13 November 2014

BENGALI STYLE CABBAGE SABZI


Ingredients

1 small Cabbage shredded finely
2 medium size potatoes cut into small size cubes (keep in a bowl of water)
1 tomato cut into quarters
2 nos green chillies
1/4 cup Green peas
1 tbsp gingergarlicpaste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp Garam masal powder
Salt as per taste
1 tsp Olive oil or Mustard oil

Method

Heat the oil in a kadai.
Add oil, when it is hot add cumin seeds and slit green chillies. Let it splutter and add the potato cubes and  salt.
Cook on medium heat till they turn golden brown,
Mix gingergarlicpaste, cumin- coriander powder, chilli and turmeric powder in 1/4 cup water, keep aside.
Now add the mixed spices and salt.
Stir and cook till you see the oil separating at the sides, add the cut tomato and mix well.
Once tomato turns saucy and the raw smell is gone , add shredded cabbage and salt.
Stir to combine well, cover and let it cook on medium flame for 8 minutes.
Open the lid, mix in peas and let it cook for 5-8 minutes or till the cabbage is cooked.
Finally sprinkle garam masala powder and mix well.
Serve hot with rice.

7 November 2014

VEG CHINESE NOODLES

  

This dish is made of udon noodles. Udon is a type of thick wheat flour noodle of Japanese cuisine.
Udon is a thick white wheat noodle with a texture suitable for more hearty dishes, especially stirfry and soup. It is made from organic soft wheat , it is high in adhesiveness and elasticity with a pleasing texture and flavour. 
Cooking Instructions : Boil for 10 minutes, If stirfrying boil for 8 minutes (noodles will receive extra cooking in  the wok)






  1. Ingredients

    1Packet Udon Noodles
    1 Package medium Tofu cut into cubes 
    1 Green Bell Pepper sliced thinly 
    1 Red Bell Pepper sliced thinly
    1 Carrot julienned 
    7-8 Baby corn cut diagonally
    3-4 Spring onions finely chopped
    1-2tbsp Tomato ketchup
    1-2 tsp Sriracha Chili sauce
    1tbsp Soyasauce
    1tbsp Teriyaki Sauce


    Method

    Drain  the tofu and cut into cubes. Add salt to it
    Heat a nonstick frying pan  and add tofu pieces and saute till brown colour. Keep it aside.
    Add chopped carrot, baby corn , and fry for a minute.
    Add sliced bell peppers, fry for a minute.
    Add ketchup, Chilli sauce, Soyasauce , Teriyaki sauce and mix well so that all the sauces blend well with vegetables.
    Now add the cooked udon noodles and mix well.

2 November 2014

KALYANA RASAM


Ingredients

2 Nos Tomato
2 tbsp Toor Dal
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp  Asafoetida
6-7 Nos curry leaves
1 tsp Ghee
Few coriander leaves

To roast and grind
1 tbsp Toor Dal
1 tsp Pepper
3-4 Red chillies
1 tsp Cumin seeds


Method

Cook the Toor Dal in 1 cup of water, Let it cool.
Chop the tomatoes finely.
Reserve 1/4th portion and grind the rest of the tomatoes into a puree.
Hear 1/2 tsp of ghee and roast the toor dal, pepper and chillies till the Dal turns brownish .
Now add cumin , saute and switch off the flame.
Let it cool.
Grind into a smooth paste with very little water.
Add this paste and tomato puree to the vessel in which the rasam is going to be cooked.
Now add turmeric powder, asafoetida, salt . Let it boil in low flame for 10 minutes.
When it begins to boil well, add cooked dal, mix well and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
At this stage , it will begin to froth up. Now add the curry leaves , coriander and cut tomatoes.
Heat 1/2 tsp of ghee in a small kadai, add mustard seeds. When it splutters, switch off flame and 
pour this on hot rasam.
Serve hot with hot rice. 


30 October 2014

BEETROOT PACHADI



Ingredients

2 nos Beetroot finely grated
2 nos green chillies finely chopped
1/2 tsp ginger finely chopped
Yoghurt as required
1 tsp mustard seeds
6-8 curry leaves
SALT as per taste
1 tbsp coconut oil

Method
Heat oil in a nonstick pan.
Add mustard seeds,and curry leaves.
Now add grated beetroot. green chillies, and ginger and saute well.
Cover and simmer for few minutes.
Remove from flame.
Allow it to cool.
Now add this to yogurt and mix well.
Beetroot pachadi is ready.

29 October 2014

PAALAPPAM





Ingredients

2 cups Idli rice 
1/4 cup sugar
tender coconut water
Salt – To taste

Method

Soak the idli rice in water for at least  4 -  5 hrs.
In a bowl mix the tender coconut water with 1/4 cup sugar. Keep aside to ferment.
Grind the idli rice to a fine paste adding sufficient water. Reserve 3 tbsp of this sugar-coconut water mixture and grind again to a very fine paste.
Heat a pan and add the 3 tbsp reserved batter and stir it for a few minutes (pavu kachuka or kappi kachuka) until you get a thick paste. This is done to make extra soft appams. Leave aside to cool. 
When it is completely cooled, mix it well with the batter. Allow it to ferment in a warm place ( You can keep it inside your oven after heating it for 20 – 30  seconds or leave the oven light on) for at least 6 – 8 hrs. Remember to transfer the batter to a large container otherwise it may overflow. When fermented, the batter will almost rise double.  If the yeast is of good quality, fermentation might take place in lesser time.
 Before making appams, add little salt and check for sugar. If it is thick, dilute it by adding milk or coconut milk. We need a loose batter .
Heat the appachatti at medium flame and pour a ladle full of appam batter into it. Remember to smear the appachatti lightly with oil if its not nonstick. Hold both the handles of the appam chatti, lift from the stove and gently swirl it to spread the batter around, in one direction. You need to swirl it only once for a thin lace on the edges. Now bring down the flame and cover with its lid. Cook until done on one side only. It will take around 2 – 3 mts at low flame. Remove and repeat until the batter is finished. Serve warm with any stew/kadala curry/vegetable korma/ egg curry/ fish moli or any curry of your choice. 
P.S.  You can use the normal frying pan too and make appam as you would make dosa. 

21 October 2014

CHILLI TOFU

This dish can be made with paneer too.

 


Ingredients


200 gms Tofu , cut into cubes

1 Onion chopped 

1 cup Bell Pepper (red, green, yellow)  

1 tsp Ginger, chopped                   
1 tsp Garlic, chopped                           
1 tsp Pepper powder                         
1 tbsp Soya Sauce                          
1 tsp Vinegar                                  
1 tsp Tomato Ketchup                    
Water   as needed
2 tbsp All-purpose flour                  
1 tsp Cornstarch                            
Salt as per taste                                       
1 tsp Chilli paste                           
2 tbsp Oil

Method                          

In a bowl, add some chilli paste, salt, cornstarch, all-purpose flour, little water and mix well to make a slightly thick batter.
In this mixture, add in the tofu pieces and mix gently to coat the tofu pieces nicely.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and  fry the tofu pieces until they turn golden in colour and crisp.

In a bowl, add tomato ketchup, vinegar, salt, soya sauce, pepper powder and mix well. Keep this mixture aside.

Heat little oil in a pan and when it becomes hot, add finely chopped ginger, garlic, green chillies and sauté.
Add red, green and yellow coloured bell peppers and onions.
Slightly sauté and add in the mixed sauces mixture. Mix well and bring to a boil
Finally add the fried tofu and toss well.
Serve hot.



15 October 2014

SHAADIWALA MATAR MUSHROOM

This recipe has been  inspired  from Sanjeev Kapoor. In my house nobody likes mushroom dishes other than me. I gave it a try and surprisingly my hubby liked it the most. He said this is the only mushroom dish which he has liked it until now.
 
 
 

 

Ingredients

1 cup peas fresh or frozen
15 nos  Button mushrooms quartered
2 medium Onion finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp Turmeric powder
2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
2 tsp chilli powder
3/4 cup Tomato puree
1/4 cup Cashewnut paste
2 tsp Garam masala powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
 
 

Method

Cook mushrooms with 1 cup water, salt and turrmeric powder in a pan till soft.
Heat oil in a non stick pan , add onions and saute till light brown.
Add ginger garlic paste , and saute for 1 minute.
Add coriander powder, cumin powder, and chilli powder.
Mix well and add tomato puree , saute for 2-3 minutes,
Add fresh or thawed green peas along with some water and cook till peas are cooked .
Add cashewnut paste and mix well (the cashews should be soaked in hot water for 2 hour then grind  it to a paste.)
Add cooked mushrooms alongwith the water and mix well.
Add garam masala powder ann mix well , cook for 10 more minutes.
Serve hot.