Saturday, July 9, 2011

Doi Ilish / Hilsa

Ingredients: 

1 cup Yoghurt / Doi
 4 piece Ilish fish
 2 tsp Mustard Paste
 1 tsp Ginger & garlic Paste
 4 Green Chillies
 1 tsp kalo jeere
 Turmeric powder
 1 tbsp Mustard Oil
 Salt to taste
1 cup water

Steps:

Clean & pat dry the fish . Marinate with salt and turmeric. Don't fry the fish.
Heat oil in a wok . Add kalo jeere , ginger garlic paste & green chillies & turmeric. Temper.
Add water & salt . When hot add the fish.
In a bowl mix doi & mustard paste.
When the fish is tender add the doi mixture .Cook for 5 mins.
Serve hot with rice.

Ilish / Hilsa Macher Paturi

Ingredients: 

Ilish 6 pieces
Mustard paste 4 tsp
Turmeric Powder
Green chilli paste from 4-5 chillies
Green Chillies slit 4
Banana leaves 6 pieces
Mustard Oil 50 ml
Salt to taste

Steps:

Clean and dry the bananas leaves.
Mix the turmeric powder, green chilli paste, salt with mustard paste in a bowl .Now add mustard oil & mix . Put the fish in paste & marinate.
Brush the leaves with little oil and put the fish marinated with masala in middle.
Wrap each piece of fish with the banana leaf completely and tie with thread.
Put the wrapped fish in a metal tiffin box and put it in boiling water for 15-20 mins or if properly tied can directly put wrapped ilish  in same dish alongwith cooking rice.
In microwave taste will be different . Preheat to 160 degrees. Put the wrapped fish on a tray and bake.for  20 min.
Serve hot with rice.

Ilish / Hilsa Bhaja

Ingredients: 

Ilish cleaned & cut
Salt
Turmeric
Mustard Oil

Steps:

Marinate the fish with salt & turmeric.
Heat oil in a karai.. Put the fish pieces in oil  gently while protecting your hands with all the spluttering.
Fry till light brown on both sides.
Serve with rice or eat simply as snack.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Pui Dana Diye Chingri

Ingredients: 

1 cup pui dana
1/2 cup chingri / shrimps
1 cup sliced potato and pumpkin
2 onions
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
4 green chillies
Turmeric powder
Mustard oil
Salt to taste

Steps:

Clean the fish and marinate with turmeric and salt.
Heat mustard oil in a karai and fry the shrimps . Keep Aside.
Fry the onions , add ginger garlic paste , green chillies .
Add the potato and pumpkin with salt and turmeric.
Add pui seeds & 1/2 cup water.
Cook till  the vegetables sofen little and water dries up.
Now add the fried shrimp and cook for another few minutes.
Serve with hot rice.

Pui Chingri

Ingredients: 

500 gm pui saag chopped with steps
10 chingi/shrimps
4-5 green chillies slit
1/2 tsp paanch phoron
1 tbsp mustard paste
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder
Mustard oil

Steps:

Clean the fish and marinate with salt and turmeric.
Heat oil in a karai .and fry the shrimps. Keep Aside.
Now temper the paanch phoron , chillies,mustard paste & turmeric.
Add the chopped leaves. Saute .Till the water dries up.
Add the fries shrimps and cook for few more minutes on medium heat.
Serve with hot rice.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Modur Pulao

Ingredients: 

Rice Basmati 250 gms 
Milk 4 cups
Sugar 1 cups
Saffron  2 gm 
Ghee 2 tbsp
Almonds  1/2 cup
Cashew nuts  1/4 cup 
Raisins 50 g
Coconut grated 1/4 cup
Cinnamon 23 
Cardamom 3 
Bay leaves (tej patta) 2
Cloves 4

Steps:

1. Heat the milk in a heavy-bottomed pot.
2. Add rice  and cook on low heat till the milk begins to get absorbed.
3. Remove from heat, keeping the rice a little under done.
4. Transfer the rice to a large flat dish.
5. Add the sugar and mix well gently.
6. Soak the saffron in 1/4 cup hot water for 5 minutes.
7. Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot.
8. Lightly fry the dry fruits, coconut, cinnamon sticks, green cardamom, black peppercorns, and bay leaves.
9. Add the rice and saffron water. Stir well, gently.
10. Put a flat pan / griddle under the pot and cook covered, on low heat till a pleasant aroma emanates and the rice is done 

Friday, July 1, 2011

Gur Chawal

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cup rice
1/2 cup Jaggery
1tbsp oil
3 cups water
4 small cardamoms
4 cloves
few raisins
cashews
1-2  bay leaf
1 tsp cumin seeds

Steps:

Soak the jaggery in a cup of water for about half an hour.
Take rice and half cook with 2 cups water.
Simultaneously fry all other ingredients in hot oil.
Now open lid and add jaggery water.
Also add all the fried ingredients.
Cover the lid and let the rice cook fully which will be in 5-7 mins.
Turn off the flame and open lid after more 3-4 mins.
Serve.

Mango Rice / Maamidikaya pulihora

Ingredients: 

Rice 1 cup
Raw Mango 1 cup grated
Cashews few
 Peanuts few
Chana dal 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Slit green chillies 4
Curry leaves 5-6
Dried red chillies 2-3
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Asafetida pinch
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

Steps:

Cook rice so that all grains are separate.
 Heat oil in a karai .
Add the dals , nuts, curry leaves. red chillies , mustard seeds, cumin seeds , green chillies.
Add asafoetida and turmeric.
Add grated mangoes , cook for just 2 mins.
Add salt and rice and mix well.
Serve
 

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Taler Bora

Ingredients:


Tal sap from 5 kernels
Sugar  2 cups
maida  2 cups
Grated coconut 2 cups
Suji 2 cups
Bananas half dozen mashed
Oil for deep frying



Steps:


Separate kernels from the fruit (Remove top portion of fruit & tear out the fibrous portion , kernels will come out)
Pour some water on kernel , rub it on some sieve or grater to squash out juice which will be thick consistency.
To this now add all above ingredients. Mixture should be of dropping consistency.
Heat oil in a pan 
Take a small amount of mixture and drop in oil in form of ball. Similarly add more balls.
Fry till golden brown .
Serve.

Curd Rice


Ingredients :
1 cup boiled Rice
2 cups Yogurt (Curd)
2 tblsp Oil
Finely chopped Coriander leaves
1-2 Green Chilies
1 tsp Chana dal
1 tsp Urad dal
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped Ginger
2 tblsp desiccated Coconut
1/2 tsp Salt
Method of Preparation :
In a saucepan heat 2 tbsp of oil.
Add mustard seeds to the oil.
When the mustard seeds start popping add chana and urad dal.
After a minute, add in the ginger, coriander and green chilies.
Saute them for a minute.
Add all to yoghurt.
Pour now on the rice and serve
.

Baigan Bharta


Ingredients:


1 eggplant / brinjal
1/2 cup boiled Green peas
1 Onion, finely chopped
1 Tomato, finely chopped
2 Green chilli, finely chopped
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 tbsp Vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Chopped green coriander leaves for garnishing 
Steps:
Roast the brinjal over medium heat.
Once done, hold it under cold running water. Cool it and peel off the blackened skin.
Mash the flesh.
Heat oil in a  karai.
Fry onions over medium heat until light golden brown.
Add green chilli , turmeric powder, garam masala and salt and stir. Add tomatoes and cook until tender.
Add green peas and mashed eggplant. Stir well. Fry for few minutes over medium heat.
Put in a serving dish and garnish with coriander. 

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Parshe Posto

Ingredients: 

Parshe Maach 4
Posto  2 1/2 tsp
kalo jeere 1/2 tsp
Paanch Phoron 1/2 tsp
Green chilli 3-4
Turmeric
Salt as per paste
Mustard Oil

Steps:

Clean the fish .
Marinate  with salt and turmeic for 15 min.
Make paste of posto & green chillies .
Take oil in a karai and fry the fish.
Now in remaining oil fry kalo jeere , paanch phoron
Add green chilli and posto paste . Fry for 1-2 min.Add turmeric.
Add about 1/2 cup water. After its hot add the fried fish gently.
Add more 1 cup water  after few minutes and cover for 5 min to allow gravy to thicken.

Sohan Halwa

Ingredients:

1 cup Milk
1 kg Sugar
1 tsp Kesar
2 litre Water
500 gm Ghee
100 gm Pistachio
250 gm Almonds
50 gm Cardamom
 500 gm Cornflour


Steps:

Heat half of the water, add sugar and boil for 5 minutes.
 Add 1 cup milk and boil for 5 minutes. .
Dissolve the cornflour/maida in a little water. Add the remaining water and sugar syrup.
Dissolve 1 tsp kesar in warm water. Add to the cornflour mixture and cook over low flame.
When cornflour becomes thick , add 1 tbsp ghee. Continue adding Ghee slowly during cooking to prevent it from sticking to the pan. Stir it well.
As Ghee separates from the mixture. Add almonds, pistachio & cardamoms.
Grease a pan or tray with oil. Spread Halwa in it.
Garnish with almonds, pistachio and cardamoms. As it cools down, cut it into pieces and serve.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Calicut Halwa

Ingredients:

Sugar 2 cups
All purpose flour 1 cup
Water 1/2 -1 cup
Cardomem seeds crushed 1 tsp
oil 500 ml

Steps:

Mix the flour with 8 cups of water and leave it covered for a day. Remove the water from top and add new  again and leave it for one more day. Flour will start to ferment by this time. You may keep it refrigerated on the second day to prevent over fermentation.

Remove the water form top and filter out any lumpy portions from the flour paste.
Heat the oil  and keep it aside. Boil the sugar with 1/2 cup of water and add the flour paste and cardamom seeds.
Stir everything together and add the hot oil. Stir continuously on medium/high heat until the halwa separates from oil and starts to sticks together.
Continue stirring for two more minutes and transfer to a greased pan and add the coconut slices. Cool down and cut into desired size
.Oil will separate out and can be reused later. 

Banana Calicut Halwa

Ingredients:

Ripe Banana 1 1/2
Sugar - 2 and 1/2 cups
Water - 1/2 cup
 Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Ghee - 3/4 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
 Cashews for garnish
All purpose flour - 3 tsp

Steps:
 
Pressure-cook the bananas until soft. Remove the outer skin .
Mash the bananas to a paste in a  blender.
Make syrup of sugar by dissolving in 1/2 cup of water. It should be of string consistency. When this consistency is reached add the lemon juice and again allow it to reach the same thick consistency. To this add the mashed bananas.
To thicken the halwa, at this stage add flour dissolved in 1/4 cup water. Keep on stirring the mix to attain a thick mass. Add ghee little by little. When this becomes a thick mass add the cardamom powder.
Mix well and pour into a pan greased with ghee. Decorate with cashews.
 Enjoy when cool.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Tomato Rice

Ingredients:
200 gm rice
1  onion
3  tomatoes
Coriander leaves
Salt

For seasoning:
Curry leaves
1 Tbsp urad daal
Asafetida
4-5 cloves
Cinnamon
Cumin seeds(jeera)
garlic paste 1 tsp
Oil
Mustard seeds

For masala Powder:

1 Tbsp Coriander seeds
½ Tbsp Channa daal
1/2 Tbsp Urad daal
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
2-3 dry red chillies
1 inch cinnamon piece

Steps:

Cook the rice such that it is nice, fluffy and grains are separated. After the rice is cooked spread it out on a big plate to allow it to cool.
Dry roast the ingredients for masala and grind it to a fine powder.
Chop the onion and tomatoes into small pieces and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan fry  jeera, mustard, curry leaves.
After the mustard seeds splutter, add asafetida, then the urad daal and fry until it turns golden brown.
Add the crushed garlic and fry until it turns light brown. Add the cloves and cinnamon.
Now add the chopped onion and sauté until it turns transparent. Add more oil at this time.
Add the tomatoes and salt and continue to mix, until the tomatoes are completely cooked and the water from tomatoes is gone.
Add the masala powder salt,  chillies. After the masala powder has mixed well, add the rice and mix.. Cover the lid and allow to cook for a while.
Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve Hot with  Raita.

Chinese Fried Rice


 2 cups cooked rice
 1 cups chopped vegetables
 1  onion chopped
 1  bell pepper/capsicum (cut in long strips)
 2 Tsp ginger garlic paste
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp tomato ketchup
1 Tbsp vinegar
 3 green chilies
Oil,
Salt to taste

Steps:
 
 Heat oil in a pan.
Add the chopped bell pepper first, salt and sauté until it slightly cooks, but still has that crunch to it. Keep aside.
 Similarly sauté other vegetables and keep aside.
 In the same pan, , put in the ginger garlic paste and cook until brown.
Next add the onions, slit green chillies and sauté until transparent.
 Add the soy sauce and mix well in oil.  Now add the vinegar and ketchup and mix well. Check for taste and adjust any of the sauces.
Add the sautéed vegetables and then the rice and mix well. Finally add the crushed/freshly milled white or black pepper.
 Garnish with chopped coriander .

Lemon Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked rice
1 tsp turmeric
½ cup shredded coconut
½ cup groundnuts
3-4 green chillies chopped
 Juice of a lemon
Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
salt
For Seasoning:
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Channa Dal - 1 tsp
Dry Red Chilli - 3
Peanuts
Oil

Method:
Take a big plate and spread out the rice making sure there are no lumps. Add salt, mix and keep aside.
Take a heavy bottom pan, add oil on medium heat. Add mustard seeds and allow to splutter, next add the cumin seeds, curry leaves, asafetida. Mix well. Now add the peanuts, green chillies, both the daals and roast until the peanuts get crunchy.
Add the rice, turmeric and mix thoroughly. Cover the lid and let it cook for a while.
Finally add the coconut, chopped coriander leaves and juice of a lemon. Mix well. Serve hot.

Pudina / Mint Rice

Ingredients:
 
200gm Basmati rice
1 cup mint leaves 1 small onion
1 cup veggies  (carrot/beans/peas)
6-8 cloves (slightly crushed)
1  cinnamon (slightly crushed)
2 Bay leaves
Jeera/ cumin seeds
Oil
Salt
¼ cup shredded coconut
3-4 green chillies
2 garlic pods
Ginger
1 tsp fennel seeds
Handful of coriander leaves

Steps:
Wash and soak the rice in water for 20 minutes.
Cut the onions into fine piece and keep aside. Chop the vegetables into small pieces. Chop the mint  as well.
Make a paste of coconut,chillies,ginger,garlic&coriander leaves.
 Fry the jeera, bay leaves, then add cinnamon, and cloves and stir well.
Add the chopped onion and stir until it softens a bit, now add the other vegetables and chopped mint.
Stir until the mint cooks a bit and emits its aroma. There is no need to wait until the vegetables are cooked.
Add the ground masala paste and mix until the raw taste of coconut, garlic is gone.
Add the raw washed rice,  water.
Add water according to vessel in which cooking , in a pan twice the amount of rice & in pressure cooker 1 1/4 .
Close lid when starts boiling. Decrease the flame . Take off after 10-12 mins .Open lid after more 5 mins.
  Mix well before serving. Serve hot with  raita.

Aamras


1 kg  sucking mangoes
1 cup milk (optional)
approx 1 cup of granulated sugar

Wash the mangoes and press gently all over the skin to soften it a get the juices out.. Into a bowl, press out the  pulp / juice of the mango. Working with your hands and squeezing gently. Repeat with all the mangoes.  Once all the mangoes have been pulped, push the pulp through a soup strainer, stirring with a spoon .Add the sugar and milk and stir well. Taste and adjust the amount of sugar according to the tartness of the pulp. Chill for a couple of hours. Serve with  puri. 

Bharwan Bhindi

Ingredients:


Okra / Bhindi / Lady Finger
2 tsp Red chilly Powder
2 tsp Coriander Powder
2 tsp Amchur Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Besan
2 tsp oil
Salt to taste

Steps:

Wash the okra and pat dry. Cut the edges on both sides and make a vertical slit. Keep this aside.
Put all the spices mentioned above in a bowl. Add little besan and a little oil to bind the masalas together and mix well.
Stuff the  bhindi with this mixture. Keep the remaining mixture aside.
Heat oil in a pan and saute the bhindi. Carefully place the bhindi side by side and shallow fry those on high heat for few seconds, give the pan a shake or so, so that the bhindi do not stick to the bottom of pan. If needed, toss the bhindi carefully with a spatula, taking care not to break or mush these.. Do not put any water. Once the bhindi is cooked, add remaining mixture and salt to the sauteed bhindi. The bhindi should be crisp,
Serve  with hot Chapatis.

Bread Upma

Ingredients:

4-5 cups bread cut in to small pieces
 1/2 cup onions (optional)
  3-4 green chilies
 6-7 curry leaves
  1/2 tea spn each mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal
 1 tea spn sugar 
 2 tsp tomato sauce
Oil
Salt

Method:
Heat oil and add mustard, cumin seeds, urad dal. When they start popping add curry leaves and chillies. Add onions and fry till they turn brownish. Add bread pieces and mix well. Add sugar,and salt and sauce. Mix well.Sprinkle 1 tsp water  with fingers.Bread upma is ready.

Mysore Pak


Ingredients:

Besan  1 cup
Sugar 1 1/2 cups
Ghee 2 cups
Water 1  cups

Steps:

Fry the besan in ghee
Dissolve the sugar in the water and heat it.
Keep stirring till you get a thread consistency.
Slowly add besan to it taking care that no lumps form..
Reduce the heat and add 2 teaspoons of ghee.
Stir, till the flour and ghee has completely blended with the syrup. 
Add ghee till mixture starts leaving edges and becomes little thick.
At this point, transfer the mixture into a greased plate 
Press it with spatula and tilt the plate little so exta ghee drains out.
Allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Then, cut it into desired shape .

Suji / Rawa Ladoo

Ingredients:

Sooji 1 cup
 Powdered Sugar 1 cup
Cashew nuts chopped finely
 Raisins
 Almonds chopped
 Ghee
 Milk as needed

Steps: 

 Pour 2 tbsps of ghee in a pan and  heat for few secs.
 Add cut cashews, raisens and cut badam and stir until they turn into light brown colour.
 Add the  Sooji  to the  ghee of the pan and stir it for just couple of mins.
 Now add Sugar to the rava and stir for another 3-4 min
 Now start making the rava into medium sized balls by adding small amounts of milk and ghee (just sufficient to make balls)

Aloo Tikki

Ingredient:

Potatoes 3-4
Green chillies, 3 chopped
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Salt to taste
Asafoedita 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder  1 tsp
Oil

Steps:

Wash, boil the potatoes, peel and mash . Add green chillies, coriander leaves, salt, asafoedita and red chilli powder to the mashed potatoes and mix well.
 Divide into ten  portions. Shape them into round tikkis.
Heat a tawa and shallow fry the tikkis on both sides with ghee till golden brown..
Serve each with with 2tsp green chutney ,  2 tsp tamarind chutney ,2 tsp dahi, 2 tsp chola ,onion circles sliced , pomegranate seeds and sprinkle chaat masala.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Tel Koi

Ingredients :
12 Koi fish 
1/2cup Mustard oil

1/2tsp Kalo jeere
1 tsp Mustard paste
3 Ground large onions
1tsp Garlic paste
1tbs Ginger paste
 1tsp Turmeric powder
1/2tsp Chilli powder
 4  green chillies
1tsp Sugar
Salt to taste

Steps:

Remove the scales & clean the fish very properly . Marinate with salt and turmeric.
Heat mustard oil in a karai and add the fish & fry lightly. (don't fry too deep)
Take the fried fish out  of oil and put heat to medium.
Add kalo jeere , then mustard paste , onion garlic paste ,  red chilli powder , pinch of haldi and fry properly.
Add salt and sugar to taste , add water and the fried fish gently , keep the heat medium.
When it boils put slit green chillies and cook till it gravy becomes thick.


.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Dhokla

Ingredients
Besan 1/2 cup
Suji  1 1/2 cup
plain yogurt( should be a little sour) - 1/2 cup
soda bicarb  1 tsp/ eno 1/2 sachet
green chili paste  1 tsp
sugar 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder  ½ tsp
salt to taste
lemon

For Seasoning

coriander chopped - 2 tbsp.
oil - 1 tbsp
mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Curry leaves ( optional) -8-10

Steps

Put gram flour and suji in a large bowl. Mix in yogurt, water and beat to a smooth paste. Leave aside to ferment for 4-5 hours.
Add chili paste salt to the batter.
Heat the steamer or pressure cooker with about 1 ½ cups water for steaming the dhokla.
Add the soda bi carb /eno to the flour mixture  and mix well. Pour immedietly into flat greased vessel or a thali or a cake tin.
Steam for about 15 minutes.Let cool for a few minutes.
Cut into squares.

Make a syrup after adding 2 tbsp sugar in 200 ml of water and a lemon. Put the dhokla in syrup for a minute then drain. 
Make seasoning
Heat oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds
When they stop spluttering, add curry leaves.
Pour over dhokla squares. Sprinkle chopped coriander.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Kawoi machere tilor anjaa / Til diye koi mach

Ingredients:

Kawoi Mach 6 pieces
Til 3 tbsp roasted &made into smooth paste
Onion 1 finely chopped
Ginger & Garlic paste 1 tsp
Oil for frying
Turmeric 
Salt to taste
Dry Red Chillies 2
Water 100 ml 


Steps:


Marinate fish with salt and turmeric for few minutes and half fry.Keep Aside.
Add dry chilli to the oil followed by chopped onion,ginger&garlic paste.
Add  the til paste and salt & turmeric..
Cook for sometime and add  water and allow to boil.
Add the fried fish and cook till the gravy becomes thick.

Serve hot with  rice. 

 

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Jhal Muri

Ingredients:
2 cups crisp puffed rice
1/2 cup chanachur / namkeen
1 medium onion finely chopped
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
1/4 cup diced cucumber
1 tsp mustard oil or oil from pickle
2 green chillies chopped preferably pickled
1 tsp chaat masala (optional)

Steps:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl  and enjoy while still crisp.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Dahi Chutney


Ingredients:

250 gms thick yogurt (dahi), beaten
1 1/2 cup coriander leaves
5 green chilies
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp roasted cumin seeds, powdered
1 tsp garlic paste
black pepper

Steps:

Add salt, cumin powder and garlic to yogurt. Mix .
Add coriander leaves and green chilies ,few black peppers.to the yogurt and blend till its smooth.
The chutney tastes good if the yogurt is little sour. 

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Imarti


Ingredients:

Urad dal - 2 cups
Sugar - 3 cups
Water - 300 ml
Saffron - 2 or 3 twigs
Cardamom - 0.5 teaspoon, ground
Ghee or butter - 500 gm

Steps:

Soak urad dal overnight in plenty of water.
Wash and drain.
Grind to fine thick batter.
Add water in little amounts, add saffron colour and mix well.
Keep aside for 3 hours.
Prepare syrup with sugar and water to string consistency.
Add cardomom powder to syrup.
Heat butter or ghee in a frying pan.
Using either an imarti bottle or fine cloth  form imartis in the hot ghee.
Fry on low flame and allow the imartis to crisp turning once.
Remove from ghee, drain the extra fat and dip in hot syrup.
Soak for 3-4 minutes, drain and serve hot.

Tetul / Imli / Tamarind Chatni

Ingredients :

250 gm Tamarind
2 tsbp coarsely chopped Fresh ginger
2 tbsp Mustard oil
3 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Paanch phoron
2 tsp Ground cumin
1/2 tsp Black mustard seeds
A dash of black salt
Salt to taste

Steps:

1.Coarsely chop the tamarind and soak in 1 cup warm water in a non-metallic bowl for 30 minutes.
2.Remove the tamarind seeds and any hard membranes from the pulp.
3.Blend the tamarind with ginger and water to thick paste.
4.Heat oil in a  skillet over medium-low heat, add the black mustard seeds and allow to pop up.
5.Add the paanch phoron and cumin, saute until seeds splutter.
6.Add the tamarind,  salt, black salt and sugar, stir for 2-3 minutes.
7.Remove from heat and allow to cool

Amer Chatni / Mango Chutney

Ingredients

2 red chillies whole
3/4 tsp panch phoron
1 cup sugar/gur
1/2 kg green mangoes
2 tsp oil
Salt to taste

Steps:
Peel and cut the mangoes length wise
Heat up oil in a pan, mix in 1/2 tsp panch phoron and the dry red chillies.
When they start to crackle mix in the mangoes.
Add  water.
Mix in sugar or gur.
Mix in salt when the mangoes are cooked and the syrup is thick.
Roast 1/4 tsp panch phoron on the tawa and grind it to a powder.
When the chutney is cool sprinkle this powder on top.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Keralite Avial

Ingredients:

Drumsticks- 2, cubed
Green beans- chopped
Raw banana- 1,cubed
Peas- about 1/4 cup
Salt- to taste
Thick curd- 1/2 cup
For the paste:
Grated fresh coconut- 6-7tbsp
Green chillies- 2
Jeera or cumin seeds- 1tsp
Turmeric- 1/4tsp
A little water
For the seasoning:
Coconut oil- 1tbsp
Jeera- 1/2tsp
Hing- A big pinch
Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Steps:

Par boil all the vegetables and keep aside.
Grind the coconut, green chillies, turmeric and jeera with a little water to a coarse paste.
Add the ground paste and 1/4 cup of water to the par boiled vegetables and bring the mixture to a boil.
Add salt and curds and simmer for 5 mins.
Heat the coconut oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
Once they sputter add the hing and curry leaves.
Fry till the curry leaves are crisp and add the seasoning to the boiling mixture.
Take off the heat and serve hot with rice.

Sambhar

Ingredients:

Sambar Onion- 3
Potato,gourd,other veggies cut
Toor dal- ½ cup
Turmeric- a pinch
Oil- ¼ tspn
Tamarind-small Lime sized, soaked
Jaggery-1/2 tspn
Salt to taste

For the masala:
Jeera-1/4 Tspn
Fenugreek seeds- A pinch
Cinnamon- 1 inch piece
Channa Dal-1/2 tbspn
Urad dal- ½ tbspn
Coriander Seeds-1 ½ tbspn
Kashmiri red chilli-4
Sesame seeds- 1tspn (optional)

Fresh grated Coconut: 3tbspns

For seasoning:
Oil or ghee- 2tspns
Mustard seeds-1 tspn
Hing- 1 pinch
Curry leaves- 1sprig.

Steps:

Pressure cook toor dal along with turmeric and ¼ tspn of oil for 4 to 5 whistles and keep aside.
Boil the Onion and Potato and keep aside.
For the masala, Heat ½ a tspn of oil in a kadhai and add the jeera, methi and cinnamon and fry for a min.
Then add the channa dal and Urad dal and fry for a min. Add the Coriander seeds and Sesame seeds next and fry till good aroma is emnated. See that the spices are not burnt.
Add the torn red chillies and fry for ½ a min more on a low flame.
Turn off the stove and allow the mixture to cool for some time.
Dry grind the roasted ingredients first. Grind again along with coconut and some water.
Add the ground mixture to the cooked vegetables and then add the cooked dal.
Add the tamarind paste, salt and Jaggery and simmer.
Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. After they sputter add the curry leaves and hing and add the seasoning to the boiling sambar.
Boil the mixture for a few seconds more and turn off the stove. Serve hot with rice.

Kootu

Ingredients:

Poppy seeds- 1tbsp, roasted till fragrant and brown.
Urad dal- 1tbsp
Channa dal- 1/2tbsp
Coriander seeds- 1/2tbsp
Pepper corn- 6-8
Cinnamon- 1” piece
Kashmiri Red chillies- 2
Oil- ½ tsp
Fresh grated Coconut- 3 tbsp
Salt- to taste
Jaggerry- 1/2tsp
For seasoning:
Mustard seeds- 1tsp
Ghee/ oil- 2tsp
Hing- a big pinch
Curry leaves- 1sprig

Steps:
Par boil the vegetables along with the groundnuts and keep aside.
Heat ½ tsp of oil in a pan and add the pepper corn and cinnamon and fry for a min.
Add the urad dal and channa dal and fry till brown
Add the coriander seeds and sauté for a min more.
Add the red chillies and fry till they are crisp.
Take off the heat, cool and grind the mixture, along with the roasted poppy seeds to a fine powder.
Add the shredded coconut and water and grind to a smooth paste and keep aside.
In a thick bottomed vessel, mix the boiled vegetables along with the cooked dal.
Add the ground paste and some water and bring the mixture to a boil on a low flame.
Add salt and jaggery and boil for some more time. Take off the heat and keep aside.
For the seasoning, heat 2tsp of ghee in a pan and add the mustard seeds.
Once they pop, add the hing and curry leaves.
Saute till the curry leaves are crisp.
Remove from fire and add the seasoning to the kootu.
Serve hot with rice

Tovve

Ingredients:

Moong/Tur/masoor dal 1 cup
Any vegetable eg Ridge gourd ,carrot cubed and par boiled 1
Coconut- 1 tbsp
Turmeric- 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Sugar- 1 tsp
Juice of 1/2 lime
Coriander to garnish
For the seasoning:
Oil or ghee- 2 tsp
Mustard- 1/2 tsp
Jeera- 1/2 tsp
Hing- A pinch
Green chilli- 1, finely chopped
Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Steps:

Method:
Pressure cook the dal or dals along with turmeric and 1/4tsp of oil for 5-6 whistles or till done and keep it aside.
Add the cooked vegetable and some water to the dal and bring the miture to a boil on a low flame.
Add the salt, sugar and coconut and boil for 1 more min and take off the heat.
For the seasoning, heat oil or ghee in a pan and add the mustard seeds
Once they pop, add the jeera and rey till they turn brown
Add the hing and the curry leaves and green chillies and fry for a min
Add the seasoning mixture to the dal and mix.
Garnish with lime juice and coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chapatis.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Chocolate Burfi

Ingredients:

Rava or semolina - 1/2 cup.
Coco powder - 1/2 cup.
Sugar - 1/2 cup.
Butter - 1/4 cup.
Milk - 1 cup.
Cashew-nuts - 2 tbsp.

Steps:

Heat 1 tsp if butter n stir fry cashew-nuts till golden brown.
Add in add semolina n stir fry till golden brown n set aside.
In an other pan bring milk 2 boil and add semolina mixture.
Dissolve choco powder in milk and bring to boil.
Mix in semolina mixture, sugar. Add chopped nuts.
Now add in rest of the butter.
Pour it in a greased pan , let it cool and cut into pieces.
Garnish the burfies with chopped cashew-nuts

Chital Macher Kalia

Ingredients

Chital Fish
1 Tsp Turmeric powder
3 Tbsp Red Chili Powder
1 Tsp Sugar
3 Bay Leaves
2 Pods (chopped) Garlic
4 Sliced Green Chili
1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
2 Tbsp Yogurt
To Taste Salt
1 Large chopped Onion
0.5 Inch piece Ginger
1 Tsp Coriander Seeds
2 Tsp Cumin Seed Powder
12 Whole Whole Red Chili
0.5 Cup Cooking Oil

Steps:

1. Take and clean the fish. Cut into 3/4 inch steaks. Rub one tea spoon each of salt and turmeric powder all over the pieces.

2. Grind to a fine paste coriander & cumin seeds, red chili and ginger adding little water in an electric grinder.

3. Heat 1/2 cup oil and fry the fish pieces. Ensure that the oil is very hot before adding fish other wise fish pieces can stick. Turn each piece and fry till brown. Remove the fish pieces.

4. In the same oil add cumin seeds and bay leaf and when splutters add finely chopped onion and garlic and fry to light brown. Add the ground spices, green chili and cook for three minutes. Add two table-spoon of yogurt/curd and fry till starts to stick to the pan. Stir occasionally.

5. Add the fish pieces and turn over. Add three cups of water and bring to boil. Add salt and sugar and check for seasoning. Reduce heat and simmer for at least ten minutes till gravy becomes thick

Chital Macher Muitha

Ingredients:

Muitha/Dumplings:
Chital Minced
1 tbsp Ginger Paste
1 tbsp Garlic Paste
1 tbsp Green Chilli Paste
1 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
Salt
Gravy:
1 Onion Paste
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1/2 Tomato, chopped
1 Potato, Cubed
1 Bay Leaf
2-3 Cloves
1 Cinnamon Stick
2 Green Cardamom
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder


To make the Muitha (Dumplings) mix the minced fish with the Ginger Garlic Paste, Chilli Paste, Cumin Powder and Salt. I know some people use boiled potato or corn flour but I prefer just not to use any binding agent. In a pan, boil some water, now wet your hands and take a small portion of the mixture, give it a round shape. Drop the balls in the hot boiling water and wait till the color changes, take the balls out after 2-3 minutes.
Using a paper towel or napkin, drain the excess water and shallow fry the Dumplings in a pan.
For the gravy, heat oil in a pan, fry the Potato cubes and keep aside. Heat oil in the same pan add the Cloves, Cinnamon, Cardamom and Bay Leaf, leave for a minute and then add the Onion, Ginger Garlic paste, stir fry till the paste becomes brown in color. Add the chopped Tomato or Tomato Puree, Salt, Green Chilli Paste and cook till you can see oil separating out. Pour 2 cups of water, the fried Dumplings, fried Potatoes, cover and give the gravy a boil.
Garnish with Garam Masala Powder and serve with Plain Rice.

Sabudana Kheer

Ingredients:

1/4 cup small sized tapioca pearls/sabudana
3 cups whole milk
scant 1/2 cup sugar
a pinch of saffron
4-5 small green cardamoms seeds ground
5 tablespoons slivered almonds
chopped pistachio for garnish


Steps:

Crush the cardamom seeds and the saffron to a powder with a mortar and pestle.
Roast the nuts very lightly.

Wash the tapioca pearls; soak the pearls for about 5-8 minutes and drain them. Set it aside and let it sit for about 60 minutes. They will plump a little.

In a thick bottomed pot, bring the milk to a slow boil at low to medium heat. Keep stirring the milk to prevent it from sticking at the bottom of the pot and scorching. Add the ground cardamom and saffron to the milk.

Simmer the milk for about 15 minutes while constantly stirring. Add the toasted nuts and tapioca pearls to the pot and cook with the milk till they plump and softens. This should not take longer than 5 minutes. They will get bigger, swollen and kind of translucent. Press a pearl between your fingers; the center should be cooked too. Now add the sugar and the slivered almonds. Simmer, while stirring till the sugar is dissolved. Switch off the heat and cool.

Chill the pudding till ready to serve.
Garnish with nuts and serve chilled.

Tomato Chutney

Ingredients:

250 gms tomatoes cut in four,
1/4 tsp of ginger cut into strips,
1/4 tsp red chilli powder or chopped green chill.
1 tbsp raisins, soaked and cleaned in water
pinch of panch phoron,
1 ts mustard oil,
salt and sugar to taste

Steps:

Heat mustard oil in a pan. Add panch phoron to hot oil and fry till spluttering stops. Add chopped tomatoes. Stir well. Add salt, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Remove cover. Add ginger strips, chopped chilli and raisins. Add 2-3 tbsp sugar and a cup of water. Continue simmering until tomato chutney thickens and is cooked. Serve cold.

Aam Kasundi

Ingredients:

Green mangoes-1 kg,
Coarse Salt-250 gms,
Ginger paste-50 gms.
Red chilli powder-25 gms,
Mustard powder-150gms,
Ripe tamarind (seedless)- 50gms,
Mustard oil- 250gms,
Salt to taste.

Steps:

Peel and remove the seeds of the mangoes and cut into equal pieces.
Mix in the coarse salt. Use ordinary sea salt . Place in a wooden or a porcelain bowl and leave in the sun for a couple of days until the mango pieces are quite soft. Lightly squeeze and drain the excess liquid accumulated in the bowl. Now add to the mangoes all the spices, the ripe tamarind and salt. Mix thoroughly. In a large aluminum pan heat the oil until a blue haze appears. Add the spiced mango pieces. Stir and mix thoroughly with the oil and remove from fire. Allow to cool and then pour into an airtight glass or earthenware jar. Will keep for 2 months.

Topa kooler / Plum Chutney

Ingredients:
Indian Plum (topa kool):250g ,
Mustard Oil:1tsp,
Whole red chillies: 2-3
A pinch of mustard seed,
Sugar: 2-3tbsp,
Water: 3 cups,
Salt to taste

Steps:

Wash and remove stems from the plum.
Heat oil in the pan. Add whole red chillies and mustard seeds.
When spluttering stops, add plum and a cup of water.
Stir and cook about 5 minutes adding salt to taste. Add water and sugar. Simmer for about 15 minutes, then remove from fire. Cool and serve

Peper Chechki

Ingredients:

1/2 a coconut grated
Grate one medium sized papaya
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp cumin seeds.
two green chillies

Steps:

Heat oil. Add the chillies, ginger and cumin and fry over high heat for one minute.
Add the coconut and fry over medium heat.
Add the papaya.
Stir for a couple of minutes, add a little water and cook over medium heat till all the water dries off.
Fry for about 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring. Salt and sugar to taste

Peper Dalna

Ingredients:

2 large potatoes diced
equal quantity of diced green papayas
2 medium tomatoes, chopped finely.
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 green chillies

Steps:

Fry the potatoes and papayas lightly and set aside.
Heat oil in pan.
Add the cumin seeds, bay leaf.
Next add the green chillies and ginger and fry for about one minute in high heat.
Add tomatoes and stir till a paste is formed.
Add potatoes and green papaya and cook over medium heat with a little water, till tender.
Sugar and salt to taste.

Thor /Banana Stem

Ingredients

Thor (Banana Pith/stem)
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Slit green chillies 2
Mustard paste 1 tsp
Yoghurt 2 tbsp
Salt and sugar to taste

Steps:

Put mustard seeds and the slit green chillies in hot oil so that it sputters.
Put the Thor finely diced in the oil. Stir fry for a few minutes.
Add the mustard paste and the yoghurt along with the salt and sugar.
Cover and cook for a few minutes.

Vegetable Charchari

Ingredients:
Radish
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Pumpkin
Potatoes
Potol
Brinjal
Tomatoes
Mustard paste
Turmeric powder
Salt and sugar to taste.

Steps:

Cut all the vegetables into longish strips.
Put oil in a skillet over medium heat.
When the oil becomes hot, put a teaspoonful of panch-phoron and dried red-chilli.
When the seeds pops up, put all the vegetables. Add some salt and simmer covered.
Stir occasionally.
When the vegetables are half done, add mustard paste and half teaspoonful of turmeric powder and a bit of sugar.
Mix the spices thoroughly with the vegetables and cook till the vegetables are fully cooked.
You may have to add very little water if needed but usually this should not have any gravy.
So keep stirring till all the water dries up.
Serve with rice and daal.

Enchorer Dalna

Ingredients:

1 medium jackfriut (raw)
2 medium potatoes
2 bay leaves
whole cumin seeds
cumin powder, coriander powder, chili powder
garam masala
ghee
cooking oil
salt and sugar to taste

Steps:

Cut the jackfriut and potatoes into small pieces.
Boil the jackfriut pieces in salt water till they become soft (they should not be too soft).
Put oil in a skillet over medium heat.
When the oil becomes hot, put a teaspoonful of whole cumin seeds and bay leaves as phoron.
When the cumin seeds begin to pop, put the potatoes and add salt.
Fry them till they turn golden brown.
Put 2 teaspoonfuls of cumin and coriander powder and a spoonful of chili powder and sugar.
Add the boiled jackfriut pieces now and fry till the spices and the vegetables are cooked properly.
Add water and bring it to boil.
When the gravy attains the desired consistency, add garam masala and ghee for the right flavor.

Panta Bhat

Ingredients:
Left over Rice
Water
Salt
Lemon

Steps:

Soak leftover cooked rice in water overnight at room temperature to ferment. This rice should be ready the next day, soft and mushy.
Squeeze and mash a little.
You can add a small ball of tamarind or squeeze half a lemon and a pinch of salt.`Panta Bhaat’ is now ready to eat

Baati

Ingredients:

250g Wheat flour
1 tbsp semolina
2 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp curd /dahi
Salt to taste

Steps:

Mix the flour, rawa,Salt, curd and ghee
Knead them into stiff dough with warm water
Shape into small balls
Heat a gas tandoor or oven and roast on low heat till the outer cover is brown and crusty
Break open the baati and pour some fresh ghee on the halves
Serve with dal.

Mixed Vegetable Bhujia

Ingredients:

Potatoes-200gm
Cabbage-100gm
Peas-100gm
Tomatoes-100gm
Onion-100gm
Turmeric-1/2tsp
Cumin-1/2 tsp
Ginger-1 inch piece
Garlic -3
Dry mango powder/amchur
Oil-3tbsp

Steps:
Wash and chop vegetables
Heat oil and fry chopped spices
Add vegetables and Salt
Sauté and mix well
Cover the pan with well fitting lid
Cook gently, shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning
Add water if necessary and cook till all vegetables are properly cooked, add mango powder and remove.
Serve with chapatis.

Rajbhog

Ingredients:
200g paneer
1 kg Sugar
2 tsp Cardamom powder
8 Almonds (sliced)
8 Pistachios (chopped)
1 tablespoon refined flour(Maida)


Steps:

Boil 1 kg of sugar with 200ml of water and 1 tsp cardamom and boil to get one-thread consistency syrup
Knead the paneer with maida and make small round balls
Add saffron, almonds, pistachios and cardamom powder together
Divide the filling into five portions and put into the centre of each paneer ball
Roll back into a ball shape and lower into the hot syrup for a couple of minutes and remove
Let it cool before serving

Lobia Ka Salan

Ingredients:
Lobia(white kidney beans) 2 cups
Onion paste-3-4 tsp
Ginger-garlic -1 ½ tsp
Red chilli powder-2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1 tsp
Dhania powder-3 tsp
Tomato puree-4-5 tbsp
Oil-3-4 tbsp
Salt-to taste

Steps:

Soak the lobia overnight in water
Pressure-cook it in pressure cooker till tender but not over cook it
Heat oil in a pan and fry the onion paste till light pink
Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for another few minutes
Add the spices and tomato puree and cook for further 2 minutes
Then mix in boiled lobia and 2 cups of water
Add Salt to taste and bring the curry to a boil
Cook over medium heat for further 5-6 minutes
And serve hot with chapati or rice

Ghugni

Ingredients:

Dry white peas – 1cup
Ginger paste – 1 1/2 tbsp
garlic 4 crushed
green chillies – 4
cinnamon – 1 small stick
cardamom – 2 pods
bay leaf – 1
cumin seeds – 1tsp
onions – 2
tomatoes- 2
tamarind paste – 1tsp
chili powder-1tsp
garam masala powder -2 tsp
coriander leaves – a few cut
coconut scrapings – 2 tbsp
oil – 2 tbsp
salt to taste

Steps:

Soak dry peas overnight. In the morning pressure cook it on slow flame.

for half an hour. Take a heavy bottomed vessel, add oil, splutter cumin seeds, then add cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf fry for a few
seconds.
Then add garlic, ginger, green chillies, fry for a minute and then add onions and fry.
After the onions turn pink add the tomatoes and tamarind paste and saute for a minute.
When the tomatoes turn soft and pulpy add chili powder and garam masala powder and salt.
Also add the cooked dry peas and coconut shreds and simmer for five minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with bread or chappatis.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Tak Dal

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Masoor Daal
1 small raw mango
1 tbsp of oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/4tsp of turmeric powder
1 dried red chilli
salt to taste
1/2 tsp of sugar, just to balance the sourness of mango.

Steps:

Boil the daal with 2 cups of water alongwith 1 tsp salt and the turmeric powder .

Slice the mango lengthwise in finger size pieces . You can keep the seed or throw it away.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds and dried chilli . As they stop spluttering break a few seeds to bring out the flavor.Add the mango pieces.Add a little salt. Cover and cook till the mango pieces get softened.

Add the boiled daal.Let it simmer for 5 mins alongwith the mango pieces. Add the sugar.

Serve with hot rice.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Daal Dhokli

Ingredients :

250 grams tuver daal,
200 grams wheat flour,
3 green chilies
3 tbsp green chili paste
50 grams groundnut
25 grams cashewnut,
1 tbsp Turmeric powder
1 tbsp Mustard seeds,3-4 cloves
2 cinnamon, 2 tomatoes
1 tbsp Tamarind 100 grams brown sugar,
Salt To Taste,
1 tbsp Garam masala,
4-5 tbsp.Oil,
2 tbsp Red chili powder asafetida
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
3-4 tbsp. Ghee.

Steps:

Shift wheat flour. Add salt, turmeric powder, ajvain, red chili powder. Mix well. Add oil and knead the flour to roti like consistency.

Wash tuver dal and pressure cook it for three whistles.

Cool and remove the dal. Heat oil and ghee in a pot, then put cloves and cinnamon and then add mustard leaves.

When they crackle add curry leaves, green chilies and a pinch of asafetida. Pour tuver dal.
Mix tamarind and brown sugar water, cashew nuts, groundnut, garam masala, red chili powder and mix well.

Add tomato pulp, turmeric powder, salt and 2 cups of water. Boil the dal. roll out big rotis and cut them into pieces and add these pieces in boiling dal.

Boil for 10 minutes and remove. Serve the dal dhokli warm. Sprinkle cilantro leaves

Khandvi

Ingredient:

1/2 cup gram flour (besan)
1 cup thin buttermilk
salt to taste
2-3 pinches turmeric powder
1 tbsp. oil
2 tsp. oil
1 tsp. sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tbsp. coconut scraped
1 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
2 pinches asafoetida
2 green chillies finely chopped
1 stalk curry leaves

Steps:

Mix water, flour, salt and turmeric to form a batter.
Heat oil in a heavy pan, add batter. Mix evenly to avoid lump formation. Cook till the mixture does not taste raw, stirring continuously. When done (about 7-8 minutes), pour a ladleful in a large plate. Spread as thin as possible with the back of a large flat spoon. Use circular outward movements as for dosas.
When cool, cut into 2" wide strips. Carefully roll each strip, repeat for all plates. Place in a serving dish.
For seasoning: Sprinkle coconut and coriander all over khandvi rolls. Heat oil in a small pan. Add cumin, asafoetida, curry leaves and chillies. At last at sesame seeds and immediately pour over rolls.
Serve as is or with garlic chutney.

Undhiyu

Ingredients:

4 small brinjals
4 small potatoes
4 big pieces of plantain
8 tondli/ ivy gourd
1/4 cup surti papdi/surti beans/avrekayi
1/4 cup purple yam(ratalu/kand)

For paste:
1/4 cup coriander leaves
4 green chillies
1 tsp jaggery
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp garlic
1/4 cup fresh peas
1/4 cup coconut
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
A pinch turmeric
Salt to taste

For Muthiya:
1/4 cup fenugreek leaves
1/8 cup wheat flour
1/8 cup besan
1 tsp chilli powder
A pinch turmeric
Salt
Oil

Tempering:
Oil
1/2 tsp ajwain
A pinch asafoetida

Steps:

In a bowl, take the muthiya ingredients. Add a little water to make a dough. Make small balls from the dough. Deep fry the balls and keep it aside.
Grind the paste ingredients without adding too much water.
Make deep cross into eggplants, plantains and stuff the paste into them.
String the surati beans. If they are too big, cut them into two. Cut tondli into 4.
Heat oil and add ajwain, asafoetida.
Now slowly add all the vegetables and add remaining paste over the vegetables. Add about 1/4 cup water (oil can also be used)
Cover and cook on a medium flame.
When the vegetables are almost done, add muthiya
Cook for 2-3 mins and take off the heat.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Kofta

Finely Chopped Carrot 4tbsp
Finely Chopped Beans 4tbsp
Finely Chopped Cabbage 4tbsp
Cauliflower Florets 4tbsp
Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves 4tbsp
Boiled Green Peas 4tbsp
Boiled and mashed Potato 2tbsp
Diced Capsicum 2tbsp
Chopped Cashew Nuts 2 tbsp
Chopped Raisins 2 tbsp
Sattu ( Roasted Gram Flour) 2tsp
Chopped Green Chillies 2tsp
Ginger Paste 2tsp
Dry Fried Jeera Powder 1tsp
Garam Masala Powder 1tsp
Salt & Sugar
Ghee 1tsp
Refined Oil
2 tsp Besan

Steps:

In a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients except the oil and 2tsp Besan and mix them well with your hand. Make the Koftas -- big balls say 3 inches diameter . Next roll the koftas in the Besan and then fry them slowly in a high flame in refined oil.
Now make the gravy . Heat the oil and add the chaunk of garama masala and bayleaf followed by ginger paste, red chilly powder, tomato puree, a little beaten curd followed by a paste of poppyseeds and cashew nuts. Saute for a few minutes. Add salt and sugar and then a little water. Place your previously fried koftas on this gravy and bring them to boli for a while. Sprinkle fresh coriander leaves , green chillies and ghee on top. Pour 2 tbsp milk. Serve with roti/ paratha.

Topse Fry

Ingredients:

Topse mach : de-scaled and cleaned thoroughly, marinated with salt and a pinch of turmeric powder and lemon juice.
Green chillies, garlic and ginger (ground together into a coarse paste) required to marinate the fish.
For 4 pieces of fish 4tsp paste is required to marinate .
Gram flour (Besan) : well beaten in a pan with cold water to mke a thin paste adding salt, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, kalojeera and 1tsp kusksus (posto or poppy seeds).
Mustard oil for frying.

Steps:

The fish is marinated with the chilly-garlic-ginger paste for at least 1 hour.
Heat oil in a pan and coat each fish in the batter (previously made from besan) and deep fry till golden brown.
Serve hot with mustard sauce as a snacks.

Doi Begun

Ingredients:

Two medium sized brinjals : cut length wise into 8 pieces.
Fresh curd : 100 gms.
Mustard and green chilly paste : 2tsp.
Salt and sugar to taste.
Mustard oil : 4tsp
Fresh coriander leaves and green chillies : finely chopped.

Steps:

Marinate brinjal with salt. Fry the brinjals in oil on a low flame till soft . Add well beaten curd, mustard paste, salt and sugar into it. Add a little water if necessary. Bring it to boil . Add fresh, finely chopped coriander and slit green chillies on top.

Serve with roti/or rice.

Tangra Fish

Ingredients

Tangra Fish marinated with salt, turmeric powder and a pinch of red chilly powder.
A fine paste made from black mustard and a few dry red chillies.
Mustard oil.
Panch forone.
Finely chopped corriander leaves.
Finely chopped tomatoes.
Green chillies.
Green peas

Steps:

Heat mustard oil and fry the fish till golden brown. Close the lid while frying. Keep aside.
In the remaining oil add panch forone to splatter.
Then add the tomatoes,green chillies and green peas.
Add the mustard paste and saute for 2 minutes.
Add a little water and then add the fried fish.
Close the lid and bring it to boil on a slow flame to ensure complete cooking.
Add 2tbsp Mustard oil and chopped corriander leaves on top.
Serve with hot rice.

Dal Puri

Ingredients:

Flour : 500 gm
Refined Oil
Chana Dal :1cup.
Matar Dal : 1cup
Ginger 2 inches
Red Chilly Powder: 1tsp
Dry fried jeera, dhaniya, mouri and black pepper(coarsely powdered)
Green chillies: 6
Asafoetida (Hing) : a little
Salt and sugar to taste.
Mustard oil : 1tsp

Steps:

Soak the Dal in water for at least 6 hours. Place the soaked dal in a
grinder along with ginger and green chillies and make a fine paste - be careful ! Do not add too much water. Add the Asafoetida (Hing), salt and sugar. Take a pan, grease it with mustard oil and heat it. Now put the dal paste into the heated pan and stir continuously with a spatula in medium heat till the mixture gets dried till the required consistency. Transfer the mixture to a flat metallic plate and pat it down with your palms till it forms a cake about half inch thick. Sprinkle the dry fried masala powder along with red chilly powder. Keep aside and let it stand for 10 minutes. Make small balls from the mashup.

In the meantime, make the dough with flour along with a pinch of Asafoetida (Hing) salt and oil with requisite amount of water to make it very soft. Cover with a wet cloth for one hour. Make balls from the dough for the parathas and stuff each ball with the dal mashup. Roll the balls in your palm, then flatten with a rolling pin to produce the requisite circular shape. Heat the tawa and fry the puris till golden brown.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Dahi Vada

Ingredients:
vadas
Udad dal (Black gram dal) 1 cup
Moong dal (Green gram dal) 1/4 cup
Salt to taste

For the Dahi (yogurt)Dahi (yogurt) 5 cups
Green chillies, chopped 1 tsp
Ginger grated
1/2 tspcurry leaves
Tamarind chutney
2 tsp chaat masala
few pomegranate seeds
1/4 tspAsafoetida pinch
Salt to taste
Sugar 4 tsps (yogurt should taste little sweet)

Method :

For vadas

Soak the two dals for 7-8 hours or overnight.
Grind it to a smooth paste with very little water
Add salt to taste. Heat oil for deep frying in a kadahi and add spoonfuls of dal batter round and fry until the wadas are golden brown.
Drop the hot wads in a bowl of cold water and leave for about 3-4 minutes.
Take each vada out from water, squeeze the water out and set aside.

For making dahi:

Blend the yogurt with little water until it is smooth.
Add sugar, salt, green chillies and ginger.
Make a tarka , asafoetida and curry leaves and add to yogurt.
Keep the yogurt in refrigerator until it is chilled.


Arrange the squeezed vadas in a deep dish. Pour the yogurt on the wadas such that all the vadas are covered well by the yogurt. Sprinle red chiili powder, roasted jeera powder and sweet tamarind chutney.

Moong Dal Halwa

Ingredients:

1 cup Dhuli Moong Daal (split yellow lentils without skin)
1 cup ghee
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
3 pods green cardamom split
1/2 tsp Saffron, soaked in a little milk
1/2 cup khoya
1/2 cup chopped mixed dried fruits

Method:

Wash the moong daal and soak it in plenty of water overnight
Grind the daal into a coarse paste without adding any water while grinding.
Prepare a sugar syrup of 1 thread consistency and add saffron strands and cardamom pods to the syrup. Cover and set aside.
Now, warm the ghee in a heavy-bottomed (can use non-stick) pan on a medium flame.
Add the moong daal paste to this ghee and stir to mix. Cook the moong daal, stirring frequently (almost continously) on a medium flame to avoid sticking at the bottom till it begins to turn golden brown and the aroma eludes.

Now add the khoya and mix well. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Finally add the sugar syrup and mix thoroughly. It gets softer after this.
Cook on a medium flame for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.
Lastly add the dried fruits and switch it off.
Garnish with chopped nuts and serve.

Dabeli


Ingredients:
Buns
1 Onion, chopped 
1/2 Cup fresh cilantro, chopped 
1/2 Cup peanuts, roasted 
2 tsp Fresh garlic chutney 
1/2 Cup fresh pomegranate seeds 
6 tbsp Dates & Tamarind chutney 
Olive oil, for cooking

For Masala:
 
2 Dry Red chili 
1/2" cinnamon sticks 
1 tsp Coriander seeds 
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds 
2 Cloves

For The Filling: 
1 Cup boiled and mashed potatoes / cooking banana
2 Tomatoes, finely chopped
A pinch asafetida powder 
2 tbsp Dates & Tamarind Chutney
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 
2 tbsp Oil 
Salt to taste

Steps: 
Roast the masala ingredients in a pan for about 2 to 3 minutes.

 Grind them to make a fine powder in a  grinder, set aside
 For the filling, heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds to it, until they crackle, then add asafoetida, chopped tomatoes, dabeli masala, salt & let it cook untill tomatoes are fully cooked, then add potatoes & mix well.
 Remove them from the heat, combine dates-tamarind chutney and mix well.
 Fry buns using a little  oil.
 Now put 12 equal portion of the filling on the lower half of each bun.
  
Top it with the chopped onion, cilantro, pomegranate, peanuts, garlic chutney and dates-tamarind chutney. 
Sandwich it with the top halves of the burger buns and serve.

Malai Kofta

Ingredients:

 For kofta 
4 large boiled potatoes
50 gms paneer mashed
50 gms Khoya

1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp garam masala powder
Salt to taste
Oil to deep fry the koftas

For the sauce/gravy:

3 tbsps cooking oil
2 large onions grated
1 tomato pureed
2 tbsps garlic garlic paste
2 tsps coriander powder
2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp garam masala powder
1 cup milk
1 tbsp khoya
1 tbsp fresh curd
Salt to taste
Fresh cream to garnish

Method:

Grate the potatoes(so as there's no lumps and its even thoroughly). Add salt.
Mix all the other ingredients separately for koftas, add salt to taste and make small small balls out of it.
Shape the potato mixture like a bowl and put the paneer mix balls in the center and then roll into perfect rounds.
Heat the oil to fry the koftas, on a medium flame. Deep fry these rounds till light golden brown in colour. Keep aside.
If the potatoes are sticky, and are not manageble, add a bit of cornflour in the mix


For the gravy, first heat the 3 tbsps of oil in a deep pan and add ginger garlic paste to it.
Then fry the onions till it is light brown in color and the oil begins to separate from the onions.
Then first add red chilli powder and then all other dry spices and then immediately add tomato puree to it. Fry till oil separates.
Add khoya ,a bit of salt and curd. Fry .
Then add milk slowly and water to get a desired thick consistency , and cook. Mix well.
Bring the gravy to a boil and then reduce the fire to a simmer.

At the time of serving, place the kofta's in the dish, and pour hot gravy over it. And then garnish each kofta with the whipped cream and cilantro leaves.Serve with hot naan.

Aloo Bonda

Ingredients:

4 large boiled, mashed potatoes
2 to 3 green chilies finely chopped
1 onion chopped finely
2 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped)\
1/2 cup chopped mixed vegetables(carrots,peas,cauliflower etc)
1 2 bay leaves
2 3 cloves
1 cinnamon
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin seeds

2 cup gram flour
1 tsp red chilli powder
3 tbsp rice flour
1/2 tsp baking soda(khane ka soda)
oil for frying
salt to taste

Steps:

Add salt, chili powder,turmeric, garam masala, coriander, and green chilies to the mashed aloo (potatoes) and mix well
Put 1 tsp oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, bay leaves,cloves and cinnamon , allow it to sputter.
Add chopped onions, fry, then add mixed vegetables and cook for a few minutes,then add potato mix. Cook for 2 -3 minutes .
Make small balls of aloo  mixture.

In a bowl take a cup of gram flour,add rice flour, little salt and chilli powder to it.
Add little water bit-by-bit and mixing with hand to make a batter of medium consistency.

Dip each ball in the batter and deep-fry them till golden brown.
Serve  hot with green chutney.

Panchavati dal



Ingredients:
 
1/4 Cup moong dal
1/4 Cup masoor dal (split red lentil)
1/4 Cup tur dal (split pigeon peas)
1/4 Cup urad dal (split black gram )
1/4 Cup chana dal (split chickpea )
2 Onions, finely chopped
3 Tomatoes, finely chopped
1" Ginger piece, minced fine
4 pods garlic, minced
1 tsp Garam masala
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
3/4 tsp red chilli powder
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Some chopped, cilantro/ dhania
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
4 Indian green chillies, slitted
Few curry leaves
Few pinches, Asafoetida

Steps:
 
1.  Mix all of these dals add some water & pressure cook it upto 2 whistles.
2. Heat oil, add mustard seeds and let it splutter, then add cumin seeds, green chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida. 
3. Now add chopped onions, ginger, garlic & tomatoes. Cook a little untill onions are translucent.
4. Add boiled dals, salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala, and bring it to one quick boil.
5. Finally add freshly squeezed lemon juice & cilantro.
Serve with rice or naan..