Monday, December 15, 2014

Prawns Pulao


Ingredients:

1/2 kg small prawns shelled, deveined, washed and kept aside
3 cups of rice (I used India Gate) wash and soak it in water for 1 hour
1 big onion sliced
2 med tomatoes chopped
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
6-7 tbsp oil
3 veg. maggi cubes
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
4 1/2 cups of boiling water


Method

In a hot pan add the oil.... once the oil is hot add the sliced onion, brown it.
Add the tomatoes brown it well, now add the ginger garlic paste brown it  lightly.
Add the turmeric and chilli powder.
Add the prawns and fry it for another minute or 2.
Add the boiling water and the cubes.
Once the water starts boiling add the rice. (make sure to throw the water in which the rice was soaking)
Stir it slowly while its boiling.  Now reduce the flame to minimum .
Cover the pan or pot with foil and cover the lid.
Leave it on sim for 15 minutes,open the lid and give one stir with very light hands. Close the flame and cover it again for another 5 minutes.
Serve and Enjoy

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Sannas (Idlis)


Ingredients :

2 cups of  raw rice (washed and soaked overnight)
1 cup of urad dal (washed and soaked overnight)
Salt as per taste
1/4 cup water (luke warm water)
3/4 tsp instant yeast 

Grind the rice and dal with 11/2 cup of water to a fine paste. Add salt as per taste

Add another cup of water... the batter should  be little thick and pouring consistency.

In small bowl take 1/4 cup of water  put it in the microwave for 15 Seconds (lukewarm). Add the yeast and leave it aside to froth.

Add the yeast to the ground batter, cover  and leave it aside in a warm dark place to ferment ( it will rise within  4 to 5 hours).



Take a steamer, add water to it and put it on gas to boil.

Grease some small aluminium vaatis (bowls) with oil. Pour the batter into it and. place them in the steamer once the water starts boiling. Close the lid and let them  steam for 15 minutes.



Once cooked remove them out and leave it on the counter to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. 

Remove from the vaatis and enjoy them with sambhaar and chutney or chicken roce curry.or pork bafat.

With this same batter you can also make dosas... They are soft, fluffy, crisp at the edges and yummy. 

To make DOSA 

Grease lightly with oil a tefal medium pan. Once the pan is hot pour 1 laddle full of batter. Close the lid and cook on medium flame for  1 minute until its crisp on the sides. Just dunk them in your chai or coffee and enjoy.   



Note : For sweeter version of sannas just add 5 tbsp of sugar and 1/4 cup of  thick coconut milk while grinding the rice and dal. 



Friday, December 05, 2014

Quick Microwave Bread Pudding





Ingredients

7-8 leftover bread slices ( U could also use the leftover buns too) The bread slices in India are smaller...
2 tsp butter at room temperature
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
3 Tbsp sugar (if you want it more sweeter add as per your taste.
few dry fruits chopped ( raisins, walnuts, cashewnuts,almonds whatever you prefer)
2 cardamoms ( remove the seeds and powder it)
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp vanilla essence


Roughly tear the bread slices, add milk and sugar.
Add the beaten eggs, vanilla essence, butter, cardamom and cinnamon powder.
Leave it aside for 5 minutes.
Now add the batter into a pyrex casserole. Sprinkle the chopped dry fruits.
Put the pyrex casserole in the microwave on high speed for 5 minutes.
Voila bread pudding ready to be served...Yes it just took 5 minutes.... YUMMMY.

Note : You could even add chopped chocolate for a gooey chocolatey bread pudding.

A quick dessert when you cant think of anything and craving for something sweet,,,


Wednesday, December 03, 2014

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies


Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
113 gms unsalted butter, softened
100 gms cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons Red Food Color
1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence 
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Place flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix with a rubber spatula and set aside.

Mix butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer. Add sugar to the bowl. Cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar together for about 1 to 2 minutes. 

Add eggs, red food color and vanilla extra and mix well. Add flour-cocoa mixture in two batches and mix with rubber spatula until incorporated. 

Refrigerate cookie dough for 4 hours.

Heat oven to 180 deg C. Using a 1 1/2 Tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out dough and roll into balls. Roll in powdered sugar until it's completely covered. 

Bake on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper for about 10 to 12 minutes. 

Pull parchment paper from baking sheet with cookies and place on wire cooling racks. 

Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.


Friday, November 28, 2014

Fenugreek flavoured Khampi Fish Curry & Fish Fry

This fish curry recipe originates from Mangalore and was given to Sari by her Mom... the curry is awesome and for fish curry aficionados its a must try.

Ingredients for the curry

4 pcs of fish clean and cut into half.


Masala for grinding :
1 tsp fenugreek seeds dry roasted.
3 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
7 kashmiri dry chillies
6 to 7 black peppercorns
2 small flakes of garlic
Medium lemon size ball of tamarind
1 small onion sliced
6 tbsp dessicated coconut
3 tbsp coconut milk powder

Grind the above to a fine smooth paste with half cup of water.  Add if u need more water. Keep the ground masala aside.

For tempering
1 medium onion sliced
Few curry leaves
3 tbsp oil

Method
In a handi  add oil.  Heat the oil , add the sliced onion and fry till its  lightly browned.  Add the curry leaves and the masala. Fry the masala for 4 to 5 minutes. Add 2 to 3 cups of water as per the thickness of the gravy you prefer. Once the curry starts boilng add salt to taste and 1 tsp vinegar. Add the fish. Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Switch off the flame. 

For the Fish fry

5 to 6 whole fish clean't and scored on the sides
2 tsp red chilly powder
1tsp turmeric powder
1tsp crushed black pepper
5 tsp vinegar
1 tsp salt.

Mix above spices with vinegar and salt. Rub this thick paste on the fish and leave it aside to marinate for 2 to 3 hrs. Shallow fry the fish in medium hot oil till its nice and golden. 
Enjoy your curry and fish fry with white steamed rice.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Ras Malai

How to make Ras Malai in very simple way


Ingredients
135 gms  milk powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg (at room temperature)
1 litre milk
80 gms sugar
Few strands of kesar (saffron) dissolved in 3 tbsp warm water)



Method
In a bowl sift the milk powder,  add the baking powder and one egg. Knead it to a smooth dough.  Make 14 to 15 balls and flatten them lightly with your palms and keep it aside.  In a pan boil the milk,  add the sugar. Now reduce the flame and add the balls in the milk and leave it to simmer for 20 minutes with closed lid.  After 20 minutes put off the flame.  Add the Kesar water. Sprinkle chopped pistachio over it. Serve chilled.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Nihari (Mutton / Lamb Shanks Gravy)


As our daughter had returned back from India for holiday, we made one her favorite dishes. Mutton Nihari! Usually it is easier to buy Nihari from a restaurant as the cooking process is long, however it is very difficult nowadays to get this dish as very few restaurants make it and those who do, have not been able to master this dish and provide it regularly with the same consistency.


In the old days the meat was usually cooked with all its ingredients on slow fire for hours till the fat melts and the meat literally falls off. But nowadays due to our busy lives and to save time, a pressure cooker is ideal to quicken the cooking process. The meat should be pressure cooked just enough as you will need another hour of cooking the meat with the gravy so that the masala blends well with the meat.  We used full lamb shanks but meat with bones can be used, preferably from the leg. Bone marrow gives it that additional kick and makes it a superbly flavoursome gelatinous gravy.

You can use a ready-made/ packaged Nihari masala from the store, which actually makes sense due to the no. of ingredients involved or use the recipe as given below.

For the Nihari masala – Grind the below spices to a fine powder

2 Bay leaves
1 ½ tbsp Fennel seeds
¼ Nutmeg
1 blade of Mace
10 to 12 Black peppercorn
6 to 8 Green cardamom
5 to 6 Cloves
1 ½ tsp Cumin seeds
2 sticks Cinnamon sticks
1 Black cardamom
1 Star anise
7 to 8 Kashmirir red chilies
1 tbsp Roasted chana dal
½ tbsp Poppy seeds

Other Ingredients

1 kg Mutton with bones / Lamb Shanks
6 to 8 tbs Oil / ghee may be substituted
4 medium sized onions – finely chopped
3 tbsp ginger/ garlic paste
1 tbsp red chilli powder
Water as required
Salt as per taste

2 tbs Wheat flour mixed with little water to thicken the gravy
1 tbsp Lemon juice

METHOD

Pressure cook the mutton with enough water and salt (a few full spices can be added for flavour) till the meat gets soft enough and tender. Separate the stock and keep aside.

In another vessel heat the oil and add the onions till nicely brown, add the ginger paste along with the chilli powder and ground Nihari masala. Fry well. Add the mutton stock with some water and let it simmer on slow fire for an hour. Check the taste once done and add salt if required.

Make a mixture of wheat flour with some water and add this to the gravy. Stir well to avoid lumps from forming. Add lemon juice and simmer on slow fire till the gravy is thick and the fat floats on the top.

Garnish with ginger, coriander leaves and green chillies.

Serve hot with your favourite naan or roti. We also had it with rice and it was awesome

Monday, May 26, 2014

Rosemary chicken roast with caramelised onions garlic and chillies

Here is the recipe for succulent rosemary chicken roast with caramelized onions, garlic and chilies.  It's moist and juicy, you will love it.



Ingredients 

Chicken 1.2 kg
4 tsp sweet chilli sauce
2 tsp soya sauce
1/ 2 lemon juice
2 flakes garlic
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
3 finely chopped green chillies
1 tsp dry rosemary herb

Wash the chicken and drain the water for 10 to 15 minutes. Marinate the chicken with all the above ingredients  and  leave it in the fridge overnight. 

Next day remove from the fridge and leave it out for 30 minutes.

Take a deep pan with 2 to 3 tbsp oil. Once the oil is extremely hot add the chicken slowly. The skin will be browned  turn it over and brown the other side on high flame. Now reduce the flame. Add all the leftover  marinade along with another  5/6 tbsp water . sprinkle  1/4th  tsp salt. Add 3 thickly sliced onions, 4 slit green chillies and 1 whole pod of garlic.  separate the garlic flakes but  leave the garlic skin on.

Cover the pan. On very slow flame cook the chicken for 45 minutes until the chicken is cooked and all the water  is absorbed by the onion garlic and its gets golden caramelized colour. 

Serve the chicken with fried potato wedges or creamy mashed potatoes and salad of your choice. A light yummy meal. 
I sliced 2 big potatoes sprinkled it with little salt and shallow

pan fried it in little oil. Turned it over once browned.  Sprinkled some cracked black pepper and browned the other side. Voila the succulent chicken roast is ready to be served with fried potato slices. Yummmmm...

Friday, February 28, 2014

Spicy Lamb or Beef Mince Cutlets



½ kg mince (Mutton/Beef) washed & strained.
1 small onion
3-4 flakes garlic
1 inch ginger
2-3 green chilies (as per taste)
Salt (as per taste)
1 Tbsp  White Vinegar
¼ tsp turmeric powder

Put all the above ingredients in a pot and boil for 10 minutes till all the water gets absorbed.
Cool the mixture and now blend it to a smooth paste along with 2 slices of bread.
Make small patties, Brush them with egg wash then coat it with fine semolina or bread crumbs.
Shallow fry the cutlets and enjoy with mint chutney.
You can make a big quantity and freeze. Directly remove from the freezer and deep fry them in hot oil then reduce the flame  & cook on slow flame…..

Lamb Chops braised in a puree of green Indian herbs .. aka Mutton champ Hariyali

During the weekend we visited our local butcher who showed  us a lovely rack of lamb chops.. It was pink and juicy and we did not hesitate picking it up. Ended up making a great dish of juicy lamb chops...




1 Kg Mutton Chops (nicely washed & strained)
3 big onions thinly sliced
2 med. Tomatoes  finely chopped
4- 5 Tbsp Oil

Masala for grinding:
Grind the be low to a smooth fine paste with enough water.
1 big bunch of coriander leaves (picked  & washed)
1 inch pc of ginger
5 green chilies (add more if you like it spicy or reduce if you want it less spicy)
6-7 flakes of garlic
½ tsp cumin seeds
3 tsp coriander seeds
4-5 black peppercorn
Small ball of tamarind
1 Inch pc of cinnamon
4-5 cloves
1 star anise

Take a pot heat oil add sliced onion and fry till it is golden brown. Now add the tomatoes & fry well.
Add the ground paste and fry well till it starts leaving the oil & sides of the pot.

Add the chops, salt as per taste. Add   1 & 1/2  cups of water  and let the chops cook on slow flame for 30-45 minutes until the meat is tender  & the gravy is thick. (if you want thin gravy add another cup of water) enjoi with green peas pulao or plain rice or Naan.

Would suggest making this dish at least 8 hours in advance to allow the meat to soak up the flavours, however it is equally good if you cant resist the temptation to wait..Enjoy