Tuesday, September 27, 2011

No-bake biscuit cake

I have this recipe from one of my favorite blogs, Cooking and me. I had bookmarked this quite some time back, and I made it a couple of days after Yashi turned 1.
Ingredients:
25 Marie biscuits
3 tbsp cocoa powder
use 1/2 of one Milkmaid tin

Method-
Break the biscuits and powder them in the food processor coarsely. Mix in the cocoa and whirr the processor a couple of times to mix it well. 
Take out this mixture in a bowl. Pour the milkmaid and mix it well with a spoon. It will take a while to combine the ingredients properly. Pour this mix in a greased square container. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours. (I made this in the evening and served it for dinner.)
Cut into squares and serve. 

I couldn't click pics after I cut them, but here is a pic of how it looked before refrigerating!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Baked vegetables with Couscous

Ingredients-
1 Cup couscous
1 cup water or veg stock
1 tsp parsley
1 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1/2  lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Method-
Boil water, add couscous, stir for a minute and remove from heat. Let it stand covered for 4-5 mins. Transfer to serving bowl. Add olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well. Stir with a fork, the grains should separate.

Serve with baked vegetables.

Ingredients for baked vegetables-
Finely chopped veggies of your choice (cabbage, cauliflower, beans, carrots, peas, corn, capsicum) - total of 2.5 cups
1 onion, 1 tomato chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tbsp Olive oil
1 Knorr soup packet- I used corn masala

Method-
Wash all veggies, in an oven-proof dish, add the veggies, mix salt, pepper, olive oil, micro for 5 mins. Veggies will turn soft.
Mix the soup mix with lukewarm water and pour over the veggies. Bake at 180 deg for 15 mins.
Serve!

I am sending this to Global food festival at Momchef's blog.


Thursday, September 22, 2011

Lauki Chhole

Ingredients:
1 medium Bottle Gourd / Lauki- peeled and chopped
1 cup Chickpeas / chhole- soaked in water overnight and cooked in pressure cooker for one whistle, simmered for 15 mins
1 onion
1 tomato
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 tsps Chhole masala
1 tsp each of turmeric, coriander and garam masala powder
1 medium potato cubed
Oil to cook
Cumin / panch phoran for tempering
Salt to taste

Method: 
Heat oil in a wok. Add cumin, let splutter. Add onions and fry. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till done. Add the ginger garlic, dry spices and cubed potato and mix. Add salt, the boiled chickpeas along with the water and cook. Mix the bottle gourd pieces. Keep mixing in between. Let the bottle-gourd cook for about 10 mins. Cook till the pieces are done. Serve warm with rotis or rice.

This is going to Susan's MLLA 39 being hosted by Cathy. Check Susan’s host lineup

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Dal Peetha

Ingredients-
Wheat flour

1 tsp Tumeric powder
1 Onion chopped
1 tomato chopped
1 cup mixed dal
3 cups water
Salt to taste
1/2 cup -Spinach, Lauki, carrots- to add to Dal
Panch phoran, asafoetida  and oil for tempering
Method-
Make dough as you would for normal chapatis. Divide into small balls and flatten it so that it will cook easily. Keep aside.
In a pressure cooker cook the dal with the veggies, water, salt and turmeric. Once the pressure is released, add the flattened balls of dough and cook for one whistle. Let the steam / pressure release on its own. 
In a tadka pan, heat oil and add the tempering. Once it begins to splutter, add hing an pour tadka into the dal. Let the dal stand for an hour or so. Warm before serving.
Serve with chutney and salad.

I served with Teesi / flaxseed chutney!

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Crunchy baked namakpara!

Baked Namakpara
I have this recipe from Sanjeev Kapoor. In Bihar, this snack is always made deep fried and with Maida (AP Flour). My MIL is here and she made this some days back, with whole wheat flour and we baked one batch. Here is our recipe for namakpara / nimki as it is called in Bihar!

Ingredients-
Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Ghee - 2 tbsps (you can increase this to upto 1 cup also, but we chose not to)
Salt to taste
Ajwain / carom - 1 large tbsp (You can reduce this, but the namakpara is delicious with this taste)

Method-
Mix the flour, ajwain, salt and baking powder. Add ghee and rub till it has a crumbly texture. Add water to make dough (Like I have said, it should be as tight as J Lo's ass!). Make 5 portions of the dough and roll one of these out to make a chapati, a very thick one. Cut the dough into diamond shaped peices. On a greased baking tray, place the pieces separately and bake them in the microwave at 180 degrees for 20 mins. You can turn them once in a while. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.

Alternately, these can be deep-fried. The whole-wheat namakparas do not absorb as much oil as the ones made with AP Flour. And they are a very good tea time snack!









This is going toNutan's MEC- Tea-time snacks. Also check Srivalli's page.

This is also going to Diwali Special - Sweets and Savories.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Veggie Poha

Ingredients-
1 Cup poha / flaked or beaten rice- cleaned and washed and soaked in 1 tbsp water till we cook the veggies
1 chopped onion
1 tsp chopped curry leaves
1/2 cup chopped veggies (French beans, carrots, peas- chopped and washed and micro for 2-3 mins till soft)
1 boiled potato cubed
1 tsp Turmeric and coriander powder
1 tsp panch phoran
1 large tbsp peanuts
chopped coriander to taste
Oil for cooking
salt to taste
lemon juice for garnish

Method-
Heat oil in a pan, add the panch phoran,let splutter. Add the curry leaves and onions and cook for a couple of mins. Now add the peanuts and cook for another couple of mins. Add the chopped veggies, potato,salt, turmeric and coriander powder and mix well. Cover for a couple of mins till the veggies mix well with the spices.
Now add the poha and mix well to combine. Cover and cook for 1-2 mins.
Add lemon juice and mix just before serving.

Sending this to Life is Green at yummyfoodintummy!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Paneer-stuffed cabbage rolls

This is a Nita Mehta recipe, which I made ages ago, and never got a chance to post it. This is from a book that a dear friend, Sherly gifted to me when I was shifting from Delhi to Bangalore. Memories!
The recipe is a bit different from the original one, but it is tasty nevertheless!

Here's the recipe-

Ingredients:
From left- cabbage rolls, veg au gratin, corn bread
For filling-
1 packet paneer crushed
1 onion chopped
1/4 bunch spring onions chopped (roughly 1/2 cup)
1 cup cooked rice
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp cumin
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 head fresh cabbage
Salt to taste

For sauce:
1 cup chopped onions
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 cup chopped tomatoes / can use puree
1 tsp cumin
1 cup water
2 tbsp oil / butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method-
Remove the larger leaves from the top of the cabbage, remove the veins if they are thick. Clean them and micro them for a couple of mins so they are soft and half cooked. Keep aside.

Prepare the filling-
In a wok, heat butter, add cumin and onions (both onions), cook. Add the ginger garlic paste, salt and rice. Cook for a couple of mins. Add paneer, combine well. Cook for another couple of mins and remove from fire. Let cool.

Now prepare the sauce-
Heat the butter, add the cumin and let splutter. Add onions and saute till they brown. Add ginger garlic, salt, tomatoes and fry. Now add water, salt and pepper. Cook till the tomatoes are done and you get a thick sort of sauce.  This would take around 10-12 mins. Turn off flame and keep aside.

Prepare the rolls-
Spread a cabbage leaf , place 1 large tbsp of filling, fold sides, and roll. To hold the rolls in place, you can insert toothpicks or thread. Toothpicks are easier. Make all rolls till the filling is all used up.

Prepare to bake-
In a baking dish, place the rolls side by side. Pour over the sauce. Add the cheese cubes on top. Bake at 180 deg for 20 mins till the cheese melts and begins to brown. Serve with rice or pasta.

I feel this recipe makes for a good Friday dinner, hence sending it to- What's for Friday Dinner!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Purple cabbage stirfry

Ingredients
Purple cabbage, chopped- 2 cups

Oil for cooking
Salt to taste
1 tsp each of turmeric and coriander powder
panch phoran for tempering
1 chopped tomato


Directions-
Wash and clean the cabbage. I usually wash them before chopping. 
Heat oil in a wok, add panch phoran and let splutter. Add the chopped veggies, add salt and turmeric. Cook covered for 5-10 mins till they are done and the cabbage retains its crunch. Add coriander powder and let it cook for a couple of mins. Voila! your dish is ready!

I am sending this to Torview's Finale Rainbow Colors. Check out my earlier recipe for purple series- Purple cabbage with spring onions stirfry. 

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Mushrooms and Capsicum pasta

Ingredients-
1 large onion chopped
2 cups chopped mushrooms
3 cups pasta cooked as per instructions
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
salt to taste
2 capsicums cut into strips or chopped
1 tsp dried parsley and oregano each
1 tbsp cubed cheese (mozzarella or any other you like) - optional

Method-
Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic  and onions and cook till they brown a little. Add mushrooms and stir until mushrooms are cooked and the water dries up. Add capsicum, salt and the parsley and oregano and cook till the capsicum pieces are cooked yet firm. Add the cooked pasta and mix well. Allow it to heat a little. Now add the cubed cheese and cook till the pieces melt and combine with the pasta. Serve immediately.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Spicy Sweet Potatoes

This is good as a snack or as an appetizer or as a side dish too.

Ingredients-
Sweet potatoes - cleaned and boiled
Lemon juice - to taste
Salt, pepper, chaat masala to taste

Method-
Peel the sweet potatoes, slice them lengthwise or small pieces the way you may prefer. Sprinkle salt, pepper, chaat masala and lemon juice. Combine well to coat all pieces evenly. Serve warm.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

F for Fresh Fruit Curries and contests!

Charitha of Women's era has given me this opportunity to host the Alphabet series Recipes. This is going to be my first event!

I am guest- hosting ARS Series- F for Fruit Curries. The event runs from 10 Sep to 10 Oct 2011. The round up will be posted in a week after the event closes on 10 Oct.

We all know that including fruits in our diet is the surest way to a healthy body. So why not use fruits in meals and curries? So readers, I am looking forward to your mouth-watering recipes with fruits!

Here are some rules that you should keep in mind-
  • Make a curry (dry or gravy) using any fruit. Soups will also qualify. 
  • Desserts with fruits do not qualify for this event.
  • Both veg and non-veg recipes are allowed. 
  • Use of logo will be awesome, it will give me some much needed PR!
  • Please link your post to Charitha's announcement page and this announcement.
  • Archived entries are accepted too, reposted with links as mentioned above.
  • Non bloggers can also email their entries. 
Send them to me at richapriyanka at gmail dot com in the following format-
Your Name
Your Blog name and URL-
Your Dish
Dish's URL
Pic resized to 300 x 300 pixels
Location- this is needed for the contest (Yes there is a contest too!)

And here is your chance to win some cool collage mugs with the logo and picture of your choice!!

The event will also have a contest and prizes for winners. Though the event is open for all, the prizes are open for India only.  To be eligible for the prizes, this is what you need to do-
  • Publicly follow my blog
  • Send in your recipe for the event
  • Pl post a comment too to ensure I do not miss you! 
There will be 2 prizes which I will choose-
The most innovative recipe
The recipe with the best pic

The prizes will be collage mugs from Print360, which will include the logo of our event and a pic of thew winner's choice. Print 360 is run by Deepak and Sukhi, two promising entrepreneurs from my college, IBS Mumbai. The expenses for both the prizes will be borne by me along with any shipping charges. I am not going to get any compensation from Print 360 for any of this.

So what are you waiting for? Let's get cooking, and send me those delish recipes!

For some ideas, refer to these posts-
Raw banana parathas

The pic in the logo is courtesy my friend, Karthik. You can check out his Flickr stream here. My younger brother helped convert the pic into this wonderful logo. Thanks Kshitij! He is a wonderful artist, check out his works.

Basic Indian curry powder

This is my first post on Seasoning. I never thought this was a recipe per se, but I am inspired to do this post through DSM who has revived her Back to Basics event. You should check out the host lineup, which has some awesome themes.

Ingredients-
(You can vary them depending on your grinder capacity. I usually use this proportion and store the powder in my freezer)
1/2 cup coriander seeds cleaned
1/4 cup cumin
1-2 tsps whole pepper (Can also use dry red chillies with seeds removed or more pepper depending on taste)
1/4 cup fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds

Method-
In a pan / tava, dry roast the spices over medium heat. Shake the pan to avoid burning. The spices will turn a darker color, make sure you don't burn them! Set aside to cool for sometime, and then grind to a powder.
Store in airtight containers in the freezer and keep some of it for use.

While grinding, make sure you don't breathe in too much, I often tend to do that with lots of sneezing later!

This curry powder can be used in all sorts of Indian dishes, both veg and non veg, which use coriander powder. I use this for my daily cooking. This recipe is from my mom, who would wash and clean all spices, dry them in the sun, usually in the winters, when we would play about on the terrace. And as I am writing this, I am thinking of lovely winters and the warmth of the sun on my face and the laziness of wintry noons in Bihar.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Apples and Pears baked together in the microwave

Ingredients

2 pears sliced
2 apples sliced
4 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 tsp powdered nutmeg

Method-
In a micro-safe dish, add the sliced apples and pears. Add the melted butter, honey and nutmeg. Mix well to combine. In the microwave, cook for5-8 mins or until tender. At 180 degrees, bake for 10-12 mins till the slices turn a little brown. (When it cooks in the micro or oven, don't forget to baste with released juices and also do this just before serving)

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Masala Chaas / buttermilk

Yummy yummy yummy!

Ingredients-
2 glasses curd
2 glasses water
1 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp curry leaves (chopped if you prefer)
1 tsp ginger paste
pinch of asafetida
2 green chillies - optional
Salt to taste / use kala namak / black salt
A handful of finely chopped corainder leaves - optional
Method-
Mix the water and the curd well. Use a hand mixer or blend it. I used the traditional mathani. Hehe.
Add salt, green chillies. Keep aside.
In a tadka pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds and before they begin to splutter like crazy, add the curry leaves, coriander leaves, ginger and asafoetida. All this in 30 secs flat!
Remove from fire, add to the buttermilk. Mix well. Serve in glasses. 

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Poori halwa for dinner

poori, halwa and cabbage veggie
Yesterday was one of those days when you crave for good food someone else cooks for you.. I didn't have anyone to cook for me though. We were hungry at 7pm. What better to have a good early dinner! I made pooris, cabbage veggie and halwa.

Recipe for besan halwa-
Ingredients-
2 cups gram flour / besan
1/2 cup jaggery / sugar
3-4 tbsp ghee / oil
2 cups milk / water (you can also take 1 cup milk and 1 cup water)

Method-
Heat 2 tbsp ghee and roast the gram flour till the color changes. Add the milk / water to the flour and keep stirring to avoid lumps. Add sugar / jaggery and mix till it dissolves. Add the remaining ghee and mix till it becomes a lump. Serve in bowls. 
Optional- You can add some raisins and roasted nuts and also some cardamom.
To my halwa, I added 1 cup semolina / rava / sooji and 1 cup besan.