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Sunday, May 31, 2020

DAL MAKHANI




INGREDIENTS:

Black orid gram
1 cup
Rajma
¼ cup
Onion
1 medium, finely chopped
Tomato
2 medium , pureed
Ginger paste
1 tsp
Salt
To taste
Red chili powder
1 tsp
Nutmeg powder
A pinch
Garam masala powder
½ tsp
Kasuri methi
½ tsp
Bay leaf
2
Green cardamom
2
Cloves
2-3
Cinnamon stick
1” stick
Cumin seeds
1 tsp
Butter
1 tbsp
Oil
1 tsp
Full cream
¼ cup
Coriander leaves
To garnish

METHOD:
  • In a bowl, add black orid gram and rajma. Wash well and soak in 3 cups of water overnight.
  • Pressure cook the dals with 1 bay leaf for 5-6 whistles until the dals are soft and creamy.
  • In a pan, add oil and butter. When hot, add bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamoms, cumin seeds.
  • As the cumin seeds splutter, add finely chopped onions and ginger paste. Saute well until onions are golden brown.
  • Add tomato puree, salt, red chili powder, and nutmeg powder. Sauté until oil separates.
  • Then add cooked dals and 1 cup of water. Mix well and cook for 30-40 mins in a low flame.
  • Keep stirring often, so that dals don’t get stuck in the bottom of the pan.
  • When the dal turns thick, viscous consistency add kasuri methi, garam masala and cream. Mix well and garnish with coriander leaves.
  • Serve hot with naan, or parathas.


Saturday, May 30, 2020

WHOLE WHEAT NAAN - Without yeast and baking powder



INGREDIENTS:

Whole wheat flour
2 cups
Salt
1 tsp
Sugar
1 tbsp
Curd
¼ cup
Oil
1 tbsp
Water
As required

METHOD:
  • In a mixing pan, add wheat flour, salt, sugar, curd, and oil. Mix well and slowly add water little at a time and knead into a tight dough.
  • Cover and let the dough sit in a warm place for 5-6 hours. This helps in fermentation of the dough without the usage of yeast.
  • Divide the dough into golf sized balls. Roll out into oval shape. Keep it little thick.
  • On one side, lightly brush with some water. Place this water side down on a heated pan.
  • Once bubbles appear, turn the pan onto the flame and let the top side cook until brown.
  • Take off from the pan and grease butter on top.
  • Repeat the same for all the dough balls.
  • Serve warm with Dal makhana or paneer sabzis.


Friday, May 29, 2020

DATES MILKSHAKE


 INGREDIENTS:


Dates
14-15
Full cream milk
3 cups
Ice cubes
3-4
Sugar
1 tbsp (optional)
Cardamom powder
1-2 pinches (optional)

METHOD:
  • Soak the dates in enough hot water for 15-30 minutes so that the dates are soft to grind.
  • In a blender, add the soaked dates along with water and grind them into a smooth paste.
  • Then add milk and ice cubes to the blender and blend everything well. Sugar and cardamom powder can be added but its optional. The full cream milk adds a nice creamy rich taste to the shake.
  • Serve the dates milkshake cold and garnish with sliced almonds.


Thursday, May 28, 2020

HYDERABADI VEGETABLE DUM BIRYANI



INGREDIENTS:

Basmati Rice
2 cups
Potato
1 medium
Carrot
1 medium
Green Beans
10-12
Green Peas
¼ cup
Cauliflower
5-6 big florets
Onion
2 medium
Mint leaves
¼ cup chopped
Coriander leaves
¼ cup chopped
Curd
1 cup
Ginger paste
1 tbsp
Bay leaf
2
Cinnamon sticks
2-3   1” sticks
Cloves
6
Star anise
2
Cardamom
4
Shahi jeera
1 tsp
Salt
2.5 tbsp
Turmeric powder
½ tsp
Red chili powder
1 tsp
Biryani masala
2 tbsp
Ghee
3 tbsp
Oil
2 tbsp

METHOD:
  • Wash and soak basmati rice for 20 minutes.
  • Peel the potatoes and carrots. Chop them into big cubes. Trim the ends of green beans and cut into 1” long pieces. Wash and cut the cauliflower into big florets.
  • Finely chop 1 medium onion and finely slice the other medium onion.
  • In a wide pan, add 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp ghee. Fry the sliced onions on low flame until brown and crispy.
  • Drain the fried onions from the oil and keep aside.
  • In the same pan, add 1 tbsp oil. Then add 1 bay leaf, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 cardamoms, 3 cloves, 1 star anise and 1 tsp shahi jeera. Sauté until spices are aromatic.
  • Add finely chopped onions and ginger paste. Sauté until onions are golden brown and raw smell of ginger goes away.
  • Add the chopped vegetables (potato, carrot, green peas, green beans, cauliflower). Sauté for 2-3 mins.
  • Meanwhile, whisk the curd well. Once the vegetables are sautéed, add curd, salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, biryani masala.
  • Also add 1 tbsp of chopped coriander leaves and 1 tbsp of chopped mint leaves. Mix well and add 1 cup of water. Cover and cook the vegetables for 15 mins.
  • While the vegetables are cooking for the gravy, take another deep pan and add 8-10 cups of water.
  • Add 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cardamoms, 3 cloves, 1 star anise, 1 tbsp of ghee and 2 tbsp of salt. Boil the water until a rolling boil comes.
  • Once the water boils, add the drained basmati rice to it. Cook the rice on high for 2 mins. Then simmer the flame to med-low and cook for another 8 mins.
  • Strain the rice and keep aside. The rice should be cooked only 75%.
  • As the vegetables get almost cooked and gravy consistency is achieved, turn off the flame.
  • In a thick bottomed pan, grease the bottom with a tsp of ghee and add a layer of vegetable gravy.
  • Add half of cooked rice as the second layer. Sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves and fried onions.
  • Add the remaining vegetable gravy as the third layer and the remaining rice as fourth layer. Top off with chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves, fried onions, a pinch of biryani masala and a tsp of ghee.
  • Cover the pan with an aluminum foil and then with the lid.
  • Place the pan on med-high heat for 2 mins so that the steam builds and then simmer to lowest setting and cook for 25-30 minutes.
  • Serve hot with raita. While serving use a flat spatula and scoop from the sides so as not to break the grains.




Wednesday, May 27, 2020

SOUTHWESTERN STYLE QUINOA SALAD



INGREDIENTS:

Quinoa
2 cups dry
Black beans
1 cup dry
Onion
1 medium finely chopped
Tomato
2 big finely chopped
Corn kernels
1 cup
Tomato paste
2 tbsp
Salt
To taste
Black pepper powder
½ tsp
Red chili powder
½ tsp
Cumin powder
1 tsp
Dried oregano
1 tsp
Coriander leaves
2 tbsp chopped
Lemon juice
1 tbsp
Avocado
To garnish
Oil
1 tbsp

METHOD:
  • Wash and soak the black beans overnight. Pressure cook the beans for 4-5 whistles. Drain off the water and keep the beans aside.
  • Wash the quinoa thoroughly and keep aside.
  • In a deep pan, add 1 tbsp oil. When oil heats, add finely chopped onions and sauté until translucent.
  • Add finely chopped tomatoes and salt. Sauté until the tomatoes are mushy.
  • Add the black beans, corn kernels, tomato paste, red chili powder, black pepper powder and cumin powder. Mix well and add 2.5 cups of water.
  • Once the water boils, add the washed quinoa and dried oregano. Mix well and turn the flame to simmer. Cover and cook for 15 mins.
  • After 15 mins, take off from the flame and rest for another 10 mins.
  • Add lemon juice, coriander leaves and mix well.
  • Garnish with avocado pieces and serve warm.



Tuesday, May 26, 2020

GUACAMOLE



INGREDIENTS:

Avocado
1 big ripe
Onion
1 tbsp finely chopped
Tomato
1 tbsp finely chopped
Coriander leaf
1 tbsp finely chopped
Lemon juice
1 tsp
Salt
To taste
Black pepper powder
¼ tsp

METHOD:
  • Cut the ripe avocado into half and pit the seed. Scoop out the flesh into a bowl.
  • Mash the ripe avocado with a fork into a semi-chunky paste.
  • Add salt, black pepper, lemon juice, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes and coriander leaves.
  • Mix well and serve as a dip or side dish for burritos or  nachos .



Monday, May 25, 2020

CABBAGE USILI



INGREDIENTS:

Cabbage
2 cups chopped
Chana dal
¼ cup
Toor dal
¼ cup
Dry Red chili
1
Salt
To taste
Asafetida
1-2 pinch
Turmeric powder
¼ tsp
Mustard seeds
½ tsp
Oil
1 tbsp

METHOD:
  • Wash and soak chana dal, toor dal and dry red chili in enough water for 1-2 hour.
  • Drain the water off the dals and grind the dals into a coarse paste. Add salt, asafetida and mix well.
  • Steam the dal mixture for 10-15 mins until cooked.
  • Once cooked, let the dal mixture cool down. After it has cooled down, pulse the mixture in blender for couple of times so that a mixture is powdered nicely. Don’t pulse too much or else the mixture will turn gooey and lumpy.
  • Chop the cabbage into small pieces. Alternatively the cabbage can be sliced finely.
  • In a thick kadhai, add the chopped cabbage, salt, turmeric powder and enough water. Cook until the cabbage is done. Remember salt is added to dal mixture also.
  • Keep aside the cooked cabbage. In the same pan add oil and mustard seeds. Once seeds splutter, add the powdered dal mixture and slightly roast.
  • Add the cooked cabbage and mix well. Saute the cabbage usili for 2-3 mins until well combined.
  • Serve warm with rasam and rice.