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.