04 May 2015

MANGO KULFI



Mango Kulfi my all time favorite dessert and it's a no fail recipe and quick to make but holding that crave till it freezes is the testing one.. Mango madness has already hit the city but sourcing good organically ripen mangoes has become a tough tasks. It's better to get them from farms in bulk and distribute among families and friends. Now to the yummylicious recipe..

What you need:
Mango puree- 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Milk powder - 1/2 cup
Condensed milk - 1/4 cup
Evaporated milk - 1/4 cup (optional)
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
Sugar - 1/4 cup or more depends upon sweetness of mangoes
Saffron - gen pinch soaked in 2 tbsp milk
Almonds, Pistachios, Cashew - 1/4 cup mixed, chopped



How to make:
Heat milk in a thick pan add cardamom powder and simmer in low for 5 minutes do not allow to boil.

Add milk powder, condensed milk, evaporated milk, sugar, saffron soaked milk and keep stirring in low heat for about 15 - 20 minutes or until the mixture thickens. 

Cool this completely add mango puree mix well add nuts stir them and pour into molds and cover with foil paper or lid if it's a kulfi mold.

Refrigerate over night or for 6 hours and serve!! 

20 April 2015

MATCHA GREEN BANANA AND MANGO SMOOTHIE

This combination of Banana and Mango are match made in heaven. Both these fruits give a natural thickness and creaminess to the smoothies. Addition of match green tea to the smoothie will provide the required antioxidants. Almond milk, coconut milk, non diary milk anything works fine for this smoothie if you want to keep it vegan else usual milk can be used.

What you need:
1 cup - Mango flesh
1 no - Banana
2 tbsp - Matcha green tea powder
1 cup - Soya milk
Few ice cubes if required

How to make: 
Blend Mango with half cup soya milk and pour in the glasses until half, now blend banana, green tea powder and left soya milk blend it and pour over the mango smoothie. 

15 April 2015

KERALA STYLE MATTAR PANEER CURRY

Mildly spiced Kerala style Mattar Paneer curry this makes a perfect accompaniment with rice. Fusion cooking works well when the combinations are properly selected. Regional flavor is retained with modern ingredients. 

This is a very quick to make gravy which can also go well with Idiyappam, puttu or any South Indian tiffin varieties.

What you need:
Green Peas - 1/2 cup
Paneer - 1/2 cup, cubed
Onion - 1 no, sliced
Coconut Milk - 1 cup
Red Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/3 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/3 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Dry red chilly - 1 no
Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt as reqd

How to make:
Heat tbsp of oil in a pan add onion saute until golden brown add turmeric, red chilli, coriander powders, salt and saute until raw smell leaves.

Now add green peas, coconut milk and let this simmer in low heat for 2 minutes, once the gravy starts to thicken add paneer cubes and allow to simmer. 

Mean while, heat tbsp of oil in a tadka pan add mustard, fenugreek seeds allow to crackle, add fennel, red chilli, curry leaves and saute well and pour this over the gravy cook for half a minute and remove the gravy from heat and serve hot!

10 April 2015

THAI VEG GREEN CURRY FROM SCRATCH


After Pad Thai it's time again for a scrumptious Thai Green curry..  I have been buying Thai Green curry and Thai red curry paste for several years now. Always use to look up for fresh ingredients in super markets but that never happened for me in Chennai. This year vacation to Singapore turned to be a perfect grocery shopping vacation for me.. grabbed what ever i could take home..

Bought a pack of Thai green curry ingredients to be made into paste. The paste stays well for a week wen refrigerated. This curry tastes great with rice. Good quality coconut milk is all that is required to make this curry creamy and for the perfect texture. Traditionally turkey berry is added to the paste which i missed to add.

To my surprise SH ate the whole lot of this curry with rice for breakfast.

What you need for the paste:
5 nos - Green chillies 
3 nos - Shallots
2 pods - Garlic 
1/2 inch - Galangal 
2 stick - Lemon Grass, lower portion only
3 nos- Kaffir (Lemon leaves)
1 tsp - Lemon rind
5 stems - Fresh Coriander roots only
1 tbsp - Peppercorns
1 tsp Coriander seeds, roasted 
1 tsp Cumin seeds, roasted
How to make:
Grind all the ingredients adding very little water and make into paste.


What you need for the curry:
1/2 cup - Thai Green Curry Paste
1 no - Carrot, sliced
3 nos - Baby corn, slit
1 cup - Mushroom, sliced
1/2 cup - Bell Peppers, chopped
250 ml Coconut Milk, canned / pack
Salt to taste
1 tsp - Oil

How to make:
Heat oil in a pan add green curry paste and fry well, add vegetables, 2 tbsp water and cook till they are almost done.

Add coconut milk and cook in low heat add salt and cook for 3 mins and switch off the heat.

Serve hot with rice. 

08 April 2015

TOMATO KURMA


This dish makes a perfect side for South Indian Tiffin varieties, North Indian Breads as well as for Plain Rice. Easy to make and still tastes great.. Mild spices makes it perfect to go with both North n South dishes.

What you need:
4 nos - Tomatoes (chopped)
1 no - Onion (chopped)
1/2 tsp - Red Chilli powder
1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
Cinnamon - 1/4 inch, Cloves - 2 nos, Cardamom - 1 no
1 tbsp - Oil
Salt as reqd
Fresh coriander

To grind into paste with 1/4 cup water:
1/4 cup - Fresh Coconut flakes
5 nos – Dry Red chillies
1/2 tsp - Fennel seeds
1/2 tsp - Khus Khus
1 tsp - Ginger chopped


How to make:
Heat oil in a pan add spices, roast em add onions saute well add tomatoes and cook till it turns soft.

Add the paste, half cup water, chilli, turmeric powder, salt cover and cook for 5 -6 mins in medium heat.

Once they gravy thickens switch off the heat sprinkle coriander leaves and serve!!



05 April 2015

CHILLI CHEESE TOAST


 Sandwich making is an ART it completely depends upon are imagination. The more is innovation the more its going to taste great. Chilli Cheese Toasts is one to die for especially the ones sold in Tea shops. SH picks this from the tea shop near his office and i heart them. Crispy toast with spicy chessy inside is an out of world experience. This is how i make my Chilli Cheese Toasts ..

What you need:
Wheat Bread - as reqd
Green Bell Pepper - 2 tbsp, chopped
Onion - 1/2 no, thinly sliced
Green Chilli - 1 no, chopped
Any Cheese - 3 tbsp, grated
Pepper Powder - ¼ tsp
Dry Italian herbs - ¼ tsp
Red Chilli flakes - ¼ tsp
Butter as reqd
Salt as reqd

How to make:
Apply butter on both the slices of the bread. Spread onion, bell pepper, green chillies over the bread slices. 

Sprinkle cheese, red chilli flakes, pepper powder, italian herbs, salt and cover with another buttered slice.

Heat the sandwich maker place the sandwich close the lid in approx 2 mins remove from heat and serve with some sauce and cold Chocolate Milkshake!! 

04 April 2015

CHILLI POTATOES (Pan Fried Version)


Myself n SH are not big fans of Chinese / Indo Chinese foods and never order them at Restaurants. The high sodium sauces n ajinomoto always worries me n neither i make them often at home. During my trip to Singapore; i picked up many variety of sauces and now its time i put them to use. This low calorie version of Chilli potatoes were guests this weekend at home. These chilli potatoes makes a great starter as well as can be made into gravy by adding some more sauce + cornflour mixture. 

Simple to make dish but gorgeously yummy.. Paired these potatoes with Burnt Garlic Rice instead of Broccoli made them with tri colored bell pepper for lunch and to beat the Chennai Summer nothing like a pint of chilled Beer for SH (weekend special)!!!

What you need:
2 nos - Potatoes, de skinned, cut into wedges and soaked in cold water
1 tbsp - Corn flour
1/2 tsp - Pepper powder
1 no - Onion, sliced /diced
2 nos - White part of Spring onions,chopped
2 tbsp - Green part of spring onion, chopped
2 nos - Green chillies n 1 no - Red chilli (optional)
1 tsp each - Ginger n Garlic, chopped
2 tbsp - Red chiili n tomato sauce / Tomato sauce
1 tsp - Light Soy sauce
Salt as reqd
Oil as reqd


How to make:
Remove the potatoes pat dry them in cornflour + salt + pepper mixture and make sure they coat evenly.

Heat oil in a pan shallow fry them util golden in color and remove.

In the same pan add chillies, ginger, garlic, white parts of spring onions, onions and saute well.

Add sauces, salt(chk and add) pepper powder(chk and add) give a nice mix, add potatoes toss until they coat well.

Remove from heat sprinkle green parts of spring onion and serve!!


02 April 2015

BHUTTE KA KHEES


Summer is here the most dreading time, entering the kitchen on late afternoons is one tough task. Easy to cook evening snack ideas are much needed during this season. One such easy to make dish is "BHUTTE KA KHEES" fresh Sweet corn is grated and ground into paste and made into a spicy evening snack, a famous Indore street food made at home in few mins. 

This recipe  was a long pending dish which i wanted to try but somehow it never happened. It's time to make em.. 

Serves: 2 

Preparation time: 10 minutes 
Cooking time: 15 minutes 

What you need:

Corn Cobs - 3 nos, grated n ground to smooth paste
Green chillies - 2 nos, chopped
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger - 1 tsp, grated
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Mustard n Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp each
Turmeric n Hing - gen pinch
Salt as reqd
Oil - 1 tbsp
Fresh coriander n Coconut grated - 2 tbsp each

How to make:

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard, cumin seeds, hing, turmeric, red chilli powder saute well add then add chillies,ginger n saute well.

Add the ground corn mix well, add salt mix well and cook in medium heat until the water is absorbed.


Once cooked remove from heat drizzle lemon juice, sprinkle grated coconut and coriander leaves and serve hot with a cup of chai.


30 March 2015

CURRIED CAULIFLOWER BAGUETTE SANDWICH (Oven Method)


I usually prefer a Baguette over Sliced Bread. Only Baguettes can handle a fully loaded sandwich and they stay absolutely perfect when packed for work / picnic/ shopping. A spicier filling to the sandwich makes it a yummier meal. Oven roasted some cauliflower florets in desi style and dumped inside the sandwich. This was one of the best sandwich i have ever made. Sooper filling and it tasted great with spicy flavors. 

What you need:
1 cup - Cauliflower Florets
1 tsp - Red chilli powder
1/2 tsp - Cumin powder
1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp - Garam Masala
2 tsp - Olive oil
Salt as reqd

How to make:

Mix all of the above in a bowl arrange on a lined baking tray and cook on preheated  oven for 15 mins or until browned @ 250C.

What you need for the Sandwich:

Baguette / Bread slices, cut into half
Lettuce, torn
Onion, sliced
Cherry Tomatoes, halved
Cucumber, sliced
Green Chutney
Eggless Olive Oil Mayonnaise
Salt n pepper as reqd

How to make:

Spread the green chutney on both the sides of the baguettes, top with lettuces, cucumbers, onion, tomatoes, curried cauliflower, drizzle mayonnaise n sprinkle fresh pepper n salt and close with another slice and serve!!

26 March 2015

VIRGIN MOJITO - Summer Series

Virgin Mojito makes a great summer thirst quencher. This is a sure refreshing drink!! Chennai is getting humid as the days r going by.. A perfect drink is the much needed one once you get bk home..This is easy n quick to prepare drink which has always been my fav.. n continues to beee..
 What you need:
1/2 bunch - Mint leaves
2 - Lemons
1/2 litre - Sprite / Soda 
2 tbsp - Sugar
Ice cubes 
 How to make:
Chop mint leaves, slice the lemons into wedges and remove the seeds. 
In a mortar pestel add in mint leaves, lemon wedges, sugar and mash up until the juices are squeezed out.
Add this to the pitcher, pour over the sprite / soda mix well top with more ice and enjoy!!

Notes: If adding plain soda more sugar is to be added.

23 March 2015

PAD THAI.. veg version!

Pad Thai a dish from Thailand which is made with loads of veggies, fish sauces, sea foods and topped generously with salted crushed peanuts. Made a cheaters veg version "Pad Thai" with ingredients available at home. Picked up few rare veggies like Bokchoy, bean sprouts, thai chillies, mushrooms from my recent trip back from Singapore.
What you need:
1 pkt - Pad Thai Noodles, cook as per instructions
2 nos - Bok choy, chopped
1/2 of - Green n Red bell pepper, sliced
10 nos - Mushroom, chopped
1/2 cup - Bean sprouts
1 no - Onion, sliced
3 pods - Garlic, chopped
1 tbsp - Ginger, chopped
3 nos - Thai red chillies, chopped
1/2 cup - Salted peanuts, crushed
2 tbsp - Soy sauce
1 tbsp - Lemon juice
2 tbsp - Brown Sugar
2 tbsp - Oil
Salt as reqd

How to make:
Heat a large pan / wok add oil, saute onions, garlic, ginger, chillies, bokchoy, mushrooms, sprouts, peppers, min salt and toss well.

Add rice noodles mix well, add soy sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar give a good toss add peanuts mix well and serve!!

18 March 2015

CHICKPEA TIKKIS (PAN FRIED)

A nutritious tea time snack made guilt free.. Chickpea tikkis --- chickpeas are soaked overnite, cooked, mashed well and blended with spices and made into tikkis on a non stick pan with just a tsp of oil. In a city like Chennai it's really difficult to find eateries selling guilt free snacks/ munches.. Especially i hate the fact that they are dunked in oil and rested on newspapers (don't people know that chances of the inks / toners used to print those papers may be glued to food items). With World cup matches on snacking has become a important part.. while watching TV.

Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 10 mins

What you need:
2 cups - Chickpeas(white kabuli channa), soaked, cooked and mashed well
1/2 cup - Fresh coriander n mint leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp - Green chilli paste
1/2 tsp - Ginger, grated
1/2 tsp - Cumin powder n garam masala
Salt as reqd
Oil as reqd

How to make:
In a bowl add mashed channa, coriander + mint, green chilli paste, ginger, cumin powder, garam masala, salt and mix well.

Divide them into equal portions and make them into tikkis (as you wish) 

Grease a non stick pan drizzle half tsp of oil place the tikkis cook on both the sides until crispy and serve hot!!

Served these with red chilli n mustard sauce with a cup of chai!!

Notes: Thes tikkis can be rolled in 2 tbsp corn flour + water mixture and rolled in bread crumbs and then can be made into tikkis. This will give more crunchier tikkis.

If you find tikkis are getting mixed with oil add 2 tbsp corn flour mix the batter again, roll and pan fry them up.


16 March 2015

BATATA RASSA

Back from my holidays and now in action with a simple one pot gravy "Batata rassa" potato and tomato based gravy which goes well with any Indian Breakfasts and steamed rice too..  Chennai summer has already in action and quick dishes is what i prefer to cook.. 

Preparation Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Serves: 2
 
What you need:
2 nos- Potatoes, cubed
1 no - Onion, chopped
1 large no - Tomato, chopped
1 tsp - Red chilli powder
1 tsp - Coriander powder
1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 tsp - Cumin seeds
1 sprig - Curry leaves
Asafoetida
Salt as reqd

How to make:
Heat oil in a pressure pan saute cumin seeds, curry leaves and fry onions. Add potatoes, tomatoes, chilli , coriander, turmeric powders, asafoetida, salt, 2 cups water and pressure cook for 5 hisses.

Once pressure is down remove the lid sprinkle fresh coriander and serve hot!!

02 March 2015

JOWAR RAVA IDLI

Little grains / millets are now available easily in almost all markets.. Innovative cooking is what these grains need. Have tried making jowar rotis with jowar flour many at times and they turned out juss okkkk.. But decided to land up with usual dosa / adai with this grain but then went ahead and made them into idlies.. They turned out soft and filling.. Chennai markets has widened itself in stocking organic millets / grains / cereals.. The awareness towards LOW GI foods have increased.. My love towards trying out different variation and combinations using millets are welcomed by SH. He prefers healthy eats especially for his breakfasts..  

Jowar is diabetic friendly grain coz of its high dietary fibre content and its a filling grain.. You just cant eat more than 3 idlies (tats wat s te limit naa)


What you need:
For the batter:
Jowar grains - 2 cups
Brown / parboiled rice - 1 cup
Urad dhal - 1/2 cup
Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp


For the tadka:
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Channa dhal - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper - 1/2 tsp, coarsely crushed
Carrot - 2 nos, grated
Green chilli - 1 no and Ginger - 1 tsp, finely grated
Curry leaves - 1 sprig 
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
Hing as reqd
Oil - 1 tbsp


Heat oil in pan crack mustard, add hing, curry leaves saute well and then add dhals, cumin, pepper, green chillies ginger, carrots saute for a min and add to the batter.

How to make:
Wash and soak jowar, rice and urad dhal separately for 4 hours.

Grind dhal until fluffy, grind jowar, rice and methi seperately. Mix all the 3 batters add salt and leave for 2 - 3 hrs.

Add the tadka to the batter mix well and pour into idli plates and stem cook for 10 - 12 mins.

Serve hot with chutney, podi and filter coffeeee!!

25 February 2015

QUICK PICKLED ONIONS N CUCUMBERS - Summer Series

SH loves pickled onions and cucumbers. These are very easy to make and budget friendly. They taste exactly like the store bought ones. I'd love to add these to sandwiches, burgers, wraps, focacia, pizzas, salads and wat not..

This brine can be used to make any pickled vegetables of our choice. These last for couple of weeks when refrigerated. M very fond of Ravinder's Kitchen show on TLC a Indo American she cooks brilliantly and most of her recipes are jus too damn easy to make. This recipe is from her show..
 What you need:
1 no - Onion, thinly sliced
Half of Cucumber, thinly sliced
2 nos - Bay leaves
1 tsp - Black pepper corns
1/2" - Cinnamon
150 ml - Vinegar
100 ml - Water
1 tbsp - Sugar
1 tsp - Salt

How to make: 
In a tea pot combine all of the above give a nice mix and bring them to boil once it starts boiling switch off the heat. Remove Bay leaf and cinnamon stick.

Place onions, cucumbers in thr respective jars pour over the vinegar mixture an allow to cool.

Close the lid and refrigerator for 24 hrs before you start using them.

19 February 2015

SUN - DRIED TOMATOES - Summer Series 1

Juicyy tomatoes are in season and more importantly at a slashed price tis definitely calls for some pickling.. Nope, i ended up with a bottle of sun dried tomatoes filled with olive oil.. I felt that homemade is better on seeing the costs of 200 gms bottle sold in hyper markets.. For tat cost i cld easily make 4 bottles of some homemade goodness. 

These can be blended with mayonnaise for a quick spread, added in sandwiches / subs / burgers, used while making pizza / foccacia, pastas, salads and the list is endless.. This is such a sooper quick recipe (if there is lots of sun)  very minimal ingredients is all needed..

If there is no ample sun oven method can be adopted but my house was well lit with scorching sun and so i choose the traditional method.

It can stay well for approx 3 months i guess.. This is my first attempt so am yet to nail on its shelf life.

What you need:
Half Kg - Tomatoes, washed and dried using a cloth and then sliced / quartered
1/2 tsp - Sea Salt preferably
1/2 tsp - Black pepper
1/2 tsp - Red chilli flakes
1 tsp - Garlic powder
1/2 tsp - Italian seasoning
1/4 to 1/2 cup - Olive oil for preserving



How to make:
Mix all of the above dry spices and sprinkle generously on the arranged tomatoes on a plate / plastic sheet.


Dry them for 3 days or until the skin of the tomatoes shd be completely dried. 

Cover and dry them to avoid dusts..

This is end of day 1 picture. 
 End of Day 2 picture.

Mine took only 2 and half days coz the heat on the terrace was well sufficient..

Once they are completely dried transfer to a sterilized bottle / container pour the olive oil and store them.