Garlic paste - half tsp
Turmeric - half tsp
Red chilli powder - half tsp
Cumin seeds - half tsp
Black pepper powder - half tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

First prepare the ground meat. For that, i just sliced a few onions, fry them until golden brown, add the ground chicken or lamb and fry for a few seconds. Then add ginger garlic paste, turmeric, red chilli powder, black pepper powder and salt (according to your preference). Cook until the meat is tender. Keep aside and let it cool.

Now comes the main part of the recipe, to make the wonton dumplings! Tedious job but fun! Roll out each wonton wrapper (looks like a square now) and place the prepared meat in the middle part of the wrapper. Pull opposite sides and stick them with water, repeat the same with the other two sides left and seal all of them together. Your dumpling should now look like a square pouch.
When you're done making the dumplings (I usually make 15 to 20 dumplings which should be enough for 4 people if you're making Mantu as a starter) steam them in an oil greased steamer for 15 mins. Take them out and keep aside.

Now prepare the sauces.

Yogurt Sauce:
For the yogurt sauce, whisk the yogurt, water, zeera dhania powder, dried mint leaves, salt and oil.

Lentil and Tomato Sauce:
For this sauce, heat oil in a pan and add ginger garlic paste, let it splutter and then add cumin seeds. Fry for a few seconds then add the turmeric and red chilli powder, saute and then add the tomatoes. Fry until the juice of the tomatoes comes out. Add the boiled chana dal and mix well. Cook for 10 mins on medium heat. Add salt and pepper accordingly.

Now assemble the tray by drizzling extra virgin olive oil on the base. Pour yogurt sauce on it and spread evenly. Now arrange the dumplings on the sauce. Finally, top it off with the lentil and tomato sauce. Sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves. Serve warm!

Koyla Chicken / Charcoal Chicken

2015-08-20T10:14:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 kg chicken (with bones) cut into 12 pieces
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 cup whipped yogurt
1 cup fried onions - crushed
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp black pepper powder
Half tsp crushed chilli flakes
1 tsp zeera dhania (cumin/coriander seeds) powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
Whole garam masala (1 cinnamon stick, 2 cardamoms, 2 cloves)
4-5 kabab chini (cubeb seeds or tailed pepper seeds or all spice powder) coarsely crushed
2 star anise
1 bay leaf
7-10 roasted and ground cashew nuts
1 tbsp fresh cream
3-4 green chillies paste
A handful of cilantro and mint leaves - finely chopped
A few strands of saffron
2 tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste

A small piece of coal

For garnish:
Fresh cream
Roasted or fried cashew nuts
Fresh cilantro and mint leaves (Hara Masala)

Method:
Marinate the chicken with ginger garlic, yogurt, fried onions, turmeric, red chilli, black pepper, chilli flakes, zeera dhania, garam masala powder, green chillies, salt and lemon juice for an hour.

In a non stick deep bottomed pot, heat half a cup of oil, add the whole garam masala (fry for a minute) and then the marinated chicken. Fry on low to medium heat for about 5 to 10 minutes. Add a cup of water, cover and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally. While you cook add rest of the ingredients, kabab chini, star anise, bay leaf, ground cashew nuts, cream, cilantro, mint and saffron.

Cook until the chicken is tender or when the oil starts to separate. This should take about 30 minutes! When the chicken is done, remove pot from heat and keep aside.

Now heat the coal on the stove until it becomes bright red in colour. Place the coal in a small aluminum cup just like the picture shown below...

And then place this cup in the middle of the cooked chicken in the pot and drizzle a teaspoon of oil or ghee (butter) on the coal. As soon as the coal releases smoke cover the pot with the lid immediately and leave untouched for 10 minutes. Let the smell of the coal incorporate completely into the chicken.

After 10 minutes, uncover the pot, and discard the aluminum cup and coal (make sure that the coal stops burning before you discard it).

Serve your Koyla Chicken topped with cream, cashew nuts and hara masala with naan or pulao!

Enjoy ;)

Nargisi Kofte / Indian Meatballs Stuffed With Boiled Egg

2013-10-17T16:58:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:
Half kg Mince - Beef/Chicken/Lamb
1 egg - whisked
Turmeric - half tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Cumin seed powder - 1 tsp
Coriander seed powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - half tsp
Black pepper powder - half tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Roasted gram flour - 2 tsp
Roasted shredded coconut powder and poppy seeds- 1 tsp each (powdered)
Rice flour - 2 tsp
All purpose flour - 2 tbsp (you can add more if needed)
1 medium sized onion - chopped
2-3 green chillies
A few sprigs of both coriander leaves and mint leaves
Shan Seekh kabab masala - 1 tbsp (optional)
Salt to taste

6 boiled eggs

Method:
In a food processor blend all the above ingredients except the boiled eggs to a fine, even mixture. Take out the mixture in a bowl and refrigerate for about an hour or so. After cooling, make a patty with a small amount of mixture, enough to cover the boiled egg. Place the boiled egg in the centre of the patty in your palms and close the sides to seal the egg inside. Repeat with the rest of the boiled eggs. Now heat enough oil in a wok or a deep bottomed frying pan to deep fry the Koftas. Fry on low-medium heat for about 10-15 minutes so the mince is completely cooked from the inside as well. As soon as you achieve that color seen in the picture, its time to take out the koftas.

Slice them into half for a wonderful display :) You can serve Nargisi Koftas with Khatti daal and plain rice or with naans and yogurt chutney.

Have fun cooking!

Sweet And Sour Chicken

2013-05-30T11:32:00.000-07:00

Spice up your senses with this colourful Asian style dish! I was in the mood to cook some Chinese last night and so I browsed through a couple of recipes online and I found this one which is a famous Pakistani Chef's dish. It came out really well! I did a lil bit of variations in it and thought it gave more flavours to it. Enjoy :)

Ingredients:
Chicken ½ kg - boneless cut into bite size pcs
Black pepper - ¼ tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Pure White vinegar - 1 tbsp
Egg - 1 beaten
Flour - 3 tbsp
Corn flour - 2 tbsp
Oil for frying
Salt to taste

For Sauce:
Oil - 2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Green chili - 2 chopped
Spring onion - 1 chopped
Chicken stock - 1 cup
Pure White vinegar - 3 tbsp
Soya sauce - 1 tbsp
Sweet Chilli Sauce - 1 tbsp
Hot chilli sauce - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Tomato ketchup - 3 tbsp
Corn flour - 1 tbsp mixed with little water
Green pepper - sliced and sautéed in oil
Onions - thinly sliced and sautéed in oil
Salt to taste

Method:
Cut chicken into bite size pieces and marinate with salt, black pepper, ginger garlic paste, white vinegar, egg, flour and corn flour for about half an hour in the refrigerator. After marination, deep fry in oil until golden brown in color. Remove from pan and keep aside.

To prepare the sauce; in a pan heat oil, add ginger garlic paste and green chillies. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Now add spring onions, chicken stock, white vinegar, soya sauce, sweet chilli sauce, hot chilli sauce, salt, sugar and tomato ketchup.

Cook till it comes to a boil. Lower the heat. Thicken sauce with corn flour paste. Now add the fried chicken and mix well. Finally add the sautéed Onions and Green Pepper and cook for another 2 mins.

Serve the chicken hot on a bed of steamed plain white rice!

To make it more sweet you can try other variations by adding pineapples or carrots to it.

Award!!! Yay

2013-04-19T02:00:00.000-07:00

Just got an award!!! Thank you so much http://momcook.blogspot.com/ Loved your blog as well, please keep up the good work :)

Lahore Style Lamb Curry

2013-01-22T17:01:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
4 tbsp oil
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
4 black peppercorns
1 sliced onion
Half kg boneless cubed lamb
Half tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp crushed coriander seeds
1 inch pc cinnamon stick
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/3 cup chana dal (yellow split peas)
2 tomatoes, quartered
2 fresh green chillies, chopped
A few sprigs of fresh coriander leaves
Salt to taste

Method:
Heat the oil in a wok or a large pan or pressure cooker. Lower the heat and add bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns and onion. Fry for about 5 mins, or until the onions turn golden brown.

Add the lamb, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander seeds, cinnamon, ginger garlic paste, salt, and stir-fry for about 5 mins over a medium heat.

Pour in 3 3/4 cups of water and cook by covering the pan until the lamb is tender (about 35-40 mins).

Put the chana dal into a large pan with a pinch of salt. Add water and then boil for 15 mins, until the dal is soft enough to be mashed.

When the lamb is tender, remove the lid and stir fry the mixture, until the oil separates from the curry.

Add the cooked lentils to the lamb and mix together well. Stir in the tomatoes, chillies and chopped fresh cilantro and serve hot with garlic or butter naans. :)

Easy Chicken Breast Stuffed With Feta Cheese and Red Peppers

2012-11-13T16:16:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
2 Chicken Breasts cut into half horizontally
Salt and Pepper to taste
Lemon Juice - 2 tbsp
Dried Parsley - 1 tsp
Herbs De Provence - 1 tsp
Paprika Powder - Just enough to sprinkle
1/4 Cup - Crumbled Feta cheese
1 Red Bell Pepper - finely chopped
Fresh Parsley for garnishing
2 tsp Bread Crumbs
1 tsp Parmesan Cheese

Method:
Preheat the oven at 375 deg F.
First of all lay the chicken breasts flat in a ziploc bag and hammer or pound it with a rolling pin to make it thin. Be careful while you pound it, you might just end up making it too thin which we don't want.
Rub the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, lemon juice, dried parsley and herbs de provence.
On the middle of the breast spoon feta cheese and chopped red bell pepper. Then roll the breast tightly and secure the ends with a tooth pick so that the mixture doesn't escape out.
Now set these prepared chicken breasts onto an olive oil sprayed baking dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs, fresh parsley, parmesan cheese and a teaspoon of olive on each of them.
Bake for 40 minutes at 375 deg F. If you feel its not done after the specified cooking time, then keep for an additional 5-7 minutes.

You can cut them into slices and enjoy your meal with a cool salad :)

Amazon Gift Card Giveaway :)

2012-09-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

Returning back to my blog after a long time! So, I thought why not proceed with a fun filled and exciting way.

Simply follow two rules:

Like my blog on Facebook and give me a reason why you like it!!! There'll be one lucky winner

By doing this you may win the Amazon Gift Card, YAYYY! Exciting eh?

Will be posting new recipes really soon! Contest open until 23rd November

Cute Colourful Totes

2012-07-04T12:44:00.000-07:00

Hand painted colourful totes are for sale. Spend only 8$ to get this cute bag which could be useful for many purposes. Make it a grocery bag or a nice picnic bag, especially designed for girls.
If you wish, you can also have your name on it or any design you like.

Please contact if you wish to place orders :)

Fish Qorma

2012-04-11T12:42:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
2 boneless Tilapia fish fillets - cut into medium sized pcs
Half a cup fried onions
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
Half tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder
Half tsp black pepper powder
Half tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
Fish tikka masala - half tsp (Optional)
Half a cup beaten yogurt
5-6 curry leaves
2 green chillies - chopped
A few sprigs of coriander leaves
1 tbsp roasted coconut powder - ground into a fine paste
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp cumin and coriander seeds powder mixed
A drizzle of black pepper powder and salt
Oil
Salt to taste

Method:
Combine the flour, coriander and cumin powder, black pepper and salt and rub the fish pcs with it, coating them evenly. Keep it aside.

In a pressure cooker on medium heat, add oil, ginger garlic, turmeric, red chilli powder and fried onions. Fry for less than 2 minutes and then add the beaten curd. To this add the curry leaves, garam masala, black pepper, coconut, lemon juice and salt. Pressure cook for 5 minutes after the first whistle and then remove from heat.

In a separate frying pan, add oil and shallow fry the fish pcs until brown on both sides.

Now uncover the cooker and add these fish pcs to it and cook for about half an hour on low-medium heat. Add the fish tikka masala powder if you wish for a spicier taste. Sprinkle the coriander leaves on top.

Serve with rice or chapatis :)

Oats Kheer / Oats Pudding

2012-04-06T10:56:00.000-07:00

Oats is good source of fibre and also helps reducing cholesterol. This pudding is full of good stuff, especially for kids cuz its sweet and healthy!

Ingredients:
2 cups Milk
4 tbsp Instant oats
A pinch of Cinnamon powder
1 tbsp Almond powder
5-6 Raisins
2-3 tsp Sugar
Half a tsp Vanilla essence
Pistachio (whole or powder) for garnishing

Method:
Take 2 cups of milk in a non stick pan. Keep it on low to medium heat, add the oats and bring to a boil. Now add the cinnamon powder, almond powder, raisins and let it cook for about 5-6 minutes on low heat. As soon as the pudding thickens, add sugar and then let cook for another 5 minutes on low heat. Remove from flame, add the vanilla essence and stir well. Then cool it in the refrigerator or serve warm as a porridge, but don't forget to garnish with pistachios before eating :)
Wasn't that easy?

Murg Masala / Chicken Masala

2012-02-26T10:49:00.001-08:00

Ingredients:
1 chicken - cut into big pcs
3/4 cup beaten curd
Half cup fried and crushed onions
1 tsp garam masala
8 whole red chillies
2 tsp zeera (cumin seeds)
4 tsp dhania (coriander seeds)
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 onion - chopped
3 tbsp ghee or butter
Half tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Method:
Grind the following to a fine paste: red chillies, dhania, zeera, chopped onion.
To the beaten curd add the ginger garlic, turmeric, crushed onions and salt. Set aside for half hour.
Heat the ghee, then add the masala paste (beaten curd) and fry till the ghee separates.
Add the chicken and cook till dry. Add garam masala and 1 1/2 cups water, then cook until chicken is tender.
Serve hot with naans!!!

Herb And Swiss Popovers

2012-02-16T10:53:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
3 eggs
Milk - 300 ml
All-purpose flour - 300 ml
Shredded swiss cheese - 1 cup
Fresh parsley - chopped (about 1/4 cup)
Fresh chopped thyme - 2 tsp
Dried thyme - half tsp
Salt to taste
Pepper - half tsp
Melted butter - 1 tbsp

Method:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy; beat in milk until well blended. Add flour and beat again until well blended. Stir in the cheese, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper.
Brush 12 cup non stick muffin pan with the melted butter. Heat in oven for 2 minutes and remove pan from the oven and carefully pour batter into cups (fill about 1/3 rd of each cup)
Bake for 20 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Reduce temperature to 350 deg F and bake further for about 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Place muffin pan on a wire rack. Using a knife, pierces the side of each popover. Let cool for 2 mins. Remove from pans and serve hot!

Crispy Banana Pancakes

2012-02-09T08:58:00.000-08:00

A healthy breakfast recipe that keeps your mind running and fresh all day! You can substitute the banana with so many other fruits if you wish like peaches, blueberries, strawberries or a mixture of fruits can also be added for that matter.

Ingredients for the pancakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the toppings:
1 banana - sliced
2 tbsp maple syrup

Method:
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the middle. In a separate bowl, beat together egg, milk and oil. Pour milk mixture into flour mixture. Beat until smooth. Keep aside for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the pancake griddle on medium to high heat. Now pour a spoon of the pancake mix onto the griddle, immediately drop half a teaspoon of butter or ghee on the sides of the pancake, this will make the pancake crispy. Turn to the other side when it turns golden brown in color.

Repeat the previous step for other pancakes if you wish to have more.

Now top it with the banana slices and maple syrup!

Mango Milkshake

2012-01-27T10:21:00.000-08:00

Mango is one fruit I think everyone loves, may it be adults or kids. My mango milkshake recipe is quite easy to follow. In such simple steps you can constitute a healthy, intoxicating and vibrant drink.

Ingredients:
1 ripe Alphonso mango - peeled and cut into cubes
1 cup skimmed milk (You can use 3.25% milk if you want)
2 tbsp yogurt (optional)
Half tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp - sugar

Method:
In a jug combine all of the above ingredients and blend until it is smooth. Refrigerate for a few minutes and serve chilled!

As simple as that

Pizza Pasta

2012-01-19T12:11:00.000-08:00

Have you ever thought of making an easy peasy dish when it's just one of those brrrrrr days where you don't feel like stepping out of your warm, comfy home??? Oh! Who's gonna waste time going out just to get those extra ingredients spoiling the fun you're getting at home where you're all snugged up in your blankie and cushy flip flops! Well... This day, I decided to make a recipe with whatever stuff I had in my pantry and refrigerator. It needs all the basic things which I'm pretty darn sure that most of you guys store at home like pasta, tomatoes, cheese, some herbs and meat!

And!! The inspiration behind this recipe was my fave chef Michael Smith. An extremely simple recipe to follow that anyone can make with such common ingredients :)

Here's the link to the recipe:

http://chefmichaelsmith.com/Recipe/pizza-pasta/

Hope you guys enjoy this comfort food :)

Phirni / Fereni / Rice Pudding With Rose Water

2011-10-01T14:44:00.000-07:00

This is one of the easiest and simplest dessert recipes. Once you're set with all the ingredients, all it takes is half an hour to cook this sweet dish! The best part is that its really tasty :)

Ingredients:
1 liter milk
7 tbsp rice flour
2 tsp rose water
Half cup sugar

Method:
Mix the rice flour in the milk and transfer it into a deep bottomed non stick pan. On medium heat bring the milk to a boil and then add the sugar and rose water. Cook for 30 minutes until the pudding thickens.

Refrigerate and serve chilled! You can decorate the phirni with rose petals.

Paneer Makhani With A Twist

2011-09-23T15:04:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
250 gms Paneer (cottage cheese) - cut into cubes, shallow fried and kept aside
Half green pepper - thinly sliced, shallow fried and kept aside
1 large onion - sliced
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
Half tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp zeera/dhaniya powder (cumin and coriander powder)
Half tsp Garam masala
2 tomatoes - roughly chopped
2 green chillies - slit lengthwise
2 tbsp fresh thick cream
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
Salt to taste
Butter for garnishing - 2 tbsp

Method:
In a wok fry the onions on medium heat in 3-4 tbsp of oil until they turn medium golden brown. Then add the ginger garlic paste, turmeric, red chilli, zeera-dhaniya powder and garam masala. Fry for 2 minutes and then add the tomatoes. Saute until the juice of the tomatoes is dried up and then add the cream and the kasuri methi leaves. Stir for about 5-6 minutes and then add the green chillies, paneer and the green pepper. Cover and cook on low heat for about 5-10 minutes or until the oil starts to separate.

Garnish with desi ghee or butter and coriander. Serve warm with naans or parathas :)

"With a twist" because I put capsicum in it!

Grilled Mediterranean Vegetable Sandwich

2011-09-22T10:39:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
Half cup roughly chopped red capsicum
One medium sized onion - peeled and chopped
2 Eggplants - thinly sliced
Half cup zucchini - thinly sliced
1 tbsp crushed feta cheese
4 slices of bread
Salt and pepper for sprinkling
Olive oil to drizzle

Serves 2

Method:
On a grilling pan, grill the vegetables on medium to high heat for about 7-9 minutes. Sprinkle salt and pepper for taste.
Spoon the mixture onto the slice of bread, covering it fully. Now drizzle the olive oil and the crushed feta cheese. Cover with another slice of bread.
Grill the sandwich.

Serve it with Hummus for a total mediterranean experience or simply dip in ketchup and enjoy :)

Baghare Baingan / Eggplant Masala

2011-08-26T16:02:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
500 gms small sized eggplants
Walnut sized tamarind, soaked in 1 cup water (extract pulp)
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 onion sliced
1 tsp zeera/cumin seeds
2 tsp dhania/coriander seeds
2 tsp sesame seeds
2 tsp poppy seeds
12 peanuts
2 tsp coconut powder
2 tsp chilli powder
Half tsp turmeric powder
4-5 tbso oil
A few curry leaves
2 broken whole red chillies
Salt to taste

Method:
Roast the following in a few drops of oil and grind to a paste: sesame, poppy seeds, peanuts, coconut, cumin and coriander seed, onions. Add the ginger garlic, chilli powder and turmeric to the paste. Blend well and keep aside.
Slit the eggplants in 4 keeping the stem intact. Stuff the eggplants with the masala paste. Heat oil and fry the curry leaves along with a tsp of cumin seeds. After 2 minutes add the stuffed eggplants and fry for another 2 minutes. Now add the rest of the prepared paste, salt and tamarind juice. Cook covered on low heat until the eggplants are tender!

Serve with Biryani :)

Spring Rolls

2011-08-22T08:16:00.000-07:00

Ingredients for the filling:
2 cups cabbage - grated
2 cups mixed vegetables
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp vinegar
Half tsp chilli sauce
Half tsp black pepper powder
Salt to taste

Spring roll pastry sheets to wrap the filling
Whisked egg yolk to seal the rolls

Method:
In a wok on medium heat, fry the cabbage for about 5-7 minutes and then add the mixed veggies. Now fry on high heat for about 5-7 minutes, adding the soy sauce, vinegar, chilli sauce, black pepper and salt simultaneously.
Remove fro heat and keep it aside.

Fill the spring roll with a rounded spoonful of filling. Fold up the bottom of the wrapper. The bottom of the wrapper is the part that is closest to the filling. Fold this up over the filling and press down slightly. Fold over the sides. Fold both the right and left sides of the spring roll wrapper over until the ends of the two sides meet in the middle. Roll it up. Continue rolling the spring roll until you reach the end of the wrapper. You can secure the roll by sealing it with whisked egg yolk.

Bread Pakoras / Bread Fritters

2011-08-18T19:05:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
5-6 tbsp besan/gram flour
A pinch of baking soda
Half tsp ginger garlic paste
Half tsp of turmeric powder
Half tsp of red chilli powder
A few sprigs of coriander leaves finely chopped
Salt to taste
2 slices of bread - each slice cut into 4 squares

Method:
In a mixing bowl add gram flour and then pour sufficient amount of water to make a thin to thick (in between) batter.
Add the rest of the ingredients except the bread and mix well.
Now dip the bread slices into the batter and deep fry the pakoras.

Serve with ketchup! Its a great tea time snack!

Egg Puffs

2011-08-09T10:55:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
4 puff pastry sheets
2 boiled eggs cut into halves
A pinch of salt and pepper
A pinch of red chilli powder
Butter - to grease the baking tray

Method:
Lay the pastry sheets on a butter greased baking tray diagonally. Now place the halved eggs on the center of each sheet. Sprinkle the black pepper, salt and chilli powder on top of the eggs. Pull the left and right corners of the sheet and seal them by compressing the corners between your fingers.
Place the baking tray in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F. Bake until the pastry puffs up and turns light golden brown in color.

Serve with ketchup! :)