Monday, July 30, 2012

QUICK TAVA RICE






Recipe source:Tarladalal.com
You can find the recipe here
You can also watch the video( in hindi) here

Ingredients
  1. Cooked basmati rice- 2 cups
  2. Whole Kashmiri red chilies- 3 nos
  3. Garlic- 3 cloves
  4. Water-1 tsp
  5. Onion(sliced finely)- 1/2 cup
  6. Capsicum( sliced finely)-1/2 cup
  7. Tomato(chopped)-1 cup
  8. Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
  9. Yogurt- 2 tbsp
  10. Salt to taste


Method

  • Combine whole red chilies ,garlic and 1 tsp water and grind to form a smooth paste.Keep aside.
  • Heat oil in a non stick pan,add onion and saute for a minute.
  • Now add the chili -garlic paste and saute for almost 30 seconds on a medium flame.
  • Add capsicum,tomato,turmeric powder,salt, yogurt and mix well.Cook for a minute.
  • Now add the rice and cook for another 2 minutes,mixing well in between.
  • Serve with raitha.


Saturday, July 21, 2012

VEGAN DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES ( Eggless and fat free)





Recipe source: Gazing in
You can find the original recipe here

Ingredients
  1. Pumpkin puree- 1 cup
  2. Sugar-1/2 cup
  3. Vanilla extract- 1 tsp
  4. All purpose flour- 3/4 cup
  5. Cocoa powder-1/3 cup
  6. Baking powder- 1 1/2 tsp
  7. Baking soda-1/2 tsp
  8. Salt-1/4 tsp
  9. Semi sweet chocolate chips- 1/2 cup


Method
  • Preheat oven to 180 deg C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  • In a mixing bowl add pumpkin puree,sugar and vanilla extract and mix well.
  • In another bowl whisk together flour,cocoa powder,baking powder,baking soda and salt.
  • Add pumpkin mixture to this and mix until combined.
  • Stir in the chocolate chips.
  • Pour this into the prepared baking tray and level it with a spatula ,bake for about 18 to 20 minutes.
  • Let it cool completely before cutting
  • Dust the brownie with icing sugar and serve.
Note: *For best results use within 24 hours.
          * This brownie is just moderately sweet ,you can add a few tablespoons more of sugar if required.
          *The original recipe calls for 2 tsp of baking powder,but i added only 1 1/2 tsp.







Wednesday, July 18, 2012

SPECIAL CHICKEN FRY





Ingredients
  1. Chicken (medium sized pieces)- 500 gms
  2. Oil
  3. Curryleaves- 2 sprigs
  4. Rice powder- 2 tsp
For Marination
  1. Kashmiri  chili powder-1 tbsp( or to taste)
  2. Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
  3. Garam masala-1/2 tsp
  4. Black peppecorns-1/4 to 1/2 tsp(or to taste)
  5. Ginger-1" piece
  6. Garlic-4 cloves
  7. Mint leaves ( chopped)- 1 tbsp
  8. Coriander leaves (chopped)-2 tbsp
  9. Shallots- 4 nos
  10. Tomato ( chopped)-1/4 cup
  11. Salt to taste
  12. Water-( as required)


Method
  • Combine all the ingredients for marination in a blender with sufficient quantity of water and grid to form a smooth paste.Rub this on to the chicken pieces and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  • Just before frying add rice powder to the marinated chicken pieces and mix well.
  • Heat oil in a non stick pan and shallow fry the chicken pieces over medium flame until browned on all the sides.( make sure you turn the pieces once in between for even cooking).
  • Now add curry leaves ,mix well and fry it for a few seconds more.Transfer it on to a kitchen paper.
  • Drizzle lemon juice on it just before serving ,if desired.
  • Serve with rice or chapathi.


Saturday, July 14, 2012

KERALA MANGO PICKLE / MANGA ACHAR






Ingredients
  1. Raw mango ( Chopped)- 3 cups
  2. Kashmiri chili powder- 5 to 6 tbsp( or according to taste- see note)
  3. Turmeric powder-1 tsp
  4. Asafoetida powder-1/2 tsp
  5. Fenugreek powder-1/4 tsp
  6. Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
  7. Fenugreek seeds-1/2 tsp
  8. Kurryleaves- 2 sprigs
  9. Oil-3 to 4 tbsp
  10. Salt to taste
  11. Vinegar-1/8 cup (more if required)




Method

  • Combine together chopped mango,kashmiri chili powder,turmeric powder,asafoetida , fenugreek powder and salt to taste.Mix well and keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and let it splutter,now add fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.Saute for a few seconds.
  • Now reduce the flame to low and add the marinated chopped mango and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes,stirring well in between. ( or until the skin turns greenish brown,see above picture)
  • Switch off the flame and allow it to cool completely.Add vinegar and mix well,adjust salt level if required.
  • Transfer if to a glass jar  with a tight lid.Serve with rice.
ENJOY!!!



Note
*You can add regular red chili powder instead of Kashmiri chili powder,in that case just use 2 to 3 tbsp   or according to taste.



Saturday, July 7, 2012

HOMEMADE GARAM MASALA






Ingredients

  1. Cardamom pods-1/4 cup
  2. Cloves-1 tbsp
  3. Cinnamon stick- 3 nos( 2" piece)
  4. Fennel seeds-1/2 cup
  5. Black pepper- 3 tbsp
  6. Star anise- 2 nos
  7. Nutmeg- 1 no
  8. Mace- 4 nos



Method

  • Heat a   non stick pan and add all the ingredients and dry roast it for about 2 minutes on a medium low flame.Allow this to cool slightly.
  • Grind this to a coarse powder  using a blender.Store it in an airtight container.



Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Chikoo Kesari




Recipe Source:Sab's Kitchen
You can find the original recipe here

Ingredients

  1. Chikoo /Sapota (Peeled and deseeded)- 4 nos
  2. Roasted Semolina-1 cup
  3. Water- 2 1/2 cup( appr)
  4. Sugar- 3/4 to 1 cup ( or to taste)
  5. Cardamom powder- 1/2 tsp
  6. Ghee-4 tsp
  7. Cashew  nus( chopped)- 1 tbsp
  8. Raisins- 1 tbsp




Method

  • Add chikoo to a blender and blend to form a smooth paste.Keep aside.
  • Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan and fry the cashew nuts and raisins and keep aside.
  • Add the chikoo puree to the same pan and cook for  5 minutes on a medium low flame.
  • Pour water and bring it to a boil.
  • Now slowly add the roasted semolina ,stirring well as you do so.Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes  on a medium low flame.
  • Now add sugar and stir continuously to break the lumps if any.
  • Add cardamom powder,cashew nuts and raisins and mix well.
  • Add the remaining 2 tbsp ghee and cook until it leave the sides of the pan, or for  about 2 to 3 minutes.
  • (You can serve it as it is  or lightly grease a tray and pour the kesari  into it and level it with a spatula , allow it to cool before cutting it into desired shapes.)