Love Recipes

Recipes in Sheetudeep.com

2007-04-23T12:46:00.000-07:00

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Prawn Malai curry

2007-03-02T15:33:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
500 gms prawns
4 to 5 tbsp oil
1 big or 2 medium sized onions (grated )
6 to 7 cloves garlic (crushed)
2 bay leaves
3 to 4 green cardamoms (peeled)
1 stick cinnamon
¼ tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp red chilli powder (or as per taste)
200 ml coconut milk
salt to taste
2 to 3 green chillies (slit)

Method
Clean, de-vein and wash prawns well.Lightly, heat oil in a kadai. Lightly fry the prawns and keep aside. In the same oil add onions, crushed garlic, bay leaves, cardamoms and cinnamon.

Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Sauté on a low flame till the onions are light brown. Add coconut milk. Boil. Add salt and mix well. Add fried prawns and cook for few minutes.

Remove from gas. Add slit green chillies. Cover for few minutes and serve hot with roti/ rice or even bread.

Stuffed Dates - Arabian Dish

2007-03-02T15:30:00.000-08:00

12-16 dates
1 tsp lemon rind
12-16 almonds
100 grams ricotta cheese
2 tbsps castor sugar

Slit dates carefully and remove the seeds. Gently open them and set aside.

Finely grate lemon rind. Roast almonds and set aside.

Mix ricotta cheese and castor sugar well. You can use cream cheese or fresh chenna, well mashed, instead of ricotta cheese.

Add a pinch of lemon rind and mix. Make a cone with butter paper, put the cheese stuffing into it and pipe it into the date slits.

Place an almond on top of the cheese in each date. You can use blanched almonds or cashewnuts or walnuts too. Instead of dates you can stuff prunes (dried apricots) similarly. Serve at room temperature.

Shawarma - Arabian Dish

2007-03-02T15:29:00.000-08:00

4 chicken breasts
4 pita bread
4 tbsps olive oil
Salt to taste For yogurt sauce
1 cup yogurt
Salt to taste
4 cloves garlic, ground
2 tbsps lemon juice
1 sprig fresh parsley
For salad
1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium tomato, sliced
2 jalapenos, sliced
Salt to taste
2 tbsps tahina
3 tbsps yogurt
6-8 fresh mint leaves, hand torn

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Slit chicken breasts lengthwise without cutting through. Dribble olive oil over them, sprinkle salt and fold the pieces. Thread these pieces onto a skewer. Keep the skewer on the rack. Place rack in the preheated oven.

Add salt, garlic paste to yogurt and whisk well. Add lemon juice and mix.

Put this mixture over a muslin cloth kept over a bowl, gather the edges and squeeze tight for smooth yogurt sauce. Garnish with a sprig of parsley. Keep aside.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove from oven and cut into fine shreds keeping it on the skewer itself.

Toast pita breads lightly. Slit them open to form a pocket.

Mix onion, tomato, jalapenos, salt, tahina, yogurt and mint leaves to form a salad.

Stuff the pita pocket with some shredded chicken mixture and top with onion tomato salad. Serve with yogurt sauce

Kibbeh bi Shamiyeh - Arabian Dish

2007-03-02T15:27:00.000-08:00

300 grams lamb mince
3/4 cup burghul
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp white pepper powder
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Oil to deep fry
For filling
100 grams lamb mince
2 tbsps olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Lebanese spice
2 tbsps pine nuts

Soak burghul in one cup of water for half an hour and drain.

Take lamb mince in a blender. Add roughly chopped onion, cumin powder, white pepper powder, salt, cayenne pepper (or red chilli powder) and blend till smooth. Transfer into a bowl.

Add burghul and mix thoroughly.

Heat olive oil in a pan, add finely chopped onions and sauté till light brown.

Add lamb mince and cook. Add salt and cook till dry. Add Lebanese spice powder (a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, green cardamoms and red chillies) and stir. Add pine nuts and mix. The stuffing is ready.

Dampen your palms, take a lemon-sized portion of mutton-burghul mixture, make a dent and place a little stuffing in it. Roll again and shape it like a cylinder. Similarly make all the kibbehs. Refrigerate for about half an hour.

Heat sufficient oil in a deep pan to medium hot and deep-fry the kibbehs till golden brown and crisp on the outside. Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot or at room temperature. They taste equally good.

Fattoush - Arabian bites

2007-03-02T15:26:00.000-08:00

1 medium green capsicum, seeded, cubed
1 medium tomato, cubed
1 medium cucumber, cubed
1 medium onion, cubed
2-3 slices bread, cubed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small bunch lettuce (iceberg), hand torn
5-6 black olives
5-6 green olives
1-2 sprigs fresh parsley
For dressing
3 tbsps olive oil
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
5-6 black peppercorns, crushed
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp dried mint

Heat olive oil in a pan, add bread pieces and sauté on medium heat to make croutons.

To make the dressing take olive oil in a bowl, add vinegar, lemon juice, salt, crushed black peppercorns, parsley, dried mint and whisk well.

Tear iceberg lettuce into a bowl. Add all the vegetables and onion. Add black and green olives. Tear parsley and add. Toss well.

Just before serving pour the dressing over, add the croutons and toss.
Serve immediately

Asparagus with saffron chilli cheese sauce

2007-01-19T11:18:00.000-08:00

8 fresh asparagus
1 gram saffron
3 fresh red chillies
2 tbsps butter
1 cup fresh cream
1/2 cup cheese, grated
Salt to taste
5-6 black peppercorns, crushed
Satay sticks as required

Trim and cut asparagus into six-inch pieces. String them onto the satay sticks.
For the sauce, chop two red chillies.

Heat two tablespoons of butter in a pan, add red chillies and sauté. Add fresh cream and mix. Cook till slightly reduced. Add saffron and cheese and cook on low heat till it thickens.

Heat the remaining butter in a grill pan and place the satay sticks with asparagus on it. Grill the asparagus, turning the sticks from time to time. As the asparagus is getting cooked sprinkle salt and crushed black peppercorns. Take care not to overcook the asparagus.

When done, place the asparagus neatly on a serving plate. Pour the saffron chilli cheese sauce over and garnish with a slit whole fresh red chilli. Serve immediately.

Dark chocolate orange cake

2007-01-19T11:15:00.000-08:00

1 cup dark chocolate, grated
1 tbsp orange zest, chopped
2 tbsps orange marmalade
1 1/2 cups refined flour (maida) + 1 tbsp
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
2 tsps baking powder
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup almonds, flaked

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line and grease an eight-inch round baking tin.
Take butter and brown sugar in a bowl and cream till light.

Add orange zest, orange marmalade and mix well. Add grated chocolate and mix well.
Beat eggs till light and fluffy. Add some of it to the butter-sugar mixture and mix with a light hand.
Sieve refined flour and baking powder into the bowl and mix. Add some more eggs and mix.
Add the remaining eggs, milk, almond flakes and mix.
Transfer into the greased tin and bake in the preheated oven at 180°C for forty minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool the cake over a rack. Slice and serve

Banana French Toast

2006-12-11T15:11:00.000-08:00

8 slices white/brown bread
2 large bananas
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
6 eggs
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2-3 drops vanilla essence, optional
½ cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
Maple syrup as required

Peel and grate the ripe bananas. Add orange marmalade and mix with a hand blender.

Break eggs into a bowl, add powdered sugar and mix with the hand blender till well blended. If you wish you can add a few drops of vanilla essence and mix. Add milk and blend again.

Spread the banana mixture over one bread slice. Place another slice over it.

Heat a pan. Add half a tablespoon of butter. Dip the sandwich in the egg mixture and place it on the hot pan and cook on medium heat. When one side is done turn it over and fry the second side, using more butter. Similarly prepare the other sandwiches. Serve hot generously dribbled with maple syrup.

Toasted Cheese Sandwich

2006-12-11T15:08:00.000-08:00

8 brown bread slices
1 1/2 cups cheese, grated
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green capsicum, seeded and chopped
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
4 tablespoons tomato sauce
2-3 green chillies, chopped
4-5 tablespoons butter

Take cheese in a bowl. Add onion, capsicum, tomato, tomato sauce, green chillies and mix.
Apply this mixture on top of a bread slice, place another slice over it and press slightly. Similarly prepare the remaining sandwiches.
Apply a little butter on one side and place them on a grill buttered side down. Apply a little butter on the top side and close the grill. Grill till golden brown. Serve hot.

Vegetable Triple Decker Sandwich

2006-12-11T15:05:00.000-08:00

12 slices bread
1 1/2 cups cream cheese
1 cup cheese spread
A few leaves iceberg lettuce
3-4 cucumbers, sliced
4 medium potatoes, boiled and sliced
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder to taste
3-4 tomatoes, sliced
5-6 pickled gherkins, sliced
1 teaspoon red chillies, crushed

Use a day old bread. Take three slices per sandwich.
Mix cream cheese and cheese spread to make a smooth paste.
Apply a portion of this paste on one slice of bread. Place a lettuce leaf and cover with a layer of cucumber and potato on it. Sprinkle salt and black pepper powder and put another slice of bread over it.
Apply a portion of the cream cheese paste over the second slice of bread generously. Place a few lettuce leaves and cover with tomato slices. Sprinkle sliced gherkins and red chilli flakes. Apply a portion of the cream cheese on the third slice and place it over the tomato layer with the cream cheese side facing down. Cut diagonally into two triangles and serve immediately.
Repeat the process for the remaining sandwiches

Dabeli

2006-12-11T15:02:00.000-08:00

4 round buns (pavs)
1 1/2 tablespoons dabeli masala powder
3 tablespoons oil
2 large potatoes, boiled and mashed
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup sweet tamarind chutney
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup masala moongphali (spicy peanuts)
1/4 cup coconut, scraped
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate pearls
10-12 black grapes, chopped
1 cup nylon sev
2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1/4 cup red chilli-garlic chutney
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter

Heat oil in a pan. Add potatoes, salt and a little water. Mix well and add dabeli masala, lemon juice, half a cup of sweet tamarind chutney and sugar. Mix and cook till the moisture is absorbed. Transfer the mixture into a plate and spread it. Sprinkle masala moongphali, scraped coconut, fresh pomegranate pearls, black grapes, half the sev and coriander leaves over the top.

Slit the pavs horizontally without cutting through. Spread red chilli-garlic chutney, a layer of the stuffing, sweet tamarind chutney, onion and sev in between the two halves. Place the stuffed pav on a hot tawa. Press slightly and toast on both sides, with a little butter, till done.
Serve hot.

2006-11-26T14:17:00.000-08:00

Mixed fruit chaat

1/4 small pineapple
1/4 small watermelon
2 medium pears
2 medium apples1 medium green apple
1/4 small musk melon
2 small plums, seeded and quartered
4-5 strawberries, halved
1 large star fruit
1 tsp cumin seeds
black salt to taste
3 fresh red chillies, chopped
2 green chillies, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp chaat masala

Cut pineapple, watermelon, pears, apples, green apples, melon into one-inch sized pieces.
Halve the star fruit and then slice thinly.
Place fruits in a large bowl.
Roast cumin seeds nicely. Grind the roasted cumin seeds coarsely with black salt in a mortar with a pestle. Place in a bowl.
Grind fresh red chillies, green chillies, coriander leaves and mint leaves in the mortar with a pestle.
Add lemon juice, lime juice and grind again. Add the black salt and roasted cumin seed powder and mix well.
Add this mixture to the fruit bowl. Add chaat masala.
Mix well and serve.
Note: You can use all seasonal fruits in this recipe, subject to availability.

Alu kachalu chaat

3 medium potatoes
3 medium sweet potatoes
2 tbsp oil
3/4 tsp cumin seeds
1 marble sized ball of tamarind
2-3 green chillies, finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp chaat masala
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 tbsp lemon juice

Boil, peel and cut the potatoes and sweet potatoes into medium sized pieces.
Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds. When they begin to change colour add the potatoes and sweet potatoes. Stir-fry on high heat for two minutes. Set aside.
Soak tamarind in 1/4 cup of water and heat in the microwave oven on Microwave HIGH for two minutes. Squeeze and remove pulp. Strain and set aside.
Transfer the potatoes and sweet potatoes into a big bowl. Add chopped green chillies, salt, chaat masala, red chilli powder and toss.
Add the tamarind pulp, sugar and chopped coriander leaves.
Mix well and add lemon juice. Mix again and serve.

Green Chilli Chicken

1 (800 gm) chicken, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup small green chillies
3 green chillies, roughly chopped
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
10 cloves garlic
1 1/2 inch piece ginger, sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
Salt to taste
3 tbsp oil
3/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsps coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala powder

Grind together roughly chopped green chillies, onions, garlic, ginger, coriander leaves and salt. Add this mixture to the cleaned chicken pieces and marinade for about half an hour. Heat oil in a wok or kadai. Add cumin seeds. When they begin to change colour add turmeric powder.
Add the marinated chicken, small green chillies and mix well. Add cumin powder, coriander powder and mix well.
Add salt to taste and garam masala powder and mix again. Add half a cup of water and mix. Cover and cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Lower the heat and cook for another eight to 10 minutes or till the chicken is cooked. Serve hot.

Badam Sheera

2006-11-16T03:04:00.000-08:00

Ghee and sugar are good for the body in winter; two spoons of Badam Sheera along with a glass of milk every morning, can keep you healthy.

Ingredients:
1 cup ground badam (almonds)
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp ghee

Method:
Put ghee in a thick kadhai. Let it heat for a minute. Add ground badam and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add milk to the mixture. Let it boil on a slow flame. Add sugar once the mixture has thickened. Continue stirring till it has become thick like halwa. After the ghee has settled, take off from heat. Garnish with peeled, sliced badam and serve hot.

Rogan Gosh (Red Mutton)

2006-11-16T03:03:00.000-08:00

This dish contains a lot of garam masala (spices) that helps the body in the cold weather. It contains no garlic and onions, which is what makes it a Kashmiri specialty.

Ingredients:
1 kg Red Mutton
2 tbsp Mustard oil
1/2 tsp Ginger powder
2 tsp Sauf powder
2 Tejpata
3 Kashmiri chillies
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1 tbsp Curd
1 glass water
Salt to taste

Method:
Take some mustard oil in a kadhai. Fry pieces of red mutton (with bones) in the oil, till they turn brown. Add three red chillies, ginger powder and sauf powder to the mutton. Add salt to taste. Deep fry the mixture. Add curd to make the mutton crisp. Mix all the ingredients well before adding a glass of water. Add tejpata, badi elaichi, chhoti elaichi and garam masala to it. Transfer the mixture to a pressure cooker and let it cook on one pressure whistle, to make it medium crisp.

Khus Khus ka Sheera

2006-11-16T03:02:00.000-08:00

Ghee, milk, sugar and khus khus (poppy seeds) are good for the body in winter. The body craves and digests sweets easily in cold weather.

Ingredients:
250 gms poppy seeds
2 litres milk
Ghee
250 gms sugar
Elaichi powder (10-12 elaichis)
20 boiled and peeled almonds

Method:
Wash the poppy seeds and clean them with a dry cloth.
Grind them. Take a heavy bottom vessel, add ghee, ground poppy seeds and stir the mixture well. Pour milk once the mixture turns into a light pink colour and starts to emit a sweet fragrance. Boil mixture on high flame. Stir constantly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the vessel. Now, let the mixture heat on a slow flame so that the milk is absorbed. Add sugar and keep stirring. Add elaichi powder when it turns thick, add the almonds. Garnish with chopped almonds and serve hot.

Bamboo lemon grass rice

2006-11-12T15:16:00.000-08:00

1½ cups jasmine or basmati rice, soaked and drained
2 cups lemon grass stock
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 inch piece ginger, chopped
2 fresh red chillies, sliced
Salt to taste
¾ cup coconut milk
Prepared bamboos as required

Preheat oven to 180°C. Keep the bamboos in the oven so that they get preheated too.
Heat oil and butter in a pan. Add onion, ginger and sauté till translucent. Add fresh red chillies and sauté for a minute. Add rice and sauté. Add salt and stir gently. Add lemon grass stock and when it comes to a boil, add coconut milk and cook till three fourth done.
Remove the bamboos from the oven. Fill rice into the hot bamboos. Seal the mouth with aluminium foil and cook in the oven at 180°C for 10 minutes. Let it stand in the oven till it is required for serving. Serve from the bamboo itself.

Prawns in red curry sauce

2006-11-12T15:12:00.000-08:00

20-24 prawns, deveined
2 lemons
1½ cups coconut, scraped
Salt to taste
5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 fresh red chillies, stemmed, finely sliced
1 tbsp fish sauce (Nampla)
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp sugar
3 Kaffir lime leaves
7-8 basil leaves, hand torn
For red curry paste
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
8 - 10 whole dry red chillies
4 inch piece lemon grass, roughly chopped
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
6 black peppercorns
Salt to taste

Squeeze lemons and set juice aside. Add one and a half cups of warm water to scraped coconut, grind and remove coconut milk. For red curry paste grind together onion, garlic, red chillies, lemon grass, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns and salt to a fine paste.
Take prawns in a bowl. Add salt, one tablespoon of lemon juice and one tablespoon of red curry paste and mix. Add half the crushed garlic, half a tablespoon of fish sauce and mix. Heat oil in a pan and add the remaining crushed garlic, fresh red chillies, marinated prawns and sauté for two minutes. Add a little water and bring to a boil.
Add the remaining red curry paste and bring to a boil again. Add coconut milk, salt, sugar and mix. Add lime leaves, the remaining fish sauce and mix.
Add basil leaves torn with hands and the remaining lemon juice. Mix and serve hot.

Chicken in Thai green curry

2006-11-12T15:10:00.000-08:00

600 gm chicken, boneless, 1 inch pieces
2 tbsp oil
3 cups chicken stock
Salt to taste
3-4 Kaffir lime leaves
¾ cup fresh coconut milk, thick
6-8 basil leaves, hand torn
2 fresh red chillies, sliced diagonally
For green curry paste
4-5 green chillies
3 small onions
6-8 cloves garlic
1 inch piece galangal
2 stalks lemon grass
3 tbsp coriander roots, chopped
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp lemon rind
1 tbsp lemon juice
6-8 basil leaves
1½ tbsp fish sauce (Nampla)

For the green curry paste grind together green chillies, small onions, garlic, galangal, lemon grass, coriander roots, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, lemon rind, lemon juice, basil leaves, fish sauce and little water to a fine paste.
Heat oil in a pan. Add the ground paste and sauté for three to four minutes. Add chicken pieces. Mix and sauté for three to four minutes.
Add stock and bring to a boil. Add salt, hand torn lime leaves and cook for nearly 10 minutes.
Add coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add hand torn basil leaves, sliced fresh red chillies and take off the heat.
Serve hot with steamed rice.

Tofu and vegetable spring rolls

2006-11-12T15:07:00.000-08:00

½ cup tofu, bean curd
1 medium carrot, grated
1 medium green capsicum, cut into thin strips
¼ small cabbage, shredded
2 tablespoons oil + to deep fry
1 medium onion, sliced
2 spring onions, sliced with few greens
½ cup bean sprouts
Salt to taste
¼ tsp white pepper powder
2 tsp red chilli paste
8 spring roll wrappers
2 tbsp cornflour

Slice the tofu. Shred roughly. Heat oil in a pan. Add onion, spring onions, carrot, green capsicum, cabbage, bean sprouts, salt, white pepper powder and red chilli paste. Sauté and toss. Add tofu, mix and transfer into a plate to cool.
Take the spring roll wrappers. If they are too big, cut each into two.
Dissolve cornflour in little water to make a paste.
Put the stuffing on one side of the wrapper and roll. When half rolled apply cornflour paste and fold in the sides and roll again. Apply cornflour paste again at the end and seal.
Heat sufficient oil in a wok and deep fry the spring rolls till golden and crisp.
Drain and place on an absorbent paper and serve hot.

Prawn curry

2006-11-12T07:43:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
1/2 kg tiger prawns
3-4 onions (sliced finely)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1-2 tsps red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste
One small piece of jaggery
2-3 tablespoons of tamarind water
2-3 tablespoons of oil
To grind in a paste
1 piece ginger
3-4 pieces of garlic
3 green chilies
1 bunch coriander leaves
Method
Grind ginger, garlic, green chilies and coriander leaves in a fine paste.
Clean the prawns but retain the shell.
Mix sliced onions, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and garam masala.
Mix the above to the paste.
In a kadai, heat the oil and add the onions plus masala mixture; sauté till golden brown. When the masala is cooked and lets out an aroma, add the tiger prawns (with shells). Add some water and jaggery to add flavour.
Cover and simmer till the prawns are cooked. Add some tamarind water and mix well.
Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with rotis or rice.

Khaas seekh

2006-11-07T11:11:00.000-08:00

1 cup cottage cheese (paneer), grated
½ cup processed cheese, grated
600 gm chicken mince (kheema)
1½ tsp green cardamom powder
1 tbsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, chopped
½ cup khoya/mawa, grated
1 egg
Salt to taste
1 tsp white pepper powder
Oil to shallow fry
1 tsp chaat masala

Soak the satay sticks in water for a while. Take grated paneer, processed cheese, half of the green cardamom powder, half of the garam masala powder, mint leaves and mix mashing with your hands. Take a portion of this mixture and place on a satay stick and press it around the stick till it is a thin layer. Press the ends firmly.

In another bowl mix grated khoya, chicken kheema and mix. Break an egg and add. Add salt, remaining green cardamom powder, white pepper powder and remaining garam masala powder and mix well.

Take a portion of this mixture and spread it over the paneer mixture. Similarly prepare the other seekhs. You can keep the seekhs in the refrigerator for some time before frying.

Heat sufficient oil in a pan and place the seekhs on it and shallow fry. Turn the sticks when one side is done so that the other side gets cooked similarly.

Serve hot sprinkled with chaat masala.

Sweet corn croquettes

2006-11-07T11:10:00.000-08:00

1 cup sweet corn kernels, crushed
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil + to deep fry
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbsp refined flour (maida)
1 cup milk
Salt to taste
¼ tsp pepper powder
A pinch of nutmeg powder
1 cup boiled rice
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
2 fresh red chillies, crushed
1½ cups vermicelli, crushed

Heat butter and one tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add onion and sauté till transluscent.
Add refined flour and roast for two minutes. Add milk gradually and cook stirring continuously for two minutes. Add crushed sweet corn kernels, salt, pepper powder, nutmeg powder and mix well. Cook till all the moisture dries up. Take it off the heat and transfer into a bowl.
Let the corn mixture cool. Then add boiled rice, chopped coriander leaves and fresh red chillies. Adjust salt and mix. Shape the mixture into 16 equal croquettes. Roll in vermicelli. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep-fry the croquettes till golden. Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot.

Soya burgers

2006-11-07T11:08:00.000-08:00

1 cup soya granules
3 cups milk
4 tsp oil + to shallow fry
3 medium onions, 1 chopped and 2 cut into roundels
2 green chillies, chopped
6 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsp mustard paste
Salt to taste
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped
2 medium potatoes, boiled and grated
½ cup whole wheat flour (atta)
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 cup fresh brown breadcrumbs
4 burger buns
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
4 lettuce leaves, halved

Soak soya granules in milk for an hour. Crush a little in mixer.
Heat two teaspoons of oil in a pan. Add chopped onion, green chillies and sauté. Add soya granules, two tablespoons of tomato ketchup, one tablespoon of mustard paste, salt, coriander leaves and continue to sauté till dry. Remove from heat and transfer into a bowl.

Set aside to cool slightly. Add boiled and grated potatoes and mix properly. Divide into four equal portions. Heat a tawa. Take whole wheat flour in a bowl. Add salt, red chilli powder and a little water and mix to make a smooth batter. Take one portion of the soya-potato mixture, shape into a pattie. Dip in the flour batter and roll in brown breadcrumbs. Prepare three more patties the same way.

Heat a little oil on a griddle plate. Place the patties on it and cook.
Cut the burger buns. Separate onion roundels into rings. Heat two teaspoons of oil in a pan and sauté the onion rings till golden brown. Drain and set aside. Roast burger buns.

Turn over the soya patties to cook on the other side. Apply the remaining tomato ketchup to the burger bases, place halved lettuce leaves and over it place caramelized onion rings. Place the soya pattie on top, cover it with a tomato slice and another halved lettuce leaf. Apply mustard paste to the top half of the burger bun and place over it. Secure with a toothpick and serve.

Prune and spinach kebab

2006-10-29T13:39:00.000-08:00

8 prunes
2 medium bundles spinach
8 baby tomatoes
2 tbsp oil + to shallow fry
2 medium onions, chopped
4 green chillies, chopped
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
Salt to taste
2 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
½ tsp garam masala powder
½ tsp chaat masala
2-3 tbsp cornflour

Blanch spinach in boiling hot water for a minute and then refresh in cold water. Chop roughly. Stuff each prune with a baby tomato and set aside.
Heat oil in pan. Add onions and sauté for two to three minutes. Add green chillies, ginger paste and garlic paste and sauté for two minutes.

Add spinach and mix well. Add salt, mix and remove from heat.
Put the spinach mixture in a bowl. Add mashed potatoes, salt, garam masala powder and chaat masala and mix well. Add cornflour and mix. Divide into eight equal portions. Stuff each portion with a prune (stuffed with baby tomato) and shape into a tikki.

Heat oil in a frying pan and place the stuffed tikkis. Shallow fry, turning sides, till both the sides are evenly browned. Drain and place on an absorbent paper.
Serve hot with chutney of your choice.

Boondi ki sabzi

2006-10-25T09:38:00.000-07:00

200 gm boondi, unsalted
2 tbsp oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 medium onions, sliced
½ inch piece ginger, chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, chopped
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1½ tsp red chilli powder
3 medium tomatoes, grated
Salt to taste
½ tsp garam masala powder
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
2 stalks spring onion greens, sliced

Heat oil in pan and add cumin seeds. When they begin to change colour add onions and sauté. Soak boondi in sufficient water Add ginger, garlic and sauté for a minute. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder and stir. Add tomatoes and continue to sauté for a few minutes.
Drain the water from boondi. Cook the masala on high heat. Add salt, garam masala powder, coriander leaves and boondi. Mix and cook on high heat for a minute.
Garnish with spring onion greens and serve hot.

Poha cutlets

2006-10-25T09:37:00.000-07:00

1 cup pressed rice (poha)
3 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
2 tbsp oil + to deep fry
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp mustard seeds
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp refined flour (maida)
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 green chillies, finely chopped
¼ tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
10 cashewnuts, chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice

Soak the poha for five minutes. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, onion, two tablespoons of refined flour and roast for two to three minutes. Add red chilli powder, green chillies, turmeric powder, stir and mix well. Remove from heat and transfer the mixture into a bowl.
Add soaked poha, mashed potatoes, salt, coriander leaves, cashewnuts and lemon juice. Mix well. Divide the mixture into 8- 12 equal portions and shape each into a cutlet. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep fry the cutlets till golden.
Drain and place on an absorbent paper and serve hot with green chutney.

Spring Onions & Potatoe stuffed Prantas

2006-10-25T09:32:00.000-07:00

Hare pyaaz aur aloo ka parantha

5-6 spring onions with greens, finely chopped
1½ cups whole-wheat flour (atta)
2 green chillies, chopped
½ tsp carom seeds (ajwain), crushed
Salt to taste
2 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
¼ cup yogurt
2 tbsp oil
Ghee as required

Take whole-wheat flour in a bowl. Add spring onions with greens, green chillies, carom seeds, salt, potatoes, red chilli powder, coriander leaves, yogurt and sufficient water and knead into a dough. Apply oil, cover and set aside for 15 minutes.
Divide the dough into eight equal portions. Roll into balls. Roll the balls in dry flour and rest for five minutes. Roll out into medium thick paranthas.
Heat a tawa and place a parantha on it. Cook on medium heat for two minutes.
Turn and apply ghee on the cooked side. Turn again and apply some more ghee on the other side too. Cook till both sides turn a golden brown. Serve hot.

Masaledar Tofu Bhurji

2006-10-12T16:50:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
300 gms Tofu (beancurd), 2 medium sized onions, I inch knob ginger, 2 medium sized tomatoes, 2 green chillies, 2 capsicums, ¼ cup fresh coriander leaves, 1½ tsps oil, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder and salt to taste.

Method:
* Drain tofu, crumble into small pieces.
* Peel and finely chop onion and
ginger. Wash and finely chop
tomatoes and coriander leaves. Wash, remove stem, de-seed, finely chop green chillies and capsicum.
* Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add cumin seeds, cook till they start to change colour. Add chopped onion, ginger, green chillies. Stir-fry till translucent.
* Dissolve turmeric, cumin, coriander, red chilli powder in ½ cup water, add to pan. Cook on medium heat for 30 seconds, stirring continuously.
* Add chopped tomatoes and cook on high heat for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Stir in crumbled tofu, chopped capsicum and salt to taste.
* Reduce heat, cook for 2 to 3
minutes, tossing to prevent sticking.
* Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves on top, and serve.

Matar ki kachori

2006-10-12T15:36:00.000-07:00

For covering
1½ cups refined flour (maida)
Salt to taste
5 tbsp pure ghee
Oil to deep fry
For stuffing
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 cup green peas, blanched and crushed
A pinch of asafoetida
1 tbsp Bengal gram (chana dal), roasted and powdered
1 tsp garam masala powder
½ tsp chaat masala
Salt to taste
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped

Place maida and salt in a bowl. Add pure ghee and mix well. Knead into a smooth dough using sufficient water. Cover with a moist cloth and set aside for half an hour.

Heat oil in a pan, temper with cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and chopped green chillies. Sauté for half a minute, add crushed green peas and asafoetida and mix. Add chana dal powder, garam masala powder, chaat masala and salt. Mix well. Remove from heat and cool.

Add chopped coriander leaves and divide into 12 to 16 equal sized portions.

Divide dough into 12 to 16 equal sized balls. Flatten a ball slightly and place a portion of the stuffing. Cover, seal edges and flatten. Roll out lightly with a rolling pin. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep fry kachoris on medium heat till brown and crisp. Drain and serve with a chutney of your choice.

Stuffed dahiwadas

2006-10-12T15:32:00.000-07:00

For wadas
1 cup black gram split (dhuli urad dal)
Salt to taste
A pinch of asafoetida
1 tsp cumin seeds
Oil to deep fry
For stuffing
2 one-inch pieces ginger, cut into thin strips
1½ tbsp raisins
8-10 cashewnuts, crushed
2 green chillies, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
For yogurt mixture
2½ cups yogurt, whisked and chilled
Salt to taste
½ tsp rock salt (kala namak)
1 tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp cumin powder, roasted
To serve
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin powder, roasted
½ cup date and tamarind chutney
¼ cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Soak dal for three to four hours. Drain and grind, using very little water, to a thick, coarse and fluffy batter. Add salt, asafoetida and cumin seeds and mix well with hands to make a well blended mixture.

Fry a small portion of the batter in hot oil to test if the batter holds well. In a bowl mix together ginger, raisins, crushed cashewnuts, chopped green chillies and chopped coriander leaves.

Apply a little water on palm. Take a small portion of batter and pat lightly with damp fingers to flatten it. Place a little stuffing and fold over.
Gently put into hot oil. Repeat with remaining batter and stuffing. Fry till wadas are golden brown. Drain and soak in cold water.

Mix together yogurt, salt, rock salt, red chilli powder and cumin powder.
Squeeze out wadas and arrange on a serving dish.

Pour chilled yogurt over them and serve garnished with red chilli powder, cumin powder, date and tamarind chutney and chopped coriander leaves.

Stuffed dahiwadas

2006-10-12T15:30:00.000-07:00

Santra rasmalai

2006-10-12T15:25:00.000-07:00

1 large orange
250 gm chenna, freshly made
2½ tablespoons refined flour (maida)
4 cups sugar
10 cups milk
¼ tsp green cardamom powder
4 almonds, thinly sliced
4 pistachios, thinly sliced
1 tbsp orange powder

Crumble chenna and knead it. Add two tablespoons of maida and knead again with the palm to make a smooth dough. Divide into sixteen equal portions, roll into balls and press slightly to flatten them.
Dissolve two cups sugar in two cups of water. Bring to a boil.
Slowly lower the chenna balls in the boiling syrup and cook on high heat for 10 minutes. Sprinkle a little water and half a tablespoon of maida and bring to a boil again. Cook for a few minutes.
Meanwhile boil milk in a thick-bottomed pan, lower heat and continue to boil till it is reduced to a thick consistency (one-third of its original volume).
Add rest of the sugar and green cardamom powder and keep boiling till the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, cool and refrigerate for an hour.
Peel orange and separate the segments. Peel the segments, remove the seeds and chop them into three-four pieces each. Add it to the chilled thickened milk and mix. Add sliced almonds, pistachios and orange powder and mix again.
Squeeze the chenna balls and put them into the chilled milk. Refrigerate it for another half an hour. Serve chilled.

Jacket Potato or Baked Potato

2006-09-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

Wash the potatoes and dry them very thoroughly with a cloth, then leave them aside to dry as much as possible. Next, prick the skins a few times with a fork, then put a few drops of olive oil over each one and rub it all over the skin. After that, rub in some crushed salt – this will draw out the moisture from the skin and, together with the oil, provide more crunchiness.

Now place the potatoes straight on to the centre shelf of the oven and let them bake for 1¾-2 hours, or until the skins are really crisp.

When you are ready to serve, slit each potato in half lengthways and top with the butter and seasoning. You can also add baked beans and lots of cheese to it. Serve immediately with fresh salad because, after you remove jacket potatoes from the oven, they lose their crispness very quickly, so don't let them hang around.

Baked tomato delight

2006-08-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

1 cup chicken mince
4 medium firm red tomatoes
2 tbsp butter
2 medium onions, chopped
1 cup cooked rice
2 whole dried red chillies, crushed
2 tbsp oil
6-8 cloves garlic, chopped
½ tsp black pepper powder
4 tbsp tomato puree
½ tsp thyme
¼ cup fresh cream
½ cup cheese, grated
A few threads of saffron

Preheat oven to 180° C. Cut off the tops of the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds. Heat butter in a pan. Add half of the chopped onions, half of the tomato puree, boiled rice, salt, crushed red chillies and mix well. Take a baking dish and line the base with this rice mixture.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the chopped garlic, the remaining chopped onions and sauté till soft. Add chicken mince and stir. Add a quarter cup of water and let it cook. Add salt, pepper powder, remaining tomato puree, thyme and stir. Cook for two minutes and add half of the fresh cream. Stir and remove from heat, add half the grated cheese. Mix.

Heat another pan, add remaining fresh cream, saffron and the remaining cheese. Mix well.
Preheat oven to 180° C.

Fill the tomato shells with the chicken stuffing and place these on top of the rice layer in the baking dish. Pour the cream sauce over these and bake in a preheated oven at 180° C till the top is lightly browned.

Couscous salad

2006-08-23T15:02:00.000-07:00

1 cup couscous
2 large lemons
1 tbsp raisins
2 inch piece ginger, grated
½ tsp roasted cumin powder
1 medium dark skinned cucumber, chopped with peel
1 medium green capsicum, seeded and chopped
3 spring onions, finely chopped
Salt to taste

Heat three cups of water till boiling point. Add couscous and cover. Let it stand till couscous is well soaked. Meanwhile, remove rind of one lemon using a fine grater. Extract juice from both lemons. Remove soaked couscous into a deep bowl and fluff up with a fork. Stir in raisins, ginger, lemon rind, cumin powder, lemon juice, cucumber, capsicum, spring onions and salt. Serve immediately.

Steamed fruit pudding with chocolate syrup

2006-08-23T15:01:00.000-07:00

8 tbsp butter/ margarine
2 eggs
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 medium apple, peeled and diced
¾ cup cherries, canned, remove pips
2/3 cup refined flour (maida), sieved
½ tsp baking powder
3 tbsp cocoa powder
Chocolate syrup
100 gm plain chocolate
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp butter
½ tsp vanilla essence

Prepare a steamer or half fill a deep saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Grease four individual pudding basins and sprinkle each one with a little of the brown sugar to coat well all over.
Mix apple and cherries. Divide equally among the prepared pudding basins. Place remaining brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Add margarine, eggs, refined flour, baking powder and cocoa and beat until combined and smooth. Spoon mixture into basins and cover each with a double thickness of foil. Steam for about 45 minutes, topping up the boiling water as required, until puddings are well risen and firm.

To make the chocolate syrup, mix chocolate, honey, butter and vanilla in a small saucepan. Heat gently, stirring, until melted and smooth. Run a knife around the edge of each pudding to loosen it. Turn onto individual plates at once. Serve immediately topped generously with chocolate syrup.

Rice and bean stuffed capsicums

2006-08-23T15:00:00.000-07:00

4 medium yellow capsicums
1 tbsp olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
¾ cup fresh tomato puree
1 tsp vinegar, optional
¾ tsp dried oregano
3 tbsp raisins
1 cup cooked brown rice
½ cup cooked kidney beans, drained
7-8 almonds, sliced
1 ½ tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 190° C.
Slice off the stem ends of the capsicums and scoop out the seeds. If necessary trim bases so that the capsicums stand upright. Blanch in boiling water for two minutes and pick up with tongs, plunge in cold water and set aside to drain. Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan and add garlic. Add half of the tomato puree. Add vinegar, oregano and raisins. Cook for ten minutes.

Stir in brown rice, kidney beans and almonds. Add salt to taste.
Fill capsicums equally with rice mixture. Set upright in a shallow baking pan. Pour remaining tomato puree into pan around the capsicums.
Preheat oven to 190° C.

Cover with foil and bake at 190° C for thirty minutes. Uncover. Sprinkle capsicums evenly with cheese. Continue to bake till cheese is golden brown.Serve hot.

Cheese and herb patti samosa

2006-08-06T11:02:00.000-07:00

For covering
16 samosa pattis or pads

For stuffing:
1 cup processed cheese, grated
½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks spring onions greens, chopped
A few sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
¼ tsp red chilli flakes
¼ tsp white pepper powder
¼ tsp dried oregano

Combine processed cheese, mozzarella cheese, onion, spring onion greens, parsley, red chilli flakes, white pepper powder and oregano and lightly mix using a wooden spoon. Take one samosa patti, dampen slightly and place a small portion of cheese stuffing in one corner. Fold into a triangle shape. Seal the edges. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep-fry samosas till crisp and golden. Drain and place on an absorbent paper and serve hot.

Motichoor laddoo

2006-08-06T10:57:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
2½ cups gram flour (besan)
1¾ cups sugar
¼ cup milk
Lemon yellow or orange colour as required
Ghee to deep fry
1 tbsp green cardamom seeds
10 almonds, blanched and slivered
10 pistachios, blanched and slivered

Cook sugar with three cups of water to make syrup of one thread consistency. Add milk and when the scum rises to the top, remove it. Add colour as desired and keep the syrup aside. Make a thin batter of besan with three cups of water (pouring consistency). Add colour as desired.

Heat sufficient ghee in a kadai. Hold a perforated spoon over the hot ghee, pour a little batter over it and pass the batter through it fast into the kadai to make boondis. Fry for about two to three minutes. Remove the boondis using a slotted spoon, drain thoroughly and put into the syrup. Thus use up all the batter. When the boondis have absorbed all the syrup add cardamom seeds and mix gently. Divide into 25 portions and shape each into a laddoo. Garnish with slivers of pistachios or almonds. Cool and store.
These laddoos do not stay fresh for long and should be consumed fast.

Corn and vegetable lollipop

2006-08-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

½ cup fresh corn kernels, crushed
10-12 babycorns
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
¼ cup green peas, crushed
1 large potato, boiled and mashed
150 gm yam (suran), boiled and mashed
2 tbsp oil + to deep fry
1 tsp ginger, finely chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp garam masala powder
½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
1 tsp chaat masala
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
2 tbsp cornflour

Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add ginger, green chillies and sauté. Add carrot, peas and stir. Add crushed corn kernels and salt and stir. Take potato and yam in a bowl and add the cooked carrot-corn mixture and mix. Add garam masala powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, chaat masala, salt to taste, coriander leaves and mix gently. Add cornflour and mix.

Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Take a little mixture, shape into a ball and put in the hot oil to test whether it retains its shapes or breaks. If it breaks add a little more cornflour and mix. If the baby corns are small and thin take whole or split into two vertically.

Divide the prepared mixture equally and shape into balls. Put a ball on top of each babycorn to make a lollipop. Sprinkle some cornflour on it. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep-fry till golden brown. Drain and place on an absorbent paper. Serve hot with Sichuan sauce.

Tomato vada

2006-08-04T14:26:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
8 medium tomatoes, red and firm
5 medium potatoes
4 green chillies, chopped
8-10 cloves garlic
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
5-6 curry leaves
A pinch of asafoetida
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 lemon
For batter:
1¼ cups gram flour (besan)
A small pinch of soda bicarbonate
½ tspoon red chilli powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp hot oil + to deep fry

Boil, cool, peel and roughly mash potatoes. Grind green chillies and garlic to make a paste. Place mashed potatoes, garlic-green chilli paste, coriander leaves and salt in a bowl. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. As they crackle, add curry leaves and asafoetida. Remove from heat and add to the potato mixture. Add turmeric powder and freshly squeezed juice of one lemon. Mix well. Make eight balls of the above mixture. Set aside.

Take besan in a bowl, add soda bicarbonate, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and hot oil.
Make a batter of coating using water as required. Take tomatoes and slice off tops. Scoop out seeds using a small spoon.
Fill potato mixture in each tomato. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Dip the stuffed tomatoes in the batter and deep fry in medium hot oil till golden brown and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper.
Serve hot tomato vadas with coconut chutney or spicy garlic chutney. You can also serve them sandwiched in pao or bun.

Soup Gazpacho

2006-07-19T14:45:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:
1 cucumber, peeled, cut and seeded
2 ½ cups fresh tomatoes
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 large onion,chopped
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups tomato juice
2 tbsp lemon juice

Method:
Shred cucumber with a grater. Combine tomatoes, pepper, onion, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper.

Add shredded cucumber to mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and chill for at least two hours before serving.

Salsa Dip

2006-07-19T14:45:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
450 gm processed cheese spread
250 gm jar salsa

Method:
Microwave cheese spread and salsa in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for five minutes on high. Stir after three minutes. Serve with baked tortilla chips, pepper wedges or potato skins.

Lemon Chicken

2006-07-19T14:43:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
4 halves of boneless chicken breast
2 lemons
1 tsp dried tarragon (available at Hypercity, Malad)
Fresh pepper to taste

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in foil-lined baking pan. Fold sides of the foil up. Halve lemons and squeeze juice of ½ lemon over each chicken piece. Sprinkle each piece with 14 tsp tarragon and pepper to taste. Fold foil together and seal to secure chicken. Bake for about 45 minutes and serve.

Garden Minestrone Soup

2006-07-13T15:21:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
2 tsps olive oil, 1 cup chopped onions, 2 tsps chopped fresh oregano, 4 cloves garlic, 3 cups chopped zucchini, 1 cup chopped carrots, 1 cup fresh corn, 4 cups chopped tomato, 3 cans of chicken broth, 1/2 cup uncooked Ditalini pasta (very short tube-shaped macaroni), 1 cup beans, rinsed and drained, 1 pack fresh spinach, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 cup grated cheese, coarsely ground black pepper (optional).

Preparation:
Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add onions to the pan and saute for three minutes or until the onions get soft. Add oregano and garlic and saute for one minute.

Stir in zucchini, carrots and corn. Saute for five minutes or until vegetables are tender and remove from the flame. Place three cups tomato and one can broth in a blender; process until smooth. Add the tomato mixture to the pan and return it to the flame. Stir in the remaining one cup tomato and remaining two cans broth, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, and let the soup simmer for 20 minutes.

Add pasta and beans to the pan; cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from the flame. Stir in spinach, salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Ladle soup into individual bowls. Top with cheese and garnish with coarsely ground black pepper, if desired.

Spicy Chicken Soup

2006-07-13T15:19:00.000-07:00

Ingredient:
1/4 kg boneless chicken cut into 1-inch cubes, 2 small potatoes, cubed, 1 small carrot, diced, 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped celery, 2 tbsps mustard, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, 1/8 tsp garlic powder, 2 1/2 cups vegetable juice, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, salt to taste.

Preparation:
Combine the chicken, vegetables, mustard, black pepper, and garlic powder in a cooker. Add the vegetable juice and chicken broth to it. Cover and cook on a low flame for 7 to 9 hours. Taste and add salt, if needed.

Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

2006-07-13T15:17:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
Tofu, 1 pound chicken,
Marinade: (1 tsp soy sauce, ½ tsp sesame oil and ½ tsp corn starch). 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tsp cornstarch, 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, 3 to 4 fresh mushrooms, 6 cups water (or 6 cups water and 1 cup chicken broth), salt to taste, 1 tsp sugar, 2 tbsps soy sauce, 2 tbsps vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water, 1 beaten egg, 1 green onion, finely chopped, white pepper to taste, hot chilli oil to taste.

Preparation:
Shred the chicken. Mix marinade ingredients and marinate the chicken for 20 minutes.

Cut the tofu into small squares. Cut bamboo shoots into thin strips and then into fine slices. Wash and cut mushrooms into thin pieces.
Bring the water to a boil. Add the bamboo shoots and mushrooms while the water is boiling. Then, add the tofu. Bring the mixture back to a boil, and add the marinated chicken.

Add the salt, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil, and stir.

Mix the cornstarch with water. Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into the soup. Make sure you stir the broth while this mixture is being added. Take the broth off the stove as soon as it starts boiling. Slowly add the beaten egg, stirring in one direction at the same time. Add the green onion and the white pepper to taste. Drizzle with chilli oil if desired. Serve piping hot.
Vegetarians can make the soup without the chicken.

Onion and Garlic Soup

2006-07-13T15:15:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
5 cups thinly sliced onions, 3 sliced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil, 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper, 10 slices bread (sliced about 1/4 inch thick), olive oil for brushing, grated cheese.

Preparation:
Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan, and add the sliced onions and garlic to it. Reduce the flame to medium-low heat, and cook for about one hour, stirring from time to time until the onions are limp and nicely browned. Add the stock, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, brush each bread slice with olive oil. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and bake them on a baking sheet for about six to eight minutes until both sides are brown. Remove, sprinkle each slice with cheese, and put back into the oven until the cheese melts. Serve hot, and top each bowl of soup with two of the bread croutons you’ve just made.

Pyaz Ki Kachori (Rajasthani)

2006-06-10T15:49:00.000-07:00

For the dough
2 cups maida
1/4 cup melted ghee
1/2 tsp salt

For filling
2 cups onions (finely chopped)
1 tsp kalonji
2 tsp saunf
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp green chillies (finely chopped)
2 tbsp besan
2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
3 tbsp coriander (chopped)
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

For the dough:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and knead into semi-soft dough using enough water. Knead well and keep covered under a wet muslin cloth.

For the filling:
Heat oil in a pan. Add kalonji, saunf, bay leaves, green chillies and onions and sauté till the onions turn light brown.
Add besan, coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala and salt, and sauté for 3 minutes.
Add chopped coriander and mix well. Discard the bay leaves. Allow mixture to cool.
Divide into 12 equal portions and set aside.
Roll out each portion of dough into a 2” diameter circle. Place one portion of the filling in the centre. Surround filling with dough by slowly stretching it on all sides, over the filling, like in a potli.
Seal the ends tightly and remove excess dough.

Roll out each filled portion into a 21/2” diameter circle, taking care to ensure that filling doesn’t ooze out. Gently press centre of kachori with thumb. Repeat with remaining portions.
Deep fry kachoris in hot oil over slow flame till golden brown. The kachoris should puff up like puris. They take a long time to fry, so make sure the insides are well cooked.
Serve hot with chutney and chai.

Chicken Lollypops (Chinese)

2006-06-10T15:48:00.000-07:00

1 dozen chicken wings
1/2 tbsp red chilli sauce
2 tbsp garlic (chopped)
1 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped)
1 tsp ajinomoto
1 tbsp pepper powder
2 tbsp corn flour
4 green chillies (chopped)
A pinch of red colour
1/2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tbsp salt
1 egg
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp ginger (chopped)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and marinate for 20 minutes.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Fry the wings on medium heat till they are crisp.
Serve hot with szechuan sauce.

Bajri-Methi Thepla (Gujarati)

2006-06-10T15:46:00.000-07:00

1 cup wheat flour
1 cup millet flour
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 cup fresh methi leaves
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp jaggery
Sour yoghurt to bind dough
Salt to taste
Oil for shallow frying
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chill powder
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

Mix both types of flour with all dry spices, methi leaves and 2 tbsp oil. Bind semi-soft dough with some yoghurt. Do not add water. Divide the dough into 12-14 balls. Roll out five inch thin circles with a rolling pin. Shallow fry the theplas over medium flame, using very little oil. Drizzle oil around the edge of the thepla with a spoon.
Turn over and repeat process. When cooked perfectly, take off heat and serve hot with pickle and chai.

Cucumber-Tomato Raita(Yoghurt)

2006-05-30T06:19:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
Yogurt 1/2 kg.
Cucumber 250 grams
Mint leaves (minced) 1 tbsp.
Tomatoes 2
Green chilli (minced) 1 tbsp.
Black cumin seed (roasted) 1 tbsp.
Black pepper powder 1 tbsp.
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Grate the peeled cucumbers and keep aside
2. Cut tomatoes into small pieces and keep aside
3. Beat the yogurt to get smooth consistency. Add salt, black pepper powder, paste of green chillies and mint leaves. Mix well.
4. Add grated cucumbers and diced tomatoes. Mix well.
5. Sprinkle roasted cumin seeds on the top.

Egg Curry

2006-05-30T06:17:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
Boiled eggs 4
Onion 1
Tomato 1
Ginger paste 1 tsp.
Garlic paste 1 tsp.
Green chilli 1
Red chilli powder 1 tsp.
Turmeric Powder 3/4 tsp.
Garam Masala Powder 1 tsp.
Bay leaves 2
Cloves 2-3
Black pepper 4-5
Vegetable oil 5 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves

Method:
1. Cut onion, tomato and green chilli into small pieces. Grind it in a mixer to make paste.
2. Cut the eggs into half.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan. Reduce the heat and fry eggs with egg yolk facing the top. Then slowly make the eggs upside down and fry the other side till light golden brown in color.
4. Remove the fried eggs from pan and keep aside.
5. Add bay leaves, cloves, black pepper and fry for 30 sec.
6. Add onion tomato paste. Add ginger-garlic paste. Fry until oil starts separating.
7. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt. Heat for a few seconds and then add 3 cups of water to make gravy. Bring the gravy to boil and let it cook for 10 minute on low heat.
8. When the gravy becomes thick, switch off the gas.
9. Place the fried eggs (with egg yolk facing the top) in a dish and pour this gravy over the eggs.

Serve hot. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Egg Rolls

2006-05-30T06:14:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
Eggs 4
Wheat flour 3/4 cup
Chopped onion 1/2 cup
Green chilli 1 Chopped
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp.
Cumin Powder 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder 1 tsp.
Thinly sliced cabbage 1 cup
Thinly sliced tomato 1
Vegetable oil 5 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Finely chopped green coriander leaves.

Method:
1.Mix wheat flour with water and knead it to make dough. keep for 20 minutes and then knead once again with wet hands to get smooth dough.
2.Make 4 small balls out of the dough and roll out each ball to make thin chapati.
3.Heat tawa and cook the chapati one by one. Keep aside.
4.Beat eggs in a bowl. Add salt and red chilli powder and beat again.
5.Heat oil (1 tbsp.) in a pan. Add green chilli and onions , fry till golden brown in color. Remove from the gas. Add this to the beaten eggs.

Method:
Batter for four egg rolls
Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan (preferably with flat base). Slowly pour the beaten egg (remember we have to make 4 rolls , so accordingly divide the quantity into four equal parts). Spread evenly and let it set. Sprinkle cumin powder, garam masala and then place chapati over it. Roll the chapati along with the egg and turn upside down. Cook it for about 2 minutes. Similarly make all the four egg rolls.
Place all the four egg rolls in a serving dish. Garnish with sliced cabbage, tomatoes and green coriander leaves. Serve hot with chilli sauce.

Junk food

2006-05-12T09:09:00.000-07:00

Too much junk food causes

* Tiredness
* Lack of energy
* Lack of enthusiasm about physical activity
* Mood swings, irritability or restlessness
* Constipation or loose bowels
* Weight problems
* Pale skin, dull hair, dark shadows under eyes
* Tummy aches, nausea, headaches
* Frequent colds, infections or other illnesses
* Poor concentration

Food for Kids - Low Calorie Pizza

2006-05-12T09:05:00.000-07:00

Makes two pizzas.
Baking temperature: 200°C (400°F)
Baking time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes

For the pizza base:
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons fresh yeast, crumbled
A pinch sugar
1 teaspoon salt

For the tomato sauce:
4 large tomatoes
½ cup chopped onions
3 to 4 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
¼ cup capsicum
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon oil
Salt to taste

For the cheesy topping:
½ cup soft paneer
2 tablespoons low fat milk
½ teaspoon French mustard

Other ingredients:
½ cup sliced zucchini (optional)
½ cup sliced onions
1 tomato, sliced
10 to 12 basil leaves
1 teaspoon oil for greasing

For the pizza base:
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Knead into a soft dough using enough water until it is smooth and elastic. Cover the dough with a wet muslin cloth and allow it to prove till it doubles in volume (approx. 15 to 20 minutes). Press the dough lightly to remove the air. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Roll out each portion into a circle of 250mm diameter and 6mm thickness.

For the tomato sauce:
Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water. Peel, cut into quarters and deseed the tomatoes. Chop finely and keep the tomatoes aside. Heat the oil and add the peppercorns and bay leaf and saute for a 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce reduces a little. Add the onions, capsicum and garlic and sauté for a few seconds.
Add the chopped tomato pulp and allow it to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce reduces a little. Add salt and simmer for some more time.
Finally, add the oregano and mix well. Remove and discard the bay leaf and peppercorns. Keep aside.

For the cheesy topping:
Blend the paneer, milk and French style mustard to a thick purée in a liquidiser and keep aside.

Method:
Place one pizza base on lightly greased baking tray.
Spread half the tomato sauce over the pizza base and top with half the cheesy topping mixture.
Arrange half the zucchini, onions and tomato slices on the pizza and top with some basil leaves.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 10 to 15 minutes or till the base is evenly browned. Top with some more basil leaves.
Make another pizza using the other pizza base and the remaining ingredients.
Serve hot.

Energy per serving - 140 calories
Fat per serving - 1.8 gm

Food for Kids - Corn Sev Puri

2006-05-12T09:03:00.000-07:00

Serves four
Baking temperature: 200°C (400°F)
Baking time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Preparation time: 5 minutes

For the baked papdis
½ cup whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon oil
¼ teaspoon salt

To be mixed together into a corn topping:
1 cup boiled yellow corn kernels
1 cup chopped spring onion
2 green chillies, finely chopped
½ cup finely chopped tomatoes,
1 teaspoon chaat masala
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt to taste

For the tomato chutney:
2 medium sized tomatoes
¼ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
a pinch asafoetida (hing)
½ teaspoon grated garlic
½ teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon oil
Salt to taste

Other ingredients:
1 cup sev
¼ cup fresh pomegranate
2 tablespoons chopped coriander

For the baked papdis:
Mix the flour, oil and salt. Add water and knead into a firm dough. Knead for two minutes and keep aside.
Divide the dough into 24 portions.
Roll out into thin puris and prick with a fork.
Arrange the puris on a lightly greased baking tray.
Bake in a hot oven at 200°C (400°F) for 10 minutes.

For the tomato chutney:
Blanch the tomatoes in hot water. Peel and purée in a liquidiser.
Heat the oil in a pan, add the ajwain and asafoetida and sauté for 30 seconds.
Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds.
Add the tomatoes, chilli powder and salt and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or till the oil has separated. Cool and use as required.

How to proceed:
Arrange the papadis on a serving plate.
Top each papadi with one teaspoon of the corn topping.
Put one teaspoon of the tamatar ki chutney on each papadi and garnish with the sev, pomegranate chopped coriander.
Serve immediately.

Energy per serving - 189 calories
Fat per serving - 6.0 gm

For Kids - Sprout and Fruit Bhel

2006-05-12T08:58:00.000-07:00

Serves four
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Preparation time: 10 minutes

For the sev-mamara:
2 cups puffed rice (mamara)
½ cup sev
½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
a pinch asafoetida (hing)
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
¼ teaspoon black salt
½ teaspoon oil

Other ingredients:
1/3 cup moong sprouts
1/3 cup chopped tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped apple
2 tablespoons chopped raw mango
¼ cup fresh pomegranate seeds
½ cup orange segments
4 tablespoons chopped coriander
4 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt to taste

For the sev-mamara:
Heat the oil and add the cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the asafoetida, turmeric powder and puffed rice and mix well.

Add the black salt and sev. Mix well and cool completely. Store in an airtight container and use as required.

Method:
Mix all the ingredients together and serve immediately.

Energy per serving - 163 calories
Fat per serving - 3.8 gm

Food for Kids - Burger

2006-05-12T08:51:00.000-07:00

If you’re worried that your kids survive on fast food, turning up their nose at healthy food, Here's menu of healthy junk food that’s low in calories, easy-to-cook and good to eat.

Whole Wheat Vegetable Burger
Makes six burgers.
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Preparation time: 15 minutes
For the burger: 6 brown bread buns

For the cutlets:
½ cup broken wheat (dalia)
¾ cup grated carrot
½ cup finely chopped onions
1/3 cup finely chopped mushrooms
½ cup grated low fat paneer
1 tablespoon soya sauce
1 tablespoon chilli sauce
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
Salt and pepper to taste
1½ teaspoons oil for cooking

For the filling:
12 lettuce leaves
6 onion slices
12 cucumber slices
12 tomato slices
2 teaspoons tomato ketchup mixed with 1 teaspoon chilli sauce (optional)
½ cup low calorie thousand island dressing
Mustard sauce to taste

For the cutlets:
Clean and wash the broken wheat thoroughly. Soak it in one cup of hot water for 15 minutes. Drain out the water and discard.
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Divide the mixture into 6 equal parts and shape into patties.
Cook on a non-stick pan using a little oil till both the sides are golden brown.

Method:
Slice each bun into two and toast lightly in an oven or on a tava.
On each cut portion of the buns, apply a little mustard sauce and a little tomato ketchup.
Spread some of the low calorie thousand island dressing on top.
Arrange two lettuce leaves, one cutlet, one onion slice, two cucumber slices and two tomato slices and cover with the remaining part of the bun.
Serve immediately.

Energy per burger - 274 calories
Fat per burger - 3.2 gm

Hare bhare dahi wade

2006-05-05T17:12:00.000-07:00

1 cup green gram split skinless (dhuli moong dal)
5 leaves of fresh spinach leaves (palak, blanched and chopped fine)
1 green chilli (chopped fine)
A few sprigs of fresh coriander leaves (chopped fine)
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying
1½ cups yogurt
½ tsp sugar
¼ tsp red chilli powder
¼ tsp roasted cumin powder

Pick, wash and soak dhuli moong dal in three cups of water for two hours. Drain and grind to a thick paste. Add spinach and green chilli to dal paste. Add salt to taste and mix well. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai till moderately hot. Drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil and fry wadas till crisp. Drain and remove onto an absorbent paper. Take three cups of water in a pan. Soak fried wadas in water for two to three minutes. Gently squeeze out water and keep wadas aside. Beat yogurt till smooth. Add sugar and salt to taste.

Place wadas on a plate and pour yogurt over. Sprinkle red chilli powder and roasted cumin powder. Serve garnished with coriander leaves.

Dahi murg kebab

2006-05-05T17:11:00.000-07:00

600 gm chicken mince
¼ cup Bengal gram split (chana dal)
2 tbsp oil + for deep frying
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
5-6 peppercorns
2 black cardamoms
½ inch piece ginger (chopped)
8-10 cloves of garlic (chopped)
Salt to taste
2 tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp green cardamom powder
A pinch of mace powder
½ tsp garam masala powder
2 eggs
For the stuffing
2 cups yogurt
1 large-sized onion (chopped)
5-6 fresh mint leaves (chopped)
Salt to taste

Pick, wash and soak chana dal in two cups of water for at least three hours. Drain. Hang the yogurt in a muslin cloth to drain out the excess whey. For stuffing, squeeze onion between your palms to remove excess water. In a bowl, mix hung yogurt, onion, mint leaves and salt. Divide into sixteen equal portions and keep covered in a refrigerator. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, black cardamom seeds, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for a minute on medium heat. Add chicken mince and sauté for five minutes.
Add soaked chana dal, salt, red chilli powder, cardamom powder, mace powder and garam masala powder. Stir well for two minutes. Add one and half cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cook covered till chana dal is completely cooked. Cook on high heat, stirring continuously, to dry out the mixture completely. Remove from heat and cool. Grind chicken and chana dal mixture to a smooth consistency. Check the seasoning.

Divide into sixteen equal portions. Flatten one in the palm of your hand and place a portion of onion and yogurt stuffing in the centre. Shape into roundels and flatten slightly. Similarly shape the rest of the chicken mixture and stuffing. Beat eggs lightly. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai, dip each tikki in beaten eggs and deep fry in hot oil till golden brown. Drain onto an absorbent paper. Serve hot with onion lachcha and pudina chutney.

Tip: After cooking chicken mixture, if it is too moist, add roasted besan or powdered roasted chana dal as needed.

Chilli chicken

2006-05-05T17:10:00.000-07:00

400 gm chicken (boneless)
2 eggs
2½ tbsp cornstarch
Salt to taste
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp chilli sauce
2 medium-sized onions
8-10 cloves garlic
6-8 green chillies
2 medium-sized capsicums
1 tbsp oil + to deep fry
2 tbsp vinegar
¼ tsp MSG (optional)
½ tsp peppercorns (crushed)

Wash, trim and cut boneless chicken into finger sized pieces. Mix eggs, two tablespoons of cornstarch, salt to taste, one tablespoon each of soy sauce and chilli sauce into the chicken pieces. Leave aside for half an hour.

Peel onions, wash, halve and cut into thick slices. Peel, wash and finely chop garlic. Remove stems, wash and chop green chillies. Wash, halve, deseed and cut capsicums into thick strips. Blend remaining cornstarch in three tablespoons of water.

Heat sufficient oil in a wok and deep-fry the marinated chicken pieces till crisp. Remove and drain onto an absorbent kitchen towel. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a wok or a pan, add garlic and stir-fry briefly. Add onions and green chillies. Continue to stir-fry for a couple of minutes.
Add capsicum strips and sauté. Add remaining soy sauce and chilli sauce, MSG (optional), salt, crushed peppercorns and blended cornstarch. Add fried chicken pieces and sauté till the sauce coats the chicken pieces. Serve hot.

Mixed vegetable Manchurian

2006-05-05T17:08:00.000-07:00

1 medium-sized cabbage
1 medium-sized carrot
8-10 French beans
3 medium-sized spring onions
1 medium-sized capsicum
Salt to taste
¼ cup refined flour (maida)
¼ cup cornstarch
Oil to deep-fry
For the sauce
3 green chillies
1 inch piece ginger
4 – 6 cloves of garlic
2 inch stalk of celery
3 tbsp of cornstarch
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp MSG (optional)
Salt to taste
2½ cups vegetable stock
1 tbsp vinegar

Trim, wash and grate cabbage. Peel, wash and grate carrot. String French beans, wash and finely chop. Wash, trim and finely chop spring onions. Reserve chopped greens for garnish. Wash, halve, deseed and finely chop capsicum. For sauce, remove stems, wash and finely chop green chillies. Peel, wash and finely chop ginger and garlic. Trim, wash and finely chop celery. Blend three tablespoons of cornstarch in one cup of water.

Mix grated cabbage, carrot and chopped French beans in a bowl and thoroughly rub in one teaspoon of salt. Add spring onions, capsicum, refined flour and one-fourth cup of cornstarch. Mix thoroughly. Shape into lemon sized balls.

Heat sufficient oil in a wok and deep-fry vegetable balls in small batches for three to four minutes on medium heat or until golden brown. Drain and remove onto an absorbent paper. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a wok or a pan and stir-fry ginger and garlic briefly. Add celery, green chillies and stir-fry briefly.

Add soy sauce, sugar, MSG (optional) and salt to taste. Stir in vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Stir in blended cornstarch and cook for a couple of minutes or till sauce starts to thicken, stirring continuously. Add fried vegetable balls, vinegar and mix well. Serve hot, garnished with chopped spring onion greens. If you want to serve it dry without sauce, reduce stock to one cup and cornstarch in the sauce to one-and-a-half tablespoons only.

Roasted pepper and blue cheese salad

2006-03-27T03:00:00.000-08:00

2 each red and yellow peppers
Olive oil for drizzling
6-8 cherry tomatoes
Bunch watercress
8-12 pitted black olives
1 orange
150g pack Danish blue cheese

Cut peppers in half, remove seeds and cut into pieces. Lay on a roasting tray, drizzle with oil and roast in a medium hot oven 190c for 15 minutes or until just charring at edges. Allow to cool. Combine peppers with halved or quartered tomatoes, watercress leaves, halved olives and orange segments. Season with salt and pepper and then stir in the diced or roughly chopped cheese.

Fish with red onions and cheese crust

2006-03-27T02:52:00.000-08:00

1-2 tbsp cooking oil
1 medium red onion, diced
50g brown breadcrumbs
Zest and juice of lemon
150g cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
4 fillets sea bass or other fish of your choice, skin left on.

Fry onions in oil until transparent, add all other ingredients except fish and mix well. Preheat the oven to 180c. Divide cheese mixture into 4 and use to top unskinned sides of the fish. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Serve on crushed new potatoes into which you have stirred more cheese and chopped parsley or basil.

Field Mushrooms filled with cheese

2006-03-26T05:53:00.000-08:00

1 medium onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1-2 tbsp, olive oil
50g chorizo sausage, diced
150g pack cheese
50g pecan nuts, chopped
Few leaves fresh parsley
4 large field mushrooms with stalks removed
25-50g butter

Preheat oven to 180C/350F/gas4. Fry onions and garlic in oil until tender, stir in all other ingredients including diced mushroom stalks but not whole mushrooms. Lightly smear butter on outside of mushrooms and divide mixture between them. Place in a lightly buttered ovenproof dish and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Serve these as a starter or light supper or lunch dish with salads.

Chinese Prawn Rolls

2006-03-20T12:10:00.000-08:00

Filling:
2 cup cooked prawns minced
1 cup shredded cabbage
2 spring onions with greens chopped
1 tbsp soya sauce
1/2 cup lard or other fat
salt & pepper to taste
Wrappers:
2 eggs
1 cup flour
salt to taste

Filling : Heat lard in a fryng pan, add onions and fry till light brown. Add all the other ingredients and cook over low heat till dry. Keep it aside.

Wrappers: Make a thin batter of eggs, flour, salt and water. Fry thin pancakes on one side. Keep a little batter aside. Fill the pancakes with the prawn filling on the cooked side, roll up, dip in the remaining batter and deep fry till golden.

Serve with chilli or tomato sauce.

Chinese Soup - Shrimp & Egg Soup

2006-03-20T11:59:00.000-08:00

1 cup shrimps chopped
2 eggs slightly beaten with a pinch of salt
1 litre bone stock
1 tsp soya sauce
2 spring onions sliced fine
salt & pepper to taste

Boil together all the ingredients except eggs in a saucepan for 10 minutes. Turn down the heat and simmer for half an hour. Add a little water if necessary. Pour the egg mixture over the soup andstir very gently so that the egg forms into strings. Serve with chilli sauce.

Chinese Cooking

2006-03-20T11:42:00.000-08:00

Chicken & Mushroom Soup

1 cup cooked chicken - shredded
150gm fresh mushrooms - cut fine
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
4 cup chicken stock
1 large onion chopped fine
salt and pepper to taste

Heat butter in a heavy pan, add mushrooms and fry for 2 minutes. Add flour and blend well. Add chicken stock gradually, stirring briskly. Add chicken and onions and allow soup to simmer for 10-15 min. Season and simmer for another 2 minutes. Serve steaming hot in soup bowls.

Cauliflower with peas & potatoes

2006-01-29T09:30:00.000-08:00

For this recipe you need
Potatoes 2 medium (pealed, washed, and diced into small cubes)
Pealed peas 100 grams or forzen peas
Cauliflower 150 grams (washed and cut into small pieces)
Ginger 2 inches grated
Tomatoes 2 medium grated
Curd 2 tablespoons
Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Garam masala powder 1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder 1/4 teaspoon
Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder 1 teaspoon
Coriander leaves 1 table spoon (chopped finely)
Oil 2 table spoons
Cauliflower Recipe
1 . Take a wok, add oil, when the oil is hot add the cumin seeds.
2 . When the cumin seeds are lightly fried add the grated ginger and the grated tomatoes, fry them till oil separates.
3 . When the tomatoes are fried nicely add the turmeric powder and mix well so that it is fried properly, now add coriander powder, salt and red chilli powder now mix them well, add about 2 table spoon water and mix.
4 . Now add the potatoes, peas and the cauliflower. Mix well and cover it with a plate for about 6 min on slow fire.
5 . Now remove the plate and check if the cauliflower and the potatoes are done, if they are not done then cover again for about 3 min and if they are done then increase the fire and mix them well.
6. In a small bowl mix the curd and the garam masala.
7 . Add the mixture of curd and garam masala to the wok and again mix well.
8 . For about 5 min cook the vegetable open on slow fire.
9 . Sprinkle the chopped coriander on top and serve hot.
(check the potatoes by pricking it with knife if they are cooked well or not.)

Coconut Chutney

2006-01-29T09:01:00.000-08:00

For this recipe you need
Fresh coconut 1
Curd 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Chana dal 1 table spoon or use chutney dal
Water 2 table spoons
Green chillies 4 to 5
Coriander leaves 2 tablespoons - chopped
Method
Take a pan, add 1 teaspoon oil and heat the oil. When the oil is hot add the 1 table spoon chana dal. Fry it till light brown on slow fire. In a bowl put water and soak this dal for 30 min, keep it aside.Take the fresh coconut and scrape it out of its shell, wash it well and cut into small pieces. Take a mixer grinder, add the coconut , curd, washed and chopped coriander, green chilli, salt , 2 table spoons of water. Now at last add the soaked channa dal. Grind it well till a fine paste is formed. Take this paste out in a bowl and your coconut chutney is ready.

Carrot & Beetroot Raita

2006-01-29T08:41:00.000-08:00

For this Raita recipe you need
1-cup plain yogurt
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 medium beet, peeled and grated
1 large carrot, washed and grated

Raita Recipe
In a mixing bowl, combine the yogurt and all other ingredients. Stir well, and let stand for a few minutes in fridge. Chill well before serving.

Kolhapuri Chicken Curry

2006-01-29T04:52:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
1 kg Chicken
2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
3-4 tsp Cooking Oil
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
4 tsp Yoghurt
1 chopped Onion
2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Garam Masala powder
Fresh Coriander
Salt
Ingredients for ground masala:
1/2 cup Dry Coconut
2 Onions
1 Tomato
2 inch Ginger
8-10 Garlic
Roast the above in little oil and grind.
Method:
Marinate chicken with youghurt, salt, turmeric powder for 2 hours. In oil, add onions and fry till golden brown. Add chicken and fry well. Add 1 litre of hot water and let cook on medium flame. When almost cooked remove and keep aside. Separately heat oil and add ground masala, garam masala powder and the chicken. Keep stirring till oil starts separating from masala. Cook till done and garnish with coriander. Serve hot.

Hot Tomato Chutney

2006-01-11T03:43:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
2 medium onions
2 garlic cloves
1 red chilli
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 can of chopped tomatoes
200ml white wine vinegar
175g sugar
Ground black pepper

Method
Finely chop the onions and garlic, deseed and finely chop the chilli. Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for a 1 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients. Heat gently, until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil then let it simmer until the liquid has reduced and the chutney is a thick pulpy consistency. Pour into the jars and cover at once with plastic vinegar-proof tops.

Breakfast Smoothie

2006-01-11T03:19:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
150ml vanilla flavoured yoghurt
100g raspberries
50g muesli
150ml cold skimmed milk
2 tbsp sugar or as per taste

Method
Put all the ingredients in a blender and whiz until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve immediately. Its very nutritious breakfast

Banana Malt Smoothie

2006-01-11T03:09:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
2 bananas
200g vanilla flavoured yoghurt
1 tbsp malt drink powder
1 tbsp vanilla essence
250ml semi-skimmed milk
1 tbsp sugar or as per taste

Method
Put bananas, yoghurt, malt, sugar, vanilla essence and semi-skimmed milk in a liquidiser and whiz until well blended. Pour into glass and serve immediately.

Coconut & Coriander Chicken Masala

2006-01-05T03:51:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
4 cardamoms
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 onions chopped
4 chicken breast fillets, cut into strips or use 8 chicken thighs
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp ginger & garlic paste each
1 cans coconut cream
125ml chicken stock
2 tsp oil to cook
Fresh coriander
Salt to taste

Method
Heat the oil in a pan and add cardamom and cumin seeds, fry till seeds pop. Add the onions and cook for 10 minutes until soft, now add chicken and stir fry until chicken is brown in colour. Add garam masala and turmeric powder & cook, after few minutes add ginger, garlic, coconut, stock and salt to taste and let it cook gently for further 10 minutes until the chicken is thoroughly cooked . Add the freshly cut coriander and serve hot with plain rice or pulau rice.

Vegetable chicken

2006-01-05T03:19:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 tsp ginger pate
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp garlic paste
Salt and black pepper fresh
3 tsp olive oil
2 courgettes, sliced
1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 yellow pepper deseeded and sliced
1 tsp honey
2 tbsp lemon juice

Method
Cut the chicken into strips & add the ginger, turmeric, garlic & garam masala. Mix well, cover it and allow marinating it for 1 hour in fridge. Heat 2 tsp of oil and cook the courgettes over a high heat until they are well colour. Place the courgettes in a heated serving dish, keep warm. Add the peppers to the same pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until they are slightly softened. Add the courgettes to pan pepper at last. Now heat the oil in a pan and cook the chicken over a high until golden brown all over. Add the honey and lemon juice to the chicken and let it bubble until the chicken id tender. Then add salt and black pepper to taste. Now mix chicken and vegetables, and serve hot with pasta or serve as a starter.

Crab cakes with chilli sauce

2006-01-03T13:05:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
Chilli sauce
3 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp sunflower oil
2 tsp hot chilli sauce
I tsp garlic paste
2 tsp tamarind paste
2 tsp sugar
3 spring onions, finely chopped
Crab cakes
250g
Fresh crabmeat or you can use any meat you like
2 spring onions chopped
1 tsp ginger paste
Freshly cut coriander
Red chilli powder
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp mayonnaise
40g white breadcrumbs
Flour, for dusting 2 tsp oil

Method
To make chilli sauce mix together all the ingredients and set aside.
To make crab cakes, mix together the crabmeat, spring onions, ginger, red chilli powder, fish sauce & mayonnaise. Put bread crumbs to hold the mixture tighter. Now make as many as patties as you can make from the mixture & dust with flour. Heat the oil in a frying pan and deep fry the cakes. Serve the crab cake with chilli sauce and salad.

Roast Potatoes With Garlic Sauce

2006-01-03T09:53:00.000-08:00

Very crispy & mouth watering
Ingredients
6- 7 big potatoes cut into medium pieces
4 tsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic paste
Can of chopped tomatoes
1 tsp tomato puree
1 tsp paprika
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Garlic Sauce
150ml mayonnaise
2 tsp garlic paste

Method
Preheat the oven to 180 c. steam the cut potatoes over boiling water & spread them in the roasting tin. Raost the potatoes for about 25-30 minutes, turning them until they are crisp & golden. Make the tomato sauce by frying the onion in olive oil until soft, add garlic and after few minutes add canned tomatoes, puree & paprika, stir well & add salt to taste.
Method for garlic sauce
Mix together mayonnaise and garlic and serve
For serving
Place the tomato sauce in a serving dish & place the potatoes on top, with garlic sauce on the side.

Winter Pea & Lettuce Soup

2006-01-03T09:40:00.000-08:00

I have tried this soup & it is really delicious, want to share it with everybody. Try it…
Ingredients
100g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 big lettuce, finely shredded
800g frozen peas or u can use fresh peas also
1 tsp garlic
900ml vegetable stock
1 tsp lemon juice
150ml cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Melt the butter in a large pan. Add the onions & cook gently for 10 minutes, until soft. Add the lettuce & peas, mix them well with butter. Now add garlic, stock, lemon zest & lemon juice, bring it to boil and let it simmer the peas are soft. Now pour the mixture or soup into a blender and blend until smooth. Again reheat the soup and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with cream on top.

Thai Fish Soup

2006-01-03T09:20:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
1 can coconut milk
500ml fish stock
2 tsp green Thai curry paste
4 spring onions, sliced
2 tsp fish sauce
Few dried lemon grass
2 tsp lime juice
1 bag of mixed frozen seafood, defrost or use any fish u like such as fish fillets, prawns & mussels.
Coriander
Lime zest
Lime segments to garnish

Method
Take a pan put coconut milk, stock, curry paste, lemon grass, spring onions, fish sauce and lime juice in it and bring it to boil then reduce the heat and let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove the lime leaves. Add the defrost seafood and coriander and cook it for more 5 minutes till the seafood is soft and ready to eat. Serve hot garnished with lime zest and lime segments.

Red kidney beans or Rajma

2006-01-02T10:26:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
Red kidney beans soaked overnight
1 big onion (grated)
1 big tomato (grated)
1 tsp of ginger paste
1 tsp of garlic paste
½ tsp cumin seeds
Red chilli powder as you wishes
1 spoon turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala
Fresh bunch of coriander leaves
Salt as per taste

Method to cook
First wash the kidney beans and put them into pressure cooker to boil them with enough water and add some salt to it, pressure cook for atleast 20 minutes and then you can open the cooker and check if the beans are soft or not, if not pressure cook them again. Once kidney beans are boiled, start making your paste for gravy. Take a pan put 3 tsp of cooking oil in it and add cumin seeds to it, then add grated onion, after few minutes add ginger, garlic paste to it, when the paste starts turning into golden color, put turmeric, red chilli, garam masala and little salt to it (remember u have put salt while boiling also) then add grated tomato to the paste, now let the paste simmer for a while, paste will start looking like a thick red gravy, now u can add kidney beans to it and if needed add some water to the gravy. Let it simmer for sometime till the gravy and the beans get mix well.
Garnish it with freshly cut coriander and serve hot with naan or rice.

Chola & Batura Or Chick peas & Naan

2005-12-30T08:34:00.000-08:00

Ingredients for Chick Peas (Chola)
1 boil canned Chick Peas or u can soak chick peas in water overnight.
Salt to taste
1 Tea bag
1/2 tsp Zeera
4 piece Kadi Patta
2 big Onions
1/8 piece of Ginger, 3 cloves of Garlic grated
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 Tomato or 2 tbsp Tomato Puree
1/4 tsp each turmeric, red chilli powder, Dhaniya powder

Method for chick peas
If u are using chick peas soaked in water overnight, then next day pressure cook chick peas adding salt to taste and 1 tea bag. This will change the color of chola to black. Pressure cook it for 30 minutes till they are soft and tender. But if u are using boiled chick peas can then no need to boil them again just add them to the paste. For paste, In a pan, add 2 tsp of cooking oil, add Zeera, Kadi Patta. Then add 1 finely grated onion, fry till golden brown. Then add grated garlic and ginger paste keep frying till the paste starts leaving oil. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder. add tomato puree or grated tomato to the paste. When the paste is done add the chick peas and add some water to it to get some gravy. Let cook for few minutes. While serving garnish with corinder leaves & chopped onion only if u want.

Ingredients for Batura or Indian style Naan.
1 cup Plain Flour
1/4 cup wheat flour
Salt to taste (1/4 tsp)
2 tsp Oil
3 tbs yoghurt or u can add 1 boiled potato if u don't have yoghurt.

Method for Naan
Mix plain flour, wheat flour, salt & oil. Mix everything with hand, and make smooth dough adding yoghurt or potato and little water to it. Mix very well. Put the dough in a plastic bag. Roll the bag to remove any air and tie it. Let stand atleast for 6 hours or atleast for 1 hour (You can do it when you put chola in water, previous night). Heat the oil in a pan. Now roll big size of batura(Naan) with the dough and fry them in hot oil.
serve hot Naan with hot chick peas.

Spicy Mixed Vegetable

2005-12-30T08:17:00.000-08:00

1 large Aubergine cut into lengthwise pieces
1 large green peper cut lenghtwise
10 - 12 Green Beans cut lenghtwise
1 Carrots cut into thin & long pieces
2 Potatoes medium size cut as you wish
Spring Onions 1 bunch cut lenghtwise
Ginger paste 1 tbsp
Green Chilies 2-3 slit
Turmeric 1tsp
Red Chili Powder 1 tsp
Jeera powder 1-1/2 tsp
Dhania powder 1 tsp
Tomato puree (canned tomato sauce) 4tbsp
Salt to taste
Cooking oil 4-5 tbsp

Method for cooking
Heat oil in a large saucepan or skillet. Add whole mustard seeds until they splutter. Add ginger paste, green chilis, and then the Aubergine. Cover on medium heat until the aubergine is slightly tender. May add extra oil if it becomes too dry. Then add all of the above dry spices. Fry for a few minutes and then add all the vegetables. Cover and cook on medium heat stirring periodically until all the vegetables are soft and tender. Add salt, little water, spring onions & tomato puree towards the end and cook until the moisture evaporates and the vegetables are well done. Serve with Plain Rice, Chapatti or naan.

Recipe Gobi Manchurian

2005-12-25T15:38:00.000-08:00

I want to share this recipe with everybody, it’s very delicious and easy to make.
It’s called Gobi Manchurian.
Ingredients:
1 Cauliflower clean and broken into small florettes.
1 small bunch spring onion finely chopped
3 onions cut lengthwise
3 capsicums cut lengthwise
3tsp ginger finely chopped
2tsp garlic finely chopped
Green chillies finely chopped
1/4 cup plain flour and 3 tbsp corn flour
Red chilli powder as per taste
Salt as needed
Pinch of turmeric powder
Soya sauce and Tomato sauce

First boil the cauliflower florettes for 10 mins in water with a pinch of salt added to it.Then drain and let it dry, make a thick batter of mixing plain flour and corn flour with red chilli powder and salt. Dip the florettes in the batter and deep fry them till they turn golden in color.
Heat oil in a wok and add finely chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies. After this add cut onions and salt. Stir fry for few minutes and then add lengthwise cut capsicum, when capsicum is done, add Soya sauce and tomato sauce, mix well and then add fried florettes. While serving garnish with finely chopped spring onions and remember always serve hot, with noodles or rice. You can also try it with naan or chapatti like me.