Chilli Paneer

Thanks to the surprise rainfall on Monday morning, the pleasant shower was welcome to the Spring season. During such drizzling's I prefer to cook hot and spicy items and today its Chilli Paneer's turn with a sip of hot coffee.Coming to the recipe...

Ingredients:

• 200 gm paneer cut into small pieces
• 1 capsicum cut into long pieces
• 1 big white onion cut into small pieces
• 2 tbsp onion greens
• 1 inch ginger - cut in long thin pieces
• 4 garlic pods cut into small pieces
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tsp White Vinegar
• 2 tsp Dark soya sauce
• 1 teaspoon red chilli paste(adjust as per spicy levels)(I used red chillis not the dried ones)
• 2 tsp tomato sauce
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• Oil for frying
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup of green coriander chopped finely

Procedure:

1. In a bowl mix 1 tbsp of corn flour,pepper powder,1/2 tsp salt with water to form thick paste.Marinate the paneer pieces for half an hour in the paste.
2. In a deep pan fry marinated paneer pieces till golden brown and place on tissue papers.
3. Now in a wide pan add 1 tbsp of oil.Saute ginger and garlic pieces on high flame. Add white onion pieces and saute for 2 mins.
4. Add capsicum pieces and saute for few more minutes. Capsicum should retain its crunchiness.
5. Now add red chilli paste,tomato sauce,soy sauce,vinegar,water and cook for few minutes.
6. Add paneer pieces,1/2 tsp salt and cook for 2 more minutes.
7. Mix the remaining 1 tbsp corn flour with water and combine on high flame tossing all the contents for 2-3 minutes inorder to make the recipe thick. 
8. Garnish with chopped cilantro,chopped onion greens and serve hot.

Rava Laddu

My brother loves Rava Laddu and this time I surprised him by sending the laddus to him. As a first try I opted the basic method of preparing laddus where in the roasted rava is mixed with sugar powder,cardamom powder and milk.Coming to the recipe..

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rava
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• 3 tbsp grated coconut
• ghee roasted almonds,cashews,raisins,
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 tbsp ghee

Procedure:

1. In a wide pan heat ghee roast the grated coconut.Keep aside.Now add rava and roast until it becomes red in color.
2. Make fine powder of sugar.
3. In a vessel add powdered sugar,rava,cardamom powder and combine well.
4. Pour milk spoon by spoon and combine well so that the mixture should be semi dry.
5. Grease your hands with ghee and make small dumplings.Top each laddu with ghee roasted cashew and raisin. Let the laddus dry fo 2 hrs and store in air tight conatiners.

Note:

Since milk is used finish the laddus within one week.If the rava is not roasted properly, the laddus come out to be very sticky. So fry till it turns slightly reddish.

Next time will post the recipe without milk.

Paneer Bhurji

For todays dinner I prepared Paneer Bhurji as the side dish as afternoons left over muvvankaya was there.Morning times in hurry to office I could not capture photos,so not able to post Muvvankaya recipe.Paneer is the Indian cottage cheese and is made by curdling milk with some acidic food.Paneer bhurji is a punjabi vegetable recipe with paneer or cottage cheese crumbled and then cooked with a choice of onions, tomatoes and select masalas.Coming to the recipe..

Ingredients:

• 250 gms grated paneer
• 1 big onion cut into small pieces
• 3 green chillies finely chopped
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• pinch turmeric powder,chilli powder,pepper powder,
• salt to taste
• few coriander leaves
• few curry leaves
• 1 tbsp oil for frying
• 1/4 tsp mustard

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a pan.Once heated add mustard seeds.On spluttering add onions and fry till transparent.
2. Now add turmeric powder,ginger garlic paste and saute till the rawness disappears.
3. Add green chilli pieces and fry for few seconds.
4. Now add grated paneer. As the paneer retains water saute till the water disappears.
5. Add chilli poder,pepper powder,coriander leaves and cokk for 3 minutes.
6. Serve hot with rice/rotis.

Simple Oats Upma

It often amazes me how people take better care of their cars than their bodies.Starting our day with a good breakfast boosts our energy, increases our attention span, and heightens our sense of well-being.The importance of breakfast in the morning like a king.Well why I am saying this much of taking breakfast bcoz I used to skip my breakfast when I was in hostel ie almost 6 years I faced good enough health problems.Later when Sri explained me about the importance of breakfast I never ever skips now. Here I am posting the diet which we follow in our breakfast.Boiled eggs sprinkled with pepper powder,milk with ragi malt and oats upma.

Oats are generally considered healthy being touted commercially as nutritious. The discovery of the healthy cholestorel-lowering properties has led to wider appreciation of oats as human food.During week days I prefer tiffins which needs less labor.In search of such tiffins I found out this simple oats upma.Coming to the recipe..

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quaker oats
• 1 small sized onion peeled and cut into small pieces
• 2 green chillies cut lengthwise
• 1 tomato chopped into small pieces
• 1 tsp ghee
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• few coriander leaves
• few curry leaves
• 1 tsp oil
• 2 cups water

Procedure:

1. Slightly roast oats in ghee and keep aside.
2. In a wide pan add oil and once the oil is hot add mustard seeds,on spluttering add onions and saute till transparent.
3. Add green chillies and tomato pieces.Cook for 3 minutes until tomatos become soft and oil comes out.
4. Now add water,salt,curry leaves,coriander leaves and close the pan.
5. After 5 minutes the water gets boiled,remove lid and pour the roasted oats into hot water slowly while stirring on low flame.
6. After 3 minutes turn off the stove and serve hot with a dice of lemon/mango pickle. keeps you going for three hours as it is very filling!!

Marie biscuit choco balls

Today I am posting a simple yet yummy chocolate balls recipe on the occasion of Valentines day..When I first saw this recipe in sailu jis blog I was surprised that this yummy recipe is made from Marie biscuits.

Sri loved this choco balls a lot...Every time mom used to send me variety of sweets,this time I surprised her by sending this choco balls and rava laddus..Mom and bro both loved this choco balls and she was also surprised to know that the main condiment is Marie biscuits..Thanks Sailu ji for such an yummy recipe...Coming to the recipe...

Ingredients:

• 1 Marie biscuit packet
• 2-3 drops of vanilla essence
• 8-10 tbsp condensed milk
• 2 tbsps cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp dessicated coconut

Procedure:

1. Grind all marie biscuits into fine powder.
2. Beat butter until it become smooth.
3. Add butter to biscuit powder and also other ingredients.Combine well to form a smooth dough.
4. Grease your hands by the left over butter in the vessel and roll into small balls.
5. Roll the balls in small gems or dessicated coconut or leave simply.You can also roll the balls in pieces of cashews/almonds/pistas..

Sunday brunch-Spanish Omelet/Carrot Soup/Vankaya- Enduroyyala curry

Sunday my day starts late,I feel lazy to get up from bed ,as this is the last day of the week end followed once again by a hectic week.hmm..mostly I prepare brunch on sunday's.Todays brunch includes Spanish omelet/Tortillo Espanola with Spanish tomato Sauce/Sofrito along with carrot soup and vankaya-enduroyya curry.Once Sri and I visited ala carte of Mediterrenean food in some food festival here. He loved the concept of preparing omelet with potatoes and the way it serves as both appetizer and main course. I tried my luck and it turned out heavenly.I bookmarked the recipe from here which gives a step by step procedure for preparing the Tortillo.Coming to my recipe I tweaked the recipe as per Indian spicy style.

Ingredients:

• 3 large potatoes peeled,
• 1 whole white onion preferrably,
• 5 large eggs,
• olive oil for deep frying potatoes,
• salt for taste,
• 1 tsp red chilli flakes,
• 1 tsp pepper powder.

Procedure:

1. Cut the peeled potatoes into small pieces making sure that they wont stick each other.
2. Cut the onions into small pieces.Put potatoes and onions into a bowl and mix them together. Salt the mixture.
3. In a large frying pan prferrably non stick,heat the oilve oil on medium heat.
4. Once the oil is heated carefully place the potato and onion mixture into the frying pan, spreading them evenly over the surface. The oil should almost cover the potatoes and take care that the potatoes do not burn.
5. Cook the potatoes until done without burning the potatoes.Removethe potato onion mixture on to a tissue paper inorder to drain excess oil.
6. While the mixture is draining, crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl,add red chilli flakes,pepper powder and beat by hand with a whisk or fork.Pour in the potato onion mixture. Mix together with a large spoon.
7. Pour 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil into a small, non-stick frying pan and heat on medium heat.When hot, stir the potato onion mixture once more and pour into the pan and spread out evenly. Allow the egg to cook around the edges.Then you can carefully lift up one side of the omelet to check if the egg has slightly browned. The inside of the mixture should not be completely cooked and the egg will still be runny.
8. The tedious step comes now.When the mixture has browned on the bottom, you are ready to turn it over to cook the other side. Carefully take the frying pan to a sink. Place a large dinner plate upside down over the frying pan. With one hand on the frying pan handle and the other on top of the plate to hold it steady, quickly turn the frying pan over and the omelet will fall onto the plate.
9. Place the frying pan back and put just enough oil to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Now slide the omelet (which is probably still a bit runny), into the frying pan, using a spatula to catch any egg mixture that runs out. Use the spatula to shape the sides of the omelet. Let the omelet cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the tortilla sit in the pan for 2 minutes.
10. Carefully slide the omelet onto a plate! To serve as a main course, slice it into 6-8 pieces like a pie.



Cross section of spanish omlete

 you can also try with variations like green peppers,small boneless chicken pieces.If any one tries let me know.

Tomato Sauce/Sofrito recipe:

Sofrito is a basic tomato sauce that is made from tomatoes, onions, garlic,green peppers and olive oil by sauting in a frying pan, so that the acid in the tomatoes mellows and mixes with the flavors of the onion, pepper and garlic.

Ingredients:

• 4 tomatoes
• 1 green pepper
• 1 white onion preferrably
• 3 garlic pods
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika(sweet)
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Finely chop the onion and garlic. Chop the pepper into smaller pieces.
2. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
3. Put the onions into the pan and saute them until they are transparent, reducing the heat if necessary so as not to burn them.
4. Add the green pepper and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Be sure to stir often, to vegetables do not burn.
5. Add the minced garlic and saute for 1 minute more.
6. Pour the crushed tomatoes and paprika into the pan and mix well. Continue to cook for about 10-15 minutes.

Carrot Soup in rich coconut milk:

Since the breakfast was too heavy I prepared carrot soup as an appetizer.This version of carrot soup also includes rich coconut milk.This carrot soup recipe is so good, I literally couldn't stop taking bites as I was trying to photograph it!This exotically spiced soup has an incredibly velvety texture and serve as a simple yet elegant appetizer soup.

Ingredients:

• 3 carrots slightly peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 onion cut into small pieces
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp garlic pods cut into small pieces
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 3 tbsp coconut milk
• 1 tbsp green chilli paste
• 1 tbsp ghee for sauting

 Procedure:

1. In a vessel,add ghee and once it is hot add onions.Suate till the onions become pink in color.
2. Now add green chilli paste and fry for few seconds.Similarly add ginger pieces,garlic pieces,carrot pieces and saute for few seconds.
3. Add 6 cups of water,cinnamon,cloves and cook until the carrot pieces become soft.
4. Once carrot is cooked discard cinnamon,cloves.Carefully separate the cooked mixture from stock and puree it.Dont throw the stock away.
5. Now in a wide vessel add puree to the left over carrot stock.Add coconut milk and cook for 5 minutes on low flame.
6. Finally add salt,pepper and serve hot.

Vankaya endu royyala mudda kura/Egg plant dried prawns curry:

Coming to main course,today first time I cooked endu royyalu aka dried prawns along with egg plant. As Sri is from coastal part he loves sea food in any form.The other day when we went to Inorbit Hyper city mall he found good dried prawns for sunday special.The recipe source is from mom.She used to cook endu chepa along with egg plant which was a favorite dish for dad.The rich aroma of cumin and fenugreek seeds along with coriander powder and tamarind juice adds more taste to dried prawns.Coming to recipe....

Ingredients:

• 250 gms dried prawns/endu royyalu,
• 6-8 small tender egg plants,
• 1 onion finely chopped,
• 1 tsp cumin seeds,
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds,
• 2 tbsp coriander powder,
• 10 garlic pods,
• 1 tbsp dried coconut powder,
• 2 tsps red chilli powder,
• 1 lemon sized tamarind ,juice extracted,
• 1 tbsp oil for poppu,
• few mustard seeds for popu,
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder,
• salt for taste,
• few curry leaves,
• few coriander leaves.

Procedure:

1. First soak the dried prawns in hot water to make them soft.
2. In a deep vessel add oil,once it is hot add mustard seeds.
3. On spluttering add turemric powder,onions,curry leaves and saute till they become transparent.Cut the egg plants into small pieces.
4. Add dried prawns and egg plant pieces in the oil and saute for few seconds.
5. Add 2 cups of water and cook till the prawns and egg plants are 3/4 th cooked.
6. Mean while saute cumin and fenugreek seeds on low heat.Dont overburn.Grind the cumin,fenugreek,coriander,coconut powder,garlic pods,chilli powder and prepare the ground powder.
7. Now add the ground powder and tamarind juice.Cook fro 10 minutes.
8. Finally add salt and coriander leaves.Serve hot with rice/rotis.

Dal Makhani

Today there were no vegetables for lunch box.I was thinking how can I prepare lunch with the groceries available @home.An Idea flashed in my mind and I thought of cooking Dal Makhani.This treasured staple food which is a delicacy of punjab is commonly eaten with rotis/naans.The recipe source is from one of my colleague who is a punjabi.Traditionally this dal is cooked on low flame, for hours, on charcoal, which gives it a rich creamy texture. People who count calories has to think twice before consuming this recipe.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup black urad dal
• 50 gm rajma
• 4 medium sized tomatoes
• 2 medium sized onions finely chopped
• 11/2 tbsp crushed ginger
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 3 green chillies finely chopped
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 4 cloves
• 1 black cardamom peeled
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin seed powder
• 2 tbsp fresh cream/ malai
• finely chopped coriander leaves (to garnish)
• sufficient water to boil the dal
• 5 tbsp ghee

 

Procedure:

1. Wash and soak the dal,rajma in sufficient water for 8 hours or overnight.
2. In a pressure cooker add 1tbsp ghee and once the ghee is hot add cumin seeds.
3. Mean while grind cloves,cardamoms,cinnamon and prepare dalmakhani powder.
4. When the jeera turns brown,add dalmakhani powder and roast till the rawness disappears.
5. Pressure cook the dal and rajma in sufficient water along with salt, turmeric powder,bay leaves,ginger. Pressure cook first on a low flame for 3 whistles..
6. Now lightly heat the remaining ghee in a kadai.Add onions and saute till they become transparent.
7. Now add green chillies and saute for few seconds.
8. Add the tomato puree,garlic paste and little salt. Saute for few minutes.
9. Add red chilli powder and cumin seed powder. Saute on a low flame till oil separates.
10. Add the onion tomato mixture to the dal. Mix well.Cook on a low flame for 15 to 20 minutes till the masalas and the dal are well blended.
11. Garnish with fresh cream or malai and coriander leaves.
12. Serve hot with hot phulkas, steamed rice and onion rings. 

 

Peanut Salad

Last week when I went to lunch at Ohris restaurant I had peanut salad which tasted good and the ingredients were bog standard.I could not stop myself asking the chef about the recipe and he replied me with more interest.My friends tasted this and said its heavenly.Well hey, deserving or not, you gotta take the kudos as you find it, so I sat back and sipped my green tea, glowing in the manner of the amateur cook who has just had a lot of praise for a very simple preparation. It works for me!  

Ingredients:

• 2 cups raw peanuts,shelled
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 1 large tomato finely chopped
• few coriander leaves finely chopped
• 2 tsps lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp chat powder
• 2-3 green chillies finely chopped into small pieces

 Procedure:

1. Wash peanuts,add water and cook for 2-3 whistles.Take care that nuts should not be mushy.
2. Drain water and add to large bowl ,add all ingredients except coriander leaves.
3. Toss well till flavors blend and finally garnish with coriander leaves.
4. Serve with hot tea/coffee.Goes well with a mug of beer.

Okra fry/Bendakaya Vepudu

Okra , a regular vegetable cooked @our home is a love or hate for many.In my childhood days I hated this veggie but now I love it.The greenish vegetable has a pleasant taste despite of being sticky/gooey.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg Okra washed ,dried and cut into small pieces
• 1 medium sized onion finely chopped
• 2 red chillies
• salt for taste
• few curry leaves
• few cilantro leaves
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp of lemon juice to avoid stickyness
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 8-9 garlic pods
• 1 tsp dried coconut powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder

for tadka/popu:

• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• few fenugreek seeds

Procedure:

1. In a pan add oil and once it is hot,add all poppu seeds.When the mustard seeds splutter,add onions,red chilli,curry leaves and turmeric powder.
2. When the onions become transparent ,add okra pieces and saute for few minutes.
3. Cook on low flame for 3-4 minutes. Add lemon juice inorder to avoid stickiness.
4. Make sure that okra is not overburnt by sauting in between.
5. Make fine powder of garlic pods,coriander powder,coconut powder,red chilli powder and add to okra.
6. Finally add cilantro and serve hot with rotis/rice.Goes well as side dish with dal/sambar.

Mexican Corn Chips with Pico de Gallo

These are Mexican recipes from my kitchen today.Friday is almost a party mood for almost all software engineers.Last friday when I went to 17 degrees North ,a Mexican restaurant this recipe caught my attention. I loved the chips in the luncheon with Pico de Gallo otherwise salsa.I just want to introduce the taste of mexican culinary in my home and try my luck and it turned out very delicious.

 I love Mexican cuisine as most of our recipes has more or less similarities with Mexican.Known for its varied flavors and colorful combination ,Mexican cuisine had been recently added to UNESCO's world intangible cultural heritage.Coming to recipe.

 Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups Makai ki atta(maize flour not corn flour which is yellow in color)
• 1 cup all purpose flour/maida
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp salt for taste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• water for mixing dough

 Procedure:

1. Make a soft dough of above ingredients similar to roti.
2. Make lemon size balls and roll with a rolling pan.Prick lightly with a fork.
3. Now toast the rolled out roti both sides on a hot tava for few seconds.
4. Cut into desired pieces and deep fry the chips in oil till golden brown.Serve with salsa.

In Mexican Cuisine, pico de gallo  also called salsa, is a fresh, uncooked condiment made from chopped tomato,onion,jalapeno,lemon juice and cilantro.

 Ingredients for Salsa:

• 2-3 medium sized tomatoes
• 1 big white onion
• 2 jalapenos deseeded(I used red chilli peppers)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt

Procedure:

1. Cut tomatoes,onions,jalapenos into small pieces and mix all the ingredients .Put aside for half an hour so that the juices get abosrbed by all ingredients.
2. Serve with chips. 

Brinjal dal/Vankaya pappu

Brinjal / egg plant is a favorite veggie for Sri.He wants brinjal to be cooked atleast once a week and if I cook throughout the week too he dont say NO to brinjal.I am allergic to brinji but for him I cook different variations of brinjal from stuffed recipe to roasted recipe.Brinjal dal/vankaya pappu is one among the variations which I cook.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup tur dal soaked for 20 minutes in 2 cups water
• 1 lemon sized tamarind made into paste
• 2 brinjals cut into small pieces
• 1 tsp turmeric powder

 For poppu/tadka:

• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 fenugreek seeds
• 2 dry red chillies
• curry leaves
• coriander leaves
• 5-6 garlic pods
• 1 medium sized onion cut into pieces length wise
• 1 tbsp oil

 Procedure:

1. Add turmeric powder to dal.Cook dal along with brinjal pieces in pressure cooker for 3 whistles.Keep aside.
2. Once cooled remove the cooker lid and mash the dal and brinjal.
3. In a pan heat oil,add poppu seeds and once spluttered add onions ,garlic,red chilly,curry leaves.Saute till onions become transparent.
4. Finally add salt,tamarind paste and cook till the rawness of tamarind diappears.
5. Serve hot with rice.

Pepper rasam/Miriyala rasam

I am badly suffering from runnning nose and throat infection.I have never been accustomed of swallowing pills whenever I am sick and always prefer natural remedies handed down from our generations like turmeric laced milk,pepper rasam,tulasi kashayam etc.All these work as a good antidote for cold,cough and throat infection.Well coming to the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 lemon sized tamarind
• 2 medium sized tomatoes chopped into small pieces
• 1 tbsp pepper/miriyalu grinded into coarse powder
• 1 tbsp rasam powder
• 5 garlic pods
• few curry leaves
• 2 dry red chillies
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 5 fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp oil/ghee
• 2 tsp salt for taste
• 1 tsp turemeric powder
• few cilantro leaves

Procedure:

1. Boil tamarind,tomato in water until the tomato is cooked.Cool it aside.
2. Once cooled squeeze tamarind and tomato mixture and discard the pulp.
3. Now in a vessel(preferrably stain less steel) add oil,once heated add mustard seeds,cumin seeds,fenugreek seeds and as they splutter add turmeric powder,curryleaves,red chillies,garlic pods and stir fry for few seconds.
4. Add the tamarind-tomato extract to the vessel.Add few(2-3) cups of water.
5. Add salt,rasam powder,pepper powder and boil for 5 minutes.
6. Finally add cilantro and serve hot with rice.

Thota kura vepudu

Amarnath, a common ingredient in traditional Asian food dishes provides a good source of dietary fibre and dietary minerals such as iron,magnesium and especially manganese.It has been claimed to be beneficial in preventing greying of hair.Also enhances eye sight.Called as Koyataku in Rayalseema districts I cook this leafy vegetable along with tender stalks.

Ingredients:

• 8-10 amarnath bunches(seperate leaves from stalks)
• 6 garlic pods
• 1 tsp salt for taste
• 1 tbsp oil for frying
• 4 dry redchillies pierced
• 1 medium size onion cut into pieces
• 1 tsp poppu seeds(mustard,cumin,fenugreek)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 4 tbsp Chickpea powder/pappula podi

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a pan and once it is heated add poppu seeds.Let them splutter
2. Add turmeric powder,garlic pods,red chillies and saute for 2 minutes.
3. Add onion pieces and fry till they become transparent.
4. Now add amarnath leaves and tender stalks,cook for 15-20 minutes until the leaves are cooked.Finally add chickpea powder/poppula podi and serve hot with rice and dal.