Showing posts with label Ginger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ginger. Show all posts

Monday, March 11, 2013

Fish Kabab


Last Sunday when looking for making something to go along with evening tea/coffee time, I made these. They came out really good and we ate them even next day.

Fish Kabab
Ingredients
2 Fish Fillets (180g boneless)
1 Onion
4-5 Garlic Cloves
1 Spoon Ginger
1/4 Spoon Red Chili Powder
1 Green Chili
1/4 Spoon Black Pepper Powder
1/4 Spoon Cinnamon Powder
1/4 Spoon Cloves Powder
1/2 Spoon Coriander Powder
1/4 Spoon Garam Masala
1/4 Cup Cilantro
4-5 Small Sweet Bell Peppers
1/2 Lemon
Salt
Oil

Method
  • Smash the fish fillets and add in black pepper powder, red chili powder, cinnamon powder, cloves power, coriander powder, garam masala and salt.
  • Add in finely chopped onion, green chilies, bell peppers and cilantro.
  • Squeeze lemon juice in the mixture.
  • Mix well and prepare kabab rolls.
  • Heat tawa and add in oil, and shallow fry the kababs over medium heat from all sides till they are brown.

Notes
I thawed the frozen fish in microwave with auto defrost for the fish this time and it works wonders. I didn't have to wait long time for fish to thaw and could easily make this as a tea time snack when we both were so hungry.
You could serve these as snacks, starters, side dish or even stuffing it in the pav.

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Friday, January 4, 2013

Fish Tawa Fry


Since the time we started bringing Tilapia fillets, I have always grilled them. I am fish lover and its been a while since i had fish curry. Since i am trying to not eat too much coconut, I didnt want to make our traditional fish curry so I came up with this one. Turned out awesome. Reminded me of my favourite fish curry from Nandini restaurant in Bangalore that i use to have frequently around 10 years back.

Fish Tawa Fry
Ingredients
500gm Fish
1 Big Onion
2 Tomatoes
1 Spoon Tamarind
1/2 Spoon Black Pepper
1 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1/2 Spoon Jeera Powder
1/4 Spoon Coriander Powder
1/4 Spoon Garam Masala
1/4 Spoon Turmeric Powder
4-5 Garlic cloves
1 Spoon Ginger
Coriander Leaves

Method
  • Marinate the fish with 1/4 Spoon Red Chili Powder, Coriander Powder and Salt.
  • In mixie, add tamarind, onion and black pepper leaving 6-7 aside. Grind to fine paste. Keep aside.
  • Heat oil in tawa and add in fish pieces. Let them cook for a minute.
  • Flip the fishes and cook for another minute. Take out of the tawa and keep aside.
  • In same oil add in onion paste and saute it till the raw smell from it goes away and you can only smell pepper in it.
  • In mean time grind tomatoes, garlic, ginger in mixer and make paste.
  • Add tomato paste, jeera powder, garam masala, turmeric powder, remaining black pepper and salt to onion and cook for 5 minutes with constant stirring.
  • Add in fish and lightly mix everything together. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Sprinkle finely chopped coriander leaves and serve.

Notes
I used cleaned boneless Tilapia fillets each cut into four pieces but you can use any fish in any form but boneless has its own fun :)

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Friday, June 15, 2012

Banana Kofta


This recipe is mere inspiration from all the food network shows I watch.. When I was sitting watching TV i thought why not make something different with bananas that we had in fridge. So i think about koftas.. Then for gravy i was literally smelling and adding spices as per the aroma.. Felt wonderful to create a dish based on my intuition and mood.

Banana Kofta
Ingredients
3 Raw Bananas
1 Cup Cashews
1/4 Spoon Black Pepper Powder
1/4 Spoon Black Pepper
1/2 Spoon Saunf
1/4 Spoon Poppy Seeds
2 Garlic Cloves
1/2 Spoon Ginger
1/2 Spoon Sugar
1/4 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1 Stick of Cinnamon
2 Cup Milk
1/4 Onion
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Grate bananas and add finely chopped garlic, grated ginger, black pepper powder, 1/4 spoon saunf and salt to it. Knead well.
  • Make small round balls and fry them in oil over high flame till golden brown in colour. Keep aside.
  • In a mixie, add cashews, black pepper, remaining 1/4 spoon saunf, cinnamon and grind it to fine powder
  • Add in onion and grind again.
  • Add a cup of milk and make smooth paste.
  • Heat a spoonful of oil and add in grinded paste, 1 cup water and remaining 1 cup milk. Cook over medium heat till mixture starts thickening.
  • Add in salt, sugar and koftas and let it simmer for another 2 minutes.

Notes
Bananas were such a good choice for koftas, they get crispy quickly and they dont soak oil unlike potato or eggplant.
I tried to give two distinct flavors to kofta and gravy. They both gel well as well as can be tasted distinctly.

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Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Paneer Burger


It was one of those days when I wanted to make something different with Paneer. I had decided to make Pizza but then we decided to go out. So I gave up on idea of paneer and instead decided to make burger.


Ingredients
8 Burger Buns
8 Cheese slices
400g Paneer
1 Cup Maida
2 Potatoes
1 Spoon Ginger
3-4 Garlic Cloves
3-4 Green Chillies
1 Spoon Black Pepper
Handful of Coriander leaves
1 Onion
1 Tomato
1 Cup Lettuce
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Make cubes of Paneer and shallow fry them till golden in color. Keep aside.
  • Cook the potatoes in cooker till completely done.
  • In mixer make fine paste of garlic, ginger and green chillies.
  • Mix the ginger-garlic-chilli paste, smashed potatoes, black pepper, finely chopped coriander and salt to taste.
  • Add in Paneer cubes and make the patties out of these mixture.
  • Mix maida with water to form thin paste. Dip the Patti in the mixture and fry it in oil over medium heat till brown on both sides.
  • On each burger bun, put onion, tomato and cheese slice. Stack up Patti and lettuce and close the bun and serve with ketchup.

Notes
I didn't use mayo or anything in the burger itself, instead served it on side to dip it in. The main goal of this was Indian-spicy taste and yet burgerish feel.

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Methi Puri


Few weeks ago after getting fresh Methi from Indian market, i decided to try something different than usual paratha or vegetable and so came this puri. The first attempt itself was perfect and so tasty that I had to share.

Methi Puri
Ingredients
1 Bunch Methi
2 Cup Maida
1 Cup Wheat Flour
2 Green Chillies
1 Spoon Ginger
4-5 Garlic Cloves
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Wash methi and add it to the mixer
  • Add ginger, garlic, green chilli and half cup of water. Crush it to fine liquidy paste.
  • Pour it into the plate, add in maida, wheat flour, salt and knead soft dough.
  • Add couple drops of oil and knead again for a minute. Keep aside for half an hour
  • Heat oil in pan, roll small puris from the dough and fry them till light brown on both sides.

Notes
Making very fine paste is important because otherwise the pieces will come out while rolling and the puris would remain flat.
I didn't need to use more water while kneading dough as the paste itself was enough to accommodate the maida, but you could change the water and maida quantity if you need to.

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Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Coriander Chicken


Friday I when Ajoy asked me to make Chicken Rolls, I made this one for stuffing. I didn't want to make the red gravy so threw in some coriander and spices to go along with it. When he tasted the chicken, he was like this is out of world :) On the other hand, this was such a minor twist to how I cook chicken normally that I didn't even think about clicking photo and putting it as a blog post. My thought was because I made chicken after such a long time, probably he got too excited. But then, when we decided to invite friends for dinner last sunday, he was like you have to make that chicken again. After making it once again, and he giving same reaction after tasting it, I decided to click photos and may be post it. Now that even friends have same thoughts about the dish, I had to post the recipe :)

Coriander Chicken
Ingredients
1/2 Kg Boneless Chicken
1 Spoon Jeera Powder
1 Spoon Coriander Powder
1/2 Spoon Garam Masala
1 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1 Spoon Black Pepper Powder
3-4 Garlic Cloves
1 Spoon Ginger Paste
1 Big Tomato
2 Cup Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Marinate the chicken with salt, jeera powder, coriander powder, garam masala, black pepper powder and keep aside for half an hour.
  • Heat oil in a pan and add in marinated chicken. Cook on medium high till chicken browns a bit.
  • Meanwhile, in mixer mince tomato, garlic and ginger paste together.
  • Add in coriander leaves and grind it to fine paste.
  • Add it to the chicken, add some salt and cook till it reduces to dry gravy.

Notes
You can use this to make chicken rolls with onion or just it as a side dish with rice or roti. It just goes with anything.

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Thursday, September 1, 2011

Mung Daal with peel Aappe


Mom had made these yummy aappe few times and we all liked it a lot. So this time i told her to show me the recipe. The aappe are easy to make and really healthy and tasty.

Mung Daal with peel Aappe
Ingredients
1.5 Cup Mung Daal with peel
2-3 Green Chillies
2 Garlic Cloves
1/4 Spoon Ginger piece
1/4 Onion
Two pinch Garam Masala
Handful Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Soak mung daal in water overnight.

  • In the morning take out all the water from the daal and add it in the mixer.

  • Add in green chillies, garlic and ginger. Grind to fine paste

  • Add in finely chopped coriander leaves and onion

  • Add in salt and garam masala and mix well.

  • Heat Aappe Pan and grease it well. Add in spoonful of mixture in each, sprinkle drop of oil on each aappe and cook covered for 2 minutes on medium flame till the sides separate from the pan.

  • Flip the aappes and cook without cover for another 2-3 minutes till the other side is done too. Serve while warm.

Notes
The daal can be soaked for couple of hours as well, so if making it for evening snack you need not have to soak it in the morning itself and these can be made on few hours notice.

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Thursday, May 26, 2011

Tandoori Gobi


Today before meeting everyone were discussing about the barbeque and since then i couldn't stop thinking of making tandoori something. With gobi in the fridge i decided to go for it. The dinner was yummy just because of it.

Tandoori Gobi
Ingredients
1 Cauliflower
1 Cup Curd
1.5 Spoon Chilli Powder
1 Spoon Corriander Powder
1/4 Spoon Turmeric Powder
1/4 Spoon Jeera Powder
1/2 Spoon Garam Masala
1/4 Spoon Tandoori Masala
1 Spoon Chaat Masala
2 Green Chillies
2 Spoon Ginger
10 Garlic Cloves
Oil
Salt to taste

Method
  • Cut the cauliflower into medium sized florets and add it in water. Add salt and microwave for 7 minutes. Separate out from water and keep aside.
  • In a mixer add in ginger, garlic, ginger and 2 spoon of curd. Make fine paste.
  • In a bowl add the above made paste, remaining curd, chilli powder, jeera powder, corriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, tandoori masala and salt to taste. Mix well.
  • Add in the cauliflower florets in it and mix well. Keep in fridge for atleast 2 hours
  • Heat the pan and add in oil. Spread out cauliflower florets and cook on medium heat till one side is completely done. Flip and cook the other side. Cook from all sides possible and then take out.
  • Garnish with chaat masala and serve with mint chutney, onions and lemon

Notes
I had cooked cauliflower for 5 minutes but i think 7 minutes would be perfect to make it nice and soft.
You can grill the cauliflower on barbeque, if doing use skewer to pierce through 3-4 cauliflowers.

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Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Tandoori Prawns


Its been a while since Seattle saw sun barring couple of days last week so having barbeques in patio is long gone time. But this is my effort to feel like those beautiful sunny evenings.. I came up with recipe on my own as I started adding spices but the taste was so good that i cant wait to fry remaining prawns tomorrow night.

Tandoori Prawns
Ingredients
3/4 Kg Prawns
1 Spoon Tandoori Masala
1 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1 Spoon Corriander Powder
1/2 Spoon Jeera Powder
1/4 Spoon Garam Masala
1/4 Spoon Turmeric Powder
1/2 Spoon Ginger Paste
1/2 Cup Thick Curd
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Clean the prawns shells and marinate it with salt.
  • Add in ginger paste, chilli powder, corriander powder, jeera powder, garam masala, turmeric powder and mix well. Keep aside for atleast half an hour.
  • Add oil to a pan and heat it really well.
  • In the earlier marinated prawns, add in tandoori masala and curd. Mix well. Add this mixture onto the heated pan.
  • Let the prawns cook on medium heat without flipping or stirring them till the side is completely done. Then flip them and cook the otherside too. Take of the heat and serve.

Notes
Cooking on medium heat and not flipping the prawns serves as great trick to get that tandoori-charred-smoky flavour that any authentic tandoori dishes have.

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Monday, September 13, 2010

Dhokar Dalna


I had been meaning to cook it ever since I had it in Kolkata at relative's place. I wasnt feeling all that great that day so couldnt enjoy it to fullest but whatever I had was sure good enough to motivate me to make it. So finally after almost an year I get chance to make this.

Dhokar Dalna
Ingredients
2 Cup Harbara Daal
2 Tomato
2 Green Chillies
2 Spoon Ginger
5 Garlic Cloves
1/2 Spoon Jeera
1/4 Spoon Turmeric Powder
1/2 Spoon Jeera Powder
1/2 Spoon Corriander Powder
Oil
Ghee
Salt

Method
  • Soak the daal overnight and keep aside.
  • In a mixie, grind the daal to smooth paste. Keep aside
  • In a pan, add in couple spoon of oil and let jeera splutter in it.
  • Add in 1 spoon of grated ginger, turmeric powder, salt and daal paste we made earlier. Cook till daal separates from sides of the pan.
  • Grease a plate and pour the daal mixture over it and spread uniformly. Let it cool.
  • Cut the diamond shaped pieces of this daal and shallow fry them in oil. Keep aside.
  • In a mixie, grind tomato, green chillies, remaining 1 spoon of ginger, garlic cloves to fine paste.
  • Heat a pan with spoonful of oil and add the above ground tomato paste in it. Cook till mixture is cooked.
  • Add in jeera powder, coriander powder, salt and 3 cups of water. Let it boil.
  • Add in earlier fried daal dhokas in it and let the mixture simmer till dhokas start absorbing the gravy.
  • Garnish with spoonful of ghee and serve.
Notes
I didnt make the gravy too spicy and hence didnt make use of garam masala. Instead I kept it light and let the dhoka taste through the gravy. Worked out quite well.
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Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Veg Biryaani


I had been making this for a while now, but its only yesterday that I actually managed to click the photos. So here I am posting this recipe, esp for all my vegetarian friends who are craving for Biryaani.

Veg Biryaani
Ingredients
3 Cup Rice
350g Bhendi
250g Small Eggplants
250g Carrots
2 Raw Bananas
4 Potatoes
4 Onion
3 Tomato
2 Spoon Pudina Leaves
10 Garlic Cloves
2 Spoon Grated Ginger
1/2 Cup Cashews
1/4 Cup Almonds
1 Spoon Dry Coconut
1/2 Spoon Poppy Seeds
2 Dried Red Chillies
1/4 Spoon Saunf
1/4 Spoon Black Pepper
1 Spoon Jeera
1 Spoon Corriander Seeds
3/4 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1 Spoon Garam Masala
2 Cardamom
2 Cloves
3 Cinnamon
1/4 Cup Milk
A Pinch Of Saffron
Salt to taste
Ghee
Oil

Method
  • Pressure cook 2 potatoes
  • Soak rice in warm water for half an hour.
  • Soak poppy seeds and keep aside
  • Fry the whole egg plants, bhendi, peeled and diced bananas, 2 potatoes, and carrots and keep aside.
  • Boil a pot full of water and add in the soaked rice. Cook till almost done Let the extra water drain completely through sieve.
  • Heat a spoon of ghee and add in cardamoms, a cinnamon stick, cloves and salt. Add it to the rice and keep it aside.
  • Heat oil and add in finely chopped 2 onions. Fry till translucent and keep aside.
  • In same pan heat another spoon of oil and add in jeera, red chillies, coriander seeds, black pepper, saunf, dried coconut, cinnamon, 1/4 cup cashews and almonds.
  • Add in garam masala, red chili powder, poppy seeds, pudina leaves and earlier fried onions. Cook till spices start spreading aroma.
  • Let the mixture cool down and then adding the chopped tomatoes grind it to fine paste.
  • Heat the ghee and add in the ground mixture. Fry till oil separates
  • Add in all fried vegetables and salt to taste and cook for couple of minutes. Keep aside.
  • Warm the milk with safron and keep aside.
  • Deep fry the thin sliced onions and cashews till they are crisp and light brown in color. Keep aside
  • In a greased cooker layer the sliced boiled potatoes, then 1/3rd of rice, 1/2 of vegetable, again 1/3rd portion of rice, remaining half of the vegetable and remaining portion of the rice.
  • With big spatula make through and through wholes in the layer and sprinkle the safron milk.
  • Let the cooker sit on low heat till the pressure builds up. Garnish with the earlier fried crisp onions and cashews. Serve hot with raita.
Notes
Instead of cooking vegetables in gravy i added fried vegetables to the gravy. The taste was awesome and i could make sure that none of the vegetables are underdone or overdone.
I also wished I had those baby potatoes instead and could use them whole deep fried instead of diced ones.
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Sunday, August 29, 2010

Paneer Pattice


Today morning Ajoy demanded something fancy and new for breakfast. After thinking for a while I came up with this :) It was tasty and we had it as brunch instead :)

Paneer Pattice
Ingredients
4 Cup Finely diced Paneer
4 Potatoes
3 Spoon Corn Flour
1 Spoon Ginger
3 Green Chillies
5 Garlic Cloves
1/4 Spoon Turmeric Powder
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Cook the potatoes in pressure cooker.
  • In a mixie grind ginger, garlic and green chillies with 1/4 cup of water to fine paste.
  • Heat oil in a pan and turmeric powder and the paste in it and saute for couple of minutes
  • Add the diced paneer and salt it in it and cook till paneer is done well. Keep aside
  • Peel off the potatoes and mash them to fine paste.
  • Add in corn flour and salt to taste and knead to nice dough
  • Make lemon sized balls and press down to make cups.
  • Fill these cups with spoonful of paneer we made earlier and add close and flatten it
  • Heat oil really well and fry till brown on all sides. Serve hot with ketchup
Notes
While frying the pattice, the oil should be really hot otherwise the potato coating will stick to the bottom.
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Saturday, August 28, 2010

Chicken Rolls


Its been a while since I made any chicken dish.. It was always Ajoy who ended up cooking chicken or mutton which obviously is exactly of one type. Gravy remains same and chicken or mutton changes :) So today I thought probably i can make some chicken dish to surprise him. What would have been better than his favorite roll.

Chicken Rolls
Ingredients
500g Boneless Chicken
2 Cup Maida
1/2 Cup Wheat Flour
1 Big Onion
1 Cup Broccoli
1 Cup finely diced Tomato
1/2 Cup Tomato Ketchup
1/4 Spoon Turmeric Powder
1/2 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1/2 Spoon Black Pepper Powder
1/2 Spoon Garam Masala
1/2 Spoon Jeera Powder
1/4 Spoon Corriander Powder
1 Spoon Grated Ginger
8 Garlic Cloves
Salt
Oil

Method
  • Mix in maida, wheat flour, salt and couple of spoon of oil and add in water and knead the dough well. Keep aside.
  • Dice the chicken into small cubes.
  • Heat oil in a pan and add in the chicken cubes. Cook stirring it occasionally
  • When chicken turns white in color, add in grated ginger, turmeric powder, red chili powder, jeera powder, coriander powder, garam masala and pepper powder and cook till masalas start to leave aroma
  • Add in tomato ketch up and cook further for 5 more minutes.
  • Add in diced tomatoes and salt and cook till chicken is done completely stirring occasionally. Keep aside
  • Heat a shallow pan with a spoonfull of oil and add in sliced onions, diced garlic and brocoli and cook till they are completely done. Add in salt and a pinch of pepper powder and stir well. Keep aside
  • Beat the egg and put it in wide pan.
  • Make a small lemon sized balls of the dough and roll thin roti
  • Dunk the roti into the egg only on one side and then put it on the hot tawa with the non egg washed side down
  • Sprinkle few drops of oil on to top of the roti and flip it and cook till both the sides are done. Put it on a plate
  • Spread couple spoon of chicken we made earlier in the middle as one line. Add in half spoon of onion-brocolli mixture on it.
  • Fold the roti from the bottom and then folding the left side on top of the mixture and roll tightly to cover the mixture completely. Serve hot with ketchup or just like that.
Notes
I wanted to keep the rotis light so instead of putting a complete egg on top of each roti i chose to egg wash one side and that worked well. rotis were light and the taste of chicken came out really well.
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Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Ginger Corn Flower


Ajoy loves cauliflower so we end up eating it every week at least once. So I keep trying variety of preparations instead of sticking to the usual one. So today I decided to make a gingery flower. To reduce the spiciness and pungent taste of the ginger I decided to use sweet corn. The recipe came out pretty well and here it is.

Ginger Corn Flower
Ingredients
1 Cauliflower
2 Cup Corn
1 Spoon Grated Ginger
2 Tomatoes
1 Onion
3/4 Spoon Red Chili Powder
1/4 Spoon Turmeric Powder
1/4 Spoon Coriander Powder
Salt
Oil

Method
  • Heat oil to high and fry the medium sized flower florets in it till light brown. Keep aside
  • In a pan heat spoon full of oil and add onion. Fry till translucent.
  • Add grated ginger and fry for another minute
  • Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and fry for a minute or two.
  • Add mashed tomato in it. Cook for couple of minutes.
  • Add sweet corn, salt to taste and cook for 5-6 minutes till mixture dries up a little.
  • Add fried flower florets and mix up gently so that masala coats the flower
  • Cook for 2-3 minutes and serve.

Notes
Dont wait for the florets to be dark in color, after taking out from the oil they darken up a little.

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Sunday, February 7, 2010

Vegetables Stir Fry


I had been having lots of vegetables in the freeze for quite some time. So today when we planned for quick lunch before heading out to cycling, how to quick something nice and yet something quick. Indo-chinese being my favorite cuisine I came up with this.

Vegetables Stir Fry
Ingredients
Handful of Ladies Fingers
Handful of Eggplant pieces
Handful of Cabbage
1 Cup Beans
1 Onion
1 Pepper
2 Spring-onions
6 Garlic Cloves
1 Spoon Garlic Paste
1/4 Spoon Ginger Paste
1/2 Lemon
5 Spoon Soya Sauce
1 Spoon Ketchup
2 Spoon Corn Flour
Salt
Oil

Method
  • Fry Ladies fingers in the oil and keep aside
  • In a pan heat oil and add onions. Fry them till translucent
  • Add in garlic cloves, chopped to fine pieces, eggplant pieces, beans, Pepper chopped, cabbage and cook them with constant stirring till the vegetables are cooked well.
  • Add in fried ladies fingers, garlic and ginger paste and Lemon juice and stir again
  • Add ketchup and soya sauce and stir for couple of minutes
  • Mix corn flour with 6 cup of water and add in the vegetables. Cook till gravy thickens
  • Add in salt and spring onions and stir for a minute. Serve with rice or noodles

Notes
To give it a little tangy taste, I used lemon but if you are not big on tangerines then you can just skip it. You cna also substitute lemon by a spoonful of Vinegar if you don't have lemon in stock.
I also wished I had some baby-corns and brocollies to add the taste, but never mind, there is always next time :)

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Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Mung Daal Wada


After a long time, I thought of trying out something from my so called 'bible' - a cookery book gifted to me during wedding :) This recipe though not exactly similar but is inspired from there. It is easy to digest yet spicy enough to enjoy, making it a good breakfast.

Mung Daal Wada
Ingredients
1 Cup Mung Daal
2 Spoon Besan
6 Garlic Cloves
1 Inch Ginger
2 Green Chillies
1 Spoon Jeera
1/2 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1/4 Spoon Turmeric Powder
A Pinch of Eating Soda
Salt
Oil

Method
  • Soak Mung Daal in water for 5-6 hours
  • After the mung daal is soaked, add garlic cloves, ginger, green chilies and jeera to the mixer with couple spoon of water and grind to rough paste
  • Add mung daal without water in it and grind the paste
  • To this paste add in besan, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and eating soda and mix well
  • Heat oil in pan and fry small quantites of the paste we preapred earlier to get crispy wadas

Notes
Recipe had some more items like coconut, onions, curry leaves etc to be added but I think I liked this way better. It went really well with the coconut chutney

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Monday, October 12, 2009

Tandoori Chicken


One of the best starters we both love. In hyderabad I use to prepare this with Everest Chicken Tandoori Masala but this time I made it with my mix of masalas. It tasted awesome.

Tandoori Chicken
Ingredients
6 Chicken Leg Pieces
3/4 Cup Curd
2 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1 Spoon Garam Masala
2 Spoon Ginger Paste
2 Spoon Garlic Paste
4 Spoon Lemon Juice
1/2 Spoon Chaat Masala
2 Spoon Oil
1/2 Cup Butter
Salt to taste

Method
  • Make horizontal cuts on the chicken pieces
  • Apply 2 spoon lemon juice and 1 spoon red chilli powder to it and keep aside for 30 minutes
  • In a bowl mix curd, garlic paste, ginger paste, 1 spoon red chilli powder, 2 spoon lemon juice, garam masala, oil and salt
  • Apply the above marination to chicken and store in fridge for 4-5 hours
  • Preheat oven to 395F(200C)
  • Melt the butter and sprinkle some on the chicken and bake it for 15 minutes
  • Turn the chicken to face other side and sprinkle more butter on both sides. Bake for another 15 minutes
  • Again turn the chicken and sprinkle remaining butter and bake for another 10 minutes
  • Sprinkle chaat masala and serve with onions rings and lemon wedges

Notes
Instead of leg pieces you can use 700g mixed pieces as well.
In restaurants, they use color to make it look reddish but I didnt have it neither did I intended to use it.
I baked it over this bakeware set. It helps in dropping off extra marination, butter in the tray.

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Saturday, September 12, 2009

Paneer Biryaani


Last week I made this but didn't get time to post it. Long time ago Anuja had asked me about preparing the biryaani with something veg. I remember she mentioned that she doesn't want it with paneer but I just couldn't help but make it with paneer. So sorry for fulfilling your wish only half way through but this recipe is just for you. Hope you get to try it and like it :) It turned out a simple affair and yet very delicious. This one is inspired by Spicy Biryaani recipe but I modified it little bit so as to take Paneer taste into account.

Paneer Biryaani
Ingredients
3 Cup Rice
400g Paneer
4 Tomatoes
3 Onions
2 Potatoes
1 Cup Cashews
1/2 Cup Almonds
8 Cinnamon
15 Cloves
15 Cardamons
1/2 Spoon Poppy Seeds
1/2 Spoon Black Pepper
1 Spoon Jeera
1/2 Spoon Saunf
1/2 Spoon Turmeric Powder
1 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1 Spoon Corriander Powder
1/2 Spoon Ginger Paste
1/2 Spoon Garlic Paste
1/4 Cup Curd
1/2 Cup Milk
2 Pinch Saffron
8 Spoon ghee
4 Spoon Butter
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Cut the paneer into cubic pieces
  • In a bowl, mix turmeric powder, red chilli powder, ginger paste, garlic paste, curd and salt to taste.
  • Add cubed paneer pieces in it and mix well so that the marrination is completely covering the pieces. Keep it in dry, cool place for around couple of hours.
  • Soak rice in warm water and keep aside
  • In a pan add butter and shallow fry the paneer pieces to light brown tinge over medium heat. Keep them aside
  • In same pan, in same butter, add 4 cinamon, 5 cloves, black pepper, poppy seeds, jeera, sauf, corriander powder, almonds and 1/2 cup cashews and roast it over low-medium flame till light aroma feels the air. The masalas would be light brown by now.
  • Add one diced onion and cook till onion turns light brown. Let the mixture cool down.
  • In a mixie grind 3 tomatoes and keep aside.
  • Grind the above cooked masala with remaining tomato to form fine paste.
  • In a pan, add 2 spoon of ghee and this masala and roast for a while.
  • Add tomato puree and salt to taste in it and cook till the gravy thickens
  • Add paneer pieces and cook till the gravy dries completely. Keep aside.
  • Pressure cook potatoes, cut them into slices after removing their cover and keep aside.
  • Warm Milk, add saffron and keep aside.
  • In a pan, boil water and add the soaked rice. Cook till almost done.
  • Drain remaining water and run it through cold water.
  • In a small pan, heat 4 spoon of ghee and add 4 cinamons, 10 cloves, 15 cardmom and salt to taste. Roast for couple of minutes and add it to the rice. Mix well and keep aside.
  • Cut the remaining 2 onions into thin slices.
  • In a Pan, add little oil and fry the onions onto medium-high flame till they are light brown in color. Keep aside.
  • In same oil, fry the remaining 1/2 cup cashews and keep aside.
  • Grease the cooker with 2 spoon of ghee and layer biryaani. Spread the potato slices to cover the cooker bottom first. Spread 1/3 of rice, then spread a layer of half of paneer masala, sprinkle some cashews, and browned onions.
  • Do the same layering again (Rice, masala, cashews and onions) and then cover it with remaining 1/3 portion of rice.
  • Sprinkle Some more cashews and onions, keeping aside a few for decoration.
  • Make few through and through holes through the layered biryaani with the back of spatula.
  • Spread the saffron milk in them.
  • Cover with the lid and pressure cook over low heat for 25- 30 minutes.
  • Garnish with left cashews and onions and serve.

Notes
I used 1 layer of rice 1/2 paneer and then again another layer of rice with rice from just 2 cups of raw rice. Also used half quantity of cashews, onions and garnishing spices. Stored the remaining half portion of paneer masala for later use this week. I just had to do the rice and onion portion again and could quickly make the dinner. Helped on the hectic day a lot. :) And it tasted even much better as well because of storing masala for few days :)
I always use the potato layering to cover up cooker so that the biryaani doesnt get burnt while pressure cooking it. I am speechless for that idea, helps a lot.
Also stored the marrinated paneer in fridge since it was quite hot here. But i think even in other time thats a better way so that it dries even further and the marrination sticks to paneer.

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Monday, August 10, 2009

Tandoori Paneer Pizza


My favorite dish :) esp paneer flavor.. and I so miss it here. Well there is a food chain which has paneer pizza available here but then I really didn't like the flavor. So i had been meaning to prepare this since ages and finally made it yesterday. It turned out quite nice. I also did little r&d and found out how to do wheat base rather than all maida base - little healthier version :)

Tandoori Paneer Pizza
Ingredients
4 Cup Wheat Flour
2 Cup Maida
400g Paneer
2.5 Cup Mozarella Cheese
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1.5 Cup Milk
5 Spoon Curd
2.25 Spoon Active Dry Yeast
1/2 Onion
1/4 Cup Dried Tomatoes
4 Sweet Bell peppers
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
2 Spoon Butter
1/2 Spoon Sugar
2 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1/2 Spoon Jeera Powder
1/2 Spoon Corriander Powder
1/4 Spoon Garam Masala
2 Spoon Tandoori Masala
1/2 Spoon Garlic Paste
1/2 Spoon Ginger Paste
1 Spoon Basil Leaves
Salt to taste

Method
  • Warm a cup of water, add sugar and active dry yeast. Still well, wrap up with the clinging film and keep aside for 10 minutes to let yeast activate
  • In a plate mix wheat flour, maida, olive oil, melted butter, activated yeast and salt to taste
  • Add milk and knead the soft dough. Keep it in a large bowl covered with clinging film for around 2 hours to double in size.
  • In a bowl, mix curd, garlic paste, ginger paste, jeera powder, corriander powder, garam masala, tandoori masala and salt to taste.
  • Marrinate the cubed paneer with this curd mixture and refrigerate it till the time pizza dough is doubling up
  • When the dough is doubled up, divide it into two portions and spread it on pizza pans
  • Spread parmesan cheese, grated mozarella cheese on top of the pizza base
  • Spread the cubed paneer pieces, bell pepper slices, onion slices and dried tomato evenly on top of it
  • Sprinkle basil leaves
  • Preheat oven to 400F/200C
  • Bake the pizza at 400F/200C for 25 minutes

Notes
While activating yeast, the water should be luke warm - just warm to touch otherwise if too hot the yeast would burn up. To know if yeast is activated you need to see if foam is present in the yeast-water-sugar mixture.
When I baked pizza i found that one of the pizza was really risen well and other one was also rised but not as much as the other one. So I binged ;-) a bit and found that the while baking pizza we should be baking only on upper shelve the middle shelf doesnt have enough heat and hence the pizza doesnt rise well in that section. Well tip for me for next time.

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Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Khima Egg Masala


When we were about to leave from temporary housing, we had so many stuff remaining and we didnt want to carry too many items from there to permanant one. So thats what is the inspiration behind this experiment. Quite tasty and unique :)

Khima Egg Masala
Ingredients
450g Khima
4 Tomatoes
2 Onions
3 Eggs
1 Spoon Garam Masala
1.5 Spoon Red chilli Powder
1 Spoon Turmeric Powder
1/4 Spoon Black Pepper
2-3 Cinnamon
1/4 Spoon Garlic Paste
1/4 Spoon Ginger Paste
1/2 Spoon Corriander Powder
A pinch of Jeera Powder
Corriander Leaves for Garnishing
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Hard boil eggs and keep them aside.
  • In a pan heat oil and add washed and drained Khima to it.
  • Cook till it turns brown in color and oil separates out. Keep aside.
  • In same oil add black pepper, cinnamon and let it turn light brown in color.
  • Add finely chopped onion, garlic paste, ginger paste to this
  • When onion is completely cooked, add 1/2 spoon turmeric, 1 spoon red chilli powder, garam masala, corriander powder and jeera powder
  • Mix well and cook for couple of minutes
  • Let it cool down and grind the mixture in mixie.
  • In same pan in a spoonful of oil add this grinded mixture and grated tomatoes and cook till tomato is half done.
  • Mix 1/4 cup of water in it, Salt to taste and the fried keema to it. Cook till completely done and almost dry. Keep aside
  • Grate the eggs, add turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt to taste to it and keep aside.
  • While serving, add small portion of keema masala into the bowl, top it with grated egg mixture and garnish with corriander leaves.

Notes
One can actually add, cheese or paneer as well instead of egg but I thought egg would be the best one to go along this recipe flavour.

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