HEAVEN SENDS US GOOD MEAT AND THE ANGEL SENDS US COOKS!!!


FOOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE MOST PRIMITIVE FORM OF COMFORT.IN ONE WAY OR OTHER IT CONNECTS US.THERE IS NOT A SINGLE FACTOR I SUPPOSE WHICH DOES NOT FIND ITS INTERSECTION WITH FOOD.AND "WE ARE WHAT WE EAT".IN THIS BLOG I HOPE TO SHARE WITH YOU NOT ONLY RECIPES OF MY OWN AND FROM OTHERS BUT ALSO INFORMATION ON OTHER FACETS OF FOOD AND LIFE!!!

Wednesday 31 March 2010

ADVERTISE YOUR BLOG FOR FREE!!!

 DEAR ALL,
 JUST LEAVE A COMMENT OR EMAIL ME IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PROMOTING YOUR BLOG OR SITE AND I WILL FORWARD YOU THE DETAILS.
THANKING YOU,
TAZAIKA

Tuesday 30 March 2010

SOYBEAN PATTIES:FULFILLING PATTIES WITH POTATOES!!!

These protein packed appetizers with soybeans are nutritious as well as tasty enough to tickle your taste-buds.The health benefits of soybeans is known to all,The protein in soybean has all the essential amino acids adequate for human health.They are good source of  carbohydrate, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals like calcium, folic acid and iron.
These patties goes well as a appetizer or make good nourishing Burger with it.Heres the recipe:

Cooking time:20-30mins
Preparation time:15mins
Yields:6-8

Ingredients:
  • Soy granules-1cup
  • Potatoes- 2no(medium size)
  • Bread slices-4
  • Green chill(chopped)- 3-4
  • Coriander leaves/Cilantro(chopped)- 1/2cup
  • Ginger and Garlic paste-1/2tsp
  • Turmeric powder/Haldi- 1/4tsp
  • Red chilli powder- 1/2tsp
  • Lime juice- 1tbsp
  • Mint leaves(chopped)-1/4cup
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil for shallow frying.
Method:
  • Wash and soak the soy granules in water for 15 mins.And after 15 mins the soy granules will swell up.Squeeze out all  the water completely.
Note: 1cup of dry soy granules=2 cups soaked soy granules
  • Boil the potatoes.Cool and mash finely.keep aside.
  • Soak the bread slices in water for few secs about 10secs.And squeeze out all the water.keep aside.
  • Take a  bowl and put all the ingredients soygranules,potatoes,bread slices and all the other spices and herbs.Mix well.
  • Make flattened balls and shallow fry on both sides till nice golden brown.
  • Serve hot.
This goes to MLLA eventMLLA event by Susan

MINT-DIP:MINT LEAVES WITH A TANG OF LEMON!!!

Dips/chutneys-These sweet,sour,hot condiment goes well with anything,with meat dishes,fried fritters,sandwiches or as a side dish  with your daily meals.It can be made in dry form or wet,with textures varying from smooth to coarse.And it can be in cooked or raw form.There are endless number of variations that can be made of this condiment.Coconut chutney,Tomato chutney,Mango chutney,Peanut chutney n so on and on.........
Heres the recipe for the classic Mint-Chutney:

Preparation time:10mins.
Yields: 1cup


Ingredients:
  • Mint leaves-1cup
  • Corriander leaves/Cilantro-1/2cup
  • Garlic- 1clove
  • Green chilli- 1-2 no
  • Lime juice-2tbsp
  • Sugar- 1/2tsp
  • Cumin powder/Zeera powder- 1/4tsp
  • Dried Mango powder/Aamchur powder- 1tsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Water for blending
Method:
  • Wash the mint and cilantro leaves.Drain the water.
  • Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend it to a smooth paste.
  • Add water according to the consistency you want.
  • Serve with your choice of accompaniment.

GREEN MINT DIP SANDWICH-WITH A NICE SPREAD OF MINT DIP N COOL CUCUMBER!!!

Sandwiches-can be had for breakfast to start your day,brunch,lunch,evening-snack or end ur day with,any time in short.Sandwiches are usually made of bread slices with a filling of any kind of meat,vegetables,fruits and various sauces like tomato ketchup,mayonnaise,cheese,yogurt,etc for giving various flavours.Its very filling can be consumed for a complete meal or as a quickie to ward off hunger pangs.The best thing about Sandwiches are they can be made in a jiffy and they taste great!
    These Sandwiches are called 'Çhutney-Sandwiches''-with a nice spread of mint chutney.Heres the recipe:

Preparation time:5-10mins.
Serves-1

Ingredients:
  • Bread slices: 3no
  • Butter/Margarine- 1tsp
  • Mint-Dip- 4tsp
  • Cucumber(sliced)- 1no(small-size)
  • Tomato(thin-slices)- 1no(medium-sized)
Method:
  • Remove the bread corners,if you want.
  • And spread butter on two slices evenly.
  • Then spread the mint-dip on the buttered slices.
  • Arrange the Cucumber slices and tomato slices on one of the buttered slice.Keep this slice on another buttered slice and cover with a plain slice.
  • Cut in to half diagonally.
  • Serve with a nice hot brewing cup of coffee.
  • This goes to Jihva-Breakfast event hosted by Suma and also linked to Mahanandi

Tuesday 23 March 2010

TANDOORI CHICKEN- CHICKEN IN SPICY MARINADE AND GRILLED TO PERFECTION!!!


This grilled Indian dish has Mughlai origins.It has become a major part of Indian fast-food and also forms a part of formal cuisine.A starter,side-dish or a whole-meal give it any name you want.
The word 'Tandoori' comes from the fact that it is baked in a 'Tandoor'- a clay chamber heated it up with live charcoal and used for baking at very high temperatures.The charcoal smoke gives the dish a distinctive flavour.Tandoor is used for cooking and baking Naans,tikkas,tandoori chicken and various breads.
Tandoori chicken-whole chicken marinated in thick yogurt and various spices and then grilled in a Tandoor.Heavenly!!!
Usually one doesnt have a Tandoor at home,one can bake it an oven,this recipe is for all who dont have a Tandoor and an oven,no worries you can still have your Tandoori-Chicken,I have used a pan but the taste is all the same.Try it out and you will never regret it.

Cooking Time: 20-30mins
Preparation time: 15mins
Serves: 2-3persons.

Ingredients:
  • Whole Chicken/Chicken large pieces- 1kg
  • Yogurt- 5tbsp
  • Onions(Thick slices)- 1no(large)  -(optional)
  • Red chilli powder- 1tsp
  • Lime juice- 3tbsp
  • Ginger and Garlic paste-2tsp
  • Black pepper powder- 1tsp
  • Garam masala powder- 1/2tsp
  • Turmeric powder/haldi-1/2tsp
  • Corriander powder/dhanya- 1tsp
  • Cumin powder/Zeera powder- 1tsp
  • Dried Fenugreek leaves/Kasuri methi(crushed)- 1tsp
  • Chat masala powder- 1tsp
  • Gram flour/Besan-1tsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Kewra essence/Rose water-1/4tsp
  • Strawberry Red food color-1/4tsp
  • Oil- 2tbsp
Method:
  • Clean and wash the chicken/chicken pieces.
  • Make deep diagonal cuts.
  • Rub in the lime juice and salt in these cuts.keep aside.
  • Take a muslin cloth and put yogurt  tie the cloth and hang it around 1/2 to 1 hr, with this all the excess water comes out and you get nice and thick yogurt.
  • To the thick yogurt add all the ingredients except the onions and mix well,this is the marinade.
  • Apply the marinade on the chicken nicely and keep the chicken in the fridge for atleast 2-3hrs.


Note:Give atleast 2-3hrs for the meat to marinate.Keeping  the marinade overnight gives a very good taste and meat comes out nice succulent.
  • Heat a pan,lightly laze with oil ,the pan should be so hot that the moment we put the chicken it should immediately seal the juices without letting water ooze out of the chicken.
Note:Whenever one is using a pan to make tikkas or any marianted meat the pan should be very hot,so when we put the meat on the pan the juices are sealed else the entire dish is spoiled.
  • Mix the onion slices with the chicken pieces.Put the chicken or chicken pieces on the pan,the pan should be hot and on medium flame.keep turning the chicken pieces once in a while to avoid burning.It takes about 20-25mins for the chicken to get cooked and get a even reddish-brown color.
  • Serve hot with Naan and mint dip.
This goes to CWS event hosted by Radhika and Priya.

Monday 22 March 2010

TAZAIKA MENU!!!

These roundels serves a great appetizer,the cheese in it gives it a very good soft texture which melts in ur mouth.Read more.......






Pohe (Maharashtrian) is a speciality of Western India particularly, Maharashtra.It is usually had for breakfast or served as a tea-time snack.Read more.....









The word 'Biryani'can make anybody's taste-buds tickle and salivate.This is a very interesting version of it made with Bitter-Gourd.Read more...










CHINESE CUISINE-characterised by the use of garlic,soy sauce,chinese 5-spice powder,sesame oil and monosodium glutamate(Ajinomoto) popularly known as the chinese salt,the recipes are often stir-fried in a wok on high flame.Read more...







This is a chinese gravy served with rice or noodles,very easy to prepare and I have made it with Zero-oil,super healthy,lots of garlic gives it a very distinct taste.Read more...

Cheesy-Roundels-Chicken and Cheese, great combination!!!


These roundels serves a great appetizer,the cheese in it gives it a very good soft texture which melts in ur mouth.For all you spice lovers  make it more spicy according to your taste.These can be sandwiched and made in to a complete meal.Heres the recipe:

Cooking time:30mins
Preparation time:15mins
Yields:20

Ingredients:
  • Chicken boneless-250gms
  • Potatoes- 2no(medium size)
  • Carrots(finely grated)- 1no(medium size)
  • Cheddar Cheese(grated)-100gms
  • Corriander leaves(chopped)- 1/4cup
  • Green-Chilli sauce-3tsp
  • Black pepper powder-1tsp
  • All purpose flour/Maida-3tbsp
  • Milk- 1/2cup
  • Cumin powder/Zeera powder- 1/2tsp
  • Ginger n Garlic paste- 1tsp
  • Whole Cumin/Zeera-1/4tsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil for shallow frying.
Method:
  • Clean and cut the chicken in to small pieces.
  • In a deep pan take the chicken,add ginger n garlic paste and salt to taste,put 1/4cup water.and cook the chicken covered for around 15-20mins,till all the water gets absorbed.
  • Cool and shred the chicken in to small pieces.keep aside
  • Boil the potatoes and when cool mash them finely.keep aside.
  • In a pan heat 2tsp oil add whole cumin saute for 30secs,then add maida and roast for about 4-5mins on a slow flame.
  • Now add carrots,milk and stir  without forming lumps.
  • Now add shredded chicken,potatoes,Black pepper powder,cumin powder,green chilli sauce and salt to taste.
  • Mix well.
  • Now add grated cheese and corriander leaves and cook for another minute.
  • Cool the mixture.
  • Give desired shapes and shallow fry them on a pan.(you can coat them in beaten eggs and then shallow fry them).

  • Serve hot with a dip of ur choice.

Sunday 21 March 2010

Sambar- Spicy-Tangy stew of Vegetables,aromatic spices and lentils!!!


Sambar- It wont be unfair if you call this dish as the king of South Indian cuisine.A staple in South India - is a spicy-tangy stew of vegetables,aromatic spices,lentils,coconut and tamarind to give it the sour taste.It goes well almost with everything plain rice,dosa,Idli.Vada or just have it hot like a soup.Sambar with rice is one of the most common meals in any South-Indian home and also a part of formal cuisine.
The main ingredient of this dish is the 'Sambar powder' and there are zillions of versions,proving its versatility and likeability.And the vegetables used to pepare,each vegetable gives a different flavour or a combination of them.There is the 'Drumstick-Sambar','Turnip-Sambar','Onion-Sambar' and so on.
There are ready made varieties of Sambar-powder available in groceries and super markets which are good to use if you are in a hurry but nothing like the Home-made Sambar powder.So try out and let the aroma fill your home:Heres are the recipes for Sambar and Sambar powder: 

Cooking time:30mins

Preparation time:15mins
Serves-8persons

Ingredients:
  • Toor dal/Pigeon peas- 1cup
  • Onion (sliced)- 1no(medium size)
  • Tomatoes(chopped)- 5no(medium size).
  • Green chilli- 1-2no
  • Ginger n Garlic paste- 1tsp
  • Tamarind - 40gms
  • Jaggery/Sugar- 1tsp
  • Red chilli powder-1/2tsp
  • Turmeric powder- 1/4tsp
  • Corrainder leaves/dhanya- 1bunch
  • Mixed vegetables(of your choice)-drumstick 5-6 small pieces,pumpkin 2-3 small pieces,shallots-2-3no,lady finger-3-4,brinjal -1no,etc......(optional)
  • Sambhar powder- 5tbsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Ghee- 1tsp
  • Oil- 2tbsp
  • Mustard- 1/2tsp
  • Cumin seeds- 1/2tsp
  • Fenugreek seeds-1/4tsp
  • Dry  Whole red chilli- 2no
  • Asfoetida powder- 1/2tsp
  • Curry leaves- 10no
Method:
  • Wash and soak Toor dal  in water for atleast 1 hour. Then pressure cook it with little salt,turmeric powder,tomatoes and put 3 cups water for 4 whistle and simmer it  for 5-10mins.Once when the pressure releases, open and mash it immediately or blend well and keep aside.
  • Soak tamarind in water for about 10 mins.extract pulp and keep aside.
  • Heat the oil  in deep sauce pan and add mustard, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves and asafetida, let them splutter, then add the onion, green chilli,ginger and garlic paste and saute them for about 2-3 mins
  •  Now add red chilli powder,and add the vegetables now add 2 cups water.cook for about 5mins.
  • Now add salt, tamrind pulp, cooked dal( please see the important note below), jaggery/sugar and sambhar powder. Let this come to a boil and add ghee at this stage and add corriander leaves.
  • Let it simmer for around 10-15mins.
  • Seve hot with your choice of accompaniment.
Important note: If you are using readymade Sambar powder then add 1/4 cup of coconut powder or 1 cup thick coconut milk when you are adding cooked dal to the mixture.
Sambar powder:
Ingredients:
  • Corriander seeds/dhanya- 1/2cup
  • Cumin seeds/Zeera- 1/2cup
  • Fenugreek Seeds/Methi seeds- 1/4cup
  • Mustard seeds/Rai dana- 1/4 cup
  • Dry Coconut powder- 1cup
  • Whole red chilli-1/4cup
  • Dried Curry leaves-20
  • Raw rice-1/4cup
  • Black pepper corns- 1/4cup
  • Black gram/urad dal- 1/4cup
  • Red gram dal/Chana dal- 1/4cup
  • Cinnamon/dalchini- 2"piece
  • Cloves/laung-5
  • Turmeric powder/Haldi- 2tbsp
  • Asfoetida powder/Hing- 2tsp
Method:
  • Dry roast all the ingredients on a pan except turmeric and asfoetida,on a medium flame till you get a nice aroma.
  • Cool the mixture.
  • Add turmeric and asfoetida and mix well.
  • Store in a cool place in an air-tight container.
This goes to CWS event hosted by  Radhika and Priya.

Saturday 20 March 2010

Poha-flattened rice with onions and peanuts!!!


Poha-Rice flattened into flat light dry flakes.Poha or Pauwa in Hindi, Pohe in Marathi.Pohe (Maharashtrian) is a speciality of Western India particularly, Maharashtra.It is usually had for breakfast or served as a tea-time snack.Poha serves as a light meal and yet very satisfying.Poha is a good source of carbohydrates that provide energy. It is also high in fibre and rich in protein.There are two kinds of poha:
  1. Thick-poha- is mostly used to make breakfast dishes.
  2. Thin-poha-is usually used to make "chiwda"or other savouries.
Brown-Poha nutritional wise is better than white-poha as the fibre content is higher than white-poha,so it takes more calorie to digest and the fibre content helps in digestion It can be prepared with potatoes called "Batata-poha" or onions called "Kanda-poha".Here's the recipe for "Kanda-poha":
Cooking time: 8-10mins
Preparation time: 10mins
Serves- 2persons.

Ingredients:
  • Poha(thick)-1cup
  • Onion(chopped)- 1(medium-size).
  • Green chillies(chopped)- 3-4no
  • Corriander leaves(chopped)- 2tbsp
  • Turmeric powder/haldi- 1/4tsp 
  • Lemon juice- 1tsp  
  • Sugar- 1/4tsp   
  • Grated Fresh coconut- 1tbsp (optional)
  • Peanuts(roasted)- 1tbsp
  • Whole Cumin seeds- 1/2tsp
  • Curry leaves- 5-6
  • Oil- 1tbsp
  • Salt to taste. 
Method:
  • Put the poha in a sieve and wash under running water for 2 minutes. Keep aside to drain. 
Note:Never keep the poha in water and wash.Always in a sieve else they will become very soft and stick together.
  • Add the salt, sugar, turmeric powder, lemon juice  to the poha and mix well.Keep aside.
  • Heat oil add cumin seeds let it splutter.
  • Add Onion,green chilli,curry leaves and peanuts and fry untill soft.
Note:If you want to put potatoes,Cut 1 medium-sized potato in small-thin cubes and add along with the onions.
  • Add the mixed poha, and stir gently.Sprinkle 2tsp water.
  • Cover and cook on low flame  for 3-4 minutes, stirring in between.
  • Sprinkle coconut and chopped coriander.
  • Serve hot with mint-chutney.

Wednesday 17 March 2010

Sesame Squares-Potato filling on whole wheat bread done with sesame!!!


These delectable squares can be had for breakfast or as a snack anytime,good source of carbohydrates to give a quick boost to the energy level,make in any desired shapes and sizes and the result will be liked by all especially children.Try it out!!!

Cooking time:30mins
Preparation time:10mins
Serves: 2-3persons

Ingredients:
  • Whole wheat bread-4 slices
  • Butter/Margarine-1tsp
  • Potato-2(large size)
  • Carrot(grated)- 1/4cup
  • Tomato ketchup- 1tbsp
  • Green Chillies(chopped)- 2no
  • Lemon juice- 1tsp
  • Corriander leaves(chopped)- 1/4cup
  • Sesame seeds-1tsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil- 1tsp
Cooking Method:
  • Boil potatoes.when cool peel the skin and mash them fine.
  • Dry roast the sesame seeds on medium flame for about 5mins.
  • Add carrot,tomato ketchup,green chillies,lemon juice,salt and  corriander leaves to the mashed potatoes.
  • Take a pan heat oil and put this potato mixture and saute for 5 mins.Keep aside.
  • Butter the slices lightly and cut the bread slice in to four pieces,1 bread slice will yield four squares.
  • Now you can toast these squares on a pan till crisp,I used electric sandwich maker,I put these squares for 10 mins in it,they came out nice crisp.
  • Now put cleanly the potato mixture on these squares and sprinkle sesame seeds on them.
  • Serve with tomato ketchup.

Monday 15 March 2010

Ariselu- Fried indian bread with rice flour and jaggery!!!


Ariselu- a sweet dish of Andhra pradesh made during festivities.The dough made up of Jaggery(Gur),Rice flour and sesame seeds(Til) is rolled out in to small circles and deep fried.You can replace the jaggery with sugar but using jaggery makes it healthier than sugar.Srivalli  is coming up with nice challenges in her ICC event,this goes to the event.Heres the recipe.

Cooking Time:15mins
Preparation Time:15mins.
Yields: 8


Ingredients:
  • Rice Flour - 1 glass (standard measurement)
  • Jaggary - 1/2 glass
  • Coconut grated - 2 tsp
  • Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
  • Water - 1/2 glass
  • Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
  • Oil for deep frying. 
Method:

  • Grate the jaggery and add water just enough to cover them. Cooked on high and remove the scum. Then add the cardamom powder. Once it starts boiling, add the grated coconut. You will see lot of bubbles coming out.
  • At this stage, add the Rice flour slowly and stir it together well. You will know when the consistency is correct, so till then you got to keep adding the flour, but it will use up the entire glass of flour. 
Note:The beauty of this dough is, you can store and use whenever you want. If it becomes too hard, just add about 2 tsp of water along with 2 tsp of sugar. Get it to boil, while you keep stirring it. The mix should become soft again. When you handle it, it should come together as a soft dough. Divide it to equal balls.
  • Heat a kadai with oil to deep fry these. In a greased plastic sheet, pat them down to equal sized discs. Press down the sesame seeds over the top. Once the oil is hot, gently drop these into them. Fry on both sides. Since the sesame seeds are just pressed over the top, they will get into the oil. If you want to avoid this, try adding to the dough.
  • Once they are golden brown, remove and drain them on a kitchen towel.They will be soft when you remove them, will become crunchy once they are cooled.












Mr.Linky's widgets

Friday 12 March 2010

EVENTS!!!

HEALING FOODS-ONIONS HOSTED BY PRIYA DEADLINE 30TH JUNE.

GLOBAL KADAI INDIANISED HOSTED BY PRIYA DEADLINE 30TH JUNE.

COOKING WITH SEEDS-PEPPER HOSTED BY PADMA DEADLINE 30TH JUNE.

YASMEEN HEALTH NUT EVENT  HOSTED BY YASMEEN DEADLINE 3OTH APRIL,2010.

VEGETABLE MARATHON BEANS EVENT HOSTED BY ANITHA DEADLINE 10TH MAY 2010.

HEALTHY INSPIRATIONS EVENT-SALADS HOSTED BY USHA DEADLINE 16TH APRIL 2010.

PANCAKES EVENT HOSTED BY PRIYA,DEADLINE 10TH APRIL 2010.

CWS HOSTED BY RADIKHA,DEADLINE 4TH APRIL 2010.

MLLA EVENT HOSTED BY MANJU,DEADLINE 31ST MARCH 2010.

JIHVA-BREAKFAST MARCH 2010 HOSTED BY SUMA,DEADLINE 31ST MARCH 2010.

FEASTING ON ART RECIPE CONTEST HOSTED BY MEGAN,DEADLINE 27TH MARCH 2010.

EFM PARATHA N GRAVIES HOSTED BY SIRI DEADLINE 20TH MARCH 2010.

KIDS DELIGHT EVENT HOSTED BY SRIVALLI DEADLINE 20TH MARCH 2010.

Wednesday 10 March 2010

Fenugreeky Chicken-Chicken gravy cooked with feugreek,bell peppers and corn...


Being a mother of a growing up child is difficult as far as food is concerned whether they are getting all the nourishment they need.Greens are a less favourite with them and fenugreek leaves a little bitter in taste goes in their list of disliked food.I colored up this chicken curry with bell peppers so it will appeal to children and they will have the green as well.Try it out it will be liked by all!!!
Cooking Time: 20mins
Preparation Time: 15mins
Serves- 4-5persons

Ingredients:

  • Chicken with bones- 500gms
  • Fenugreek leaves/Methi leaves(chopped)- 1bunch
  • Ginger&Garlic paste- 1tsp
  • Yogurt-1cup
  • Onions(sliced)- 1no(large size)
  • Red chilli powder-1tsp
  • Black pepper powder-1/2tsp
  • Corriander powder/Dhanya powder-1tsp
  • Oyster Sauce-1tsp
  • Soya sauce-1tsp
  • Sweet corn-1/4cup
  • Garam masala- 1/2tsp
  • Bell peppers(green,yellow and red-chopped)-1/2cup
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil-1/4cup 
Cooking Directions:

-> Clean and wash the chicken pieces,trimming all the excess fat.

 ->Wash the methi leaves.strain and keep aside.

 -> Heat oil in a deep pan add onions and saute till light brown then add ginger&garlic paste saute for another 30secs.

 Add methi leaves and cook for another minute,now add the chicken pieces and cook for another 5mins.

 -> Add yogurt,red chilli powder,black pepper powder,Corriander powder,corn and salt.add little water and cook covered for 10 mins.

 -> The chicken will be cooked in this time now add oyster sauce,soya sauce,garam masala powder and bell peppers.Cook covered for 2-3 mins.

 -> Serve hot with Naan or Rice.

This goes to Yasmeen's event.

Tuesday 9 March 2010

Bitter-Gourd Biryani!!!



The word 'Biryani'can make anybody's taste-buds tickle and salivate.This is a very interesting version of it made with Bitter-Gourd.'Many'dont like the bitter taste of this vegetable thereby not consuming it and ignoring the health benefits.
Fortunately my Family falls in the 'Few' category and my task becomes all the more easy as I dont have to make an effort to make it like them and I dont put any sour or sweet ingredient in it to cut down the bitterness.
This recipe is for all who fall in the 'Many'category so i have added a little amount of jaggery and dried mango powder to cut the bitterness a little.Once you get used to this vegetable You will all love it to be more bitter.

Give it a try!!!

Cooking Time:20mins
Preparation Time:10mins
Serves: 2-3 persons

Ingredients:

  • Rice- 2 cups
  • Bitter Gourd- 1(large size)
  • Nigella Seeds/kalonji- 1/4tsp
  • Fenugreek Seeds/Methi seeds- 1/4tsp
  • Onions(sliced)- 1
  • Tomatoes(chopped)- 1
  • Yogurt- 1/2cup
  • Dried mango powder/Aamchur powder-1/2tsp
  • Jaggery/Gur- 1tsp
  • Corriander powder/dhanya powder-1/2 tsp
  • Red chili powder-1tsp
  • Ginger&Garlic paste- 1tsp
  • Turmeric powder/haldi- 1/4tsp
  • Mint leaves/Pudina- 10 leaves
  • Whole garam masala-2 cloves/laung,4 peppercorns/kali mirch,2 cardamom/elaichi,1/2 tsp Caraway seeds/shahjeera,2"cinnamon stick,1 bay leay/tej patta
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil-1/4 cup 
Cooking Method:

  • Wash the rice and soak it for 15-20 mins
  • Scrape the skin of Bitter-Gourd,cut in diagonal slices and remove the seeds.
  • Heat oil in a vessel add Nigella and fenugreek seeds,saute for 30 secs and then put the onions,cook till golden brown
  • At this point add the tomatoes and beaten yogurt,Ginger&Garlic paste,turmeric powder,Red chilli powder,Corriander powder,salt.Cook till tomatoes are soft.
  • Add jaggery and dried mango powder.and put the Bitter-Gourd slices.add little water and Cook for 1o mins covered on a slow flame till the mixture is cooked.
  • Meanwhile for 1 cup of rice take 3 cups of water,add salt and whole garam masala and let it boil.Add rice and cook till it is 3/4th done.strain the water and add mint leaves.
  • In a vessel put layer of rice and then the bitter-Gourd mixture and finally rice layer again.Cook on slow flame for 10mins.









  • When about to serve mix the layers lightly and serve with Curd-Raita
This goes to Yasmeen's event.

Besan Parathas-healthy bread with fenugreek!!!


This Indian flat-bread is made up of varieties of flour and cooked on a pan with butter or oil,a very popular dish and is mostly consumed for breakfast to kick start the day.They can be divided in two categories:
  1. Plain Parathas-the flour is just mixed with butter or oil to form a dough and rolled out in to round,square or triangles.In this too one can add vegetables and spices to the dough to make it more interesting.
  2. Stuffed parathas-The dough is flattened and stuffed with any desired vegetarian or non-vegetarian stuffing and then rolled out in to desired shape.
In this recipe I made both the stuffed paratha and plain paratha.Give it a try!!!



Cooking Time-20 mins
Preparation Time-20 mins
Yields-5
Ingredients:

  • Whole Wheat Flour- 1cup
  • Gram flour/Chickpea flour/Besan- 1cup 
  • Fenugreek leaves/Methi leaves(chopped)- 1bunch
  • Corriander Leaves/Dhanya/Kotmir(chopped)- 1/4bunch
  • Onions(chopped)- 1no medium size
  • Green chillies(chopped)-3
  • Red chilli powder- 1tsp
  • Carom seeds/Ajwain seeds- pinch
  • Cumin Seeds/Zeera- 1/4tsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil for pan frying
Cooking Method:

  • Take wheat flour in a bowl,add salt and little by little water to form a firm but soft dough and then add Fenugreek leaves,green chillies and corriander leaves.Knead again.Keep it aside.
  • Take Gram flour in a bowl add onions,red chilli powder,Carom seeds,cumin seeds and salt and little by little water to make a soft dough.
Note:Add little by little water  else the besan dough turns sticky.


Now you can make the parathas in two ways,the stuffed method as well as Roll-in-one method:
  1. In the stuffed method I have used Besan dough as stufing and then rolled them in to parathas.
  2. In the Roll-in-one method I mixed both the doughs and then rolled out.This gives the parathas a nice bi-colored look.

  • Heat a pan smear little oil and the put the paratha.cook for 2 mins and turn.Cook evenly on both sides till nice golden brown.
  • Serve hot with cool Curd.

This goes to Yasmeen's event

Wednesday 3 March 2010

CHICKEN-CASHEW FRIED RICE!!!

Some left-over rice in my fridge gave the birth to this creation of mine,pondering over it for a while on wht to do with it and I came up with this idea and the final result is so deliciously yummy,So the next time theres some rice in ur fridge without a thought give this a try.Heres the recipe.
Cooking Time:30mins
Preparation time:15mins
Serves:4-5




Ingredients:
  • Cooked Rice- 3cups
  • Yogurt- 1/4cup
  • Onions(sliced)- 1
  • Garam masala powder- 1/2tsp
  • Red chilli powder- 1 tsp
  • Ginger n Garlic paste- 1tsp
  • Turmeric powder- 1/4tsp
  • Cashewnuts- 15
  • Chicken with bones- 250gms
  • Cooking oil- 3tbsp
  • Corriander Leaves(chopped)- 1/4cup
  • Mint leaves- 1/4cup
  • Salt to taste


Cooking Directions:
  • Clean the chicken trimming the excess fat.Apply little salt,1/2tsp red chilli powder and 1/2tsp ginger and garlic paste.
  • Take 1 tbsp oil ia pan and fry the cashewnuts till golden brown,remove and keep it aside.
  • Put 1 tbsp oil again in the same pan and fry the chicken pieces till golden brown,remove and keep aside.
  • Add 1tbsp oil in the same pan and put the onions and fry till golden brown,add ginger n garlic paste saute for a minute and then add the yogurt,garam masala powder,red chilli powder,turmeric powder and salt to taste.Cook till mixture well cooked.Now put the rice along with corriander and mint leaves and half of the fried Cashewnuts and the Chicken pieces.
  • Mix well,cover and cook for another 10mins on a very slow flame.
  • Serve hot.garnished with fried Cashewnuts and enjoy with Curd-raita

KHASTA KACHORIS-WITH ONIONS AND BENGAL GRAM FLOUR FILLING!!!

Kachoris- perfect for any evening snack and if its raining what better way to make your evenings best.This is a deep fried spicy snack indulging in it once in a while is a pardonable offence.Kachoris are prepared with refined flour usually with a stuffing of various kinds like lentils,onions and even potatoes with varied spices,In some places like Rajasthan it is served with a potato curry or chick-peas curry.Heres the recipe with onion filling "Piyaz ki Kachori":


Resting Time for the Dough is app 1/2 hr - 1 hr
Frying time for the Kachoris - 20 mins for each batch app.
Cooking Time for the Filling is app 15 mins
Yields - 15
Ingredients:
For Dough:
  • All purpose flour / Maida - 2 cups
  • Oil/ Ghee - 1/4 cup ,
  • Salt - 1/2 tsp
  • Water for kneading 

Method to prepare the dough: 


  • Mix the flour and salt, Add the oil/ghee and mix till you get a bread crumbs texture. 
  • Slowly add water and make a soft dough. Knead well for about 8 minutes. 
  • Cover and keep aside to rest for atleast half hour. 
Special Tips / Notes for the dough:
1.Keep the dough covered at all times, if not it will dry up and not puff up when frying. If the dough is made right wet cloth can be used if not just a towel.
 2.The dough could spring back for many reasons:
  •  Dough is too cold (If wet cloth is used) 
  • Dough is not soft enough.
  • Not kneaded for enough time. 
  • Oil is less. 
  • Not rested enough.
 Ingredients for filling:
  • 2 cups onions, finely chopped 
  • 1 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
  • 2 teaspoons fennel seeds (saunf) 
  • 2 bay leaves 
  • 1½ teaspoons green chillies, finely chopped 
  • 2 tablespoons Bengal gram flour (besan) 
  • 2 teaspoons coriander (dhania) powder 
  • 2 teaspoons chilli powder 
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala 
  • 3 tablespoons chopped coriander 
  • 2 tablespoons oil 
  • salt to taste
Method to make the filling:


  • Heat the oil in a pan. Add the nigella seeds, fennel seeds, bay leaves, green chillies and onions and sauté till the onions turn light brown in colour. 
  • Add the gram flour, coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala and salt and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. 
  • Add the chopped coriander and mix well. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Allow the mixture to cool completely. 
  • Divide into 12 equal portions and keep aside.
To Make Kachori's :


  • Make a small ball from the dough. Roll out into a 2 inch diameter circle. Or flatten the ball using your fingers having the center thick and sides little thin. 
  • Place about 1.5 tsp of the filling in the center of the rolled dough. 
  • Cover the filling with the dough by slowly stretching it over the filling. Seal the ends and remove excess dough. Repeat with all the balls and keep aside for 5 -7 mins. 
  • Then using your palm, flatten the balls by lightly pressing it, as using the rolling pin will make the filling come out. (See notes below). Keep aside covered. Repeat with the remaining dough. 
  • Meanwhile heat some oil for deep frying. The oil should not become smoking hot. Test to see if the temperature is right by dropping a tiny ball of dough and see if it is rising slowly to the top. 
  • Drop the kachoris in batches of 3-4 gently into the oil. It should rise up slowly. If you don't want to use lot of oil, use just enough for two or three at a time and fry them. 
  • After it rises up (about 2 minutes), turn it over. 
  • Cook for about 6 to 10 minutes till the side down gets a golden brown color.
  •  Turn and cook the other side for another 6 minutes or till its golden brown in color.
  •  Remove when done, cool and store in airtight container.
  •  Serve with coriander chutney and tamarind chutney.

Tuesday 2 March 2010

EGG Sandwiches-My Kid's Favourite!!!

Sandwiches-There is never a fixed recipe for it,we can experiment always with the ingredients and the results always good.These sandwiches are  my kid's favourite,its quick and easy and very healthy  and wholesome too.A complete meal in itself.

Cooking Time- 10 minutes
Serves- 1 or 2

INGREDIENTS:

  • Brown bread slices- 4
  • Eggs(Hard boiled)- 2
  • Olives(sliced)- 6
  • Tomato sauce- 2 tsp
  • Butter - 1 tsp
  • Mustard paste- 1tsp
  • Black pepper powder- 1/8 tsp
  • Salt to taste
METHOD:
  • Remove the corners of the bread slices if desired,and butter the slices.
  • Cut the boiled egg  in to thin slices.(I remove the yolk).
  • Take a buttered slice,spread tomato ketchup well and then arrange the egg slices,sprinkle salt and pepper and put mustard paste and olives,finally put another buttered slice on top.Press it lightly.
  • Brown both sides carefully on a hot griddle,you can even grill it in a microwave or an oven.
  • Cut Diagonally in to halves and serve.

Spicy Tahari!!!

This spicy rice main dish is very popular in India.It is cooked with lamb/chicken/beef/vegetables + rice and other spices.Its a form of Biryani,but the cooking procedure is entirely different.Have it for any Sunday lunch or any day and your meals will become more special.Heres the recipe with chicken.

Cooking Time:30-35 mins
Preparation Time:15mins
Serves 4-5



Ingredients:




  • lamb/chicken/beef-500gms
  • Rice- 3 cups
  • Red lentils/Masoor dal-1/4 cup
  • Onions(sliced)- 2
  • Tomatoes(chopped)- 500gms
  • Whole garam masala- 2"cinnamon,8 cardamoms,5 cloves,5 peppercorns,2 bay leaves,1/2 tsp shahjeera.
  • Ginger and garlic paste- 1tbsp
  • Red chilli powder-1 1/2tsp
  • Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
  • Corriander powder-1/2 tsp
  • Green Chillies(slit)- 2-3
  • Corriander leaves(chopped)-1/2 cup
  • Mint leaves(chopped)-1/2 cup
  • Oil-3/4 cup
  • Salt to taste
Cooking Directions:


  • Clean the chicken pieces trimming all the excess fat n cutting in to medium sized pieces.
  • Wash and soak the rice for 30mins.
  • Heat oil in a vessel and put the onions and cook till brown then add the whole garam masala and let it crackle for a minute.
  • Then add the ginger and garlic paste,then add tomatoes and saute till tomatoes become soft.
  • At this point add Chicken,Turmeric powder,red chilli powder,corriander powder and salt to taste.Add 1/2 cup water and Cover and cook for atleast 15 minutes.
  • Put water.Now for every 1 cup of rice you have to put 1 and 1/2 cupof water.As the rice is soaked it vl require less water,if you put more water the rice will become sticky.
  • Let the water boil.
  • Then put the washed red lentils,,rice,corriander leaves,mint leaves and green chillies.
  • Cook on medium heat.keep stirring in between.when there is very little water remaining reduce the burner  to  very slow flame for about 15-20 mins.alternatively you can put this vessel on a pan and then put it on the burner for slow heating.
  • Serve hot with Curd-raita.

Curd Raita!!!



Preparation Time-5 mins.
Serves - 5persons



Ingredients:
  • Yoghurt-1 cup  
  • Cnions (chopped)-1  
  • corriander (chopped)-1/4 cup  
  • Mint leaves(chopped)-1/4 cup  
  • Tomatoes (medium sized-chopped)-1  
  • Cumin powder-1/4 tsp  
  • Green chillies (chopped)-1  
  • Ginger and garlic paste-1/4 tsp  
  • salt to taste. 


Method: 
  • Whisk the yoghurt and add all the ingredients.Mix well and serve.