28 February 2014

MALAI KOFTA CURRY

Malai Kofta Curry a must order at any Indian restaurant but the traditonal once are way too sweet and it never suits my taste buds. This recipe well suited to me and made few changes to make it less in calorie in take. It's a challenge provided by Nupur for this Month's South Vs North Challenge for South Team Members a event run by Divya Pramil.

Made Phulkas my favorite as always to go along with this curry and also made bell peppers salad n spiced buttermilk for today's hearty lunch..
What you need for Kofta:
Paneer - 1/2 cup (shredded)
Potato - 1 no (boiled n mashed)
Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Milk Powder - 1 tbsp
Corn Flour - 2 tbsp
Oil  for shallow fry

Mix all above roll into kofta shapes and shallow fry and drain them.

What you need for masala:
Onion - 1 big size (roughly chopped)
Cashew Nuts - 1 tbsp (chopped)
Garlic - 2 cloves n Ginger - 1 tsp
Clove - 2 nos n Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Oil - 1/2 tsp

Roast above all for 2 mins and blend into smooth paste.

What you need for gravy:
Tomato Puree - 3 nos
Red chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala Powder - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder pinch
Kasoori Methi - 1 tsp (crushed)
Milk or Heavy Cream - 1/2 cup
Salt as reqd
Coriander n Ginger slices for garnish
Oil - 1 tbsp

How to make:
Heat oil in a pan add onion mixture fry well and add tomato puree cook till oil seperates.

Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala n salt mix well and allow to cook.

Now add 1/2 cup water bring to boil add Kasoori methi and simmer now add milk mix well simmer and add coriander and serve hot with Pulkas or any Indian bread.

25 February 2014

BROWN RICE ADAI N AVIYAL


Waht you need:
Brown rice - 1 cup
Toor dhal n Channa dhal - 1/2 cup each
Black Uradh dhal - 1/4 cup
Red chilles - 5 nos
Cumin Seeds n Black Pepper - 1 tsp each
Hing - 1/4 tsp
Salt as reqd
Onion - 1 no, chopped
Ginger - 1/2 tsp

How to make:
Soak all above except salt, hing and onions for 4 hrs and grind to coarse paste.

Add onions, hing n salt mix well and make into adais. Serve with aviyal and spicy peanut chutney!!

What you need for Aviyal:
Mixed veggies - 2 cups (Carrot, Drumstick, Yellow n white pumpkin - parboiled)
Curd - 1/4 cup, beaten
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Green chilli - 3 nos
Coconut oil - 2 tsp
Curry leaves 

How to make:
Heat oil in a pan add curry leaves once it splutters add par boiled veggies add the paste (coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds ground to smooth paste with water) and cook for 4 mins.

Switch off the flame add the curd and mix well.  Makes a great pair with adai!!

14 February 2014

BROWN RICE STRAWBERRY PHIRNI

Love is in the air.. yaa all my fav rom com movies on air and am completely glued to my box. But still made this strawberry organic brown rice phirni with organic brown sugar n SH loved it..
What you need: Recipe - Cooking Thumb
10 nos - Strawberries
3 tbsp - Organic Brown Rice (wash n soak for 1 hr)
1 ltr - Milk
6 tbsp - Organic Brown Sugar
1 tsp - Rose Extract

How to make:
Grind rice with 3 tbsp milk until paste. Boil milk in a heavy pan add ground rice and keep stirring it until the milk becomes half in quantity. 

Add sugar n rose extract mix it and cook till sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let it cool completely.

Grind 5 nos strawberries and chop the other half.  Add the pureed strawberries mixture to the phirni mix well and add the chopped strawberries.

Add chopped nuts and serve the phirni!! 

12 February 2014

OATS n WHOLE WHEAT BROWNIES (Eggless n Butterless)

Brownies with oats n whole wheat made eggless n butterless. Try this guilt free yummylicious brownies for tis valentines day!!
What you need: Recipe - Yummy Tummy
Wheat Flour - 1 cup
Oats - 1/2 cup, powdered
Organic Brown Sugar - 3/4 cup
Cocoa - 5 tbsp
Baking soda -  1 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 3 tbsp
Vanilla Essence -  1 tsp
Yogurt - 1 cup
Almonds n walnuts - 3 tbsp
How to make:
Preheat the oven to 170 Degree C and prepare the tin.

In a bowl add wheat flour, sugar, oats, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a bowl and mix well. Make a small well in the center. Pour yogurt, vanilla, oil and mix well.

Pour this batter into the pan, sprinkle with nuts and bake the brownies in the oven for 20 mins or till a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Allow this to cool down, cut into squares and serve with your choice of ice cream.

09 February 2014

BROWN RICE VEGETABLE PULAO

Brown rice high fiber rice variety diabetic friendly n high in antioxidants also helps in reducing cholesterol level. Packed Brown rice veg pulao with zucchini raitha, curried egg whites and organic green grapes for hubby's lunch!!


What you need:
Organic Brown rice - 1 cup 
Mixed veggies - 1 cup (Carrots, Beans, Green peas n Bell peppers)
Onion - 1 no, chopped
Ginger n Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Green chilli - 2 nos
Mint n Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Bay leaf - 1 no, Cloves - 1 no, Cinnamon - 1 inch piece

How to make:
Wash and soak brown rice for 30 mins.

Heat oil add bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, onions, green chillies, g n g paste saute well add veggies, mint n coriander leaves, saute well add brown rice, water, salt n mix well n cook for 3 whistles.

How to make Zucchini raitha:
Zucchini - 1/2 cup, grated
Carrot - 1/4 cup, grated
Curd - 1 cup
Green chilli - 1 no, chopped
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt as reqd
Coriander - 2 tbsp, chopped

How to make:
Beat curd and mix all above and serve cold.

05 February 2014

VADA CURRY RECIPE

Vada curry is a delicious side dish for idli n dosas. Steamed cooked channa dhal balls, cooked in onion, tomato based gravy. Traditionally leftover deep fried vadais are used the next day by mashing them and cooked in a spicy gravy. 



What you need for steamed balls:
1/2 cup - Channa dhal
3 nos - Red chillies
1/4 tsp - Fennel seeds
Salt as reqd

Soak for 3 hrs and grind to coarse paste with salt. Make small balls and steam cook for 10 mins.


What you need for gravy:

1 no - Onion, chopped
2 nos - Tomatoes, chopped
2 nos - Green chillies 
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 tsp - Sambar powder
1 inch - Cinnamon stick
2 nos - Cloves
Salt as reqd
Oil - 1 tsp
1 sprig - Curry leaves
2 tbsp - Fresh coriander

How to make:

Heat oil in a pan fry the cloves, cinnamon stick, add onions, curry leaves, green chillies and saute well.

Add tomatoes, turmeric powder, salt and cook till it softens. Add 2 cups water, sambar powder an dbring to boil.


Slightly mash the steamed balls and add to the gravy. Cover and cook for another 3 - 4 mins or until gravy thickens switch it off add fresh coriander and serve hot with dosa.


04 February 2014

DAHI MATTAR TOFU

Quick and yummylicious tofu recipe suiting my spicy taste buds. Replacing paneer to tofu is a welcome for me and i can make em only wen SH s out of city. 

Accompanied with Phulkas n chickpeas salad. 
What you need : Inspired from Recipe Junction
Tofu - 1/2 pkt, cubed n tossed in a pan
Green peas : 1/2 cup
Onions : 1 no, sliced
Tomatoes - 2 nos, chopped
Green chilli - 2 nos, slit
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Panch phoron - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt as reqd
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Fresh coriander leaves - 2 tbsp, chopped

How to make:
Heat oil in a pan add panch phuran roast em add onions n green chillies saute well add tomato and cook till softens.

Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder n salt saute well add peas mix well. Whisk in yogurt switch to very low flame and coo for 2 mins. 

Add tofu cubes and coriander leaves and switch off the flame. Serve hot with phulkas n salad.