simple yummy food

Christmas special mixed fruit cake

2012-12-28T12:44:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:-
225g self raising flour
110g butter
110g sugar
225g mixed fruit (include cherries if wished)
1 egg
5 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon mixed spice (optional)

Method:-

1. Rub the butter into the flour until it looks like fine breadcrumbs, add sugar and dried fruit and mixed spice, if using.

2. Add egg and milk to make a soft dropping consistency.

3. Put into lined 2 lb loaf tin or 6" round cake tin. Sprinkle demerara sugar over the top and pat down with the back of a spoon (this gives a nice crunchy top) and bake for approximately 1 to 1 1/4 hours in a preheated oven at 180 C / 160 C fan / Gas 4 until a skewer comes out clean.

chicken with methi

2012-10-29T07:43:00.001-07:00

Chicken is always a go-to main course for quick, easy, and healthy meals. This chicken recipe with methi leaves is as healthy as they are delicious and versatile!

One of my colleague at work asked one day ‘I wonder how do you manage to cook Indian curries after office?’ I replied ‘Nothing is as easy to prepare like our curries.’

And I really agree with this J

Yesterday night both my babies (hubby and the little one) not at all in mood of eating vegetarian ….I had some methi leaves lying down in the refrigerator for two days with the plans of methi paratha …. ..mixed and matched it with our common ingredients we usually have in our kitchen with Chicken and the outcome was awesome!!

The amount I am cooking is to satisfy two and half very hungry people JJJJ

Ingredients:

1) chicken 500 g (cut into bite size pcs)

2) Onions-2 large chopped very fine

3) Tomato-2 large chopped very fine

4) Methi leaves 1 bunch around 2 coffee cup chopped fine

5) Yogurt -1/2 cup

6) Ginger garlic paste -1 tbsp

7) Powdered spices (turmeric -2 tsp,cumin powder-2 tsp,black pepper powder-2 tsp, red chilly poder-2 tsp, Coriander powder -2 tsp)

8) Salt

9) Vegetable oil-2 tbsp

10) Cumin seeds ½ tsp

11) Bay leaves 2 optional

12)coriander leaves for garnish

Method

1) Heat oil in a non-stick pan and add cumin seeds ,bay leaves and let them splutter, add chopped onions and fry them until they are translucent.

2) Add all the powdered spices, ginger garlic paste and salt and bhunao it for 5-6 mins.

3) Add tomatoes, chilli powder, coriander powder and yogurt and cook covered till well cooked.

4) Add methi leaves and chicken and cook till sauce becomes thick.

5) Add coriander leaves and mix well.

6) Serve with rice or chapatti.

MOM style mutton Curry

2012-10-21T12:44:00.002-07:00

This is my go-to recipe when I want to cook a simple and wholesome non-vegetarian meal for my family. The basic recipe for this dish is my Mom's so I know it is good as I grew up eating it. Mom would cook meat curry with goat meat (also called mutton in India).
The basic Mantra is using the equal amount of mutton and onions and absolutely no water,You get a nice and rich gravy made with onions and juices released from the mutton. Goat Curry or Mutton Curry is delicious served with plain rice and a salad . If you dry away the gravy, it tastes just as good with hot, freshly made rotis.

Ingredients:-

1)1 kg Mutton( Goat's shoulder side pieces )
2)1 kg Onion(cut in big chunks 1 medium sized onions cut into 4 pcs)
3) all Indian spices(Turmeric powder- 1 tbsp,Chilly powder-2 tbsp,cumin powder-1 tbsp,black pepper powder 1 tbsp,Coriander powder- 1 tbsp)
4)cumin seeds 1 tsp
5)black pepper seeds-1 tsp
6)Bay leaves/tej patta -2-3
7)whole red chilly -2-3
8)vegetable oil -1/2 cup
9)ginger garlic paste-2 tbsp
10) julienne Ginger 3 tbsp
11)salt

Method:-

1) Heat oil in the pressure cooker and add cumin seed,pepper seeds,whole red chilly,tej patta and let it splutter.
2)Add 1/2 kg onions and sauté on medium heat for 10 mins,when they turn translucent add all the powdered spices,ginger garlic paste,Salt and sauté for 5 mins.
3) Add the mutton pcs and fry for another 10 mins and add the remaining 1/2 kg onions to the pressure cooker and fry for another 5 mins.
4) put the lid on and cook on medium heat until three whistles.
5)keep aside from heat and let the pressure get released itself.
6)open the lid and put the cooker again on stove at slow heat and half covered for 10 mins.
7) serve with plain rice and onion salad....Yum!!!

Dussehra special..Banana Fritters

2012-10-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

This is one of the sweet dish which is very popular in every Indian restaurant across UK.Although being from a Caribbean origin its fits so well amongst our Indian Festival delicacies.

our festive season have already started and this super easy dessert will sure be a star item for any dinner party.Its perfect being naughty sometimes and keep aside your calorie concious mind , Crisp and golden banana fritters served with ice cream will take your heart away!!!

Ingredients

3 very ripe bananas
2 tsp baking powder
1 2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1 cup milk

For syrup

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup water
Boil till sugar dissolves well.

Method

Mix the dry ingredients.
Add milk to the dry ingredients.
Make a smooth batter,If needed add some more milk and set aside for 10 mins.
Cut the banana into bite size pcs.
Heat oil in a deep pan ( the above has to be deep fried ) Dip each banana pcs into the batter drop into the oil and fry till golden brown.
Once fried dip into sugar syrup for 1 min.
Serve with Vanilla or kesar ice cream.
Delicious!!!

Easy pineapple upside down cake

2012-10-13T16:28:00.001-07:00

T

This recipe is from one of the most reliable and comprehensive food bloggers on the internets, Elise at Simply Recipes. I didn't change a thing. Well, except for adding the cherries. I was very skeptical of my ability to pull this off. An upside down cake? Oh dear. I try hardly even to make a right side up cake. But it was super easy.I let the cake cool and then called my hubby up for the big reveal. We flipped it over and it slid right out of the pan with perfectly caramelized edges. I served it with ice cream. hubby's only critique was that he wished there was less cake and more top.

For the topping

50g softened butter

50g light soft brown sugar

7 pineapples rings in syrup, drained and

syrupglacé cherry

For the cake

100g softened butter

100g golden caster sugar

100g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract2 eggs

Method

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. For the topping, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Spread over the base and a quarter of the way up the sides of a 20-21cm round cake tin. Arrange pineapple rings on top, then place cherries in the centres of the rings.Place the cake ingredients in a bowl along with 2 tbsp of the pineapple syrup and, using an electric whisk, beat to a soft consistency. Spoon into the tin on top of the pineapple and smooth it out so it's level. Bake for 35 mins. Leave to stand for 5 mins, then turn out onto a plate. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.

sweet and sour mushroom with pineapple and bell peppers!

2012-07-20T10:10:00.000-07:00

A must try delicate, smooth and succulent dish that goes perfectly with a lighter sweet and sour sauce.

Ingredients for the Recipe:
1)250 g button mushroom washed and cleaned
2)2 onions cut into big chunks
3)diced Pineapple pcs -1/2 cup
4)bell pepper of ur choice( I have used one red bell pepper cut into bite size)
5)vegetable oil-2-3 tsp

Ingredients for sweet and sour sauce:
1/3 cup white or rice vinegar (Note: rice vinegar gives better results)
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons water
Preparation:

Mix the vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce together and bring to a boil in a small pot. Mix together the cornstarch and water, add to the other ingredients and stir to thicken.

Method:
1)Heat oil in a wok and add onions and mushroom.saute on high for 5-6 mins
2)Add pineapple and bell pepper and keep sauting continuously on high till the time you feel that mushrooms are cooked.
3)Pour the above prepared sweet and sour sauce as much as you want,If you want runny gravy then add more and for the dry version add less all depends on your taste.let it simmer for 5-10 minutes and note that bell peppers should not become mushy.
4)serve with noodles or fried rice.
5)The beauty of this dish is that with this single sweet and sour sauce ,You can prepare no dishes take any ingredient of ur choice (like paneer,chicken,fish,prawn)cook in the similar manner and come up with variety of dishes with very less effort.

Chicken in Bread crumbs...KFC STYLE!

2012-07-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

A super easy recipe with unusual combination of few calorie and taste bud on priority!
My goal here is to prove that you can still get the same great taste of fried chicken without it actually being fried, saving you tons of saturated fat, calories & sodium AND to prove that you can make a homemade healthy meal for the family in basically no time at all. Think of it this way, if you’ve got time to drive to KFC, get the food and drive home, then you’ve got time to make this!
So here we go with the recipe.....

INGREDIENTS:-

1 whole organic chicken portioned (2 breasts, 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings)

2 cups bread crumbs (I used Progresso Italian style bread crumbs one can use any other normal form)
2 egg – whisked for 1 minute to lighten
1 tsp paprika/kashmiri mirch powder(MDH)
1 tsp tomato powder (I used knorr tomato soup powder)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
olive oil spray

METHOD:-

Preheat oven to 420°F.

Arrange all the ingredients in a row in the following order: the chicken pieces, whisked eggs with Salt and pepper and paprika,tomato powder added, breadcrumbs.

Begin by dipping the chicken pieces in the egg holding the chicken over the bowl for a few seconds after wards to let excess egg fall off and then coat in the breadcrumbs coating all sides. Pat the crumbs onto the pieces with clean hands to make sure it sticks. Lay on a foiled oven tray. This assembly line is a great time to get the kids involved! my lilttle one loved helping me and licked her messy hands

Once all the pieces are crumbed spray liberally on all sides with the olive oil spray.

Pop in the oven for 20 -25 minutes approx until internal temp of 165°F and the crumbs are crispy and ‘fried’.turn over the chicken and pop into the oven for another 10 mins. That’s all there is to it!

SERVE WITH KETCHUP OR CORIANDER CHUTNEY OR MAYO....I SERVED IT WITH EVERYTHING MIXED TOGETHER YUMMMMM!!!

grilled chicken in green marination!

2012-07-09T09:33:00.001-07:00

Another form of chicken tikka but this time rather than marinating the chicken in curd mixture we are using coriander and mint paste.a very tempting starter for dinner parties.here we go with the recipe.

ingredients

boneless chicken fillet cut in cubes - 250 g

for marination
onion-1
coriander leaves-2 cups
mint leaves -1/2 cup
green chiilly-3-4
ginger- 1 small pod
garlic -2-3 pods
lemon juice- 1/2 cup
olive oil/any vegetable oil 1/2 cup
salt -as per taste
pepper

Method:-

1)make a paste of onion,coriander,mint,green chilly,ginger and garlic in a blender.
2) add oil,lemon juice,salt and pepper to the mixture and mix well.
3)add chicken pcs and leave to marinade for 2-3 hrs in a fridge.
4) Preheat the oven to it's highest heat for at least 20 minutes. Shake off excess marinade and place chicken pieces AND VEGETABLES OF UR CHOICE on skewers on a wire rack in the oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes and check the is cooked by piercing the thickest piece with a skewer, if the juices run clear it's cooked, serve with chicken a wedge of lemon.

Gobhi mussallam!

2012-07-09T09:05:00.002-07:00

Ingredients

Whole cauliflower – 500 to 600 gms

Marinade

Curd – 3 tbsp
Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Ginger and garlic paste – 2 tsp
Cumin powder (roasted) – 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder (roasted) – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Mace and nutmeg powder – 1/8 tsp (optional)
Green cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon stick powder – 1/8 tsp (optional)
Tomato puri (thick, concentrated) – 2 tbsp
Salt – as per taste

Gravy/curry

Oil – 6 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Green cardamom – 3
Cloves – 4
Cinnamon stick – 1 (1 inch)
Onion – 2 (200gms)
Ginger and garlic paste – 2 tsp
Water – 1/2 cup
cream – 1/4 cup
Tomato puree - 1 cup
Cashew nut – 8 to 10
Raisins (kish mish) – 2 tbsp
green peas(optional) - 1 cup

Method:-

1)In a pan bring to boil the water along with some salt. Place the cleaned cauliflowers in hot water for about 5minutes each side or total 10 minutes. Remove from water, keep it aside.Alternative option is to microwave the cauliflower with salted water beneath it in a microwave safe bowl on high for 5 mins and then set it aside.

2)mix all the ingredients for marination and apply on the cauliflower and set it aside for 2-3 hours.

3)Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan till hot, add cumin seeds, whole spices and onion, saute till soft and light brown, transparent,Add ginger and garlic paste and all the dry spices and saute for 10 mins.

4)Now place the marinated cauliflower with its head (florets) down, simmer the flame and close the lid.

5)After 10min, open the lid and turn the cauliflower and cook again for 10min on lower flame by closing the lid, put some gravy onion mixture on top of the cauliflower.

The cauliflower is almost cooked and the gravy has left oil on top.

6)Add the tomato puree, cashew nuts and raisins and sprinkle salt to taste. Mix well

7)when the gravy starts thickening add the cream slowly on low flame for 10 mins.

8)garnish with some fried peas(optional) and serve with roti or nan.

Basic sponge cake with strawberry jam

2012-06-24T10:18:00.001-07:00

A decadent recipe of all times ..basic sponge cake with strawberry jam! sharing with you a very easy and proved method.
ALL IN ONE!!! method of cake making i.e mixing all the ingredients together which is much easier and provides better results.
For best results make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature and the measurement should be accurate.

Do not be tempted to open your oven whilst the cake is cooking, as the drop in temperature will cause your cakes to sink.

Ingredients

285g self-raising flour or maida
2.5 teaspoons baking powder
285g butter
285g caster sugar
5 eggs
1 jar strawberry or raspberry jam or any other jam of your choice

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 170C / 340F

Grease and line 2 round cake tins with butter and greaseproof paper

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl

Add the butter, sugar and eggs (make sure the butter is at room temperature)

Mix together using a wooden spoon or electric whisk until light and fluffy

Divide the mixture into the 2 cake tins

Bake in the oven for 35 - 40 minutes

gently press it- if it springs back when touched, then it's ready

Allow to cool for 5 minutes before carefully turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely

When the cake is cool, spread one cake with a generous layer of jam. Then top with the other cake

Relish the home made cake....slurrrrrp!!!

egg plant/Baingan raita

2012-06-06T09:33:00.001-07:00

anyone who loves egg plant/Brinjal will definitely relish this recipe.A very easy side dish for any lunch/dinner party.

Ingredients:
Eggplant – 1, cut into circles
Oil – 3 Tbsp
Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp
Garlic – 1 tbsp, minced
Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder 1/4 tsp
Green Chili – to taste, for garnish
Salt – to taste
Yogurt – 2 cups
Cilantro/Coriander leaves – for garnish, finely chopped

Method:
1. Marinade egg plants with salt,turmeric,garlic minced and red chilly powder for 10-15 min,This step will extract the water and leaves the easy to be cooked
2. Heat Oil in a non-stick pan.
3. Add Mustard Seeds, chopped green chilies and allow them to pop.add marinated egg plants one by one.
4. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook eggplant until tender.
5. Remove Eggplant into a bowl . Allow it to come to room temperature.
7. Add Salt to Yogurt and mix well. Add cooled Eggplant into the yogurt and mix well.
8. Garnish with Cilantro (coriander leaves).

bagara baingan/tempered eggplant curry

2012-05-03T04:53:00.000-07:00

eggplant's versatility lends itself to thousands of dishes. Almost all world uses eggplants in their cooking and you can apply any cooking technique to them - roasted, deep-fried, sautéed, grilled, baked, mashed, stuffed, pickled - anything at all will work. I happen to love them too, so I couldn't get too far avoiding it the way I used too...Curried eggplant with peanuts,cumin seeds,poppy seed,sesame seed,cinnamon....though the list seems long but everything is just roasted and blended to a paste.

This is chefy recipe which enhances a bit of cooking skill and patience!!!!

Ingredients:

6-8 nos - small & tender purple Eggplants/brinjals
1½ cups - Onions, sliced (used for the masala paste & final gravy)
1/4 cup - Peanuts
1 Tbsp - Sesame seeds
1 tsp - Poppy seeds
1 tsp - Coriander seeds
1/2 tsp - Cumin seeds
1 inch piece - Cinnamon stick
1 Tbsp - grated, dried Coconut (I substitute with fresh)
1 inch piece - Ginger,
4-5 nos - Garlic cloves (2-3 if the cloves are plump)
1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp - Red chilli powder
1/2 tsp - Jaggery, grated
1 tsp - Tamarind extract/ pulp from a key lime sized tamarind ball
2 Tbsp - Peanut oil/Vegetable oil
6-7 nos - Curry leaves
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash the eggplants and pat them dry. You can chop off the thick stem on top, but leave the crown intact. It helps hold the eggplant together during the cooking process.
In a sauté pan dry roast the peanuts, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, coriander and cumin seeds, grated coconut and cinnamon stick one after the other. Use a medium flame and stir the ingredients frequently to achieve even browning.

Add tablespoon of oil to the pan and brown the sliced onions, about 8-10mins. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over them

grind roasted ingredients to a fine paste along with half the cooked onions, ginger, garlic, tamarind extract, turmeric powder and a little water

Using a paring knife, carefully make crosswise slits through the eggplant stopping an inch before you get to the stem end. Stuff about a teaspoon of the paste into the slits, this will need some patience :)

Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a deep saucepan, sauté the curry leaves and carefully add the stuffed brinjals to the pan. They tend to splutter a lot, so I cover the pan and let them cook for about 10 mins, until they soften. Rotate them every few minutes so they cook evenly.

Reduce the heat a bit, add the rest of the masala paste, the other half of the cooked onions, red chilli powder, a cup and a half of water and salt to taste.

Cook on medium heat until the eggplants are cooked through and the oil starts to separate from the masala and collect around the edges.

Serve warm with mild jeera rice, pulao or phulka's.

mixed vegetables and beans cracked wheat pulav

2012-05-02T04:49:00.000-07:00

healthy and delicious version of Daliya (cracked wheat or Bulgar wheat) for weight watchers.
simple and easy to make with calorie value of 120 for one bowl serving.

Ingredients:-

1) mixed beans(rajma,white eyed beans, canola bean...we usually get a pack in all the supermarkets)
- 1 cup soaked overnight
2) mixed vegetables ( cabbage ,cauliflower, brinjal. green peas, carrots or anything of ur choice)

3) daliya or Bulgar wheat- 1 cup

4)onion 1 finely diced

5)1 tomato-optional

6)cumin seeds-1 tsp

7)green chilies-2

8)olive oil -1 tsp

9)a pinch of turmeric powder,1 tsp of garam masala powder

METHOD

1)heat a pressure cook add oil ,cumin seed,green chilly and onions
2)add all the beans,vegetables,powdered masala and salt
3)add daliya/bulgar wheat and tomato and stir well.
4)after around 5 mins add 1 cup water and pressure cook till 2-3 whistles.
5)serve with yogurt or raita.

Baked spaghetti with vegetables and eggs

2012-04-28T09:07:00.000-07:00

A very healthy and fulfilling recipe for kids and us too ! just requires assembling all the ingredients and popping in the oven...Here you go:)

1)fresh vegetables ( I have used broccoli,carrot,capsicum ,onion, green bean)
2) 3-4 tomatoes chopped or 1/2 can of chopped tomatoes.
3) spaghetti
4) oregano-1 tsp
5) salt and pepper
6) Grated Parmesan cheese
7) 2 eggs
8)2 tbsp butter

Method

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook tomatoes and onion over medium heat until it has consistency of a sauce add oregano salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, whisk 1 egg, Parmesan cheese and butter. Drain spaghetti; add to egg mixture and toss to coat.
Place all the vegetables in first layer,2nd layer of the spaghetti mixture in a greased baking dish. Top with the tomato mixture break the second egg on the top and sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10 mins.
Serve hot!

navratan korma

2012-04-26T11:12:00.000-07:00

A decadent Mughlai dish with 9 varieties of vegetables,nut,paneer,creamy sauce all of which come together to whip up a beautiful delicacy.its origin from a royal era gives it a very rich and slightly sweet taste. This is an absolutely delicious recipe and for all those who are not so fond of spicy Indian food, this should be a perfect veg recipe.

Ingredients:

Diced Vegetables - 3 cups [ I used carrot, beans, cauliflower, peas, corn, capsicum,cabbage,Courgette]
Paneer - 1/4 cup or few cubes.
Cashew & Raisins - 1/4 cup or 15 each
Onion - 2 large
Tomato - 2 lage or 1/2 can chopped tomato
Green Chili - 2
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 2 tsp
pouring cream/sour cream-1 cup
Butter - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
pineapple chunks and cherry-1/4 cup

Method:

1. Finely chop onion, slit green chili .Soak dry fruits in water for 10 minutes and grind to smooth paste.

2. Chop all the vegetables and keep aside.

3. Add all the vegetables & chilies except corn and peas with little water and microwave for 5 minutes.
~ this makes the cooking process faster and retains the natural color of the vegetables.

4. Meanwhile heat butter in pan add chopped onion and saute until transparent, add ginger-garlic paste, mix well and cook for 1 minute. Add all powder masala and cook for another 1 minute.

5. Add puree tomato, mix well and cook for 6-8 minutes or until butter starts oozing out.

6. Now add all the cream ..i like the taste of sour cream and simmer until a boils comes. Add microwave vegetables and cook in medium heat for 8-10 minutes.

7. Add paneer and cashew, raisins paste and give a good stir cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add salt and cook for 5 minutes until gravy become thick.

8. Add pineapple chunks and fresh cherries or sweetened cherries.

traditional gatte ki sabji(chick peas flour curry)

2012-04-18T09:58:00.000-07:00

A dish from from the royal part of India 'Rajasthan'.Dumplings made of chickpea flour (besan/gram flour) are cooked in a flavorful and tangy yogurt gravy.Not an easy dish for a novice cook but its worth trying once and will prove to be an enhancement for your culinary skill.

very delicious dish with an earthy flavor.

Ingredients

For Gatte

Besan (Chick Pea Flour) - 1 cup
Haldi (Turmeric Powder) - 1/2 tsp
Mirch (Red Chilli) Powder - 1/2 tsp
Ajwain (Carom Seeds) - 1 tsp
Dhaniya (Coriander) Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Dahi (Yogurt) - 1/4 cup
Oil - 1/8 cup

For Gravy

Onion - 1 cup finely chopped
Tomato - 1 cup finely chopped
Ginger - 1 inch piece grated
Garlic - 4 cloves crushed
Dahi (Yogurt) - 1 cup
Dhaniya (Coriander) Powder - 1 tsp
Jeera (Cumin) Powder - 1 tsp
Mirch (Red Chilli) Powder - 1 tsp
Amchur (Mango Powder) - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Rai (Mustard Seeds) - 1 tsp
Jeera (Cumin Seeds) - 1 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 2 tsp

Preparation

For Gatte

Mix all dry masalas in besan
Add oil to the besan and mix
Slowly add dahi and mix it. Remember not to add all together as otherwise besan tends to get sticky. You may not use all the dahi.
Make it into a firm dough (firm enough to roll it into cylinderal shapes
Now, take a small ball of the dough and roll it into 1/2 inch thick cylinderical shape (about 6 inch long or so.
Now take a pot and boil water in it. Take enough water to put all the above made rolled gatte in it.
Now, add the gatte in the boiling water. They should be fully merged in water.
It should take about 10-15 min. Check by inserting a knife in one of the gatte shaped roll and make sure knife comes out clean.
Once all are done, drain the gatte rolls out of water. Do not throw water as we will use it for the gravy.
Cut about 1/2 - 1 inch thick gatte at an angle (based on how big you would like them).

Gravy and Mixing

Add all dry masalas (except salt, add salt at the end as needed) to dahi and mix it well till smooth.
Take a wide pan, add oil
Add rai, jeera and let them splutter
Now, add ginger and garlic and fry for a minute
Add onion and fry till it is translucent
Add tomato and fry till it is all mushy (cover the lid, it will be quicker)
Add the dahi and mix till the gravy starts boiling and separating oil
Now, add the gatte pieces in it, cover and cook for5 more min.
Add saved water (and more) as needed.
The sabzi is ready !!!

strawberry ice-cream shake

2012-04-11T02:11:00.003-07:00

Make yourself a naughty but nice summery treat, justified by lots of fruit!

Tip the hulled strawberries into a food processor with the milk and ice cream Blend until smooth and creamy.Pour into tall glasses, top with sliced strawberries and ice cream of ur choice.

Recipe from a friend Leji Aby.

chilly chicken dry!

2012-04-03T12:17:00.001-07:00

An easy recipe which can be served both as starters as well as main-course.absolutely delicious for all the chicken lovers.

We require very simple ingredients:)

Onions 200 gm
chicken(with bone or boneless) 500 gm
Chilli Powder 25 gm
Chilli sauce 10 gm
Tomato ketchup 10 gm
Soya sauce 5 gm
Orange color 2 gm
Vinegar 10 ml
Salt to taste
cornflour 10 gm
egg 1
Capsicum 50 gm
Coriander leaves 20 gm
Oil required

Procedure:

1.Clean the chicken.Add chilli powder, chilli sauce,soya sauce, vinegar, salt. Keep aside and soak for one hour.

2.take the chicken pieces out of the bowl to remove the excess water and keep it in another bowl.

3.Add egg and cornflour to the chicken and mix well.Shallow fry the chicken pcs and cook in small batches.

4. Slice the onions into thick pcs. Cut the capsicum, remove the seeds and cut it into lengthwise slices.

5. Heat oil, fry onions and capsicum. Add salt and then put the chicken and fry for few minutes.add tomato ketchup,chilly sauce and soya sauce fry till its all the sauces are absorbed.

6. Serve hot, garnished with corainder leaves.

traditional Indian gram dal with spinach and brinjal.

2012-04-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

An Indian-spiced lentil dish. Serve with a pita or rice for a complete meal.

Ingredients:

1 cup chana dal (a yellow lentil), washed.

5 cups water

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

salt to taste

1 bunch spinach chopped.

1 brinjal chopped in cubes

3 cloves garlic chopped

1 onion chopped

1 tomato chopped or 3 tablespoons canned tomato(this one gives very gud colour to the dal)

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon chopped green chili

4 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

cilantro/parsley/coriander leaves to garnish

Preparation:

Cook the dal in the 5 cups of water with turmeric and salt for 30 minutes. Add the spinach and brinjals cook until the spinach and brinjal is tender and mixed with the lentils - about 35-50 minutes.

In a separate pan heat the oil, add the cumin seeds and as they pop add the onions. Brown the onions.

Add the garlic, tomatoes, green chili, coriander, garam masala, red chili powder, stir 2 minutes.

Add the daal and spinach and lemon juice, stir and heat through.

Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with pita or chapati or basmati rice.

Masala french fries.

2012-03-31T08:19:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

5 Large Roasting Potatoes

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to Taste

chilly powder-1tsp

chat masala-1 tsp

Method

Begin with some nice roasting potatoes . While you’re doing that – lets preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Then Peel and Wash the potatoes to prepare for slicing.

Here is my tool a mandoline or just use your knife and be sure to cut the french fries even in size to ensure even cooking.

Once sliced, place the potatoes in a bowl and cover with water.

I like to have the potatoes soak in salted water for about 30 minutes to release some of the starch and allow the fries to crisp up in the oven.

After the 30 minutes elapsed – it is time we dry the potatoes. This is a crucial step. If the potatoes are not completely dry, they will not crisp up as nicely and the moisture will cause them to steam in the oven.

Lets go ahead and lay the potatoes on some parchment paper, season them with salt and pepper and brush some olive oil on the tops of them. Once in the oven, ensure that you turn them periodically to ensure even browning. Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.

sprinkle chilly powder and chat masala.

Here is the final product…. crispy and yummy! Get you favorite dipping sauce out and ENJOY!

Matar paneer Salad

2012-03-30T08:20:00.000-07:00

Watching the whole family tuck into the weekly Sunday lavish meal while you enjoy a salad isn’t an option. With a little forethought and creativity you can enjoy exactly the same meal as everyone else with a fraction of the calories.Last sunday while preparing a regular spicy matar paneer for lunch I found an alternative option for myself ' matar Paneer Salad' ...which tested awesome with whole what pitta bread.

So here the recipe for you.......

1) tofu/Paneer(Dry curd cottage cheese)- 1 cup diced

2)Green peas (defrosted if frozen)- 1 cup

3) corainder or parsley leaves

4)green chillies- finely chopped 1-2

5)extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp

6)lemon/lime juice-1/4 cup

7)salt and pepper

8)Chat masala-optional.

9)Onions-1roughly chopped

10)Garlic-2 cloves finely chopped

How I made it:-

1)Heat few drops of oil in a pan and saute onion and and garlic for 1 min

2)add peas and paneer and fry gently for 1-2 mins.Set aside to cool down.

3)for the vinaigrette -In a mixing bowl add olive oil,lemon juice,coriander leaves,green chilies ,chat masala ,salt and pepper and whisk for 1/2 min.

4)pour the dressing over matar paneer mixture and and mix well.

5)serve with tomatoes and lettuce on side.You can also serve as pitta bread sandwich .

paneer makhni aka paneer butter masala

2012-03-19T06:34:00.001-07:00

Being a north indian this is the most common dish we order at restaurent coz max of time it turns out good...( so why to take risk :) ) .I tried cooking lot of versions of PBM as we used to call it in our good old hostel days.With lil enhancemnts and experiments this time it was unbeatable and as good as any punjabi dhabas in Delhi.Sharing the recipe with you Just try it and enjoy the praising conversations about your cooking over the dining table ...so lets get cooking

ingredients

Paneer/tofu - 1 block, approx. 2 cups of cubes

Onion - 1 medium-sized one, chopped fine

Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Coriander powder - 1 tbsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

cumin powder - tsp

Red chilli powder - 1-2 tsp

chopped tomato can - 1 can if not available 3-4 red tomatoes finely chopped

Tomato sauce/ketchup - almost 1 tbsp

Kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves - 1 generous pinch

Milk - 1/2 cup

Cream - 1 cup

Oil - 3 tbsp

Salt - to taste

sugar - 1 tbsp(to balance the sourness of tomatos)

food colour ( i used red colour to give it a restaurant look)

How I Made It:

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil and fry the onions until golden brown.

3. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.

4. Next, add the dhania, garam masala, chilli powder,cumin powder and some salt. Fry for 30 seconds.

5. To this, add the tomato paste/puree, tomato sauce and kasuri methi. Mix well and add the milk.

6. Lower fire and cook covered for 5 mins.

7. Open lid, add sugar ,1 pinch of color mixed with water,add paneer/tofu and the cream. Mix well and simmer for 3-4 mins.

8. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves if you have any.Enjoy it goes well with anything rice ,roti ,nan, paratha....

Nan-khatai - An Indian cookies

2012-03-18T11:30:00.001-07:00

Nankhatai puts me in flashback and evokes lots of memories in me mainly because,that is probably the closest I came to baking while I was a child.I don’t remember if I enjoyed eating it as much as I enjoyed seeing it baking in our OTG which my father bought for me just because I insisted him alot.I used to shout in happiness when I saw them puff up and break oh-so-gently on top making it the best and perfect nankhatais ever.One day one of my childhood friend Premu told me that how much she liked the nankhatais made by me though ahan!! she never praised me that time :)..So for you my loving Friend Premu I am putting this recipe first time on my blog :).

Ingredients

Maida/Flour - ¾ cup

Cooking soda - 1/8 tsp

Powdered Sugar - ¼ cup

Ghee or unsalted butter - 1/3 cup[generous]

Cardamom and Powdered Nutmeg - ¼ tsp each

Preheat oven to 180C.

Method :-

Cream the sugar and the ghee until well blended.

Sift the flour with the soda. Add this to the sugar-ghee mixture. Add the cardamom and nutmeg powders.

Make a dough and divide into small balls.

Flatten each ball onto a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 180 C.

Allow to cool and store in airtight containers.

A delicious platter of a refreshing lemon and herb marinated chicken roast

2012-03-06T08:14:00.001-08:00

One of the things I love about cooking is that it’s creative – I’m mixing flavours, colours, things
that go well together on a plate. I discovered this recipe by mixing and matching the ingredients
roasted chicken are always dry so a little enhancement in the cooking technique made it supermoist
With its juices inside, and the sweet chilly sauce stir fried rice noodle counteracts that heartily.
Also the lemony aroma in the food and lots of coloured veggy look beautiful together.

I love putting a wet mess of ingredients into an oven and taking out an hour later.
I’ve discovered recently that I can smell when food is ready. I’ve got a nose for Food :).

~Recipe for Refreshing Lemon and Herb Chicken Marinade

This chicken marinade has a very fresh and tasty zing to it. It is a perfect chicken marinade
for those that are adverse to spicy dishes. Also, one of the most recommended chicken marinades
for the summer months.

Ingredients:

2 onion
3 teaspoons of oregano
1 spoon cornflour
3 teaspoons of thyme
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup of lemon juice
1/4 cup of oilve oil
2 whole chicken breasts, split in half

for stuffing

1)grated cheese any type (i have used cheddar)
2)finely chopped onion
3)lemon zest (skin of lemon) 1 tbsp

Method:

Rub the chicken with the cut half of the onion, then discard the onion.
Thoroughly mix the herbs,cornflour and garlic with the lemon juice and olive oil.
slit the chicken breast in such a way that a pocket is formed and stuff it with stuffing mixture
Coat the chicken in the marinade, making sure all areas are covered.
Marinate for at least 4 hours, up to a maximum of 48 hours.
cut a big square from an aluminium foil and place the chicken in the mid of it pour over little marinade
and place an onion ring on the fillet and cover with aluminium foil forming an envelope,The need of doing this is to keep the chicken moist
and full of flavour which otherwise burns away due to high heat of the oven
Bake in the oven at 200 degrees celsius/ 390 degrees fahrenheit for 30-40 mins.

Recipe for the sweet chilly sauce stir fried rice noodle coming soon ....

rice and dal chilla!

2012-03-05T09:13:00.001-08:00

As a kid I always relished my grandma's recipe called as dhuska in Jharkhand state in India.

she prepared it with a batter made up of basmati rice and chana dal soaked overnight and then deep frying them shaped as doughnuts served with tomato chutney.I always prepare them but despite frying I prefer to make chillas out of them on nonstick pain with a dash of olive oil ....(I always take Extra care to cut the calories however possible)...I admit its less gud as hers...but its pleasing to tuck in the same flavors.

Recipes as following:-

Ingredients

1) 2 cups basmati rice and 1 cup chana dal soaked overnight

2)1 onion chopped very fine

3)2-3 spring onions chopped very fine

4)green chilies2- chopped

5)coriander leaves(optional)

6) salt and pepper

Method

1) Grind together the soaked rice and dal into smooth batter with a consistency like dosa batter(add water if needed)

2)Mix in all the ingredients no2 to no6

3) heat a non stick griddle or Pan and add dash of olive oil pour the batter and Spread the mix on pan in circular motion to prepare thin chillas

Cook on both the sides, I like it little crispier