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Thursday, May 26, 2011

VEGETABLE MANCHURIAN

Ingredients for manchurian balls:
Cabbage(finely shredded) - 1/4 cup
Carrot(finely shredded) - 1/4 cup
Salt - to taste
All purpose flour - 2 tbsp
Cornstarch - 2 tbsp
Ginger-greenchilli paste - 1 tsp
Oil - to deep fry

Ingredients for gravy:
Green onions(finely chopped) - 5-6
Capsicum(finely chopped) - 1/2
Ginger-greenchilli paste - 1 tsp
Soy sauce - 3 tbsp
Red chilli sauce - 2 tbsp
Tomato ketchup - 3 tbsp
Cornstarch - 2 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup
Coriander leaves - 2-3 sprigs

Method:
Squeeze out the water from cabbage and carrot and add to a mixing bowl.
Add salt,all-purpose flour,cornstarch, ginger-greenchilli paste and mix well.
Make small balls of the mixture.
Heat oil in kadhai and deep fry the balls till golden brown. Drain and keep aside.

In a separate pan, add 2 tbsp of oil. Saute green onions (white part),ginger-greenchilli paste and capsicum.
Add soy sauce,red chilli sauce and tomato ketchup. Saute for 1-2 mins.
Mix 2 tsp cornstarch in 1/2 cup water and add to the above mixture.
Bring the gravy to a boil and as the gravy starts to thicken, add the fried balls.
Cook for 1-2 min and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve hot with fried rice or noodles.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

HARA CHANNA PANEER MASALA

Ingredients:
Hara channa(Green garbanzo) - 1 cup
Paneer cubes - 8-10
Onions(chopped) - 1 medium
Tomatoes(pureed) - 2 medium
Green chilli(chopped) - 1
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Channa masala powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves(chopped) - 2 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:
Pressure cook the hara channa for 1 whistle.
Heat oil(1 tbsp) in a pan, add paneer cubes. Fry until all sides are golden browned. Drain and keep aside.
Add remaining oil in a pan, also add onions and fry till translucent.
Add ginger paste, green chillies and saute for a min.
Add tomato puree,salt,tumeric powder and channa masala powder. Cook until gravy thickens.
Add the hara channa and paneer cubes. Boil for 8-10 mins.
Turn off heat and garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with rice/puris/rotis.

This is off to Akila's Dish name starts with H

Thursday, May 19, 2011

MOONG KI DAL

Ingredients:
Moong dal - 1/2 cup
Water - 1 1/2 cups
Salt - to taste
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Ginger(finely grated) - 1/2 inch piece
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Green chilli(finely chopped) - 1-2
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves(finely chopped) - 2-3 sprigs

Method:
Wash the moong dal. In a pressure cooker, add water, turmeric and dal. Cook for 2 whistle sounds.
Heat oil in a small pan, add the mustard seeds and allow them to sizzle.
Add asafoetida, ginger, green chilli and the curry leaves. Cook for a minute and add it into the daal.
Also add salt to taste and 1/2 cup water if required.
Cook the daal for a few minutes to let it come to a boil.
Add lemon juice and coriander leaves, mix well and serve.
Enjoy with rotis, or with rice.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

DAL ROTI


Ingredients:
Wheat flour/Atta - 2 cups
Moong ki dal(leftover or fresh) - 1 cup
Salt - to taste
Red chilli powder - to taste
Onion(finely chopped) - 1 small (optional)
Coriander leaves(finely chopped) - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 Tbsp

Method:
Heat leftover dal till luke warm.
Add salt, red chilli powder,onions and coriander leaves and mix well.

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In a large bowl, add chapati flour. Slowly mix in dal a little at a time and start to knead until a medium firm dough is formed.
Coat the dough with a few drops of oil, cover and let it rest for 15-30 mins.
Knead the dough and divide it into golf ball size balls.
Roll out each ball into 6 inch diameter circular discs.
Place the roti onto a hot tawa or skillet and cook until bubbles start to form.
Flip roti onto the other side and cook for another 30 seconds.
Press the roti with a spatula to cook evenly and to puff up. Smear oil/ghee on both sides.
Keep roti in an insulated container and repeat process for remaining rotis.
Serve hot with pickles or raitha.

Monday, May 16, 2011

SWEETENED COCONUT MILK

Ingredients:
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Jaggery - 2 tbsp

Method:
In a kadhai,add 2 tbsp of water and jaggery.Boil until the jaggery melts.
Drain the jaggery solution and add to the coconut milk.
Heat the coconut jaggery solution for few secs on lowest temp. Donot boil else the milk will curdle.
Serve warm with idiyappam or appam.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

KALACHANNA ALOO SABZI

Ingredients:
Potatoes - 1 small
Kalachanna - 1/4 cup
Onion(chopped) - 1 small
Tomato(chopped) - 1 medium
Salt - to taste
Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves(finely chopped) - 3 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:
Soak kalachanna overnight. Pressure cook the channas for 5-6 whistles.
Meanwhile boil,peel and chop the potatoes.
Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions. Saute until translucent.
Add tomatoes,salt,tumeric powder,garam masala powder. Saute until mushy and oil separates.
Mix well cooked channa and potatoes. Boil for 8-10 mins.
Turn off heat and garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve with idiyappams or rotis.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

IDIYAPPAM

Ingredients:
Raw rice - 3 cups
Salt - To taste
Water - 2 cups
Coconut(grated) - 3-4 tbsp

Method:
Soak the rice for 2-3 hours. Drain and keep aside for an hour.
Grind into fine powder and seive thrice.
Roast the powder until a line can be drawn with the roasted powder.
In a bowl, add 2 cups of roasted flour and salt. Bring the 2 cups of water to a boil.
Add water little by little to the flour (as required) and mix well without forming lumps.
Put a small quantity of dough into the murukku achu(smallest holes pattern).
MAIDDOU
Press the dough on the idly moulds greased with oil. Add grated coconut on top of the idiyappam.
Steam for 8-10 minutes. Serve warm with coconut milk or any vegetable dish.

This is off to Srivalli's Breakfast Mela.

Monday, May 9, 2011

SAMOSA

Ingredients for stuffing:
Potatoes - 2 medium
Greenpeas - 1/4 cup
Cashewnuts(chopped) - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp
Green chilli(finely chopped) - 1
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves(chopped) - 2 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

Ingredients for covering:
All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
Semolina - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Carom seeds(ajwain) - 1/2 tsp
Water - 2 tbsp + 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

Oil - for deep frying

Method:
Boil, peel and chop the potatoes.
Heat oil in a pan, add cumin,fennel seeds and asafoetida.
As they splutter, add greenchillies and cashewnuts. Fry until nuts are golden brown.
Add greenpeas,salt,turmeric,red chilli,coriander,cumin and garam masala powder. Stir for 1-2 mins.
Add potatoes and coriander leaves. Mix well and cook for 3-4 mins.
Cool the mixture and add lemon juice. Mix well and keep aside.

In a bowl, mix all purpose flour,semolina,salt,ajwain and oil. Mix so that all the oil is incorporated well.
Add water little at a time and knead to smooth yet firm dough. Cover with a moist towel and keep aside the dough for 20-30 mins.

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Divide the dough into golf sixed balls.
Roll out each ball into an oval shape. Cut into two halves to get semicircles.
Take one semicircle and moisten all the edges with few drops of water.
Bring the two corners together to shape a cone in such a way that the vertex lies in the middle of straight edge.
Stuff the cone with a tbsp of the potato masala and seal the edges.
Heat oil(medium-high heat) in kadhai and deep fry 2-3 samosas at a time till golden brown.
Serve samosas with mint chutney, tamarind chutney or tomato ketchup.

This is off to Radhika's CBB Series # 3- Evening tiffin

Saturday, May 7, 2011

ROSE MILK

Ingredients:
Milk - 2 cups
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Rose essence - 1 tbsp
Red food color - a pinch

Method:
Boil the milk and cool to room temp. Freeze 1 and 1/2 cups of milk for an hour. Refrigerate the rest 1/2 cup milk.
In a blender, add the frozen milk,chilled milk,sugar,rose essence and red color.
Pulse for 2-3 sec so that all the ingredients gets blended well and becomes frothy.
Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

Note:
Rose milk powder or syrups available in stores can be replaced for rose essence and food color.

Friday, May 6, 2011

PAV BHAJI

Ingredients:
Potatoes(chopped) - 1 large
Carrot(chopped) - 1 medium
Cauliflower(cut into florets) - 1 cup
Bellpepper(chopped) - 1/2 small
Green beans(chopped) - 10-12
Green peas - 1/4 cup
Onions(finely chopped) - 1 medium
Tomatoes(finely chopped) - 2 medium
Greenchilli(finely chopped) - 1-2
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - To taste
Pav bhaji masala - 1 1/2 tbsp
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves(chopped) - 3 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Butter - 1 tbsp

Pav bread or Hamburger bun - 8-10
Butter - as required

Method:
Pressure cook the chopped potatoes,carrot,cauliflower,greenbeans and green peas along with a cup of water.
Drain the excess water and keep aside. Mash the cooked vegetables using a masher.
Heat oil in pan,add green chillies and onions. Saute for 3-4 mins.
Add ginger paste and saute for 2-3 mins. Add bellpepper and saute for another 2-3 mins.
Add salt,turmeric powder,red chilli powder and pav bhaji masala. Mix well.
Add tomatoes and cook until soft and mushy. Add mashed vegetables along with drained water. Reduce the heat and continue cooking for 15 more mins.
As the gravy thickens, turn off heat. Garnish with butter(1 tbsp),lemon juice and coriander leaves.
Lightly toast the pavs or buns with butter. Serve the warm bhaji with pav and chopped onions.

Monday, May 2, 2011

RED BELLPEPPER CHUTNEY

Ingredients:
Red bell pepper(chopped) - 1
Tomatoes(chopped) - 1 large
Green chillies - 2-3
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Tamarind - small gooseberry size
Curry leaves - 2 sprig
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Heat oil(1 tbsp) in pan . Add tomatoes and fry on very high heat until they soften a bit on the edges.
Add the bell pepper, ginger, green chillies, curry leaves(1 sprig) and continue to fry on very high until the edges char a bit and the vegetables have softened.
Cool completely and grind with tamarind and salt. Add a little water if necessary to grind.
Heat oil(1 tsp) in pan and season mustard and curry leaves. Add seasoning to the chutney.
Serve with dosa/idlis.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

MOOLI PARATHA

Ingredients:
White radish/Mooli - 1 large
Onion (finely chopped) - 1 medium
Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - 1-2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Butter/oil - 1 tbsp

Dough :
Wheat flour/atta - 1 1/2 cups
Maida/All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1 tsp
Oil - as required.

Method:
Wash, peel and grate radish into small pieces in grater or chopper.
Heat butter/oil in a pan and temper cumin seeds.
Add onions and saute till pink. Add radish and saute until raw smell disappears.
Mix salt,red chilli powder,garam masala ,coriander powder,sugar and coriander leaves.Saute for anther 3 mins and remove from flame.

Prepare the dough by mixing flour,salt,oil and water as for chapathis.
Set aside covered for 10 minutes. Make 8-10 lemon sized balls of the dough.

Now divide one lemon size ball of dough into two and roll out into two small disc(size of puris) of almost equal size and shape.
Place a portion of filling on one disc and spread out evenly.
Place the other disc on top of this. Seall edges by pressing with hand.
Roll out into 5" disc carefully so that the filling doesn't come out of the dough.

Place the stuffed parathas on the hot griddle/skillet. Cook for about ½ a minute, flip over and add 1/4 tsp of ghee in and around the paratha.
Keep pressing the parathas while on the skillet so the dough gets cooked and the stuffing also gets the heat and gets pressed down into the parathas. Flip and cook the other side for about 1 minute adding 1/4 more tsp of ghee. Cook until light golden spots appear on the parathas.

Serve hot with tomato pickle or curd.