APPLE BHAJJI / FRITTERS

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Hi all, Hope you had a wonderful weekend. What do you make when you crave for Bhajji's yet want to eat something healthy at the same time. I had an Apple and unfortunately my son is not a big fan of it so this is what I came up with to satisfy all of us.

APPLE BHAJJI'S / FRITTERS

APPLE : 1 RED OR GREEN
ALL PURPOSE FLOUR/MAIDA : 1 1/2 CUP
SUGAR : 4 TBSP
SALT : 1/2 TSP
CINNAMON POWDER: 1 TSP
MILK: 1-2 CUP AS REQUIRED
RAISINS : 5 (OPTIONAL)
OIL FOR FRYING

??

MAKING

Peel the outer layer of the Apple and cut them into thin slices. In a bowl, add the Flour/Maida, Sugar, Salt, Cinnamon Powder, Raisins and mix them well. Add the Milk in slowly to make a nice Semi-liquid batter. It should not be too thick or too liquid just like the normal Bhajji batter. Heat Oil in a deep frying Pan. Dip in the sliced Apples into the batter and drop it in the oil. Once the outer becomes golden light brown, take it out and place them in a kitchen towel to drain all the excess oil. Delicious Apple Bhajji's or Fritters are ready to eat. It has the delicious outer layer with a wonderful Cinnamon flavor and has the healthy Apple inside, both make a deadly combination. I found that Maple syrup makes an excellent side for it. Enjoy !

TIPS/VARIATIONS

I added fresh Cinnamon powder (grind the cinnamon sticks into fine powder). It doesn't drink a lot of oil as it cooks fast so take it out at the right time (light brown) or it tends to darken soon. If you want you can add an Egg to the batter to make it more fluffy The best part is , once you run out of apples, just drop the batter in the hot oil and take it out when light brown. You get your own version of the Doughnut or Indian vada's. The batter in itself once fried, is delicious.Try it out and let me know

QUICKFIRE DAL

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Hi all, its been a while and life has gotten a little bit busy and so the recipe I am going to post today is a quick fire one which can be made in the cooker . Because its so quick and easy I am going to name it

QUICKFIRE DAL

INGREDIENTS

TOOR DAL: 1/2 CUP
MOONG DAL: 1/2 CUP
TOMATO: 1-2 CHOPPED
GINGER: 1 TBSP CHOPPED
GREEN CHILLI"S: 2
RED CHILI POWDER: 1 TSP
DHANIA POWDER: 1 TSP
TURMERIC POWDER: 1/2 TSP
JEERA/CUMIN : 1 TSP'
SALT AS REQUIRED

MAKING

Wash the Toor and the Moong Dal throughly and place them in the cooker with 2 cups of water. In it, add chopped Ginger, Tomato, Tsp of Jeera, Green Chilli, Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli powder , Dhania Powder with required salt. Close the lid

Switch off the gas after 3 whistles and garnish with fresh chopped coriander and quick fire Dal is ready. Serve it hot with Roti's or have it with Rice. its perfect for a busy or a lazy day.

CHEESE-PAPAD STICKS

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Hi all,

Its been hectic with my daughter running all around pushing and throwing everything she gets hold off. Coming to recipes, I saw this one when it was posed on the Food Network site and thought of making it. Its easy and is a big hit with kids as verified by my 2 little kids who finished it quick and fast. So here it goes, I've named it

ChEESE-PAPAD STICKS

INGREDIENTS

MILK: 3/4 CUP
ALL PURPOSE FLOUR: 1 CUP
SALT
LIZZAT PAPAD OR ANY FLAVOURED PAPAD (JEERA, GARLIC ETC) 1-2
MOZARELLA CHEESE: AROUND 15 PIECES
BREAD POWDER : 1/2 -1 CUP

MAKING

First, take a bowl in it, add 3/4th cup of milk and 2 tbsp of flour and mix them well without any lumps and set them aside. In another bowl, mix the bread powder and finely crushed Papad and set them aside. Put the rest of the All Purpose Flour in a Zip lock bag. Now the process begins, take the cut mozarella cheese and first put them in the flour bag and mix well, next drop the flour coated cheese in the milk-flour bowl and finally into the bread-papad mix so that the cheese is thoroughly coated with the bread mix. Take a flat baking tray and grease the base with vegetabe oil, place the cheese-papad stick in a single layer so that it doesn't touch each other. Refrigerate them for atleast 1-2 hours. Preheat the oven to 400 degress and bake the cheese-papad sticks for about 10 minutes until the sticks are light brown. Delicious Cheese-Papad Sticks are ready to eat.

TIPS

Make sure you refrigerate the cheese sticks well. You could even do that one day in advance. This is necessary as cheese remains firm and does not melt when its in the oven. Its very important to do this step as my first try had all the cheese half melted.

BAGARA BAIGAN

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Hi all, Wishing all of you a very Happy Vishu and New year. Its been busy with Spring and kids wanting to play all the time. Anyway, this recipe was made by my husbands aunt when she had come to visit us. She is an excellent cook and innovative too, trying to make new dishes all the time. Baigan as in Brinjal/Kathirukkai is an interesting vegetable in the sense that not everyone likes them and there are not a lot of dishes that can be made out of them (Thats what my assumption is, maybe I am wrong). This one is an excellent side dish for Chapathi's OR Roti's so, Enjoy !

BAGARA BAIGAN

INGREDIENTS

BAIGAN/BRINJAL/KATHIRUKKAI : 4-6 Small ones slit into 4 without cutting them all the way through
ONION; 1 BIG OR-2 SMALL CUT INTO LONG SLICES
TOMATO: 1-2 LONG THIN SLICES
GREEN CHILLI: 1-2

FOR THE GRAVY

SESAME SEEDS: 1 TBSP
GROUNDNUT: 1 TBSP
COCONUT: 1 TBSP
GINGER AND GARLIC: 2 tsp or small size
CORIANDER POWDER: 1 TSP
GARAM MASALA; 1TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER: 1 TSP
JEERA: 1 TSP
SALT: 1 TSP

MAKING

The first step is to slit the Brinjal without cutting the brinjal completely. It means the whole Brinjal should be intact but slit into 4 right till the bottom and fried in oil until the brinjal becomes brown on the outside. Take it out and place it on paper to drain all the excess oil.

Next, take a pan and fry the Sesame seeds and Ground nut until it turns brown (not burnt brown but well fried brown). keep them aside. Do the same with Coconut until it turns brown. In a blender add all the three along with all the spices mentioned above for the gravy and grind it into a nice paste.

Take a pan, saute the Onions, Tomatoes with Green chilli. Add the fried Brinjal and allow it to cook for a couple of minutes before adding the masala paste. Cook for another 5 minutes until all the gravy has mixed well with the vegetables. Garnish with fresh Coriander leaves and Bagara Baigan is ready to serve.

TIPS

Make sure the sesame and grown nut are not burnt and also use them in proportion coz then then will overpower the entire dish which many may not like.

You can add a tsp of cashews if you want to add more flavour but mind that the dish is already on the heavier side with fried Brinjal and coconut.

DAL MASALA

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Hi all,

The recipe I am going to share today is one of my favourite side dish. Its a very common dish and I am sure many of you would be making it often as well. I was introduced to this dish by my MIL in one of her visits to the US. I loved it and since then its been a regular at our house for dinner. Hope you like it as much as me and my family do. Here it goes

DAL MASALA

INGREDIENTS

MOONG DAL : 2 CUPS
ONION: 1 MEDIUM CHOPPED
TOMATO: 1 MEDIUM CUT INTO SMALL PIECES
GREEN CHILLIES: 4-5 CHOPPED
GINGER: CHOPPED (2 TSP)
HALF A LEMON
CHOPPED CORIANDER LEAVES
OIL AND SALT AS REQUIRED

MAKING

Boil the Moong dal covering it with enough water on a low flame with a pinch of turmeric and salt. Make sure the gas in in low flame as Moong dal tends to overflow and the salt added should be half of what we is needed for the entire dish as we add the rest to the veg gravy in total. Take a kadai, fry the onions in 2 tsp of oil until light brown. Add the Ginger, green chillies and stir for a couple of minutes. Once the onion is sweating and soft, add the cut tomato pieces and stir again until the tomatoes are soft and have mixed well with the onion mix. Add the other half of salt as required and allow it to cook for about 2-3 minutes on a medium flame. Finally, add the boiled Moong Dal and cook for another few minutes until the dal has mixed well with the rest of the ingredients. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves. Delicious Dal is ready, serve it hot with roti's /chapathi's,

TIPS

 If you want you can make the Dal without Tomato in it. In that case, just add the lemon juice right at the end after garnish to get the flavor. Make sure the gas is switched off when adding the lemon juice. Enjoy !

GREEN TOMATO PACCHADI

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Hi, This recipe come straight from my MIL's kitchen. She gave me this recipe when I told her that I had a lot of green tomatoes growing in my vegetable garden. Its easy to make and tasty to eat. Here it goes, its called

GREEN TOMATO PACCHADI

INGREDIENTS

GREEN TOMATOES: 3 MEDIUM CHOPPED INTO SMALL PIECES
COCONUT: 1/2 CUP
GREEN CHILLIES: 3
MUSTARD SEEDS: 1TSP
JAGGERY: 1 TSP
SALT
TURMERIC
OIL
CURRY LEAVES FOR GARNISH

MAKING

Take a pan and cook the cut Green Tomatoes with enough water, salt and turmeric until its soft and tender. Meanwhile grind Coconut, Green Chilli's and 1 Tsp. of Mustard seeds with a little bit of salt,  into a fine paste and add it to the cooked Tomatoes. Add a Tsp. of Jaggery for additional taste if needed.

Finally for the tempering/Tadka, heat oil and add Mustard seeds, 1 Red Chilli and 1/2 Tsp. of Methi seeds. Once the Mustard seeds splutters add it to the finished Green Tomato Pacchadi and its ready to serve. Garnish it with fresh Curry leaves.

TIPS

Add a tsp. of Jaggery for additional taste. You can add the Curry leaves as Garnish at the very end or add the curry leaves during tempering/Tadka. Enjoy !

BANANA ALMOND BREAD

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As I promised, I am here with the recipe for the delicious Banana Almond bread  I made over the weekend. The best part is its healthy and tasty so here it goes

BANANA ALMOND BREAD

INGREDIENTS

ALL PURPOSE FLOUR: 2 CUPS
SUGAR: 2/3 CUP
BAKING POWDER: 2 1/4 Tsp.
SALT: 3/4th Tsp
EGG: 1 LARGE
MILK: 3/4th CUP
CANOLA?VEGETABLE OIL: 1/3 CUP
VANILLA EXTRACT: 1 Tsp.
MASHED BANANA: 1 CUP
CUT ALMONDS: 1 CUP

MAKING

In a bowl, combine Flour, Sugar, Baking powder and Salt. Mix well. In another bowl, blend Oil, Egg, Milk and Vanilla Extract. Add this to the Flour mix until it is moistened. Finally combine the mashed ripe Banana and the chopped Almonds to the above and mix them thoroughly.

Grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan and pour in the above Banana-Almond Mix and bake it for 45 mins- 1 hour at 350'F. Keep checking at constant intervals to make sure, insert a knife to see if its cooked. If the knife comes out clean that means the Bread is ready. Allow it to cool for 10 mins and then cut them into slices and delicious Banana-Almond Bread is ready to eat. Serve it warm with fresh or whipped cream.

TIPS?VARIATIONS

Instead of Almonds, you can do the same with Walnuts. This bread is not too sweet and it has the consistency of a bread so don't expect it to be too moist and fluffy like a cake. You could also pour the mix into a cupcake pan and make cupcakes out of it. It wont be your typical cupcake but its still good, most of all its healthy and my kids loved it.

Food for thought....

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Hi its been a while since I posted something but with two small kids, thats how it works. Anyway I met a woman the other day at our community park and she was there with her 15 month old son. We started talking and found out that she was originally from Argentina and she too like me had come to America at the age of 24-25. I was fascinated that her culture was so similar to ours. The way her family structure is and the reactions to situations are so alike.

She hails from Argentina and her mother tongue is Spanish. She was talking about how Argentina  has people from all backgrounds and most of them were descendents from Italian and Arabic countries. I was so happy listening to everything she had to say about her country, people and food. Their food consists of Salads, Pasta's, Fajita's and most importantly Steak which was a regular. This was mainly because of the Italian and Spanish influence.

Another interesting fact was that when we hear Spanish we immediately think Mexican but in Argentinian history, the native people were all killed and wiped out and thats why they do not have less Mexican and more Italian and other influences.

They too like us are very nosy and social. Like she was saying even if we go to buy bread we end up talking for hours and family togetherness is the core. It was such a pleasure to meet and interact with her.

After I got back home, It made me think that the world is indeed so small. There are so many countries with their own unique culture, people and distinct qualities yet we share some similar customs and traits here and there which makes us ponder on why we have so much Violence and wars.

Peace..

Think about it

VEGGIE CUTLETS

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Hi All,

It was raining the other day. The first thought that came into my mind was the dish that I used to make before marriage. It was one of the first things that I made and still remains my favourite of all time. It was always mom who used to cook and I used to treat cooking like a hobby like most young girls did. I used to make this dish along with potato fries whenever I had the "mood" to cook which was rare by the way.So, today when I made this dish again it reminded me of those days. Here it is......

VEGGIE CUTLETS

INGREDIENTS

VEGETABLES LIKE POTATO, PEAS, CARROTS AND CAULIFLOWER
MARIE BISCUITS : 1 FULL PACK
CLOVES, CINNAMON STICKS AND BAY LEAVES: 4-5, 2 AND 1 RESPECTIVELY
GARAM MASALA: 1 TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER: 1/2 TSP
SALT AS REQUIRED
OIL FOR FRYING

MAKING

Take a kadai with a Tbsp of oil. Add the Cloves, Bay leaves and Cinnamon sticks. Stir for a couple of minutes before adding the above mentioned vegetables. Stir again for 5 minutes before adding the Red chilly powder, Garam Masala and salt as required. Pour a cup of water,close the lid and allow it to cook until the vegetables are soft and boiled thoroughly. Switch off the gas and allow it to cool for a little while. Make sure the veggie gravy is warm. Now, for the final step, grind the Marie biscuits into a coarse powder and add it to the mixture and make small flat balls with them and keep them aside.

Take a flat pan and pour oil in it just enough to coat the entire pan (just a layer). Fry the cutlet balls so that the outer layer is brown and fried. Delicious Veggie Cutlets is ready. Serve them hot with Tomato sauce.

TIPS: Always make sure the amount of powdered Marie Biscuits is more than the vegetable mix. for eg, if you have 1 cup of vegetable gravy, add at least 1 and a half cup of powdered Marie Biscuits. Also the veggie mix has to be warm so that you can hold them and make it into balls. If you want, you can also deep fry the cutlets or for the health conscious like me, just make it in the above mentioned way.

ALOO PAALAK

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Hi all, am back with a new recipe. This one is very simple to make and needs ingredients which we normally use to make sabji for Roti's. So here it goes

ALOO PAALAK

INGREDIENTS

ALOO/POTATO: 1-2
PAALAK/SPINACH: 2-3 CUPS  BLANCHED AND GROUND INTO A PASTE
ONION : 1 BIG OR 2 SMALL CHOPPED
TOMATO; 1 BIG CHOPPED
GINGER: 1 TBSP CHOPPED
GARLIC: 1 TBSP CHOPPED
CORIANDER SEEDS: 1 TSP
RED CHILLI: 3-4
CASHEW NUTS: 10-15 SOAKED FOR 15 MINUTESS
JEERA: 1 TSP
GARAM MASALA: 1 TSP
SALT AS REQUIRED
OIL/GHEE : 1 TBSP

MAKING

First of all, blanch the spinach in boiling water and grind into a fine paste. Next Boil the potatoes and keep it aside. Grind the chopped Onion, Chopped Tomato, Ginger, Garlic, Red Chilli, Coriander seeds, Jeera and soaked Cashews and grind it into a paste with required salt.

In a pan, heat Ghee and add the masala gravy paste mentioned above and cook for about 2-3 minutes until the raw smell is gone. Next add the Boiled potatoes and again cook for a couple of minutes, add the Spinach and salt, allow it to cook for a couple more minutes until the whole mix is blended well with the Masala. Finally, add a Tsp of Garam Masala, and a blob of butter right at the very end before serving.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

Either cook the potatoes before hand or add the chopped raw Potatoes after cooking the masala raw paste until the raw smell is gone. Add water and cook until the potatoes are soft and cooked.

BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP

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Hi, Hope you had a great weekend. Last week I had half a packet of Brocolli lying in the fridge for many days. Not knowing what to do decided to make this soup which I had thoroughly enjoyed eating at the Panera Bread restaurant. Although I didn't know what was needed, I knew the main two ingredients and one of them happen to be Brocolli and that was enough to get me started .So, here it goes, a delicious bowl of hot Brocolli Cheese Soup.

INGREDIENTS

BROCOLLI : 1 CUP cut into small florets
ONION: 1/2 cup finely chopped
BUTTER: 3 tbsp
MILK 2 cups
ALL PURPOSE FLOUR: 2 tbsp
CHEESE: 1 Cup (Mix of Cheddar, Mozarella, Monteri jack/American)
SALT AND PEPPER AS REQUIRED
WATER IF NEEDED

MAKING



Take a pan. add butter and allow it to melt. Add the chopped Onion and saute it until it sweats and begins to change color. Now, add the all-purpose flour and stir well for atleast 3-4 minutes. Slowly add the milk wih a bit of salt and stir it in low flame for about 5 minutes. Once you see the sauce beginning to boil and thicken, add the Brocolli florets and cook in low flame for atleast 10-15 minutes. Switch off the gas before adding the cheese and mix well. if needed add water to make it into the soup consistency you desire. Finish it with a dash of pepper for taste and serve hot. Delicious Brocolli Cheese Soup is ready, Enjoy !

TIPS:I didn't cut the Brocolli but plucked out small florets instead, as cutting tends to leave a lot of powder which I didn't like. I cooked the brocolli in the white sauce for just 15 minutes so it still has the bite to it and not get soggy. I preferred to use the white Onion as it helps retain the color of the soup. I also used a lot of sharp cheddar cheese as it has a distinctive taste to and also is a bit salty which adds to the flavour of the soup. The soup is simple and does not have a lot of flavor but that worked and became the best part of it.

SABUDAANA UPMA / JEVARASI UPMA

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Happy New Year to all of you. Hope this year brings in a lot of Joy and Prosperity in your lives. Lets get straight to topic. The first recipe of this year is going to be a simple one which is mainly made in Maharashtra and its delicious and healthy so here it goes.

SABUDAANA UPMA or JEVARASI UPMA

INGREDIENTS

SABUDAANA / JEVARASI : 3 cups
GREEN CHILLI"S: 3-4 chopped
PEANUTS : 1 Cup
CHOPPED CORIANDER
JEERA: 2 tsp
RED CHILLI: 1 small
CHANA DAL: 1 Tsp
MUSTARD SEEDS: 1 Tsp
POTATO: 1 Medium boiled and chopped
SALT and OIL as required
LEMON JUICE: 1 Tsp

MAKING

Wash and soak the Sabudaana in water just enough to cover it and keep it overnight or wash it well and soak it in hot water just enough to cover it in a hot pack and close the lid for about 5-6 hours. Drain the water and keep aside. Next, roast the peanuts until brown and grind in to a coarse powder and set aside. In a pan, add a Tsp of oil, add the Jeera, I Small Red Chilli, Mustard seeds, Green Chili's. Add the set aside Sabudaana to the pan once the mustard seeds splutters. Make sure you keep stirring it so that the Sabudaana doesn't stick to the bottom, after 5 minutes add salt and roasted Peanuts. This will make it dry and separated, Finally, add the boiled chopped Potato and fresh coriander. Switch off the gas and add the lemon juice. Delicious Sabudaana Upma is ready to eat.

TIPS / VARIATIONS

I like to soak the Sabudaana in the hot pack coz it comes out well, you would know if the Sabudaana is ready to cook when after soaking it comes out fluffy, bigger and when pressed it breaks completely. Adding Potato gives it additional taste, its optional.

CORIANDER PESTO SAUCE

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Hi All,

Hope you had a wonderful weekend. So, I decided to make Pesto sauce only to find out that I pretty much didn't have any of the ingredients needed. For those who don't know, Pesto is a chutney or sauce which is made primarily with Basil leaves, Pine nuts, Cheese, Garlic etc. I was so determined to make pesto that I did my own take on it and came up with a Coriander Pesto. Unsure of the outcome made it more exciting and fun. In the end, it turned out perfect and delicious. We spread it over a grilled cheese sandwich and it was just way too good. So here it goes, my own version of pesto sauce which I am going to call....

CORIANDER PESTO SAUCE

CORIANDER LEAVES: 1 CUP OR 1/2  BUNCH
WALNUT: 4-5
GARLIC: 2 CLOVES
CHEESE: ANY WHITE CHEESE (I used plain cream cheese)
SALT and SUGAR
OLIVE OIL (OPTIONAL)

??
MAKING

Grind fresh Coriander leaves, Garlic, Walnuts, Cheese with Salt  and Sugar (1/2 tsp) into a fine paste. You can add Olive Oil for additional taste if needed. Otherwise, your coriander pesto Sauce is ready to serve. Spread it on a sandwich and that's it !

TIPS AND VARIATIONS

You can use Romano Cheese or Parmesan cheese for the Sauce. You could also use Pine Nuts instead of walnuts. You could add Olive oil for added Flavor.

HOMEMADE COOKIES

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Hi all, so this particular recipe was given to me by my Sis-in-law who is an excellent cook herself. The best part of this recipe is, its made of ingredients that we use daily especially in Indian cooking. Now I didn't have a couple of ingredients available so modified a bit and it was good all the same. I am listing both the ingredients. Both works well. Here it goes,

HOMEMADE COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

ALL PURPOSE FLOUR : 1/2 CUP
WHEAT FLOUR (CHAPATI FLOUR): 1/2 CUP
OR
MILK POWDER :1/4 CUP + 1/4 CUP ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
SUGAR: 1/3 CUP
ALMOND POWDER: 1/4 CUP
RAVA : 1 TBSP
BESAN: 1 TSP OR RAVA 1 MORE TSP
CARDAMOM POWDER: 2 PINCH
1 PINCH SALT
1 STICK BUTTER AT ROOM TEMPERATURE CUT INTO SMALL CUBES
1-2 TSP MILK AS REQUIRED

MAKING

Mix in all the flours and dry powders in a bowl including Cardamom and Salt. Add in the Butter chunks one by one and mix them so that it becomes thicker and dough like. If that's not enough add in a Tsp. of milk to make it dough like. Make sure it isn't too watery or too mushy. It should be firm and coarse. Take small pieces of the dough and roll them into a ball and press to flatten and place them in a baking tray. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and bake it for 10-15 minutes. Flip them midway and allow it to cool once taken out. Delicious home made cookies are ready. My kids loved them. I am yours will love it too.

TIPS

Don't flatten the cookie dough too much as it tends to crumble. Just press them once and that's it. I did the Milk powder and extra spoon Rava(sooji) version and it came out really well. I think the Milk powder gives an extra flavor to the cookie. You can add Chocolate chips, roasted dry fruits to the same to make it more tasty. Enjoy !

CORN ON BREAD

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Hi all, The entire credit for this recipe goes to my friend  I gave it a try and it was absolutely delicious. This recipe can be an Appetizer or a Starter. Its easy and simple to make. Its called.

CORN ON BREAD

The crunchy Corn with the smooth Cheese Sauce on top of the toasted Bread gives it such a beautiful texture when you take a bite. Its a must try recipe.

INGREDIENTS

CORN: 2-3
WHITE BREAD AS REQUIRED

FOR THE WHITE SAUCE

BUTTER MELTED : 2-3 TBSP
ALL PURPOSE FLOUR: 2 TBSP
MILK: 1/2 - 1 CUP
CHEESE: CHEDDAR, MOZARELLA OR 4 CHEESE MEXICAN BLEND
SALT
GARLIC IF NEEDED GRATED 1 TSP
EXTRA CHEESE.

MAKING

First of all, boil water with a Tsp. of salt. Once it starts boiling add the Corn Kernels and cook for about 10 minutes just like how you boil pasta. Drain the Corn and keep aside.

In another heated pan, add butter, once it melts add the All Purpose Flour and whisk it until the Flour is mixed in the butter. Make sure the gas is in low heat. Add the milk and once you see the bubbles, add the salt, garlic (if needed) and the cheeses. Keep whisking it all the while until the cheese have all blended and you get the required consistency. Make sure you switch off the gas before adding the cheese.

Add the boiled Corn to the gravy and mix it well with a bit of salt if needed.

Toast the bread until light brown and crisp. Allow it to cool. Spread the Corn sauce on the bread and set aside.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees, Place the Corn on Bread with Grated cheese on top and place it in the Oven for about 8-10 minutes. Take it out and delicious Corn on Bread is ready to eat.

TIPS

I used White bread but one can use  Garlic Bread as well for added taste. Make sure the gas is in low heat especially when we are handling with cheese and milk. Sweet corn is best for this as it gives a nice taste to the dish.

KOTHAMALLI (CORIANDER) THOGAYAL

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Hi All,

Its been a while since I posted something. Well, its all thanks to summer and my 2 naughty kids who keep me busy. But, here I am with a recipe that's very common and many of you would have already made it several times but for those who don't, here it is

KOTHAMALLI (CORIANDER) THOGAYAL

Its very similar to the Onion Thogayal that I had posted a few weeks back.

INGREDIENTS

KOTHAMALLI (CORIANDER) : 1/2 A BUNCH  washed and dried
URAD DAL: 2 TBSP
RED CHILLIES: 3-4
TAMARIND: 1/2 TSP
SUGAR: 1/2 TSP
SALT AS REQUIRED

MAKING

Take a pan, add a Tsp of oil and fry the Red Chillies and Urad Dal until they turn light brown.Switch off the gas, add the tamarind and the fresh Coriander. Wait for the mix to cool off and grind it into a paste with Salt and Sugar. Make sure you don't grind it too much, just give it a spin or two in a blender/mixer. Delicious Kothamalli/coriander Thogayal is ready to be served. Works well with Rice and Roti's

SHAHI PANEER

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Hi all,

I am back from my long vacation in India. After a week of jet lag here I am, back to routine and back to what I enjoyed doing, updating my blog, coming up with new recipes. So going straight to the task, this dish was something I tried in India and for the first time using cream. Learned a couple of things on how to use certain ingredients which would make it even more better and tasty. So, here it goes, its called

SHAHI PANEER

Traditionally Royal families in India use a lot of Nuts, Cream and Cheese to show their royalty and prosperity hence they use the term " Shahi" (which itself means "royal") in a lot of their recipe names.

INGREDIENTS

FRESH PANEER CUT INTO SMALL CUBES: 1 CUP
ONION : 1-2
TOMATO: 1
CASHEW NUTS: 15-20
CORIANDER POWDER: 1 TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER: 1 TSP
GARAM MASALA: 1 TSP
CARDAMOM POWDER: 1 TSP
KASOORI METHI : 1/2 TSP
FRESH CREAM: 1/2 CUP

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MAKING Take  a pan with a tsp of oil or ghee, saute the Onions, Cashew nuts, Coriander Powder, Red chilli powder with salt.Once the Onions have sweated and turned brown, grind it into a fine paste. Put it back into the pan and saute it again for about 10 minutes until the raw smell of the paste is gone. Switch the gas to low flame and add fresh cream to it. After a couple of minutes, add the cubed Paneer, Garam masala, Kasoori Methi powder and Cardamom powder with salt if needed. Allow it to cook for at least 5-10 minutes in low flame and guess what, its all done and ready to serve. Garnish it with a dollop of fresh cream.Delicious Shahi Paneer is ready to serve.

TIPS

Adding Kasoori Methi def added a lot of flavour and taste and cream def gives it a royal taste. Its very heavy as it has nuts, cream, paneer so take small portions. Cream should be cooked in low flame. Enjoy and let me know how it came out

 

BROWNIE EXPLOSION

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Hi there, hope all of you are having a wonderful summer. As a family,we like to go to TGIF''s (Thank God its Friday) and though we have little choices as vegetarians, their dessert is our favorite. I wanted to re-create it and so I did. It was delicious and I was so proud of the end result. So, here it goes, its called

BROWNIE EXPLOSION

I gave it that name coz the dish itself looks imperfect but is "perfect" that way and its an explosion of everything when you take a bite. The moist Brownie with Hot Chocolate Sauce topped with Vanilla Ice-cream, the flavor explodes in your mouth and gives you such an irresistible feeling.

INGREDIENTS FOR BROWNIE

Unsweetened Chocolate Bar : 1/2 cup melted
Eggs: 2
All Purpose Flour: 1 cup
Milk Powder (Mawa): 1/2 cup
Sugar: 1 cup
Butter: 1 stick at room temperature
Baking Soda: 1 Tsp.
Salt: 1/2 Tsp.
Instant Coffee: 1 Tsp.

In a pan, beat the Eggs, Butter and Sugar into a fine smooth consistency and set it aside. In another pan, mix all the dry ingredients, add the melted chocolate and the above mentioned mixture. Mix them all together to make a nice smooth semi-liquid batter. Pour it into a well greased baking pan ( 8*8 round or square) and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove and allow it to cool. It's perfectly fine if the Brownie is moist as it works well for this dish.

HOT CHOCOLATE SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS: 1 CUP
CONDENSED MILK: 3/4TH CAN

MAKING

In a pan, boil water, place a bowl on top of the boiling water pan so that the steam of the boiling water melts the chocolate and the condensed milk without burning them. Once the chocolate chips have melted and mixed well with the condensed milk, take it out and keep aside.

Take the Vanilla Ice-Cream from the freezer and let it thaw.

Once the Brownie is ready and cool, place it on a plate, pour a spoon or two of hot chocolate over it and finally add a scoop of cold Vanilla Ice-Cream. Delicious Brownie Explosion is ready to serve.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

Adding a Tsp. of Vanilla extract to the Brownie mix in good. I added Milk powder instead of take away the smell of the eggs. As I said, its perfectly fine if the brownies are moist as it works well for this dish. The dish works well when one part is hot and the other cold so make sure the brownies or the chocolate sauce is hot while serving. Do not get discouraged by the photo, its imperfect look is perfectly well as it tastes like heaven.

JACK FRUIT APPAM

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Hi all, Back again after a while. Summer time and vacation time just didn't allow me to come here to post more often as I would have liked to. Anyway, I had a box of ripe Jack fruit and didn't know what to do with them and so my MIL and mom suggested this. I am sure many of you would know this already and would have made this but for me, it was a first. It was delicious and all of us enjoyed it a lot so here it goes

JACK FRUIT APPAM

INGREDIENTS

RICE FLOUR: 1 CUP
JAGGERY: 1/2 TO 3/4TH CUP
JACK FRUIT: 4-5 PIECES
CARDAMOM POWDER: 1 TSP
COCONUT: 1 TBSP

MAKING

Grind them all together into a nice smooth batter. Make sure the batter isn't  too thin or thick. Take the Appam kadai . I have a non-stick one which is perfect as it wont stick to the bottom. Pour small amounts into the Appam hole and turn it once it becomes light brown. Remove the Appam once its cooked and brown on both sides and make the next batch. Delicious Jack fruit Appam's are ready to serve and eat.

TIPS

The best part of this dish is its very simple and quick to make. Like for me, it took just half-an-hour in total to make them. I had rice flour bought from a shop otherwise traditionally we grind the rice after soaking and drying them. Store bought rice flour is equally good and worked well. Adding Coconut makes the Appam's soft. Try and do let me know.

SWEET CORN MASALA

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Hi all, Hope you had a wonderful Memorial day weekend. So, this weekend we did a little shopping and I came across a great deal, I was getting 2 sweet Corn's for 88 cents and I immediately jumped on it. Although, I had absolutely no clue on what to make of it except the famous grilled corn called "bhutta" which we eat so often in India. So decided to come up with a recipe that can be made with Corn and here it is, its called

SWEET CORN MASALA

INGREDIENTS

CORN: 2 SWEET CORN
ONION: 1 MEDIUM OR 2 SMALL CHOPPED
CAPSICUM: 1/2 CUP CHOPPED INTO SQUARES
GINGER AND GARLIC CHOPPED ABOUT A TBSP EACH
CHOPPED CORIANDER LEAVES: 1/4 CUP

SPICES

CUMIN POWDER: 1/2 TSP
CORIANDER POWDER: 1/2 TSP
TURMERIC POWDER: 1/4 TSP
RED CHILI POWDER: 1/2 TSP
GARAM MASALA: 1/2 TSP
KASOORI METHI: 1 TSP
GREEN CHILI: 1

FRESH CREAM/HALF AND HALF: 1/4 CUP
OIL FOR SAUTEING
??SALT AS REQUIRED
CASHEWS: 5 SOAKED FOR 10-15 MIN AND GRIND INTO A
PASTE (optional)

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MAKING

Firstly, cut the Sweet Corn, wash and keep aside. In a pan, add a Tsp of Oil and saute the Onions with Ginger and Garlic until light brown. Add in the chopped Capsicum's pieces and stir it for at least 3-4 minutes. Now its time to add in the following spices, Turmeric, Red chili powder, Cumin and Coriander powder, Kasoori Methi crushed and 1 Green chili slit. Stir it for 3-4 minutes until the spices have totally blended, add a tbsp of water if needed to avoid burning. Add the Sweet corn with the required salt and close the pan to allow it to cook for around 15 minutes. Lower the flame, add the
Cashew paste, Garam Masala and the Fresh Cream, cook for another 2 minutes and switch the gas off. Garnish with fresh Coriander leaves. Delicious Sweet Corn Masala is ready to eat. Serve it hot with Chapathi's/Roti's.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

Don't overcook the Sweet corn coz then you wont get the bite from it. I didn't have cashews so didn't use them and it turned out equally well so its optional. I added 1/2 of whole milk instead of cream and again there wasn't any difference. The best part of the dish was the sweetness of the corn with a nice bite to it combined with the hot spices was just amazing. The fresh cream/milk and the cashews just gives it an added flavour.

VEG. JALFRAZIE WITH CHEESE

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Hi all,

Hope you had a nice weekend. Ours was a busy weekend doing a Pooja for my daughter on her 1st Birthday. So, the recipe I am going to share today is a simple vegetable Jalfrazie with a twist right at the end. Its very simple and the ingredients are common and used in many other side dishes. so here it goes

VEGETABLE JALFRAZIE WITH CHEESE

INGREDIENTS

ONIONS: 1 BIG OR 2 SMALL
TOMATO: 1 MEDIUM
CAPSICUM: 1 MEDIUM
POTATO: 1 MEDIUM
CARROTS AND PEAS: 1/2 CUP
GREEN CHILLIES: 1-2
GINGER AND GARLIC: 1 TBSP TOGETHER
RED CHILI POWDER : 1/2 TSP
DHANIA POWDER: 1/2 TSP
GARAM MASALA: 1 TSP
GHEE: 1 TBSP
SALT AS REQUIRED
CHEESE FOR GARNISH

MAKING

Cut all the vegetables into long thin slices including the Onion, Tomatoes. Green chillies, Ginger and Garlic. Take a pan, add a tbsp of ghee. Once its hot, add the Jeera, Ginger, Garlic, Green chillies and Onion , stir it for a couple of minutes until the onion starts sweating and is light brown in color. Add the tomatoes and allow it to cook for another 2 minutes before adding Red chilli powder, Dhania powder, Turmeric powder. Stir this for a few minutes, make sure it doesn't get burnt. Add all the vegetables and cook them with required salt and Garam Masala. Add a cup of water and close the pan lid and cook until the vegetables are thoroughly cooked and soft. Switch off the gas and allow it to cool a bit. Add long thin slices of cheese as garnish. Delicious Veg. Jalfrazie with cheese is ready. Serve it with hot roti's/Chapathi's or rice.

TIPS

Make sure the veggies are not overcooked. I used American cheese as its mild but you could use Cheddar too. You can also squeeze half a lemon for added flavor.

FRESH BHINDI MASALA (GRAVY)

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Hi all,

Its been a while since I psoted a recipe. Well, I've been busy with our India trip coming up shortly. Recently, much to my surprise I have been getting a good number of Okra/Ladies finger from my own veggie garden. I am surprised as I was never serious with my garden nor am I interested in gardening. This time I made my own veggie garden and for the first couple of months, I didnt have anything and now with fall commencing, I wasnt expecting anything but lo and behold, I have been getting fresh Okra's and Tomatoes almost every other day. This has motivated me to take an interest in gardening and maybe next time plant more veggie plants. So, the other day I had about 5-6 Okra's from my garden and I really wanted to make something as it was so fresh. Here it is, straight from my garden

FRESH BHINDI MASALA GRAVY

INGREDIENTS

OKRA/BHINDI/LADIES FINGER : 6-7
ONIONS: 1 CHOPPED
TOMATOES: 1 CHOPPED
POTATO: 1 CHOPPED INTO SMALL PIECES
GINGER AND GARLIC: CHOPPED 1 TBSP EACH
JEERA: 1 TSP
TURMERIC POWDER: A PINCH
RED CHILLI POWDER: 1 TSP
DHANIA POWDER: 1 TSP
GARAM MASALA: 1 TSP
GREEN CHILLI: 1 SLIT
SALT AND OIL AS REQUIRED

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MAKING

The first step is to wash the Bhindi slit them into 4 and then cut them into long medium sized pieces. Next, dry them thoroughly by cleaning them with a dry paper towel and set aside. Take a kadai and pour a tbsp of oil, add the Jeera, 1 Green Chilli, Onions, Ginger and Garlic with a pinch of Turmeric and saute it until light brown.Next add the tomato and stir for a couple of minutes before adding the red chilli powder, Dhania powder, Garam Masala powder and salt. Stir fry for 5 minutes. If it gets dry, add half a cup of water for all spices to get mixed. Add in the chopped potato pieces and close the lid and allow it to cook for 10-15 minutes in low flame with water until the potatoes are soft and cooked. Meanwhile in a separate pan, stir fry the Okra/Bhindi with a tsp of oil and salt until it is lightly cooked, fried and has a colour to it. Finally add the fried Okra pieces to the cooked Gravy and mix it all up and cook for a couple of minutes. Switch off the gas and delicious Bhindi Masala is ready to serve.

TIPS

I added the potato because Okra tends to reduce in size when cooked and since I had just 5-6 okra's it made sense.

ONION THOGAYAL

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Hi all,

Its been quite a while but here I am with a new recipe. This one was taught to me by my mom when I was a newly wed and she had written a bunch of recipes for me on a sheet of paper. This one is very simple and can be made within 10 minutes. Its perfect as a side dish and also can be eaten with rice on its own. So, here it goes

ONION THOGAYAL

INGREDIENTS

ONIONS: 2 MEDIUM
RED CHILLIES: 4-5
URAD DAL: 3 TBSP
PULI/TAMARIND: 1/2 TSP OR A VERY SMALL PIECE
MUSTARD SEEDS
OIL AND SALT AS REQUIRED

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MAKING

Take a pan, add a spoon of oil, fry the Urad dal, Red chillies, Onions for a few minutes until the urad dal has become light brown and the onions too has started sweating and has become golden brown. Switch off the gas, and add the Puli/Tamarind. Allow this mix to cool and grind it to a fine paste (chutney consistency) with the required amount of salt.

Take the pan, add a Tsp of oil. Once the oil is hot, add some Mustard seeds. Once it splutters add the onion paste and stir it for a couple of minutes until the raw smell of the gravy is gone. That's it, delicious Onion Thogayal is ready to eat. Serve it with Rotis/Chapathi's or mix it in rice with a bit of Gingelly oil and its equally tasty.

 Its perfect for anyone who wants to make something easy and instantly so you have more time in your hands or you simply don't want to cook. Its also perfect for bachelors who want to make something quick and tasty. Enjoy !

TIPS

Use dark Indian onions than light ones as it gives a nice color to the thogayal. Also in case you run out of big onions, you can also use small onions instead.

SABUDANA POPPERS

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Hi all,

I am back with a new recipe. I had ordered this when we went to a restaurant and it was so good. I always wanted to make it but never made it, don't know why honestly. Anyway, suddently one day I had this urge to make it and let me tell you it was so crunchy and delicious. It was easy and took just half an hour. its called

SABUDANA POPPERS

INGREDIENTS

SABUDANA : SOAKED AND DRAINED 2 1/2 CUP
POTATOES: 3 SMALL OR 2 MEDIUM
CORIANDER LEAVES: 2 TBSP CHOPPED
GREEN CHILLY: 1-2 CHOPPED
TURMERIC POWDER: A PINCH
RED CHILLY POWDER: 1/2 TSP
DHANIA/CORIANDER POWDER; 1/2 TSP
RICE FLOUR FOR LAYERING
SALT AS REQUIRED
OIL FOR FRYING

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MAKING

First step is to soak the Sabudana overnight or you could soak it in warm water in a hot pack for 4-5 hours. This makes the softening process faster. Next, boil the Potatoes in the microwave, it takes about 6-8 minutes for 3 small potatoes. Other option is to boil it the tradional way in the cooker or in a pan with water. Take a pan, drop in the boiled poratoes and mash it well, add the chopped Coriander leaves, Green Chilly and all the Masala powders mentioned above with the required salt. Mix them well and finally add the sabudana into it and make them into flat balls. Keep it in the fridge for atleast 10 minutes so that it firms up. Now comes the interesting part, what I did was layer the Sabudana Popper with Rice Flour just like how you do it for Chapathi's and fry it in a deep pan with oil. Take it out when it becomes light brown and delicious Sabudana Poppers are ready to eat. Serve it with Green Ghutney and believe me, you will love it. The outside is crunchy and crisp and the inside soft and chewy just mind blowing.

TIPS

Make sure you dont layer the poppers with too much Rice Flour because it popped a couple of times and it was scary. Thats why I named it Sabudana Poppers. Stay away from the gas while frying cause the reason I believe it popped was maybe coz the sabudana puffed up but the rice flour was trying to hold it all well . The other reason could be the over frying the poppers. So take it out when light brown and dont let it fry for too long. You can try using other layers like Bread Crumbs or Corn flour I think it would work well.