This one is also an absolute hit with my husband & my friends & colleagues too. This is a total street food, sold at every nook & corner of Delhi streets, with vendors selling this spicy & tangy matar accompanied by soft kulchas on pattals (leaf plates), & huge brass urli on their thelas containing the boiled matar. Admittedly, it is the most sought after lunch for the richshaw-valas, drivers, factory workers & at the same time, even the high end restaurants make these available. With prices ranging from Rs. 10 per plate at the thelas to Rs. 50 per plate at Haldiram!!! One food, different price, n blv me there wont be much difference in the quality too!!
Nonetheless, here goes the recipe. It is as easy as the blink of an eyelid. Blv me, it is........
Ing -
2 cups - dried peas
2 big onions - finely chopped
1/2 inch - julienned ginger
green chillies - according to taste
1 small ball of tamarind - soaked in water
1 bunch of corriander leaves
2 tsp - garam masala
Juice of one lemon
Salt to taste
Ready made kulchas - easily available in the market.
Method -
Soak the peas overnight
In the morning pressure cook them with salt, ensuring that there is not too much water left in the cooker.
Mash the tamarind in the water & use the water, discarding the seeds.
Once you open the cooker, put in the onions, ginger, green chillies, garam masala, tamarind water, lemon juice & mix well.
All the ingredients should blend well with the peas.
On a tava, using a little butter heat the kulchas.
Garnish the matar with more corriander & onions. The spicier the matar the better they taste.
Blv me, these are really yummy!!!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Egg Kebabs
This one is a real debil (I say so coz this is a Bong recipe & this is how a Bong would pronouce Devil !!! they exchange the "v" for a "b"......n so on & so forth). I picked it up from one of the issues of GOOD HOUSEKEEPING & thought it was really worth the try, n it really was.
So here it goes :-
Ing
6 eggs - hardboiled & shell removed
1/2 kg mince meat - you can use either chicken or mutton or beef (as per your preference) - boiled
3/4 slices of white bread - sprinkle some water on the bread slices & squeeze out the water.
salt as per taste
1 cup breadcrumbs - you may not use the full cup, but you will need it for rolling the kebabs
2 tsp - garam masala powder
green chillies according to taste
1 big onion - chopped
1 tsp - grated ginger
1 bunch - corriander leaves, cleaned & chopped
Method :-
In a kadai heat a little oil. Add the chopped onions & green chillies & the ginger into the oil.
When the onions turn pinkish brown, add the garam masala powder & the salt. Saute for about 1 min & add the cooked mince meat (if you've added salt already to the meat while cooking you can leave out the salt added earlier, or adjust the taste).
Let it cook till the water is all dried & the mixture turns into a nice brown colour.
When cooled add the bread into this mixture & use your hands to blend both very well.
Add the corriander leaves.
Now take the egg & cover it well with the mince meat mixture. Ensure a tight binding around the egg.
Cover all eggs this way & keep aside
Now break an egg into a bowl, beat well using a pinch of salt.
Meanwhile heat oil in a kadai
Dip the rolls into the egg & roll over breadcrumbs
Fry till brown & crunchy
When the kebabs are cool cut them into two halves & serve hot with corriander / mint chutney or ketchup.
So here it goes :-
Ing
6 eggs - hardboiled & shell removed
1/2 kg mince meat - you can use either chicken or mutton or beef (as per your preference) - boiled
3/4 slices of white bread - sprinkle some water on the bread slices & squeeze out the water.
salt as per taste
1 cup breadcrumbs - you may not use the full cup, but you will need it for rolling the kebabs
2 tsp - garam masala powder
green chillies according to taste
1 big onion - chopped
1 tsp - grated ginger
1 bunch - corriander leaves, cleaned & chopped
Method :-
In a kadai heat a little oil. Add the chopped onions & green chillies & the ginger into the oil.
When the onions turn pinkish brown, add the garam masala powder & the salt. Saute for about 1 min & add the cooked mince meat (if you've added salt already to the meat while cooking you can leave out the salt added earlier, or adjust the taste).
Let it cook till the water is all dried & the mixture turns into a nice brown colour.
When cooled add the bread into this mixture & use your hands to blend both very well.
Add the corriander leaves.
Now take the egg & cover it well with the mince meat mixture. Ensure a tight binding around the egg.
Cover all eggs this way & keep aside
Now break an egg into a bowl, beat well using a pinch of salt.
Meanwhile heat oil in a kadai
Dip the rolls into the egg & roll over breadcrumbs
Fry till brown & crunchy
When the kebabs are cool cut them into two halves & serve hot with corriander / mint chutney or ketchup.
Monday, August 27, 2007
ONAM ASHAMSAGAL
Happy Onam to all my blogger friends.
I wonder what's cooking in everybody's kitchen. I have nothing to cook in mine, one because I havnt tried my hand on any Mallu sadya food, & secondly & importantly because my father-in-law passed away earlier this year, & therefore no celebrations. I have till now never given my husband a Mallu sadya, & I hope that by next year, I will master my hand in cooking mallu food & be able to give him a proper sadya. I will need all your help in the learning process.
Meanwhile, can I stop by at somebody's house for the sadya??
Happy Onam once again.
I wonder what's cooking in everybody's kitchen. I have nothing to cook in mine, one because I havnt tried my hand on any Mallu sadya food, & secondly & importantly because my father-in-law passed away earlier this year, & therefore no celebrations. I have till now never given my husband a Mallu sadya, & I hope that by next year, I will master my hand in cooking mallu food & be able to give him a proper sadya. I will need all your help in the learning process.
Meanwhile, can I stop by at somebody's house for the sadya??
Happy Onam once again.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
PALAK PANEER
This is also a favorite of Rajeev's. We both prefer thick gravies with Rotis, n to a certain extent also with Rice. The Palak Paneer that most people make is quite watery in consistency which I dont prefer. Now a colleague in my office used to get wonderful palakpaneer. We both are not on talking terms & th4, I just couldnt ask her for the recipe. After much trial & error I managed to do a combo of both the gas stove & the m'wave to get the desired result, of which I am very proud of myself. I am giving you my version for the same.
Ing -
1 bunch palak - cleaned, n chopped finely (dont chop them into large chunks).
250 gms - paneer / tofu
3 medium sized - onions
2 big - tomatoes
1 inch pc of ginger
7/8 - garlic flakes
1/4 cup - cream
1 tsp - garam masala
green chillies according to taste
1 tsp - corriander powder
1/4 tsp - crushed cardamoms
1/4 tsp - coarsely powdered saunf
a little jeera for the tadka
Method -
Make a paste of the onions, garlic & ginger in the processor.
Put the paalak & the green chillies into the microwave for about 8/10 minutes (I use the micro for two reasons, 1. This helps me retain the bright green colour of the paalak & 2. This ensures that I can cook the dish quickly & effortlessly).
In a kadai, add the jeera & when they sputter add the onion paste
Fry well, adding some salt (my standard way of cooking pastes quick & ensuring that the raw flavor vanishes).
Make a puree of the tomatoes & add into the kadai when the onions are slighly brownish in colour. Saute this till oil separates & the paste is thoroughly cooked.
Add the powdered saunf & cardamoms & all the dry masalas. Saute for about a minute & add the cream.
Let it cook well.
Meanwhile take out the paalak from the m'wave & put into the jar of the processor & just run it once. Dont add the green water that is left of the paalak. The paste should be coarsely ground & shouldnt be a fine paste.
Add this paste of paalak into the kadai & mix well.
Cut the paneer into cubes & add to the kadai. Mix well.
Now for the final trick. Paalak leaves a lot of water while being cooked & so does paneer. If you try & let the water evaporate on the gas, it will take a long long time, so what I do is, pour this curry back into the m'wave dish after removing the leftover water of the palak & put it on high for about 10/12 minutes, depending on how much curry I have.
Keep checking in between to ensure that nothing gets burnt & stir once or twice in between.
The end result is a wonderful thick-gravy dish, with a wonderful consistency, which goes excellently with rotis, parathas or even rice.
You can use the leftover water of the paalak while making the roti dough, or add into daal or for any other gravy or soup.
THINGS ONLY A MOM CAN TEACH
This is for our lovely moms who we love, loathe & admire - all at the same time.....& we just can do without them.
Each one of the below is a masterpeice, n it really reminds me of all that she said.. I enjoyed it thoroughly & I hope you enjoy it too......
My Mother taught me about ANTICIPATION : Just wait until your father gets home.
My Mother taught me about RECEIVING:. You are going to get it when we get home!
My Mother taught me to MEET A CHALLENGE: What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you... Dont talk back to me!
My Mother taught me LOGIC:Because I said so, thats why. & If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, youre not going to The store with me.
My Mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE :If you dont stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way.
My Mother taught me to THINK AHEAD:If you dont pass your spelling test, youll never get a good job.
My Mother taught me ESP:Put your sweater on - dont you think I know when youre cold?
My Mother taught me HUMOR:When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, dont come running to me.
My Mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT:If you dont eat your vegetables, youll never grow up.
My Mother taught me about SEX:How do you think you got here?
My Mother taught me about GENETICS:Youre just like your father.
My Mother taught me about my ROOTS: Do you think you were born in a barn?
My Mother taught me about WISDOM OF AGE: When you get to be my age, you will understand.
My Mother taught me about JUSTICE: One day youll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you. Then youll see what its like.
My mother taught me RELIGION: You better pray that will come out of the carpet.
My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL: If you dont straighten up, Im going to knock you into the middle of next week!
My mother taught me FORESIGHT: Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case youre in an accident.
My mother taught me IRONY: Keep crying and Ill give you something to cry about.
My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS : Shut your mouth and eat your supper!
My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM: Will you look at the dirt on the back of your neck!
My mother taught me about STAMINA: Youll sit there until all that spinach is finished.
My mother taught me about WEATHER: It looks as if a tornado swept through your room.
My mother taught me how to solve PHYSICS PROBLEMS: If I yelled because I saw a meteor coming toward you, would you listen then?
My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY: If Ive told you once, Ive told you a million times - Don't Exaggerate!!!
My mother taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE: I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.
My mother taught me about BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION: Stop acting like your father!
My mother taught me about ENVY: There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who dont have wonderful parents like you do!
Each one of the below is a masterpeice, n it really reminds me of all that she said.. I enjoyed it thoroughly & I hope you enjoy it too......
My Mother taught me about ANTICIPATION : Just wait until your father gets home.
My Mother taught me about RECEIVING:. You are going to get it when we get home!
My Mother taught me to MEET A CHALLENGE: What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you... Dont talk back to me!
My Mother taught me LOGIC:Because I said so, thats why. & If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, youre not going to The store with me.
My Mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE :If you dont stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way.
My Mother taught me to THINK AHEAD:If you dont pass your spelling test, youll never get a good job.
My Mother taught me ESP:Put your sweater on - dont you think I know when youre cold?
My Mother taught me HUMOR:When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, dont come running to me.
My Mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT:If you dont eat your vegetables, youll never grow up.
My Mother taught me about SEX:How do you think you got here?
My Mother taught me about GENETICS:Youre just like your father.
My Mother taught me about my ROOTS: Do you think you were born in a barn?
My Mother taught me about WISDOM OF AGE: When you get to be my age, you will understand.
My Mother taught me about JUSTICE: One day youll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you. Then youll see what its like.
My mother taught me RELIGION: You better pray that will come out of the carpet.
My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL: If you dont straighten up, Im going to knock you into the middle of next week!
My mother taught me FORESIGHT: Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case youre in an accident.
My mother taught me IRONY: Keep crying and Ill give you something to cry about.
My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS : Shut your mouth and eat your supper!
My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM: Will you look at the dirt on the back of your neck!
My mother taught me about STAMINA: Youll sit there until all that spinach is finished.
My mother taught me about WEATHER: It looks as if a tornado swept through your room.
My mother taught me how to solve PHYSICS PROBLEMS: If I yelled because I saw a meteor coming toward you, would you listen then?
My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY: If Ive told you once, Ive told you a million times - Don't Exaggerate!!!
My mother taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE: I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.
My mother taught me about BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION: Stop acting like your father!
My mother taught me about ENVY: There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who dont have wonderful parents like you do!
THE LOVE OF GOD
A little food for thought for my friends ..........when we cry & crib & complain.....
The Love of God
I looked in the mirror and wondered if I was staring at one of heaven’s spoiled brats.
After consuming more than my share of mercies, I could see in my eyes a sadness that reflected not what God had given, but what He had withheld.
Questions formed emotional distance between me and the Father I was counting on. Why wouldn’t He answer my calls? I knew I’d let Him down in so many ways. But I didn’t want to feel like an unloved child any more than I liked thinking of Him as an emotionally distant or negligent parent.
With thoughts I wished I didn’t have, I found help by reading again some of the story of another man who knew far better than I what it meant to have a bad day.
Why Was Paul Still Smiling?
In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he wrote about a series of hardships he had endured as a servant of Christ. Five times he had taken 39 lashes. Three times he was beaten with rods. Once he was stoned and left for dead. Three times he was shipwrecked (2 Corinthians 11:24-28). Then, as if these hard times weren’t enough, when Paul was troubled by a physical problem he believed was caused by Satan, he says his prayers for healing were not granted (12:7-10).
Yet, Paul is still quoted today as a follower of Christ who sometimes wrote about the love of God as if nothing else mattered.
In addition to his own problems, Paul carried the weight of his concerns for others. So, he wrote to followers of Christ: “I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, . . . that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able tocomprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:14-19).
What did Paul know that we are missing? How could a man with so many problems be more sure of the love of God than we are?
What Are We Missing?
According to Paul, knowing we are loved is as important to our well-being as it is for an oak or cedar to have a healthy root system. If we aren’t well-grounded in the love of God, we are apt to be like a shallow-rooted tree that dries up in the heat or blows over in the wind.
Being rooted deeply in God’s love, Paul could groan with a whole world of trouble (Romans 8:22-23) and still write, “I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (8:38-39).
So how did he do it? How did Paul live with such tension? How could he see the love of God as if it were a huge ocean, while admitting to emotions that carried him up and down like a ship in rough water?
Why Was Paul on His Knees?
If Paul had concluded that seeing the love of God was nothing more than a moral obligation, he could have encouraged others to “just do it.”
Instead, Paul wrote out a prayer to make it clear that seeing how much God loves us is not just a matter of opening our eyes to the obvious. His letter to the Ephesians shows why no one can claim credit for discovering on their own an ocean of divine love that is infinitely and eternally greater than any human love we have ever known. By saying that, he was asking the Father in heaven to help them see the depth and breadth of God’s love for all of His people. Paul was telling the Ephesians, and us in the process, that sensing the wonder of how much God cares about us requires the work of the Spirit in our hearts (3:16-19).
Learning to catch a glimpse of the measureless love of God is something to pray for. It’s something to ask for ourselves, and it’s a way of interceding for those we care about.
When Paul prayed that, together with “all the saints,” the Ephesians would discover the unmeasured depths of God’s love, he was including us in his prayer. Our circumstances don’t rule us out. Paul would know. He wasn’t writing his letter from a mountain retreat. He was writing in circumstances he would never have chosen for himself. He was writing from prison.
What Was Paul Seeing?
In the confinement of a Roman prison, Paul made no secret of where he found comfort and strength. Read his letter to the Ephesians and count the number of times he referred to the name of the One who died for us. His letters, like his life, showed that he was consumed, energized, and emboldened by seeing in Christ the proof of God’s love, not just for himself but for all of us.
Look again at the apostle’s wonderful obsession. In his inspired prayer for the Ephesians, he asks “the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, . . . that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; . . . to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge” (Ephesians 3:14-19).
Circumstances may shout that the Father in heaven is emotionally aloof or even negligent. But, as Paul discovered, the One who opened blind eyes, sent demons running, and bore our sins in His own body deserves far more trust than our circumstances.
Father in heaven, forgive us for trying to see Your love on our own. Please do for us what we can’t do for ourselves. Open the eyes of our hearts. Help us to look into the eyes of Your Son, to touch the scars in His hands, and to feel the warmth of Your embrace and tears for us, in Him. –Mart De Haan-- Mart De Haan
The Love of God
I looked in the mirror and wondered if I was staring at one of heaven’s spoiled brats.
After consuming more than my share of mercies, I could see in my eyes a sadness that reflected not what God had given, but what He had withheld.
Questions formed emotional distance between me and the Father I was counting on. Why wouldn’t He answer my calls? I knew I’d let Him down in so many ways. But I didn’t want to feel like an unloved child any more than I liked thinking of Him as an emotionally distant or negligent parent.
With thoughts I wished I didn’t have, I found help by reading again some of the story of another man who knew far better than I what it meant to have a bad day.
Why Was Paul Still Smiling?
In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he wrote about a series of hardships he had endured as a servant of Christ. Five times he had taken 39 lashes. Three times he was beaten with rods. Once he was stoned and left for dead. Three times he was shipwrecked (2 Corinthians 11:24-28). Then, as if these hard times weren’t enough, when Paul was troubled by a physical problem he believed was caused by Satan, he says his prayers for healing were not granted (12:7-10).
Yet, Paul is still quoted today as a follower of Christ who sometimes wrote about the love of God as if nothing else mattered.
In addition to his own problems, Paul carried the weight of his concerns for others. So, he wrote to followers of Christ: “I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, . . . that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able tocomprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:14-19).
What did Paul know that we are missing? How could a man with so many problems be more sure of the love of God than we are?
What Are We Missing?
According to Paul, knowing we are loved is as important to our well-being as it is for an oak or cedar to have a healthy root system. If we aren’t well-grounded in the love of God, we are apt to be like a shallow-rooted tree that dries up in the heat or blows over in the wind.
Being rooted deeply in God’s love, Paul could groan with a whole world of trouble (Romans 8:22-23) and still write, “I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (8:38-39).
So how did he do it? How did Paul live with such tension? How could he see the love of God as if it were a huge ocean, while admitting to emotions that carried him up and down like a ship in rough water?
Why Was Paul on His Knees?
If Paul had concluded that seeing the love of God was nothing more than a moral obligation, he could have encouraged others to “just do it.”
Instead, Paul wrote out a prayer to make it clear that seeing how much God loves us is not just a matter of opening our eyes to the obvious. His letter to the Ephesians shows why no one can claim credit for discovering on their own an ocean of divine love that is infinitely and eternally greater than any human love we have ever known. By saying that, he was asking the Father in heaven to help them see the depth and breadth of God’s love for all of His people. Paul was telling the Ephesians, and us in the process, that sensing the wonder of how much God cares about us requires the work of the Spirit in our hearts (3:16-19).
Learning to catch a glimpse of the measureless love of God is something to pray for. It’s something to ask for ourselves, and it’s a way of interceding for those we care about.
When Paul prayed that, together with “all the saints,” the Ephesians would discover the unmeasured depths of God’s love, he was including us in his prayer. Our circumstances don’t rule us out. Paul would know. He wasn’t writing his letter from a mountain retreat. He was writing in circumstances he would never have chosen for himself. He was writing from prison.
What Was Paul Seeing?
In the confinement of a Roman prison, Paul made no secret of where he found comfort and strength. Read his letter to the Ephesians and count the number of times he referred to the name of the One who died for us. His letters, like his life, showed that he was consumed, energized, and emboldened by seeing in Christ the proof of God’s love, not just for himself but for all of us.
Look again at the apostle’s wonderful obsession. In his inspired prayer for the Ephesians, he asks “the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, . . . that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; . . . to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge” (Ephesians 3:14-19).
Circumstances may shout that the Father in heaven is emotionally aloof or even negligent. But, as Paul discovered, the One who opened blind eyes, sent demons running, and bore our sins in His own body deserves far more trust than our circumstances.
Father in heaven, forgive us for trying to see Your love on our own. Please do for us what we can’t do for ourselves. Open the eyes of our hearts. Help us to look into the eyes of Your Son, to touch the scars in His hands, and to feel the warmth of Your embrace and tears for us, in Him. –Mart De Haan-- Mart De Haan
Friday, August 24, 2007
LEFTOVER DAAL PARATHAS
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This is a recipe that my MIL has passed down to me & blv me it is absolutely wonderful, but I guess that my recipe gets that extra taste because of the love that she showers on what she cooks & for whom she cooks. It is also a wonderful way to use up any leftover daal (you can also use fresh daal for the same)
Ing -
1 cup - any leftover daal
2 cups - aata
1 onion - finely chopped
a bunch of corriander leaves - washed & finely chopped
chillies according to taste (green chillies add that wonderful flavor)
1/4 tsp - ajwain
salt to taste (but remember there is salt already in the daal, so do balance the same)
1/4 tsp - saunf
Method :-
Mix all this into a dough.
Roll into chappatis.
Shallow fry on tava. You can leave out the oil if you wanna cut off the calories (I try to do it often n they still taste good)
Ing -
1 cup - any leftover daal
2 cups - aata
1 onion - finely chopped
a bunch of corriander leaves - washed & finely chopped
chillies according to taste (green chillies add that wonderful flavor)
1/4 tsp - ajwain
salt to taste (but remember there is salt already in the daal, so do balance the same)
1/4 tsp - saunf
Method :-
Mix all this into a dough.
Roll into chappatis.
Shallow fry on tava. You can leave out the oil if you wanna cut off the calories (I try to do it often n they still taste good)
Sizzling on my tawa!!
Serve with north Indian mango pickle or for that matter anything else, or just roll it up & eat it.
METHI MUTTER MALAI - PEAS (READ - PEACE!!) IN A FENUGREEK, CREAM GRAVY!!!
When we were quite newly wed, & my husband never used to leave the office until after the last soul had left the work place, n the hidden residents (I am referring to the roaches n mosquitos) started appearing for their work. To show my annoyance I used to announce that I refuse to cook food if we reach home after a deadline of 8 p.m. Rajeev was more than happy to give into the command, than leave the office w/o satisfying himself........let me come to the point..........o.k at such times we used to visit a small local restaurant called Delicacy & we took an instant liking to this wonderful dish having such a unique blend of flavors & it became our regular order for dinner. Just this one dish (the portions they served were very good) & a variety of breads to go with it. Rarely would we order something different. I was so bent on learning how to cook it, but didnt have the slightest idea how I could get hold of the recipe.....when one evening at a dinner at our boss's home Mrs. Boss had the dish spread on the table, along with other dishes. I didnt waste a second to catch hold of her, n memorize the recipe then & there.
Here it goes for the benefit of all my friends. I am sure you will all enjoy it.
Ing :-
1 cup - peas
1/2 cup - fenugreek leaves (if you cant get hold of fresh fenugreen leaves, use about 3/4 tbsp
of kasuri methi)
1/2 cup - fresh cream
1/4 cup - fresh curd (pls ensure that it is not too sour)
1/2 cup - milk
1/2 tsp - garlic chopped finely
1/2 tsp - ginger grated
3/4 - big onions
1 - tomato
2/3 - cardamoms
2/3 - cloves
1/2 inch stick of cinnamon
1 tsp - garam masala powder
1 tsp - dhaniya powder
green chillies - according to taste
salt to taste
2 tsp - sugar
Method :-
Add a little oil to a kadai & add the chopped ginger & garlic. Dont let them burn. Add finely chopped onions. Fry till pink in colour. Pls ensure that the onions dont burn.
Remove this from fire & let it cool a bit before making a smooth paste of this in the processor.
In the earlier kadai, add some more oil, add the khada masala (cardamom, cinnamon & cloves after crushing them a bit using the belan). When they start smelling good, add the onion paste & fry well, again ensure nothing is BURNT.
Make a smooth tomato paste & add to this onion paste. Fry both of them well till the raw smell fades off & oil starts floating on top. As always done, if you add a tsp of salt into the masala while frying it ensures quick cooking & the raw flavor gone.
When you are sure that the paste is well done, add the garam masala, salt, green chillies & corriander powder. Saute all this for about a minute.
Add the fenugreek leaves finely chopped or the kasuri methi at this stage. Let cook for about 2 minutes.
Add the cream, cook for about 2 minutes till the paste is thick, add the milk & stir till it evaporates, n the gravy gets thicker & will increase in volume, lastly add the curd (ensure that there are no lumps & if you beat it with the spoon it will form a creamy texture), let this also mix into the gravy & increase the volume of the gravy.
Now add a little water (just a wee bit, maybe about half a cup), let it come to a boil. Add the sugar.
Add the peas & cover the kadai with a lid & let it cook
After about 5-10 minutes open the lid & check if the peas are cooked.
Once cooked, if the gravy is too watery, let it dry up a bit. It should be a little thick gravy.
Serve hot with parathas or fulkas or even rice.
To add to the richness of the gravy, you can soak about 10-15 cashewnuts for about an hour & then add it into the processor while making a paste of the sauteed onions.
It is a yummy melt in your mouth curry. N I love it more each time I have it.
Here it goes for the benefit of all my friends. I am sure you will all enjoy it.
Ing :-
1 cup - peas
1/2 cup - fenugreek leaves (if you cant get hold of fresh fenugreen leaves, use about 3/4 tbsp
of kasuri methi)
1/2 cup - fresh cream
1/4 cup - fresh curd (pls ensure that it is not too sour)
1/2 cup - milk
1/2 tsp - garlic chopped finely
1/2 tsp - ginger grated
3/4 - big onions
1 - tomato
2/3 - cardamoms
2/3 - cloves
1/2 inch stick of cinnamon
1 tsp - garam masala powder
1 tsp - dhaniya powder
green chillies - according to taste
salt to taste
2 tsp - sugar
Method :-
Add a little oil to a kadai & add the chopped ginger & garlic. Dont let them burn. Add finely chopped onions. Fry till pink in colour. Pls ensure that the onions dont burn.
Remove this from fire & let it cool a bit before making a smooth paste of this in the processor.
In the earlier kadai, add some more oil, add the khada masala (cardamom, cinnamon & cloves after crushing them a bit using the belan). When they start smelling good, add the onion paste & fry well, again ensure nothing is BURNT.
Make a smooth tomato paste & add to this onion paste. Fry both of them well till the raw smell fades off & oil starts floating on top. As always done, if you add a tsp of salt into the masala while frying it ensures quick cooking & the raw flavor gone.
When you are sure that the paste is well done, add the garam masala, salt, green chillies & corriander powder. Saute all this for about a minute.
Add the fenugreek leaves finely chopped or the kasuri methi at this stage. Let cook for about 2 minutes.
Add the cream, cook for about 2 minutes till the paste is thick, add the milk & stir till it evaporates, n the gravy gets thicker & will increase in volume, lastly add the curd (ensure that there are no lumps & if you beat it with the spoon it will form a creamy texture), let this also mix into the gravy & increase the volume of the gravy.
Now add a little water (just a wee bit, maybe about half a cup), let it come to a boil. Add the sugar.
Add the peas & cover the kadai with a lid & let it cook
After about 5-10 minutes open the lid & check if the peas are cooked.
Once cooked, if the gravy is too watery, let it dry up a bit. It should be a little thick gravy.
Serve hot with parathas or fulkas or even rice.
To add to the richness of the gravy, you can soak about 10-15 cashewnuts for about an hour & then add it into the processor while making a paste of the sauteed onions.
It is a yummy melt in your mouth curry. N I love it more each time I have it.
Stuffed Buns
Once in a while when there's left over stuff you can make this snack, which tastes great
INGREDIENTS:
6 pieces Dinner Rolls(not sweet ones)
1 no. Cucumber(chopped)
1 no. Onion(chopped)
¾ cup Cabbage(shredded)
5 nos. Potato(boiled)
Tomato Sauce to taste
Chili Sauce (green) to taste
Cheese to taste(cheddar, grated)
METHOD :
Scoop the buns, be careful not to break the base / outer crust. Apply butter.
Mash the potatoes with a little salt & black pepper . Put in a spoonful of this mixture into the cavity of the bun & spread it using the back of a spoon.
Make a layer of cabbage and cucumber and chopped onion.
Sprinkle salt and pepper.
Cover with grated cheese. You can sprinke Pizza masala (dried oregano, basil, chilli flakes) to add that extra zing
Bake in pre-heated oven at 100 degree for 15-20 minutes. Serve with both sauces.
When you take it out the cheese is all melted & smelling good
INGREDIENTS:
6 pieces Dinner Rolls(not sweet ones)
1 no. Cucumber(chopped)
1 no. Onion(chopped)
¾ cup Cabbage(shredded)
5 nos. Potato(boiled)
Tomato Sauce to taste
Chili Sauce (green) to taste
Cheese to taste(cheddar, grated)
METHOD :
Scoop the buns, be careful not to break the base / outer crust. Apply butter.
Mash the potatoes with a little salt & black pepper . Put in a spoonful of this mixture into the cavity of the bun & spread it using the back of a spoon.
Make a layer of cabbage and cucumber and chopped onion.
Sprinkle salt and pepper.
Cover with grated cheese. You can sprinke Pizza masala (dried oregano, basil, chilli flakes) to add that extra zing
Bake in pre-heated oven at 100 degree for 15-20 minutes. Serve with both sauces.
When you take it out the cheese is all melted & smelling good
COLLECTIBLES
I was talking to my colleague about the different attitude various people have about keeping / discarding old stuff, or the sentiments attached to them.
I collect a lot of paper stuff - old cards, letters from friends, from husband (during our courtship days), from Dad, from Brother, recipes, quotes collected from the net etc. etc., sms's sent by my husband to me
She said she would be very attached to the furniture that they've used in their house, n an old bed they used when she, her sister & her brother were very small had to be given away because it wouldnt fit into a house they had shifted, made her really really sad!!
Likewise another friend of mine just said that she would never give away the furniture that she had used in Patna with her husband (she has lost her husband in a very unfortuante incident).
I wonder what my blogger friends like to keep as Memorabilia
Monday, August 13, 2007
MALAI KOFTA
This is one of my all time favorites. I just love the texture of the paneer dumplings in a rich creamy gravy. I just hate to share my Malai Kofta with anyone........& here goes the recipe
Ing for the Kofta
250 gms - Fresh Paneer
3 medium sized - Boiled potatoes
a bunch of corriander leaves
Salt to Taste
1/2 tsp - pepper powder
1/2 tsp - coarsely crushed saunf
a few raisins
some cashews chopped
3/4 slices of white bread - this is for the binding. You can even substitute it with cornflour or refined flour
Ing for the Gravy
2 medium sized onions
3 medium sized tomatoes
4 flakes of garlic
1/2 inch ginger
2 tbsp - tomato ketchup
1/4 cup - fresh cream (you can increase it to 1/2 cup if you prefer a real creamy texture)
1/2 cup - Milk
50 gms of paneer
10 cashews - soaked & ground into a paste
3-4 cardamoms
1 small stick - cinnamon
3-4 cloves
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder - according to taste
1 tbsp - garam masala powder
1 tbsp - dhaniya (corriander/malli) powder
1 tsp - kasoori methi
Method for Kofta - my husband n I generally gobble up a kofta or two in this process. He will quickly stuff it in between two slices of bread n munch awa, n I just love to see him enjoy it.
- Mash the paneer finely
- Add the mashed potatoes to it n blend well
- Add salt, corriander leaves, pepper powder, saunf & the bread peices (you can slightly wet the bread slices & squeeze them).
- blend all these well
- Make into small ping-pong sized balls. Insert a raisin and some cashew pcs into the ball.
- Reshape them into firm balls
- Heat oil in a cheena chatti (kadai / wok)
- Add the balls slowly & take them out when golden brown
Method for the gravy :-
In another cheena chatti, add a little oil.
Add the cardamom, cinnamon & clove
Make a fine paste of Tomatoes, Onions, Ginger & Garlic. Add this into the wok. Fry well till oil floats on top. In this process, if you add salt into the paste, it fries quickly n the raw taste vanishes completely
When the paste fries well, add the Garam Masala, Corriander Powder, Chilli powder, Salt.
Let it fry for another two minutes.
In the grinder, put together the paneer & cashew paste - just blend it for a second or two. The paste will be a creamy texture.
Add this paste into the masala n fry for about a minute
Add milk & a little water to make thick gravy.
When it comes to a boil, add the cream & close the gas
Add the koftas just before serving.
Garnish with a little cream, crushed kasoori methi n corriander leaves
Serve with rice or parathas - tastes yummy
Saturday, August 11, 2007
RECIPE FOR CHOLE BHATURE
My mother's sister had visited Delhi after a very, very long gap just recently (June' 07). She absolutley loves the Chole Bhature in Delhi, so does my mom. If we ever happen to go out, sitting in a restaurant, all she can order is "Cholla batura"
Therefore, when I went over this time, she said how much she missed eating the fluffy fried bread, the aroma & the taste of the chole. I agreed to prepare it for breakfast one day, to satisfy her craving for the same.
Here goes the recipe, however, I had made some mallu alterations while I was there, coz they dont like too much "pulli" in their curries, so I minused the "aamchur", n replaced it with karivepella to give that mallu touch. I am giving below the original, N. India recipe.
Ing for the Chole -
250 gms - white chole (vella kadla) - soaked overnight
3/4 sticks of cloves
1/2 inch stick of cinnamon
3/4 pods of cardamom
1 strong tea bag
2 medium sized onions
2 medium sized tomatoes
1 tsp of finely chopped garlic
1 tsp of finely chopped ginger
a slightly large pinch of asofetida
1-1/2 tbsp of powdered roasted cumin seed
1 tsp - black pepper powdered
1/2 tsp - anaardana powder (you can omit this if you want)
1 tsp - garam masala (if you get Chole masala then use it)
Ing for the Bhature :-
1/2 cup - Maida (Refined Flour)
1 cup - Wheat Flour
2 - boiled potatoes
a bunch of corriander leaves
3/4 green chillies
salt to taste
1/4 cup curd
1/4 tsp - yeast
NOW FOR THE BHATURA
You will have to knead the dough for the Bhatura at least 4/5 hrs before the consumption. Generally I knead it overnight & let it rise. Here I have added wheatflour instead of fully using the refined flour for health purposes........kindly overlook the fried part of the bhature :-)
- In a little warm water add the yeast to rise
- Seive the salt & the flours together.
- Mash the potatoes well, so that there are no lumps & add to the flour
- Add a tbsp of oil
- Chop the corriander leaves & chillies finely & add to the flours
- Add the curd
- Add the risen yeast water
- Knead all this together to make a not a very soft dough (use a little water if you need to). It should be a little stiff, coz when it raises the dough becomes too elastic n soft to be handled if it is very soft at the time of kneading.
- Cover it with a wet cloth & leave it to rest - (I am very restless n go n touch n see it at least a hundred times !!!! )
- For frying - heat oil in a wok. Remember it should be very hot.
- Make equal medium sized balls (the size of a small potato) of the dough. If its stickly roll it in a little atta, so that it doesnt stick to the rolling board (we call it chakla in hindi & chappati kall in malyalam)
- Lightly spread dough into a oval shap using the rolling pin. Use a little more wheatflour if it gets sticky.
- Fry one by one into the hot ghee & remove when a golden brown colour on a tissue paper.
NOW FOR THE CHOLE
- Boil the soaked chole in a pressure cooker, along with the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon.
- Add salt in the pressure cooker before boiling, that way the chole are salty to the core n dont taste bland.
- To this hide the tea bag way benath the chole for the risk of it getting jammed in the whistle of the cooker. (The tea bag gives it that thick dark black colour, which make the chole sooooooooo tempting).
- Make a coarse paste of the onions & tomato.
- Add oil to a wok (kadhai, cheena chatti), n let it heat
- Add the chopped ginger & garlic, n fry till they are slightly brown.
- Add the onion /tomato paste, fry till the oil floats on top. Remember that frying it a little more is better than frying it a little less, coz the raw taste spoils everything. Let it be a brown colour.
- To this add the jeera masala, garam masala, pepper powder, anardana or amchur (this ing is to add a little tanginess to the chole, which I really like - mallus generally dont like it, th4, if you want you can avoid it), a little more salt if necessary, chilli powder or green chillies. Fry all these ingredients well till the colour is dark brown or black (but remember it shouldnt be burnt, you could add a little water each time the masala dries up).
- Add the chole & mix well. Let it cook for another 2/3 minutes. If you mash up some of the chole, using the ladel itself, the end result is a mushy, thick gravy, which goes quite well with the Bhature.
- Garnish with finely chopped onions, corriander, tomates & green chilies (or else you can serve all this on the side of the dish)
- You can also add a few peices of fried paneer to it.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
FOODIE
I am an absolute foodie to the core.......th4, I am going to post some recipes tried & tested by (some may not be tested by me as yet).
The satisfaction of the artwork in the kitchen & having to see somebody lick their fingers n plates & the fact that people rave about your cooking - is a joy that cannot be described (it has to be a hidden joy).
I may not add photographs in the beginning, but maybe I will ......I dont get too much time to experiment with cooking coz I am working, but I manage to do whatever I can during a Sunday or a day of Holiday.
Though a Mallu, my contribution will be majorly N. Indian - coz I really have not specialized in Mallu cooking, but have all intentions to do so, with the help of my fellow mallu foodie bloggers.
The satisfaction of the artwork in the kitchen & having to see somebody lick their fingers n plates & the fact that people rave about your cooking - is a joy that cannot be described (it has to be a hidden joy).
I may not add photographs in the beginning, but maybe I will ......I dont get too much time to experiment with cooking coz I am working, but I manage to do whatever I can during a Sunday or a day of Holiday.
Though a Mallu, my contribution will be majorly N. Indian - coz I really have not specialized in Mallu cooking, but have all intentions to do so, with the help of my fellow mallu foodie bloggers.
NOSTALGIA
I never knew how much I still missed the place until I landed there a week before on 30th July' 07 after a gap of almost 10 yrs, n suddenly I felt like, gosh, where was I all this while.......with marriage, n job & home responsiblities I never got to think about the beauty & my love for this town of Kochi, n the whole State of Kerala so much.
Even this trip was sort of a whiff of generosity from my dear husband, who was filled with pity for me, when he saw me crying one day after speaking to my Grandma, who is old n frail. He really felt that he has been selfish & it was not fair on me to be held back to visit this place. He quickly made arrangements & left me at the airport on 29th morning......when the plane was about to land Nedumbasheri Airport it struck me how beautiful the place still was n how much I have missed it. We used to be regular summer vacation goers to Kerala all throughout my shcool life - 2 full months in Kerala, spent at Granny's place, with neighbors & relatives showering attention to the "Delhi-innu-vanna-piller"!!!
With job & marriage to a Punju guy, never did imagine I would ever be able to visit this place once again.......but it did happen, n I got to spend a luxurious (7) days in Ernakulam.
Since the time I have been back, I havent been able to stop thinking about the simple life there, the beautiful picture perfect sceneries, the tatt-kadas, the sumptous mouth watering yummy food, the bakeries, the roads lined with coconut trees, the lagoons, the lakes, the ocean, .........n I wonder if I would ever be able to make that place my own ????
Even this trip was sort of a whiff of generosity from my dear husband, who was filled with pity for me, when he saw me crying one day after speaking to my Grandma, who is old n frail. He really felt that he has been selfish & it was not fair on me to be held back to visit this place. He quickly made arrangements & left me at the airport on 29th morning......when the plane was about to land Nedumbasheri Airport it struck me how beautiful the place still was n how much I have missed it. We used to be regular summer vacation goers to Kerala all throughout my shcool life - 2 full months in Kerala, spent at Granny's place, with neighbors & relatives showering attention to the "Delhi-innu-vanna-piller"!!!
With job & marriage to a Punju guy, never did imagine I would ever be able to visit this place once again.......but it did happen, n I got to spend a luxurious (7) days in Ernakulam.
Since the time I have been back, I havent been able to stop thinking about the simple life there, the beautiful picture perfect sceneries, the tatt-kadas, the sumptous mouth watering yummy food, the bakeries, the roads lined with coconut trees, the lagoons, the lakes, the ocean, .........n I wonder if I would ever be able to make that place my own ????
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