MINT OR PUDINA CHUTNEY

Ingredients:

Mint leaves (discard all stems) – 3 cups
Raw or green mangoes – 500 grams
Sugar – 1 or one and a half cups
Salt – 1 or 2 tsp

Procedure:


Boil the mangoes as whole (do not cut the stems) in a vessel of water. The water should cover the mangoes. Put 1 tsp salt in the water. Lower the heat once the water starts boiling. Cover the vessel with a lid. After 10 minutes, insert a skewer into a mango to check if it is soft. If it is tender shut off the heat. When the mangoes are completely cool, peel them using your hands. Scoop out the boiled mango pulp from the peels and seeds. The pulp should be one and a half cups.

Pluck the mint leaves only from the stems. The leaves should amount to about 3 cups. Wash the leaves by immersing them in a bucket of water. Wash them very well so that there is no trace of dirt as leaves collect a lot of dirt. Shift the leaves on a colander, to drain the water.
In a large mixer jar put the mint leaves first and then the sugar, over the leaves. Run the mixer at high speed. Add a little water if needed. When they form a smooth paste add the boiled mangoes pulp. Run the mixer at high speed again. It should form a smooth paste. Store it in a glass container inside the fridge.
This mint chutney can be served as a dip to several Indian dishes. It can also be used to make a soft drink. Take 4 to 5 tsp of the chutney in a glass. Put in ice cubes and cold water. Stir well. You can also add powder of roasted cumin seeds and dry red chilly. This is a soft drink from India, popular during the summers.
The ratio of mint leaves: boiled mango pulp: sugar should be 2:1:1. The amount of sugar may vary according one’s own taste of wanting the chutney to be more or less sour. There is a rare variety of green mangoes that is not at all sour Never use this variety to make chutney as the chutney would not be sour and thus turn tasteless.

Posted by Keya

SOUR FISH

INGREDIENTS

Fish Rohu - 500 grams - scaled and cut into pieces
Tamarind - 1 small lime sized ball
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Salt - 1-2 tsp
Turmeric powder - half tsp
Mustard oil - half cup
Mixture of fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, saunf seeds and black cumin seeds - half tsp
Dry red chilly - 2

PROCEDURE

Wash fish well and smear with 1 tsp of salt and half turmeric powder. Put fishes on a colander to drain water. Now put tamarind ball in a bowl of hot water. After sometime press and mix the tamarind to make a paste. Now sieve the paste.
Heat oil in a wok. When oil smokes shift in as many fish pieces the oil can hold without the pieces touching each other. Fry until light brown on all sides ( turnover on all sides to fry uniformly). Keep the fried fishes on a tissue. Now in the same oil- on high heat fry the mixture of seeds and the dry red chillies. After 30 seconds slowly shift in the tamarind paste. Put a cup of water too. When it starts boiling put in 2 tbsp of sugar and half tsp of salt ( you can add the salt and sugar according to your personal taste). Now slowly shift in the fried fishes. Let it boil. You can boil it more or less according to making the gravy thick or thin. Your sour fish is ready.

This is a lip smacking Indian dish that can be served with rice.

Posted by Keya

LAU CHINGRI

This is an Indian recipe from the state of West Bengal, made mainly out of lau (white gourd, picture shown) and chingri (small prawns).


INGREDIENTS

White gourd – 1 kilo
Small prawns (shelled) – 250 grams
Mustard oil - -5 tsp
Black Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Bay leafs – 2
Dry red chillies – 2
Sugar – 2 tsp or according to taste
Salt – 1 tsp or according to taste

PROCEDURE

Wash the prawns well. Smear some salt and let drain in a colander. Peel the gourd and cut it up into thin strips about 1 inch long and one eighth inch thick. You can also thickly grate the peeled gourd if you do not want to spend time on cutting it up. Put the gourd in a covered utensil. Do not
add any water. Put on high flame. 5 minutes later open the cover. If the gourd is watery keep it uncovered otherwise cover it again. In this way the gourd should be done (just enough soft but firm). Drain the boiled gourd in a colander. Keep asde.
Heat 3 tsp of oil in a wok. When oil smokes lower the heat and carefully add the prawns. Raise the flame and stir fry the prawns till reddish orange in colour. Shift prawns from the oil with a slotted spoon. Keep aside. Now add 2 tsp oil in the same wok. When the oil slightly smokes add the bay leafs, mustard seeds and the dry red chillies (stems cut out). After 30 seconds lower the flame and slowly add the boiled gourd. Raise the flame once again and add the salt and sugar. Stir continuously till the gourd is drier (about 1 minute). Add the prawns and stir for 1 or 2 more
minutes. Serve hot or when cool with rice. You can also add freshly grated coconut to garnish.


Add the coconut just before serving, as fresh coconut tends to stale quickly. A photo of the said dish is shown here.

COCONUT LADDO

INGREDIENTS

Coconut - 1 large
Sugar - 1 cup
Green cardamoms - 3-4

PROCEDURE

Grate the coconut. Take a wok. Mix the grated coconut and sugar. If there is 2 cups of grated coconut then use half cup of sugar with it. Now put the wok on high flame and go on stirring with a flat wooden laddle. Go on stirring till the mixture leaves the side of the wok. Lower the flame. Grind the black seeds of the green cardamoms into a powder. Add to the mixture and stir. Shut off the heat.
When cool enough to handle shape the coconut mixture into lime sized balls. Press well while shaping into balls. Your coconut laddos are ready.

Posted by Keya

CRAB CURRY

INGREDIENTS

Crabs - 2 large
Onions - 2 large
Garlic - 6-7 flakes
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Ginger paste - 2 tsp
Tomato - 1
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 1-2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1-2 tsp
Sunflower or mustard oil - half cup

PROCEDURE

First cut off the legs of the crab. Tap lightly on the thicker legs to crack them a little. Cut off the narrow ends of the thinner legs. Now tap at the center of the body to crack the shell at the center. Remove the shell of the body. There is some fat inside the shell. Scoop it out and keep aside. Now remove the feathery shaped things from the body. Remove away all other parts such as eyes, which need not be cooked. Wash the legs and body well. Smear them 1 tsp salt and half tsp turmeric powder. Keep on a colander for 30 minutes.
Heat 4 tsp oil in a wok. When oil smokes shift in the crabs to the wok. Stir well and fry for 2-4 minutes on high flame. Remove the fried crabs in a bowl. Make a paste of the onion, garlic and tomato. Heat 6 tsp of oil in the wok. When oil smokes add the paste of onion, garlic and tomato. Add the cumin, coriander and half tsp turmeric powder. Add half tsp salt and the fat that was kapt aside. Add the ginger paste last of all. Fry all till light brown. Now add 2 cups of water. When it boils add the fried crabs. Let boil on high flame. Stir till gravy thickens and almost clings to the crab. You can also add boiled potatoes or shredded and boiled cabbage with the crab curry.
Your crab curry is ready.

Posted by Keya

MOGLAI PARATHA

INGREDIENTS

Flour - 250 + 50 grams
Sunflower oil - 1 cup
Eggs - 4
Onion - 3 medium sized (chopped finely)
Green chilies - 2-3 (chopped finely)
Minced meat - 50 grams
Salt - 1-2 tsp

PROCEDURE

Mix 1 tsp salt and 5 tsp oil in the 250 grams flour. Using water little by little knead into a hard dough. Divide the dough into egg sized portions. Shape them into balls slightly flattened. Dust the rolling board , pin and dough ball with flour. Roll out into very thin rounds ( about 12 inch in diameter) . Put a large frying pan on high flame. Put the rolled round on the frying pan. After 1 minute turn over and heat the other side of the rolled round for 30 seconds. In this way roll as many as rounds and heat them in same way. Keep them aside.
Chop the onions and chilies. Break 1 egg and beat it with 1 pinch of salt. Heat 2 tsp of oil in the frying pan. When oil just smokes put over a rolled round and lower the flame. Pour the beaten egg in the center of the round. Spread the egg a little by using a spoon. Sprinkle 1 tsp of minced meat in the egg. Sprinkle a tsp of salt too. Now sprinkle 2 tsp of chopped onion and a pinch of chopped chilies. Now slowly fold in the 4 sides of the round one by one such that the round now resembles a square shape. Let cook on slow fire till the egg is done. Slowly and carefully turn over to the other side. Raise flame and add 1 tsp or more of oil. Lower flame. Cook till both sides are golden brown. In this way cook all the parathas.
Your muglai paratha is ready. This is mainly served as a snack but can also be used as a main dish. It is very easy and quick to prepare. It is sure to linger in ones memory.

Posted by Keya

GRAM FLOUR STICKS CURRY

INGREDIENTS

Gram flour - 100 grams + 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - half tsp
Dry red chillies - 1
Saunf - half tsp
Salt - half tsp
Curd - 100 grams
Curry leaves - a small handful
Green chili - 2
Oil - 2 tsp

PROCEDURE

Roast the cumin seeds and dry red chilli . Grind them to a powder. Grind the saunf to a powder too. Mix the powdered cumin seeds and dry red chillies , saunf powder and half tsp salt with the gram flour. Knead them into a hard dough by mixing water little by little. Now roll out the dough into sticks of one fourth inch diameter. Cut them into one inch size lengthwise. Let water boil in a wok. Shift the gram flour sticks in, while water is fast boiling. Let boil in high flame for 10 minutes. Now take out the sticks using a slotted spoon. Empty the wok. Dry it .
Heat 2 tsp of oil in the wok. Chop the chilies (if you want the curry hot) and the curry leaves. Add the chilies and the curry leaves when the oil smokes. Beat the curd with 2 tsp of gram flour. Lower the flame and slowly add the beaten curd and gram flour paste. Go on stirring. Add 1 tsp salt. While it just starts (slightly) to boil add the gram flour sticks. Stir and shut off the heat. If you want the gravy thicker add a little more gram flour paste. Check the salt.
Your gram flour sticks curry is ready. Serve with rice, roti or puri.

Posted by Keya

POTATO CURRY

INGREDIENTS

Potato - 250 grams
Salt - 1 tsp
Tomato - 1
Turmeric - one fourth tsp
Green chili - 2-4
Cumin seeds - half tsp
Asafotadia - one fourth tsp
Oil - 1 tsp

PROCEDURE

Peel and dice the potatoes into half inch cubes. Heat the oil. When the oil smokes add the cumin seeds and asafotadia. When cumin seeds start making a splattering sound slit and add the green chilies now, if you want the curry hot. Add the chopped tomato after 30 seconds. Add the salt. When the tomato is soft add the turmeric powder. Add the potatoes now. Stir for 2 minutes. Transfer in a pressure cooker. Add water to just barely cover the potatoes. Add the whole chilies now if you do not want the curry to be hot. Close the lid tightly. Put on high flame. When the pressure cooker whistles or comes to full pressure put the flame off. Let the cooker open automatically. Your tasty potato curry is ready. Serve with rotis or kachoris.

Posted by Keya

GREEN PEAS KACHORI

INGREDIENTS

Shelled fresh green peas - 250 grams
Flour - 500 grams
Green chillies (optional) - 2
Ginger paste - 2 tsp (1 inch cube piece)
Saunf seeds - 1 tsp
Asefotadia - half tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies - 2
Sunflower oil - 2 cups

PROCEDURE

Roast the cumin seeds and dry red chillies and grind them to a powder. Keep aside.
First, grind the saunf seeds to a powder. Now , alongwith the saunf powder grind the green peas, green chillies and ginger to a paste.
Heat 2 tsp of oil in a wok. When oil smokes add the asafotadia. After 30 seconds add the paste of green peas, green chillies, ginger and saunf powder. Add 1 tsp of salt. Go on stirring fast and continuously, on high flame till the mixture has a dough like appearance. Add the roasted dry chillies and cumin seeds powder- stir and shut off the heat. The mixture should feel like a soft dough.
Take the flour. Add 1 tsp of salt and half cup oil. Mix well. Now add water little and knead into soft dough. Knead well. Divide and make into lime sized balls. On the other hand make marble sized balls out of the peas mixture.
Take a lime sized flour dough ball. Press with a finger right in the center of the ball. Increase the size of this hole by patting with thumb and fingers. Pat the center with the thumb and the outer part with fingers. When the hole is quite large enough, put a green peas ball inside the hole. Press, pat and pull the flour ball to cover the green peas ball completely and neatly. In this way make as many balls as you can. It is natural that either some flour dough or some green peas mixture would be left over.
Now take some oil and grease the rolling board and pin. Press lightly and roll out each ball (green peas ball covered by flour dough) flat into one eighth inch thickness. Grease the ball too before rolling. You stop rolling further if the green peas mixture bursts out. You should roll in such a way that the green peas mixture does not leak out of the flour dough. Roll out all the balls in this way. Keep them aside without touching each other.
Mean while, heat the rest of the oil in a wok. When oil smokes, slide one rolled dough slowly inside the oil. Press very lightly with a ladle or slotted spoon on the rolled dough when it is fluffing (puffing) up. After 10 seconds turn it over and press in the same way. Wait for 10 seconds or until it has light brown specs. Shift it away, sliding on the side of the wok with a slotted spoon, to drain out oil. Fry all in the same way. You can roll out the dough and fry them at the same time. It would save your time.
Your green peas kachoris are ready. My daughter loves these very much and calls them green kachoris.

Posted by Keya

CHICKEN KOFTA

INGREDIENTS

Chicken minced meat - 250 grams
Gramflour or cornflour - 50 grams
Green chillies - 4
Onion - 3 medium sized
Garlic - 6-7 flakes
Ginger - half inch cube
Coriander leaves - a small bunch(25 grams)
Tomato puree - 50 grams
Garam masala powder (Mixture of black and green cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, mace, jayatri, white pepper corns and white cumin seeds) - 1 tsp
Salt - 1-2 tsp
Oil - 1 cup
Cumin and coriander powder - 1 tsp

PROCEDURE

Put chicken minced in wok and cover in water. Boil on high flame for 10 minutes or till the water dries up. Drain out water if any by putting boiled minced meat on a colander. When cool enough, mix with the meat - half tsp salt, 1 chopped green chilly, 1 chopped onion, 2 flakes of garlic and 2 tbsp of gramflour or cornflour. Shape into lime sized balls. Roll the balls evenly in gramflour or cornflour. Heat the oil in a wok. Shift in oil as many balls as possible when oil smokes. Fry on high flame till light brown. Keep fried balls on a tissue.

Drain away most of the oil from the wok leaving behind only 4-5 tsp of oil. Grind the 2 onions, 4 garlic flakes and ginger into a paste. Heat the oil in the wok. When oil smokes add the slit green chillies. Now add the paste of ginger, garlic and onion. Add the tomato puree too. Fry all on high flame stirring continuously till light brown in color. Add 1 cup of water. When it boils add the chopped coriander leaves,the garam masala and last of all the koftas. Shut off the heat. If you want a thicker gravy add 1 tsp or more of gramflour paste to the boiling gravy. Your chicken koftas are ready.
Serve hot with rice or roti. This is a delicious side dish.

Posted by Keya

Lassi With Rose Syrup

INGREDIENTS

Curd - 500 grams
Sugar - 100 grams or more according to taste
Salt - one fourth tsp
Ice cubes - 1 cup
Water - 500 ml
Rose syrup - 6-7 tsp or according to taste

PROCEDURE

In a mixer beat the curd, sugar, salt and rose syrup at high speed for 2 minutes. Add the water and ice cubes and beat for 3-4 minutes. Your lassi (butter-milk shake) is ready.

This is a popular Indian soft drink specially suited for the hot summers.
*Rose syrup is red in colour and available in bottles under branded names like Rallis, Ru Afza.

Posted by Keya

POTATOES WITH POPPY SEEDS

INGREDIENTS

Potatoes - 250 grams
Poppy seeds - 5 tsp
Green chillies - 2-4
Mustard oil - 2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp

PROCEDURE

Peel potatoes. Cut into about one third inch cubes. Let water boil in a vessel. Wash the potatoes well. When water starts to boil add potatoes, salt and green chillies. The water should be just to cover the potatoes. Cover the vessel. Lower the flame. Now dry grind the poppy seeds and then add water and grind to a course paste. When potatoes are done add poppy paste. Raise the flame. Add the mustard oil after a minute. Shut off the heat. The potatoes with poppy seeds or allu posto (aloo or alu means potato in Bengali) is ready. Serve hot with rice.

This is an Indian side dish specially popular in Bengal. It is very easy to cook.

Posted by Keya

FRUIT SALAD

INGREDIENTS

Cornflour - 25 grams
Milk - 500 grams
Vanilla essence - 2 tsp
Dry fruits - half cup
Chocolate pieces ( tiny) - 2 tsp
Fresh fruits - 2-3 cups
Sugar - 1 cup
Color ( optional) - 1-2 drops
Jam or cream - half cup

PROCEDURE

Boil the milk along with sugar. Make a paste of the cornflour with a little cold milk and the vanilla essence. When the milk boils very well add the cornflour paste and stir very well for half a minute. Shut off the heat. When cool put in the refrigerator for 6-7 hours. After 6-7 hours chop the fresh fruits and mix with the cool custard. Pour in separate small bowls. sprinkle the dry fruits and chocolate pieces. Add a blob of cream or jam on top of each bowl. Your fruit custard or fruit salad (fruit custard) is ready.

Posted by Keya

INDIAN CHICKEN CURRY-1

INGREDIENTS

Chicken - 1 kilo cut into medium size pieces
Mustard oil - half cup
Curd - 1 cup
Cashew nuts - 7-8
Magaj dana - 4 tsp ( optional)
Poppy seeds - 2 tsp
Dry red chillies - 2-4 or according to taste
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Bay leaves - 2

PROCEDURE

Marinate the chicken pieces in curd and turmeric powder for 4-5 hours in the fridge. Grind the poppy seeds, cashew, dry red chillies and magaj dana into a paste. First dry grind the poppy seeds then cashew, magaj dana and dry red chillies. Now add water and grind all to a paste.
Heat mustard oil in a large wok. When oil smokes add the bay leaves. Now add the paste of poppy seeds, cashew, magaj dana and dry red chillies. Add 1 tsp of salt. Fry until oil is seen. Now add the marinated chicken. Add 1 tsp of salt. Stir and fry for 3-4 minutes. Now put a cover on the wok and lower the flame. Keep for 10 - 15 minutes. Uncover the wok. Look to see if oil is floating. If so the curry is ready. If you want a thicker gravy stir and fry for a few more minutes. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Posted by Keya

POTATO TIKKA

INGREDIENTS

Potatoes peeled - 500 grams
Onion - 100 grams
Lime - 1
Green chillies - 2-3
Coriander leaves - 50 grams
Salt - 1tsp or according to taste
Mustard oil - half cup

PROCEDURE

Boil the potatoes in pressure cooker. Put water in the pressure cooker to just cover potatoes. Close lid tightly. Put on high flame and when cooker whistles lower the flame. Keep on low flame for 3-4 minutes. When cooker opens automatically drain out water from potatoes by putting on a colander. After a minute, transfer potatoes on a tray and smash them with a ladle immediately. Cool under a fan. If you do not smash the potatoes while hot it tends to become sticky.
Now chop the onions, chillies and coriander leaves into very small pieces. Mix with smashed potatoes. mix salt and juice of the lime too. Now shape the mixture into balls flattened on both sides. Heat 2 tsp of oil on a frying pan. When oil smokes put in as many tikkas (balls) the oil can hold. Keep on high flame for 2 - 3 minutes and then on low for 2 minutes or until deep brown on one side. Turn over the tikkas and fry the other side in the same way. Fry all the tikkas in this way. Serve hot with tamarind chutney *or tomato sauce.

*TAMARIND CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS

Tamarind - 100 grams
Sugar 150 grams or more according to own taste
Salt- 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1tsp
Dry red chillies - 2

Procedure

Roast cumin seeds and dry red chillies and grind them to a powder and keep aside. Put 3 cups of hot water over the tamarind. When cool enough to handle press and make a paste. Sieve the paste through a strainer. Boil this in a wok with the sugar and salt. When it is thicker (like sauce) add the roasted powdered cumin seeds and red chillies. Let cool. Store in glass bottle in the fridge. This chutney can be served with many Indian snacks.

Posted by Keya

PALAK PANEER

INGREDIENTS

Spinach - 500 grams
Kesar meethi (dry fenugreek leaves) or fresh fenugreek leaves - 10 grams or 100 grams respectively
Salt - 1-2 tsp
Medium sized onions - 2
Garlic - 5-6 flakes
Ginger - 1 inch cube
Cumin powder 1 tsp
Green chilly - 2-4
Cottage cheese - 100 grams
Ghee (clarified butter) or sunflower oil - half cup

PROCEDURE

Boil the spinach along with fenugreek leaves. When done, immediately put a few ice cubes in boiled spinach to retain the green color. Put the spinach on a colander to drain excess water. Cut the cottage cheese into half inch cubes. Heat half cup oil in a deep wok. Fry the cottage cheese into light brown color. Be careful because oil spills while frying cottage cheese. Transfer the fried cottage cheese into water which is at room temperature. Grind the ginger, onion, garlic into a paste. Grind the boiled spinach and fenugreek into a paste and keep aside.
In the same wok re heat the same leftover oil. When oil smokes shift in the onion, garlic and ginger paste. Add the cumin powder and fry until brown.Now shift the spinach fenugreek paste in the wok. Add 1 tsp salt. Stir quickly and continuously. After 2-3 minutes shift in the fried cottage cheese cubes (drained from water) . Stir for 2 more minutes. Your palak paneer is ready. This is a side dish that can be served with rice or roti\ chappati.

Posted by Keya

AMERICAN CHOP SUEY

INGREDIENTS

Noodles - 250 grams
Eggs - 2
Boiled and diced boneless chicken - 1 cup
Thinly sliced carrots - half cup
Sliced beans - half cup
Mushrooms - half cup
Diced capsicum - 2 cups
Chopped onion - 1 cup
White oil (sunflower oil) - 1 cup
Tomato sauce - 4-5 tsp
Chilly sauce - 3-4 tsp
Vinegar - 1 tsp
Salt - 2-3 tsp

PROCEDURE

Take water to boil in a large wok. Add noodles to boiling water. After 3-4 minutes check if the noodles is done. Noodles should be done but chewy. Drain water from noodles by draining on a colander. Rub a little oil(1-2 tsp) in noodles to prevent them from sticking to each other. Boil the carrots and beans in the same way. They should be chewy too. Heat the oil in wok. When oil starts to smoke fry noodles until crispy. Fry the noodles in batches (as much the oil can hold). Fry only one third of the boiled noodles and keep the rest. Keep the fried noodles on a tissue to absorb excess oil.
Now break the eggs carefully in 2 separate bowls so that the yolk remains intact. Slide slowly 1 egg in the hot oil. When the egg white is done sprinkle a pinch of salt and shift from the oil . Keep on a tissue. Fry the second egg in the same way. The yolks should be intact.
Now drain the oil from wok. In the same wok heat 1 tsp of oil and stir fry the boiled chicken pieces. Shift and keep aside. Now add 1 tsp oil and fry the slit mushrooms. Shift and keep aside. Now add 3 tsp of oil and fry the chopped onion and diced capsicum together until tender. Add the vegetables to it . Fry for 2 minutes. Add the boiled noodles. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the sauces and vinegar. Stir fry for 1 minutes. Now mix the fried chicken and mushrooms. Spread this noodles on a serving plate. Spread the fried noodles over the boiled noodles evenly. Put the fried eggs on top. Your American chop suey is ready. Serve with sauces of your choice.

Why don't you try boneless dry chili chicken as a side dish? Bon apetit!

Posted by Keya

VEGETABLE KOFTA

INGREDIENTS

Beetroot- 200 grams
Carrots - 100 grams
Beans- 100 grams
Peanuts - 50 grams
Raisins - 50 grams
Potatoes - 300 grams
Gram flour (besan) - 1 cup
Ginger - 1 inch cube piece
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Onion paste - half cup
Green chillies - 4-5
Tomato puree - 1 cup
Bay leafs - 2
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies - 2-3
Mustard or sunflower oil - 2 cups
Garam masala powder (equal portions of powdered green and black cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, white cumin seeds, white pepper corns, mace and jayatri) - 1 tsp

PROCEDURE

Make the garam masala powder. Roast the cumin seeds and dry red chillies together. Grind them to a powder. Peel the potatoes and put them in a pressure cooker (do not cut or dice them). Pour water to just cover the potatoes. Close the pressure cooker lid tightly. Put on high flame. When the pressure cooker whistles loud (comes to full pressure) ,lower the flame and keep for 5 minutes. Do not open the cooker by artificial cooling. When the lid opens automatically insert a skewer in a large potato to see if it is cooked fully. If cooked drain the potatoes in a colander. After a minute shift the potatoes on a large tray\ dish and immediately mash with a ladle. You must not keep the potatoes in the cooker once the lid opens up. You must mash the boiled potatoes as quickly as possible. Now cool the mashed potatoes under a fan. Keep it aside. Dice the vegetables (carrots, beet, beans) into the size of peas. In a wok boil the vegetables and peas into bite like consistency. They should be just cooked and not very soft. Drain them on a colander. Let it cool. Soak the raisins for 5 minutes in water. Fry the peanuts in 1 tsp of oil. Grate the ginger cube.

Now take a large bowl and mix together the mashed potatoes, boiled vegetables, fried peanuts, raisins, grated ginger, roasted and powdered cumin seeds and dry red chillies and 2 tsp of salt. Mix well. Shape into table tennis size balls. Make a batter with gram flour and water. First make a paste and then add more water little by little to make a batter thick enough to coat the balls. Heat 2 cups of oil in a wok on high flame. When oil smokes lower the flame. Using your hand dip a ball in the batter to cover it completely. Lift it and let excess batter drain from ball and hand. In this way cover the balls in batter and slowly shift in the balls in hot oil. In this way shift in as many balls the oil can comfortably hold. Fry on high flame till golden brown. Shift hem on a plate covered with tissue. Fry all the balls in batches.

Now shift the oil from the wok but keep 3-4 tsps of oil in the wok. Heat the oil. Shift in the bay leafs and slit green chillies (add the chillies NOW only if you want the curry HOT otherwise add chillies last of all without slitting). Now shift the garlic paste. After 30 seconds add the onion paste and fry for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato puree. After 2 minutes add the ginger paste. After sometime of stirring when oil shows in the fried mixture add water little by little to make gravy (the water should be enough to cover the koftas). When the water starts boiling observe if the gravy is too thin. If the gravy is thin add a little of the remaining gramflour batter to thicken the grsvy. Add 1 tsp of salt. You can add the green chillies now. Add the koftas and the garammasala powder and shut off the heat immediately. Your vegetable kofta is ready. You can also add a dollop of cream.

Posted by Keya

CHOCO VANILLA FRUIT CAKE

INGREDIENTS

Flour- 100 grams
Sugar - 100grams
White oil or butter - 100 grams
Eggs - 3
Milk - 2 tbsp
Semi sweet chocolate - 50 grams
or
Chocolate powder - 2 tbsp
Vanilla essence - 1tsp
Baking powder - 1tsp
Salt - a pinch
Dry fruits -2 tbsp (cashew, raisins, cherries, orange or lemon peel, black currants and so on )

PROCEDURE

Grind sugar into powder. Keep aside. Melt the chocolate and keep aside. Break the eggs one by one separately. Now beat the eggs along with 2tbsp of milk . Beat for 2 minutes if using an electric beater and 10 minutes if using a spoon or spring beater. Now add the oil or butter and beat for 2 minutes by an electric beater or 10 minutes by a spoon or spring beater. Now add the powdered sugar and beat for 2 minutes by electric beater or 10 minutes by spoon\spring beater. Shift flour along with baking powder and salt on a large tray or dish. Take 2tbsp of flour and shift in the bowl of oil, sugar and eggs beaten. Now mix or rather fold in (stir the batter downwards or inwards and again upwards continuously in a pattern of eight\8.) the flour in the batter. In this way fold in all the flour little by little. Lastly mix the vanilla essence. The batter should have a ribbon like pouring consistency. To test - take a spoonful of batter and pour lightly to see if falls uniformly or in a ribbon like consistency. Add milk if batter appears thicker. Now grease with oil a 7 inch round cake tin or a 6 inch square cake tin . A cake tin is any metal utensil. Sprinkle a little flour at the sides and base of the tin. Chop all the dry fruits in small fingertip sizes. Smear a little flour in the dry fruits. Now shift half of the cake batter in a bowl. Beat the melted chocolate
and mix well with half the batter. Now set the oven in pre-heat mode at 180 degree centigrade. Meanwhile pour the chocolate batter in the tin. Pour lightly and evenly. Now pour pour the white batter evenly over the chocolate batter. Sprinkle the dry on top. When the oven is ready put in the cake tin. Bake at 175- 180 degree centigrade for 30 - 40 minutes. After 30 minutes insert a skewer in the cake . If the cake is done the skewer will come out clean(not sticky). If the cake is not done bake for 5-10 more minutes. Keep the cake to cool on a wire rack. You can serve the cake hot or cool(keep in the fridge for 3-5 hours.

Posted by Keya

CARROT DESERT

This is a tasty veg dish that can be enjoyed by one and all. Also known as Gajar ka Halwa in Hindi, this item may be prepared from a few ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

Carrot - 1 kilo
Condensed milk - half tin (200 grams)
Bay leaves - 2
Green cardamoms - 4-6
Sugar (optional) - 4-6 tsp
Cashew, raisins and almonds - 2 tbsp (cut into small pieces)
Ghee (clarified butter) - 2 tbsp (you can use sunflower oil too)

PROCEDURE

Peel and grate the carrots. Heat the ghee in a wok. When it smokes add the bay leaves and grated carrot. Stir on high flame for 2 minutes. Lower the flame and add the condensed milk. Stir well. The mixture becomes watery. Stir from time to time for 5-6 minutes. Now raise flame and stir continuously until quite dry. Lower flame and add raisins, almonds and cashews. Grind the green cardamom into a powder and add to the halwa. Go on stirring till halwa is quite dry. Put flame off. Serve hot.

Posted by Keya

FISH TIKKA

Ingredients:

Fillets of fish (boneless of bhetki) cut into 1 inch cubes -500 grams
Salt - 1 or 2 tsp
Kashmiri red chili powder -1 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste - half tsp
Kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves) - one large pinch
Garam masala powder (equal portions of green and black cardamom ,cloves, cinnamon, mace, jayatri, white cumin seeds, white pepper corns.) - 1tsp
Lime juice - 1 tsp
 Chaat masala - 1 tsp ( available under brand names of Everest, MDH, Sunrise and so on.)

PROCEDURE

Wash the fish pieces well. Smear with 1 tsp of salt and a little red pepper and put to drain on a colander. Make a paste of all the spices (execpt chaat masala), salt and lime juice. Smear the fish pieces with the spice mixture. Keep in the refrigerator to marinate for 4-12 hours. Pierce the fish pieces in wooden skewers. Probably 2 skewers should be enough to hold the fish pieces. Put in the oven in mode of grill for 5-7 minutes. You must brush oil in between grilling. Check if the fishes are done and  drier outside.Take care as fishes are tender and turn soft very quickly which is not at all desirable. If the fishes are not done yet put to grill again for 2-4 minutes. Your tikkas are ready. Sprinkle chat masala over tikkas. Serve hot with mint sauce or chutney, thinly sliced onions (smeared with salt and lime juice).

Another fish dish you may like is sour fish. Steamed fish is no exception.

Posted by Keya