Methi Dal Ambat

One of the classic Amchi (traditional) recipe which I learnt it from my mom ...I just love it its so delicious and lovely ...that i always make it when i have methi leaves ...simply love this gravy 

 Ingredients

1/4 cup Toor dal 

1 bunch methi leaves ( finely chopped ) 

1/2 cup grated coconut 

3-4 red chillies

small piece of tamarind

1 small red onion chopped 

5-6 big flakes of garlic sliced

2 tbsp oil 

salt to taste

Method

1. Take 1 tbsp oil in non stick pan and fry finely chopped methi leaves till all the water gets dried up and your left with nice aroma. Keep it aside.
2. Grind coconut, red chillies , tamarind to a fine paste. 
3. Pressure cook toor dal and mash it well .
4. Add chopped onion to the coconut paste and bring to a boil .
5. Now add cooked dal , fried methi leaves and fry.
6. In oil add sliced garlic and fry well till light brown and add this tadka to the gravy and boil,
7. Finally add salt and serve hot with rice .

Tandoori Sesame Potato Sticks

This is a fairly Spicy and yummy starter which I had experimented the other day...I just loved it cause I really was craving to have something v spicy so I did cook according to my taste-buds...so try this and love it as my family did :)

Ingredients

4-5 Parboiled potato cut into long fingers

1 tbsp Cream fraiche/ Cream

3 tbsp Thick Yogurt

1 tsp Biryani Masala Powder

a pinch of orange food colour

1/4 tsp haldi

1/4 tsp black pepper powder

salt to taste

1/4 cup Chopped Spring onion

2 tbsp White Sesame seeds

2 tsp oil

salt to taste

For Biryani Masala Powder

2 Stick Cinnamon

2 green cardamom

3 cloves

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp Everest Shahi Pulav Masala

Method

For Biryani Masala Powder 

• Grind the spices listed under biryani masala powder to a fine powder along with Pulao masala  and keep it aside. If u don't have this pulav masala just skip this but this really gives out beautiful flavour.
• Cut Parboiled potato into fingers and sprinkle salt and keep aside.
• In Mixing Bowl mix yogurt, cream fraiche , pepper powder, salt, haldi, pinch of orange food colour, biryani masala powder . Beat well this yogurt is smooth and creamy.
• Now put potato fingers in the marinade and leave for 20 mins.
• Now 2 tbsp oil in  a non stick pan and spread it evenly then fry well this all the marinade it absorbed and potato becomes dry and get crisp and brown on the top like shown in the picture.
• Now garnish with spring onion and roasted white sesame seeds and fry for 1 or 2 mins.
• Sprinkle Lemon juice and serve.....Spicy and yummy!

Classic Potato & Raisins Curry

This is classic Potato Curry which i had experimented the other day , again It's No Onion No garlic Curry which is very nice and loved the flavours very much. My family esp my hubby loved it a lot..:)..So here is an amazing recipe of another curry...enjoy;)

Ingredients

4-5 Potato  Cubed

1' Dalchini (Cinnamon)

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 Tbsp Broken Cashew nuts (For Garnish and Paste)

1 Tsp Golden Raisins

3 Tbsp Milk

1/2 tsp Coriander Powder

1/2 tsp Haldi

1/2 tsp Sambar Powder

1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder

2 Tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped)

1/2 tsp Garam Masala

1/2 tsp Kasoori Methi

2 Tomatoes (chopped)

1' ginger (finely grated)

1/2 Tsp gram flour

1 Tsp oil + 1 Tbsp Butter

salt to taste

Method

• In Pressure cooker add oil and butter, then add jeera and dalchini when it splutters add ginger then add tomatoes and fry well till tomatoes gets mashed well.
• Now add 1 tbsp Cashew nuts and raisins and fry well then add all the masala powder and mix well add coriander leaves fry till it leaves out oil then Potato and mix
• Now add salt fry for 2 Min's then add Kasoori Methi.
• Make a paste with 1 tbsp cashew nuts and milk to a fine paste.
• Now add this Cashew paste to the Potato mix and then add 1/4 cup water close the lid and Pressure cook for 1 whistle and switch off the gas.
• Mix gram flour with water and add this to the cooked Potato mixture bring it to a boil .
• Serve with Chapathi .......One of my personally experimented Excellent Curry ..Just YUM YUM :)

Savoury Semolina Cake

This is a classic Recipe adopted from Anjum Anand's book New Indian....wow I did bake it and loved every bite of it ....v healthy and nutritious recipe to try u can use any vegetables you like but the actual recipe she did add onion and I omitted it ..here goes the recipe..just follow the exact recipe and u have have this just like that and serve it with Spicy Green Chutney  :)

Ingredients

1 Cup Semolina

1/2 cup curd

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup Frozen peas

1 Small Carrot (peeled and grated)

1/2 tsp ginger grated

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Bi carbonate Soda

For Tempering

2 tsp oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds

1 tsp White Sesame seeds + 1 tsp for Sprinkling

Method

• In Wide Mixing bowl pour in Semolina , yogurt , water, frozen peas , grated carrot, ginger, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and mix well.
• For Tempering : Heat oil in a pan add cumin seeds, mustard seeds when it starts to Splutter add white sesame seeds and fry well add this to the mixing bowl and then add bi carbonate soda mix well and Pour it in a Greased Cake tin  and sprinkle sesame seeds evenly and Bake it immediately .
• Preheat the oven to about 200'c  and bake it  for about approximately 30-35 Min's or till golden and cooked on top and leave it to cool . Slice and serve with Spicy Green Chutney ...Just yummy I  am already having a bite here....

Paneer rice with curry leaves

This is a very simple , delicate mild flavoured rice which I did personally experimented and  I have added light touch of south Indian flavour which I just adore.......

Ingredients

1 cup Basmati Rice

2 Red chilli broken

1/2 cup cubed Paneer

2 Sprigs of curry leaves

1 small onion (finely chopped)

2 green chillies (Slit)

1/2 tsp grated ginger

2 tbsp butter + 1 tsp oil

salt to taste

Method:

Soak Basmati Rice for 30 Min's, then drain and cook till 3/4 done and keep aside. Mix salt and Oil to it so that they don't stick together.

Heat Butter /Oil in a kadai or deep pan add  green chillies,grated ginger to it and fry now add curry leaves , broken red chilli , onion and  continue frying till onions are translucent.

Now add cubed paneer pieces and fry well till they turn golden brown now Switch off the flame and mix rice and keep aside......Serve with with the fav curry of your choice.

Karahi Paneer with Peppers

This is an amazing recipe from Anjum Anand's latest book I love curry I got this recipe from her website ..it was truly amazing recipe....... almost all her recipes are simple to follow and lovely..:)....so here's one more amazing dry Paneer Subzi recipe which goes excellent with Paratha

Ingredients

1 cup Paneer cut into small cubes

1/2 cup Green capsicum cut into cubes

2  Onion cut into cubes

1 Big Tomato pureed in blender

1 Green Chilli

1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder

1/2 tsp Cumin powder

1 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

1 tbsp cream

2 tsp oil

salt to taste

Method 

• Cut 1 Big tomato into chunks and puree it in blender and keep aside.
• In Kadai add oil when the oil is hot add Cumin seeds when it starts to splutter add  slit green chilli and fry well.
• Now add onion cubes and fry well add ginger garlic paste to it and fry well for 2-3 Min's.
• Add Tomato puree and fry well for 2 mins then add turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, salt and mix well fry till it leaves out oil.
• Now add capsicum cubes ,Paneer cubes, sprinkle garam masala.
• Add coriander leaves and Cream ........YUM YUM ........Excellent with Chapathi.

Green Plantain Fry

 

Simple is addictive:)..yes of course it is ..try this amazing green plantain fry and even you all will tell me the same thing .....there are few days like sankasthahara chaturthi and other auspicious days where i prepare food without adding onion and garlic to it ....Here is one of the amazing fry which i tried the other day ...all I can say is try it and ull also love it .......

Ingredients

4-5 Green Plantain (cut into small quarters)

a pinch of ajwain

1 tsp jeera

3 tbsp grated fresh coconut

1/2 tsp haldi powder

1/2 tsp  red chilli powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

2 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Method

• In deep pan add water and salt and parboil the plantain cubes till done (keep checking as they cook v fast), then drain and keep aside.
• In pan add oil then add jeera , ajwain , fry well then add haldi, garam masala, red chilli powder, fry well  then add plantain cubes fry for a min then add freshly grated coconut toss and serve.
• Serve this excellent fry with rice and dal .....all I can say is it's a comfort food :)

Pav Bhaji Cutlets

YES u all read it right ....Pav bhaji cutlets ....my one of the amazing and best experiments I have done so far...love the crust and sure to be hit in kid's lunch boxes ...even adults for that matter ;-)....If ur not trying this ur surely missing out something ....try it and loooooooovvvvveeeeeee it :)

Ingredients

For the Lemony bread crumbs

3 Toasted Slices of Bread

1/2 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp coriander leaves

salt to taste 


2 tsp oil

For Pav Bhaji Cutlets

3 Boiled potato (Mashed)

2 tbsp coriander leaves

4-5 cloves of garlic Grated

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp pav bhaji masala

2 tbsp Tomato ketchup

1 small onion chopped

salt to taste

Other Ingredients

2-3 sliced Roundels of Tomato and Onion (For Garnishing)

Oil for Shallow frying

Method

For lemony Bread Crumbs

• Toast the breads and grind it in Food processor to fine crumbs. Then in a non stick pan add 2 tsp oil then add this bread crumbs , squeeze 1/2 tsp lemon juice add coriander leaves,salt and keep frying on med heat till it turns crispy.

 For Cutlets

• In deep pan add oil and grated garlic and fry well on low heat then add tomato ketchup, garam masala, red chilli powder. pav bhaji masala and fry well till it leaves out oil then add coriander leaves then add mashed potato and mix well to this add salt then add chopped onion and fry for 2 mins on low heat.
• Divide this cutlet Bhaji into 8-10 med sized round balls as shown in the pic flatten a bit then coat it in lemony breadcrumbs well
• Take a deep pan add oil when oil is hot enough shallow fry cutlets till crisp and golden , drain and keep aside.

For serving serve it with onion and Tomato rings.....JUST YUMMY !!!!

Cut Mirchi Bhaji

Its been such a long time that I didn't post anything as there was some renovation work going on in my house I couldn't get time for blogging at all..the other day when I got these chillies , I thought I would do something other than the usual bhajis wanted to give the flavour of curry leaves ....long back when we went to a restaurant we read cut mirchi bhaji in their menu ...when we ordered it we liked it a lot it was something so similar to my post.....it usually tasted the same and I loved it :).....so when I saw them I thought Ill try it so here's the recipe for that...

Ingredients

6-7 Long Green Mirchi

oil for deep frying them  + 1 tsp for frying the masala

For Batter

1/2 cup Gram flour

1/4 tsp haldi

1/2 tsp salt

pinch of baking soda (opt)

water to mix into a semi thick batter

Other ingredients

1 onion (chopped)

1 tbsp coriander leaves chopped

4-5 curry leaves (chopped)

Method

• Wash and pat dry these chillies.
• Make a smooth batter of the above ingredients under the batter using little by little water make a semi thick batter, then dip these  whole chillies in batter and deep fry them in oil till crisp, drain and keep it aside.
• Now cut them into 1 ' thick roundels as shown in the picture below.
• In Pan add little oil then add curry leaves, coriander leaves, onion and fry till onion turns brown then add these cut chillies and fry well on v low heat and keep tossing for about 5 Min's . Serve them I am sure not only Ur guests but even Ur family would love to have more :)

Cracked & Crunchy Oats & White Chocolate Cookies

First of all Wish U all a very 'Happy New Year'...May this year bring everyone  all the happiness they truly wished for in their lives:).....I wanted to start with a sweet crunch and munch taste today so tried these Healthy cookies which was very nice tasted something like Mcvities oat biscuits which I love to have with hot Coffee:)....So here goes the recipe for that :)

Ingredients

1 cup Maida

1 cup Oats

1/2 cup Muscavado sugar( Brown Sugar)

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp golden syrup

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup melted white chocolate

few pistachios

Method

• Melt butter and golden syrup and brown sugar in saucepan & keep aside
• Sieve Maida, Baking Soda, Baking powder and keep aside
• In a bowl add the Maida Mix,Oats, Melted butter -sugar mix and mix well till you get a dough
• Make 10 balls of the dough and press the thumbprint in the middle of each
• Grease a baking dish and arrange the cookies on it and bake it in a preheated oven at 180 C for 10-15 minutes
• Then put the melted white chocolate in the center where you have done a thump print and then put one pistachio on it and then leave it to cool and serve when required