Friday 10 April 2015

Okra-Onions Stir-fry


A delicious side-dish preparation made with a double quantity of onions added to okra…


Ingredients:

3 cups sliced okra (bhindi)
1 ½ cup sliced onions
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp nigella seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 to 2 green chillies, chopped
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp amchur powder or to taste
1/2 tsp garam masala
2-3 tbsp beaten curd
3 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

Method:

  • Heat the oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds and nigella seeds and allow the seeds to crackle.
  • Add the onions, turmeric powder, garlic-ginger paste and green chillies and cook till the onions are tender.
  • Add bhindi and all the other powder spices. Mix well.
  • Stir-fry for 15 min or till cooked well. Add the curd and cook till dry out.
  • Serve hot with parathas or chapatis.




Friday 20 March 2015

Aloo Tikka Masala


Grilled potatoes well combined with rich and yummy gravy, Delicious in every bite!!!




Ingredients:


For marinating:

1 cup baby potatoes, cooked and skin peeled
4 tbsp hung curd
1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1/4 tsp roasted cumin powder
1 tsp kashmiri chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste

For the Gravy:

1 medium onion, roughly chopped
3 small tomatoes, pureed
6 cashews and 1 tbsp melon seeds, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp garam masala
Few kasuri methi leaves
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil or butter
1 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped

Method:

  • Mix all the above ingredients together well and add all the potatoes and marinate them for 1 hour.
  • Grill them in an oven at 180C for 20 minutes turning all the sides till golden brown or fry them on griddle with very little oil. Keep aside.
  • Sauté the roughly chopped onions in a tsp of oil until the onions become translucent. Cool and puree with soaked cashews and melon seeds.
  • Now heat a pan add oil and ginger garlic paste and sauté.
  • Add onion-cashew paste and turmeric powder, red chili powder, and coriander powder. Cook till fat separates.
  • Add pureed tomatoes. Add salt to taste and reqd. amount of water, cook on low flame until the mixture thickens.
  • Now add the milk and let them cook for 1-2 minutes.
  • Finally add the cooked potatoes along with garam masala, kasuri methi and sugar.
  • Mix well and cook covered for few seconds. 
  • Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and Serve hot!!!

Friday 13 March 2015

Beetroot and Carrot Salad


Energy-laden and easy-to-make salad dish turns out very delightful….



Ingredients:

1 large raw beetroot, finely chopped or grated
2 medium Carrots, chopped or grated
1 tbsp sesame seeds, roasted
1/2 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice
1 tbsp dates, chopped
1 tsp virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

  • Finely chop or grate beetroot and carrots in a bowl.
  • Slightly roast sesame and sunflower seeds and keep aside.
  • Mix other ingredients in the bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve.


Thursday 5 March 2015

Dates with Oats Delight


A scrumptious and healthy dessert is the perfect way to finish a family meal... !!! 




Ingredients:

1 cup Oats
1/2 cup finely chopped dates
2 tsp ghee
1 ½ cup milk
½ cup water
2 tbsp sugar or to taste
1 medium sized banana, mashed
10-12 almonds, crushed

Method:

  • Heat the ghee in a pan add the oats and sauté on a medium flame for 5 to 7 minutes or till it releases flavour.
  • Add the milk, water, dates and sugar, mix well and simmer till the sugar melts, while stirring continuously. Add almonds and cook for 5-7 min.
  • Remove from the flame, add the mashed banana and mix well. Serve hot garnished with nuts.

Tuesday 3 March 2015

Tutti-Frutti Bites


These little bites are perfect with a cup of tea, on-the-go and  for the kid’s parties….


Ingredients:

1 cup All purpose flour
100 gm butter
3 tbsp castor sugar
3 tbsp tutti frutti
1 tsp cold milk
1/4 tsp salt
Toothpicks (optional)

Method:

  • Sieve the flour and salt together. Rub butter into the flour with fingertips till a crumbly mixture. Now add sugar and tutti-frutti and mix again.
  • Add little milk at a time and make cookie dough.
  • Shape dough onto a rectangular block. Now cut small cubes of equal size.
  • Insert toothpick in each cube and keep in fridge for 10 min.
  • Bake into a preheated oven at 170 deg. for 12-15 min.
  • Cool and serve. 


Friday 27 February 2015

Mini Tofu Cutlets


Serve these protein and calcium rich cutlets made with tofu as a starter or as a snack…



Ingredients:

200 gm tofu, grated
1 large potato, boiled and mashed
2 green chillies
1 medium onion, chopped
¼ tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
Salt to taste
1-2 tsp corn flour
1/4 cup roasted and grounded oats (I used saffola masala oats)
1/2 tsp chaat masala powder
Olive oil
Semolina or suji for coating

Method:

  • In a pan, heat 2 tsp oil and add mustard seeds, after seeds start crackle add chilli and onions. Sauté for few seconds and turn off the flame.
  • Mix in all the ingredients in a pan and mix well.
  • Divide the mixture into equal portions and shape each portion into a round, flat cutlets.
  • Spread little suji in a plate and coat cutlets with suji.
  • Heat a non-stick tava (griddle) on a medium flame and grease it with oil and cook the tikkis, till both sides are golden brown in colour.
  • Serve hot with tomato ketchup or green chutney.


Tuesday 9 December 2014

Paneer Lajawab


Paneer and matar simmered in luscious gravy…. A must try recipe!!!


Ingredients:

200 gm Cottage cheese
50 gm Peas (optional)
2 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
2-3 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 tsp red chilli powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp garam masala
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp sugar 
Salt to taste
Hot water, as required
Coriander leaves

Ground to paste

1 large onion
2 large tomatoes
7-8 cashews
1-inch ginger
4-5 cloves garlic
1 green chilli


Method:


  • Heat oil in pan; add cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and bay leaf.
  • Add grounded paste and all spices and cook about 7-8 min or till oil separates.
  • Add peas and little hot water and cook till peas turn soft.
  • Fry cottage cheese cubes in a non-stick pan with little oil or butter.
  • Now add cottage cheese cubes to the gravy and cook covered for a min.
  • Adjust consistency by adding hot water.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.




Friday 5 December 2014

Hummus and Cucumber Sandwich


Easy and delicious sandwich recipe with goodness of hummus and cucumber….


Ingredients:

3/4 cup boiled chick peas
1 tsp sesame seeds
3 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp yogurt
Salt to taste
Cucumber, sliced
Chilli flakes
8 Bread slices

Method:

  • Roast sesame seeds for a minute. (They should not turn brown.)
  • Combine the sesame seeds, garlic, lemon juice, curd, oil, salt and blend in a mixer to a smooth paste.
  • Add the cooked chick peas and blend again till smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add 2 to 3 tbsp of the strained water and blend well.
  • For sandwich, spread generous amount of hummus on a bread slice, layer cucumber and then sprinkle chilli flakes.
  • Cover with other slice. Grill or enjoy as it is….




Thursday 27 November 2014

Soya and Channa Dal Kebabs with Guava Chutney


Yummy and healthy kebabs prepared with Soya and dal, served with guava chutney…



Ingredients:

1 cup Soya wadi, soaked
50 gm channa dal, soaked
2 bay leaves
4 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
2 whole red chilli
1/2 tsp chaat masala powder
1/2 tsp black salt
1” inch ginger
4-5 garlic cloves
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Oil
1-2 tbsp roasted channa powder (optional)

For guava chutney:

2 ripe guavas
1-2 green chilli
1 inch ginger
1 tsp roasted jeera powder
1/2 tsp black salt

Method:

For chutney:

Remove seeds from guavas and grind with remaining ingredients into a smooth paste using little water.

For Kebabs:
  • Heat oil in pan, add whole spices and sauté till they crackle.
  • Add ginger and garlic, sauté for a min.
  • Now add soaked channa dal and soya wadi and mix well.
  • Cook for 1-2 min and keep aside to cool. Remove bay leaves.
  • Now make a paste of above mixture and add in remaining ingredients.
  • Make small tikkis from the mixture. Shallow fry them on medium heat until both sides turn golden brown.
  • Serve hot with guava chutney or any of your choice.

Tuesday 25 November 2014

Oats and Chocolate Trifle Pudding Jars


Yummy fancy mini pudding jars filled with healthy Oats, Chocolate cake and crunchy Oreo ….


Ingredients:

Chocolate cake crumbs
Oreo cookies crushed
Chocolate vermicelli (optional)

For Oats Pudding:

1/3 cup oats
200 ml milk
1 ½ tsp corn flour
½ tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tbsp sugar or to taste
A pinch yellow color (optional)

Method:
  • Mix all ingredients for oats pudding in a pan.
  • Cook on medium heat while stirring continuously.
  • Cook for 3-5 min till get desired consistency. Leave aside to cool.
  • To layer pudding: evenly spread cake crumbs at bottom, add oat pudding and top with crush Oreo mixture. Repeat the layers and garnish with vermicelli or Oreo slice.