GREEN PEAS MASALA

GREEN PEAS MASALA RECIPE:

Ingredients:

Green peas - 1/2 Kg
Tomatoes - 2
Onions - 2
2 tbsp. oil
Black mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Chili powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander Leaves to garnish
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add the mustard seeds, as they begin to pop, add onions, salt and cook until soft.
3. Add the coriander, turmeric and chili powder.
4. Mix well and then add tomatoes and  Water and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the peas and pepper. Cover the pan and cook until the peas are tender.
6. Mix in fresh coriander and add more pepper.
7. Cook another two minutes then serve.
8. Garnish with extra fresh coriander if desired.
9. Enjoy Green Peas Masala with Paranthas or chapaties.

GOBI ALOO GRAVY

GOBI ALOO GRAVY RECIPE:

Ingredients:

Cauliflower – 1, medium size, break into flowerettes
Potatoes – 3, large size, scrapped off the skins and cut into cubes
Onions – 2, large size, finely chopped
Garlic – 3 beads, finely sliced
Tomato – 1, large size, firm, fully ripe, sliced
Red chilli powder – 1 teaspoonCoriander powder – 1 teaspoon
Black pepper powder – ½ teaspoon
Cummin seeds powder – ½ teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds powder – ½ teaspoon
Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt – 1-1/2 teaspoons
Coconut – one quarter piece, ground to a smooth paste with khus-khus
Khus-khus – 1 teaspoon
Cloves – 2
Cinnamon – 2 one-inch long sticks
Oil or ghee – 2 tablespoons
Coriander leaves – a bunch, finely chopped
Tamarind extract – 1 tablespoon

Method: 

1. Heat a flat-bottomed vessel and pour in the oil into it. Keep aside 1 tablespoon of onions. When the oil becomes smoking hot, add the remaining onions and garlic in it and saute till the onion edges turn brown here and there.
2. Now add the cauliflower and potatoes, stir once thoroughly, cover with a lid, and cook over moderate heat for 3 minutes.
3. Add all the spice powders and salt at this time and saute for a minute.
4. Add 2-3 cupfuls of water to just cover the vegetables, close with a lid, and cook over moderate heat till the vegetables are cooked and tender.
5. Now add the tamarind extract and cook for another 3 minutes.
6. Add the coconut and khus-khus paste diluted in a cupful of water. Adjust the thickness of the sauce accordingly while adding water at this time. Simmer and cook for 2 mintues or until the raw smell of the coconut goes away.
7. Add the tomatoes, simmer for another 10 minutes, and remove from heat. Stir in the coriander leaves.
8. Heat a small frying pan and pour in one tablespoon oil. When the oil becomes very hot, put in the cloves, cinnamon, and then the remaining onions.
9. When the onions turn brown here and there pour a spoonful of sauce over it and return to the sauce immediately.
10. Stir once thoroughly and cover with a lid. Serve hot with rice or chappaties. Enjoy!

BLACK CHANNA GRAVY

BLACK CHANNA GRAVY RECIPE:

Ingrediants:

Kala Channa-1 cup dried
Tomato -2 large pureed
Amchoor powder / Dried Mango Powder-1 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder-1 tsp
Cumin seeds / Jeerakam-2 tsp
Coriander leaves / Cilantro-for garnishing
Oil-2 tblspn
Salt to taste
Sugar-1 tsp

Method:

1. Soak channa overnight...Put this in the pressure cooker add 3 cups of water and some salt.Presure cook it for 3 whistles and simmer it for 30 mins..Let the pressure go all by itself..Now open the pressure cooker and see whether the channa is soft(If you take  one channa and press it with your fingers it should mash easily).
2. Take one handfull of channa in a blender and make it into a paste..This what helps the curry to get thicker.
3. Heat oil in a kadai..Add in cumin seeds and let it splatter..
4. Add in tomato puree and cook till oil separates from this..It will take around 8-10 mins..
5. Add in chilli powder,garam masala powder,amchoor powder and mix well.
6. Add in salt and sugar and mix well.
7. Now add in the channa along with the cooked water and mix well.
8. Add in the ground channa paste also..
9. Cover this and simmer for 15 mins..
10. Garnish with coriander leaves and mix well.
11. Serve hot with puri or roti..

PLANTAIN STEM / VAZHAITHANDU JUICE

PLANTAIN STEM / VAZHAITHANDU JUICE RECIPE:

Lets see the benefits first.

A potassium rich food with high fiber content and it has many other amazing health benefits.

Most people include banana in their daily diet, but very few have ever thought of including banana stem. The banana stem has many nutritive and health benefits. The stem is usually thrown away once the fruit is cut from the plant. So next time if you happen to find one, think of including it in your menu. Here are some good health reasons why banana stem must be part and parcel of your diet at least on occasions.

Banana stem is rich in fiber and helps weight loss.  Due to rich content, it helps body to feel full faster.  The intake of food gets reduced by including banana stem to diet.  It can be taken in the form of juice, but eating it as a whole provides more benefits. Including it once or twice a week can help people looking for ways to cut down extra pounds.
Like banana, banana stem is also rich in potassium and vitamin B6.  Vitamin B6 helps production of chemicals such as hemoglobin and insulin. Again, it improves the ability of body to fight against infection. Potassium helps effective functioning of muscles including cardiac muscles, prevents high blood pressure, helps nerve impulses and maintains fluid balance within the body.

It is a diuretic and helps detoxify the body. Some believe that banana stem can prevent and treat kidney stones. This is fact under study and the effectiveness has not been proven by the western world.

It can be taken as a laxative for constipation. Again, the rich fiber content prevents constipation. It cools the body. So overall, banana stem does wonders to our body.

How to include them in diet? Very tender ones can be used in salads and not so tender ones can be added to soups or as a steamed vegetable.

Slicing banana stem for dishes might be hard work, but it provides unmatchable health benefits.Its a cooling agent to our body , so use it weekly twice is recommended.

Juice can be made in both ways either with salt or with sugar. Here you go...

SWEET JUICE

Plantain stem /Vazhaithandu - 1 /2 no (medium size)
Boiled Milk - 1/2 cup (adjust)
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Water- If necessary

Method

Remove the outer layer of vazhaithandu till core ( At this point u dont have layers to remove).
Cut into rings while removing the fiber simultaneously that comes between the rings .
Chop into small pieces .Grind with sugar and milk.Add more milk & sugar if necessary.
Strain in a double cloth filter.Pour in a serving glass.
Serve it chilled or at room temperature !!

SALT VERSION

INGREDIENTS

Vazhaithandu - 1/2 no (medium size)
Sour curd - 2tbsp
Salt & water - As needed
Pepper powder - 2 pinches (optional)
Coriander leaves - To garnish

METHOD

Repeat steps 1 and 2 given in the above version and cut the stem into pieces and immerse in buttermilk to avoid color change.
Grind the pieces along with curd and salt.
Add more water , whisk and strain in a double cloth filter.
Pour in a serving glass and  garnish with little coriander leaves
serve chill!!

NOTE

Drinking vazhathandu juice alone does not help you to shed your weight. You have to carry on the other things like diet .exercise etc.
U can prepare the juice in another way .
Grind the Banana stem with salt , pepper powder and lime juice. Filter and enjoy !! Hope this method sounds easier.

KOLLU RASAM

KOLLU RASAM RECIPE:

Ingredients:

2 tbsp horse gram
2 tbsp red gram dal
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 small lemon size ball tamarind
2 tsp rasam powder
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp pepper, roughly powdered
salt to taste
1 tbsp chopped coriander

Seasoning

1 1/2 tsp oil or ghee
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
a large pinch of asafoetida
1-2 red chillies (broken into 2 pieces)
1-2 sprigs curry leaf

Method:

1. Clean and broil (dry roast) horsegram in a kadai. Remove, cool, powder fine in a mixi, set aside.
2. Boil red gram dal, mash thoroughly, set aside.
3. Boil tamarind in water, take out extract, set aside.
4. Heat oil/ghee, add seasonings and when done, add tamarind extract, rasam powder, salt and some water if necessary and set to boil. Simmer till the raw smell of tamarind is not there any longer.
5. When sufficiently boiled, add horsegram powder, cooked dal, crushed garlic and pepper, boil for a few more minutes.
6. When rasam starts to froth, add chopped coriander and remove from fire.

Serve hot with rice.

COCONUT RICE

COCONUT RICE RECIPE:

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice
3 tablespoons coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
6 dried red chilies, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons channa dal
1 1/2 teaspoons Urad Dal
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
15 fresh curry leaves
1 teaspoon salt (more or less, to taste)
1/4 teaspoon asafetida powder
1 3/4 cups freshly grated coconut
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Method:

1. Wash the rice well and cook until tender in a rice cooker or by the absorption method.
2. While the rice is cooking, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a medium-sized pan or skillet, and when hot add the chillies, chana dal, urad dal and mustard seeds. Stir and fry until the chillies darken and the dals turn golden brown.
3. Add the curry leaves, salt, asafetida and coconut, and stir and fry for a minute or two before reducing heat.
4. Gently cook the coconut mixture until the coconut turns a toasted reddish-brown and becomes quite crisp. It burns easily, keep the coconut moving by stirring and tossing constantly.
5. As soon as the coconut is the right colour and texture, turn off the heat. If the rice is not ready, transfer the coconut mixture to a bowl, so that it doesn't continue browning in the hot pan.
6. Mix the coconut mixture gently through the hot, cooked rice, then stir through the chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

LEMON RICE

LEMON RICE RECIPE:

Lemon rice is very easy to prepare. But the proportion of lime juice to salt has to be perfect for great tasting rice. I prefer using lime instead of lemon.

Ingredients:

Basmathi Rice - 3/4 cup uncooked
Juice from 2 small limes
Salt
Coriander leaves - To garnish
Curry leaves - a few
Frozen Peas - 1 tsp(optional)

Seasoning:

Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Urud Dal - 1 tsp
Cashews or Peanuts - 1 tsp
Raisins - 1 tsp(optional)
Green Chilli - 1
Hing - a pinch
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Rinse and drain basmathi rice. Cook in 1 1/2 cups of water. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wide pan.
3. Add mustard seeds, urud dal, cashews and raisins. Allow mustard seeds to splutter and cashews to turn light golden brown. Add peas, green chilli, hing and turmeric powder. Saute for 10 seconds. Turn off the heat.
4. Add lime juice and salt to the seasoning.
5. Now gently mix rice without smashing it.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves and curry leaves.
6. Serve with pappad or avial.

DAAL MAKHANI

DAAL MAKHANI RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1 cup whole urad daal (urad sabut)
1tbsp Red kidney beans (Rajma)
1 onion finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
1" Ginger piece
2-3 green chilies finely chopped
chopped coriander leaves
4-5 flakes Garlic paste
1/2 cup stirred curd
1/2 cup fresh stirred cream (malai)
2tbsp butter
1tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2tsp turmeric powder
1/2tsp Garam masala
Red chili powder to taste
1/2tsp dhania powder
Salt to taste

How to make dal makhni :

1. Soak rajma in water overnight.
2. Add water & little salt and pressure-cook Rajma and urad daal till soft for about 20-25 minutes.
3. Mash and boil again for 15-20 minutes and add curd and cream to the daal.
4. Now in kadhai heat oil, splutter cumin seeds and add garlic paste, fry till light brown. Add onions and fry till golden brown.
5. Now add ginger, green chilies and tomatoes and fry till tomatoes soften.
6. Now add dry masalas (turmeric powder, chili powder, dhania powder & salt) and fry again for a moment.
7. Add daal and stir on medium flame. As soon as it starts boiling remove from the gas.
8. Sprinkle garam masala powder and garnish daal makhni with coriander and add butter.
9. Serve daal makhni hot. Goes well with laccha paratha, naan or rice.

PANEER BUTTER MASALA

PANEER BUTTER MASALA RECIPE:

Ingredients:

Paneer cubes             1 & 1/2 cup
Onion                        1 large
Tomatao                    1 large
Ginger garlic paste     1 tsp
Cashew nuts              5-8
Milk                          1/2 cup
Cooking cream*        1/4 cup
Kasoori methi            1 tsp
Red chilli powder       1 & 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder      1 tsp
Turmeric                    1/8 tsp
Salt                            As needed
Butter                         2 tsp

*You can use milk fully and omit cooking cream.

To temper

Oil                   2 tsp
Elachi, clove    Each one
Cinnamon       1 small piece

Optional seasoning

Butter                         1 tsp
Red chilli(dry)             1
Black pepper whole    1 tsp

Method

1. Heat a pan and fry cubed onions until goldenin a tsp of butter. Grind it along with cubed tomatoes to a smooth paste.
2. Grind cashews with little milk or water to a smooth paste and set aside.
3. Heat oil and temper with elachi, cinnamon and cloves.
4. Add the ground onion tomato paste and give it a stir.
5. Add red chilli powder,coriander powder, turmeric and ginger garlic paste. Mix well.
6. Meanwhile, keep the paneer cubes immersed in hot water. Fry for  4-5 minutes in medium flame or until the raw smell goes off.
7. The onion tomato mixture should be thick now. Add the kasoori methi by crushing it in between your palms.
8. Add the ground cashew and mix well. Fry for another 2 minutes. Add oil if needed.
9. When it becomes shiny, add required milk or water slowly while you stir. Add salt. When your desired consistency reaches, add paneer drained from water and the cooking cream.
10. Keep the flame in low and dont let the gravy boil. Just mix in low flae for 2 minutes and switch off the flame.
11. Garnish with coriander leaves finely chopped or season with the red chillies and whole pepper corns in butter. Serve hot with roti/ naan or any flat breads or mild pulavs.

Notes

1. You can add milk fully to make it gravy without adding any water. This way you get thicker and more creamier gravy. The colour mainly is because of this. If you add water, then the gravy may not be orange and will be more red.
2. Also the cashews give a thick texture, mild coloured gravy and also prevents milk/ cream from curding.
3. Add 1/2 tsp of pepper powder if you want more spicy.
4. You can omit red chilli powder and add 5 green chillies while you fry onion. This also tastes great.
5. If you dont have ginger garlic paste, then you can add 4 cloves of garlic and a piece of ginger while you fry onion and grind it along.
6. Butter can be omitted and made with oil alone, but remember this is butter paneer masala ;)

BUTTER CHICKEN

BUTTER CHICKEN RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1/4 pint/150ml natural yogurt
2 ounces/50g ground almonds
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp crushed bay leaves
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp garam masala
4 green cardamom pods
1 tsp ginger pulp
1 tsp garlic pulp
14 ounce/400g can tomatoes
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 pounds/1kg chicken, skinned, boned and cubed
3 ounces/75g butter
1 tbsp corn oil
2 medium onions, sliced
2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
4 tbsp cream

How to make butter chicken :

1. Place the yogurt, ground almonds, all the dry spices, ginger, garlic, tomatoes and salt in a mixing bowl and blend together thoroughly.
2. Put the chicken into a large mixing bowl and pour over the yogurt mixture.
3. Set aside. Melt together the butter and oil in a medium karahi, wok or frying pan. Add the onions and fry for about 3 minutes.
4. Add the chicken mixture and stir-fry for about 7 to 10 minutes.
5. Stir in about half of the coriander and mix well. Pour over the cream and stir in well. Bring to the boil.
6. Garnish the indian butter chicken with the remaining chopped coriander to serve the chicken curry.

CHICKEN SOUP

CHICKEN SOUP RECIPE:
Ingredients

500 mls chicken stock
3 to 4 carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped (optional)
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
handful chopped fresh coriander

Preparation method

1. Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium pan . Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic.
2. Reduce heat to low and add the chicken. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Carefully remove the chicken, cut it into small pieces, and return it to the pot. Stir in the coriander and serve.

SWEET CORN VEGETABLE SOUP

SWEET CORN VEGETABLE SOUP RECIPE:

Ingredients

Sweet Corn, cream style: 1 tin
Sweet corn kernels: 1/2 cup (boiled)
Vegetable stock: 1.25 litres (5 cups) OR water
French beans: 8 (finely chopped)
Cabbage: 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
Carrot: 1 (finely chopped)
Cornflour: 2 1/2 tbsps (corn starch)
Sugar: 3/4 tbsp
Salt to taste
White pepper powder: as required
Spring onion greens: 3-4 tbsps (finely chopped)

Method

1. In a heavy bottomed vessel or wok, add the cream style sweet corn and vegetable stock or water. Mix.
2. Add the chopped carrot, beans, cabbage, boiled corn and stir to mix.
3. Cook for 5 mts on medium flame. Mix the cornflour in 4 tbsps of vegetable stock or water and keep aside.
4. Add sugar and salt to the simmering soup and cook further for 3-4 mts. Add white pepper powder and mix.
5. Add the cornflour mixture and go on stirring till the soup thickens. Turn off heat and pour into soup bowls.
6. Garnish with spring onion greens and serve hot.

Few Tips

1. Vegetable stock can be prepared by boiling 6-7 cups of water, 1 large onion (quarter it), a carrot (slice it) and a potato (large cubes). Boil till water reduces to 5 1/2 cups. Turn off heat, strain the stock and discard vegetables.
2. You can use black pepper powder instead of white pepper powder.
3. Sugar can be reduced to 1/2 tablespoon.
4. Adjust corn flour according to the desired thickness of soup. More corn flour yields a thicker soup.
5. You can prepare cream style corn at home. Take 2 corn cobs, take a share knife and scrap the corn kernels. Melt a tbsp of butter in a vessel, add 3/4th of the corn kernels and saute for 2 mts. Blend the remaining corn kernels to a paste. Add this corn paste and a tbsp of sugar to the vessel and mix. Add 1/4 cup of water and 3 tbsps milk (optional ingredient) and cook for 7-8 mts. Mix a tbsp of flour in 3 tbsps water and mix. Add the corn flour mixture and go on stirring till it thickens. Season with salt and pepper. Cool and freeze until use.

COCONUT BURFI

COCONUT BURFI RECIPE

Ingredients:

225 gms Khoya
225 gms coconut (dry and ground)
1 tsp cardamom seeds (ground)
1 tbsp ghee
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1/2 tsp almonds (grated)
1/2 tsp pistachios (grated)

How to make coconut burfi:

1. Mix khoya and coconut and fry them lightly with ghee on a low heat.
2. Add cardamom and mix well.
3. Prepare one-string syrup by dissolving sugar in the water.
4. Now stir the coconut mixture into the syrup.
5. Grease the plate and spread the grated nuts on it.
6. Spread the prepared evenly over the plate and allow it to cool.
7. Now with the knife, cut it into desired shapes.
8.. Turn them over so that nuts covered part appears on the top.
9. Nariyal ki burfi is ready to be served.

GOTHUMA RAVA (Broken Wheat) PAYASAM

BROKEN WHEAT KHEER RECIPE:

Ingredients for Sooji Gothambu Payasam (Broken Wheat Kheer) Recipe

Broken wheat(sooji gothambu) - 2 cups
Jaggery syrup - 2 cups
Coconut milk II extract(thin) - 3 cups
Coconut milk I extract(thick) - 1 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Roasted cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Dry ginger powder - 1/4 tsp
Ghee - 4 tbsp
Coconut flakes - 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts - 50 gm

Preparation Method of Sooji Gothambu Payasam (Broken Wheat Kheer) Recipe

1) Wash and cook broken wheat by adding boiled water.

2) When it is cooked well, drain it and keep aside.

3) In a heavy bottom vessel, boil the jaggery syrup and mix in cooked broken wheat.

4) Mix well till it absorbs the syrup well and reaches a thick consistency.

5) Add the 2nd extract of coconut milk, mix well and cook on low heat.

6) When it starts thickening, add the Ist extract of coconut milk.

7) Mix well, keep it in a low flame for 5 minutes and remove from fire.

8) If you are using fresh coconut milk, make sure the dish does not boil after adding the Ist extract of coconut milk.
:-) This is not applicable if we are using instant coconut milk powder.

9) Sprinkle cardamom powder, roasted cumin powder and dry ginger powder over the payasam.

10) Heat ghee in a pan and fry coconut flakes till it becomes golden brown.

11) Drain it and sprinkle it over the payasam.

12) In the remaining ghee, fry cashew nuts and sprinkle it along with the ghee over the payasam.

:-) Gothambu paayasam is ready to serve!!!

CARROT/ GAJAR HALWA

Hello folks

Like you people i have also visited so many cooking sites after i got married. Daily i wish to cook new new items and impress my husband :). I had got a very big list of items which i can share with you people. Just now got time to do that. So lets start with all the recipes which i have cooked till now.

Lets Goooooo!!! Yeeeeaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In our tradition whatever maybe the festival celebration we will be starting off with the sweet. Lets start off with few sweets now...

CARROT HALWA/ GAJAR HALWA RECIPE:


Ingredients

cardamoms, skinned and crushed fine 2 nos
carrots, grated finely                 4 cups
casewnuts                         1 tsp
chopped almonds                 1 tsp
curdled milk or (ricotta cheese)                 3 tsp
ghee(clarified butter)                 2 tsp
Milk                         4 cups
raisins                                 1 tsp
sugar                         1 cup

Directions - How to make Carrot Halwa: 1. Roast dry nuts in ghee 2. Grate and Cook the carrots in the milk in an open pan(low flame), with       constant stirring.when carrot is cooked add sugar 3. Add curdled milk or koya and cook for few more min     serve hot