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Green french beans on my platter these days

Recently i've been eating a lot of green (french) beans, which i believe is very high in dietary fiber and good for the immune system. I have suddenly began blogging a lot about health after neglecting my own, and landed up being very ill! anyway, my darling fussy kids too have began loving to eat beans, which normally they don't. You know the kids.. the very sight of 'greens' make them want to avoid meals or so, but i was not the one to give up and now they're enjoying beans in yummy carrot, bean and macaroni soup which we've been having daily! I know we're in the summers, yet i think soup is appetizing and beneficial to our bodies in many ways. I've also been cooking chow-mein(fried noodles) at home, which we normally have at restaurants. I guess there is nothing more satisfying than a homemade meal cooked with love and care :)

I didn't know one can fry these green beans... i mean in batter, etc... looking around i found this recipe online which i am going to share with you, and will be trying very soon too. Maybe tomorrow, because i cant already wait to taste the results! must be really crispy and crunchy :)

Buttermilk Fried Green Beans

Ingredients:
1 lb. green beans
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt plus more for sprinkling
1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional but delicious)
Oil for frying

Method:
Trim, rinse, and thoroughly dry the green beans. Put them in a medium bowl and toss with buttermilk to coat.
Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and cayenne in a large bowl or re-sealable plastic bag. Drain green beans and toss them in the flour mixture to coat thoroughly.
Bring about 1/2 inch oil in a wide, heavy pot to 350-375 degrees over high heat. Adjust heat to maintain that temperature range. Test temperature using a thermometer or by dipping the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil. If the oil bubbles around the handle, it is hot enough to fry the beans.
Shake excess flour mixture off beans as you add enough of them to form a single layer in the oil. Fry until golden to medium brown and beans are tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer with tongs or a slotted spoon to a cooling rack set over paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot. Repeat with remaining beans.

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Buttermilk Fried Green Bean bundles

In the image below, you can take four to five green beans at a time and bundle them together, tie them with green onion(onion leak) strips and add seasoning. Dip the bundles into a batter (ingredient above), and deep fry till golden brown. Relish the crispy, crumchy bean bundles with tomato ketchup!

Easy diwali sweet and other spicy traditional recipes

Here is an update from my post We're waiting for the festival of diwali, and some diwali recipes to enjoy and i'll be posting a few more recipes as promised. I had already posted a kaju barfi recipe which is a great delight to eat.. here are few more for everyone to try out..

Sweet indian traditional recipes

Malpua (pancakes in syrup) in 9 steps!

Ingredients:
2 cups water
3 cups sugar
Saffron strands
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
500 gms flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 can (400gms) sweetened condensed milk
1 litre milk to make rabri
Slivered almonds and pistachios to garnish
Ghee to deep fry malpuas

Method:
1. Mix the milk and 1 cup of sugar in a thick-bottomed pan and cook to reduce it to a fourth of its original volume. Stir frequently or the milk will burn at the bottom of the pan. When the milk has thickned as above, remove it from the fire, allow it cool and then chill in the refrigerator. This is rabri (sweetened thickened milk).
2.In another pan, mix 2 cups of water and 2 cups of sugar and boil. The syrup is ready when you get a single-thread consistency. The way to test this is to stir the syrup with a spoon, lift the spoon out and carefully touch the syrup on it with your index finger. Press your index finger and thumb together and gently pull apart. The sugar will stretch to form a single 'thread'. If this happens the syrup is ready. If not keep boiling and test occasionally till done.
3. When the syrup is ready add the cardamom powder and saffron and mix well. Keep the syrup aside to use later.
4.In a large mixing bowl, blend the condensed milk, flour and baking powder together to form a smooth batter.
5.While you are mixing the batter, heat enough ghee in a deep frying pan to cook the malpuas.
6.When the oil is hot, use a ladle to gently pour the batter into the oil to form circles about 4" in diameter.
7.Cook till golden brown. Remove from the oil and put directly into the sugar syrup.
8.Remove after 2-3 minutes and drain on a wire rack with a plate underneath to catch the dripping syrup.
9.To serve, place 2 malpuas in a plate, spoon rabri over them and garnish with slivered nuts.

Gujia, with khoya(mawa) and dry fruits

Ingredients :
Flour 250 grams
Khoya 500 grams
Raisins a few
Almonds 100 grams (finely chopped)
Cooking oil 3 tablespoon
Water 100 ml
Sugar 250 grams

Method:
Mix the oil and flour properly to form a binding consistency of breadcrumbs.
Add some water and knead entire mixture, lighty.
Make a soft dough and set it aside, covering it with damp.
Fry the khoya in cooking oil till it becomes light brown and then mix the sugar into it carefully.
Add the almonds and raisins, and fry for a few more minutes. Remove from fire and let it cool. Make small thick flat rotis out of that kneaded dough.
Fill half of flattened roti with the khoya mixture and roll it between your palms, sealing the sides of the roti keeping the khoya inside it.
Make the sealing look decorated by a hemming.
Deep-fry these gujias until it becomes light golden brown, keeping the flame at low. Take out the gujias on a newspaper and let the oil get soaked.
Serve hot or store it in an airtight container for using it on specials days like diwali.

Mushrooms in Onion Gravy

Ingredients
200 gm Mushrooms
3 Onions
2 Tomatoes, finely chopped or pureed
3 Green chillies, finely chopped
Coriander leaves
Salt as per taste
Red chili powder as per taste
A pinch of garam masala powder
A pinch of cardamom powder
Oil

Method:
Slice mushrooms, boil them and keep aside. Then make a paste of the onions.
Heat oil in a wok and add the onion paste and cook till the paste turns golden brown.
Add the tomatoes, green chilies, salt and red chilli powder.
Cook the tomatoes till the gravy leaves the sides of the wok and add water if required.
Add the mushrooms and cook for a while.
Season with garam masala powder, cardamom powder and coriander leaves. Serve hot!

Dahi bada, with curd(yogurt)

Ingredients:
For the badas(round shaped balls):
1 Cup Urad daal
Salt to taste
Oil to fry
For the dahi(curd) mixture:
1 kg Dahi(curd)
1/2 tsp grated Ginger
1-2 green chilies chopped
Salt to taste
2 tsp Roasted cumin powder
Red chili powder to taste


Method:
For Badas: Clean, wash and soak the daal overnight.
Grind it into smooth paste.
Add salt to taste.
Heat oil in a pan and drop a spoonfuls of batter and fry till golden brown.
Take the hot vadas and put in cold water for 2-3 minutes.
Now Take them out of water and squeeze the water and keep aside.

Method for Dahi mixture: Blend the curd and little water until it is smooth.
Keep in refrigerator for an hour to get chilled.
Add salt, red chili powder and cumin powder.

We're waiting for the festival of diwali, and some diwali recipes to enjoy

Its barely a month we all celebrated the Durga Puja festival and three days to go for Diwali, the festival of lights! I had written about it if you would like to read it.. head over to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth visits us on diwali(the festival of lights). It always gets pretty exciting before a festival nears because it brings with it so much of joy and delight.

Being a non-hindu i get the privilege to celebrate this festival with my sister and her family(married to a hindu). My son and daughter enjoy bursting crackers and eating the puja prasad..

Though shopping and other exciting activities make up the pre-celebrations but the main part of any celebration is feasting and especially in India, almost every hindu/bengali household gets involved into the preparing of delicious traditional sweets and other dishes for their families and guests who would be visiting them. Here are some recipes for Diwali.. Am sure you will enjoy relishing them once your fingers touch them :-)

Kaju barfi

Ingredients
3 cups Cashew powder
2 cups Sugar
0.5-cup Water
Silver foil

Method
Prepare some sugar syrup of almost 2 thread consistency and dissolve the cashew powder in the solution. Keep stirring the solution and once its thickened spread it on a plate. Before the barfi cools and hardens, cover it with the silver foil and cut into into diamond shapes. Your barfis ready, enjoy it with your family and relatives on diwali.

I'll be updating some more tomorrow.. dont forget to hop back here :-)

Nawabi shahi tukra- a recipe from my kitchen

Ingredients
Milk- 5 cups;
Green cardamom powder- 1 n half tsp;
Saffron- few strands;
Sugar- 1 n half cup;
Ghee- 1 cup;
Milk bread- 8 slices;


For the thickened milk:
Milk- 10 cups;
Sugar- 1 n half cup;
Saffron- few strands;
Silvered, sliced almonds- 2 tsp;
Silvered, sliced pistachio- 2 tsp;

Method
Boil the milk in heavy bottomed pan. Add green cardamom powder and saffron. Remove from heat, add sugar and keep aside. Now heat ghee in a pan and fry the slices of bread slightly. Remove and drain the excess oil. Soak the fried break in the milk mixture for 10 minutes.

Prepare the rabri by heating the milk and let it simmer till it is reduced to about 1/3rd. Stir in the sugar, green cardamom powder and saffron. Remove from heat and keep aside to cool.

Carefully lift the slices of bread from the milk and serve in a dish. Put the rabri on top and garnish with almonds and pistas. Serve chilled at room temp.

Serves four! so hope my readers enjoy this delight and come back here for more :-)

What role does fish play in the hearts, homes and stomachs of west bengal? read on...

The city where i reside in, Calcutta(WB)- The Bengali's, as they are called known as, love fish to be included in their daily meals even if in the form of only machh bhaja(fish fry)! No matter what else is served for meals, but fish included, remains an important part of the normal Bengali household and nothing specializes beyond fish dishes here. If you would be lucky to visit Calcutta and spend time with any of the Bengali families... your platter wouldn't be complete without an ilsish fry or fish curry or fish cooked in other diverse styles, with a sweet taste of rasgullas or doi(sweetened curds) at the end of the meal.

Here in cal, not only the Bengali's but also the non-Bengali's, and for that matter i even include myself... who is crazy for fish! We cant resist picking up some of the many varieties selling at the fish market. You will find tons of fish sellers lined up at the market shouting out the names and prices of the fishes, and to be in time for the market... one has to be up early and race to their destination or else the fishes are sold out in no time! The curried style of fish is known as maccher jhol and relished almost daily by the bongs as they humorously call themselves! That's what the spirit of west Bengal/Calcutta is all about :-)

At my home too, we love fish curried, steamed and fried... when am frying the fish, the air fills up with a tempting aroma and my taste buds tend to develop... i cant help, but my fingers find their way around the already fried pieces to be tasted and tested before the actual meal!.. hehe.. My husband is food lover, and at our home, we have plenty of experimental specialties making their way into his stomach resulting into an ever-contented man! Like they say the way to a mans heart is through his stomach, i say "the way to a woman's heart is through her mans happiness and content"... Think about it? :-)

A recipe for your platter

Machcher Jhol

Ingredients:
Fish (of your choice)- 500 gm; (thick slices, diagonally)
Turmeric- 1 tsp
Salt- to taste
Grind Together
1 ½ cup: Onion, roughly chopped
1 tsp: Garlic, chopped
2 tsp: Ginger, chopped
2-3: Dried red pepper
½ tsp: Turmeric
1 tsp: Salt or to taste
Proceed:
½ cup: Mustard oil
1 tsp: Onion seeds
¼ tsp: Cinnamon, broken in small pieces
Coriander leaves for garnish
4 pcs: Cloves
4 pcs: Green cardamoms
1-2: Bay leaf
2-3: Green chillies, slit lengthwise
3 cup: Water

Method
1. Wash the fish and apply the ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp turmeric over all the pieces.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy based saucepan, and fry fish slices in it, first on one side, then the other, over high heat, till a golden colour.
3. Lift the fish out of the oil, and keep aside.
4. In the same oil, add the onion seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaf, stir fry 2-3 times, and add the ground paste.
5. Sauté till fat separates then add the green chillies and stir fry a few times. Add the water and bring to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes, uncovered.
6. Add the fish just before serving, bring to a boil (by which time the fish should be cooked through, otherwise simmer till done).
7. Serve hot garnished with the coriander leaves.

More of west Bengal cuisines coming up in a few posts from now, the next being the delicious mouth watering rasogullas(sweet dish) :-)

Scrumptious Spicy Mushroom recipes

What comes to your mind when you talk/think about mushrooms.. a home for Mr frog? not only do they make wonderful homes and allow us to cook them into crunchy salads and delicious spicy dishes. They also play a very important role in nature as recyclers. known to have a low fat content, rich in protein, calcium, magnesium and B vitamins such as niacin and folic acid. They are also known to contain nutrients that support and boost our immune system. So now you know what should be cooking in your pot!?

These stuffed mushrooms are low carb and delicious.

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds medium mushrooms
6 tablespoons butter
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 Tablespoons chopped green onion
PREPARATION:
Remove stems from mushrooms; chop enough stems to equal 1/2 cup. Cook 1 pound of the mushroom caps in 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat for 5 minutes; drain off fat. Repeat with remaining 1 pound of mushroom caps and 3 tablespoons butter.
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and blue cheese, mixing until well blended. Stir in chopped stems and green onions; fill mushroom caps. Place on cookie sheet and broil until tops are golden brown. Makes about 40 stuffed mushrooms.
Grams per serving (2 mushrooms) carbs 2, dietary fiber 1
Calories per serving 91
Fat grams total 8

Serve this mushroom salad recipe on mixed salad greens.

INGREDIENTS:
16 ounces fresh mushrooms, trimmed, washed, and thinly sliced
1/3 cup lemon juice, about 2 to 3 lemons
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dried leaf tarragon
1/2 cup bottled Italian salad dressing
2 ounce jar diced pimiento, drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
fresh mixed salad greens
PREPARATION:
Place sliced mushrooms in a large bowl; toss with lemon juice, chives, parsley, and tarragon. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in another bowl, combine Italian dressing, pimiento, salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard; whisk together.
Salad Recipe
Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
To serve, toss mushrooms with the salad dressing mixture; arrange on mixed salad greens on a serving platter or individual salad plates.
Mushroom salad serves 6.

Serve pickled mushrooms with meals or as an appetizer

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound small fresh mushrooms
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups dry white wine
2 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
PREPARATION:
Wash mushrooms well; trim and set aside. Combine all remaining ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Add mushrooms; bring to a boil. Boil for 8 to 10 minutes, or until mushrooms are just tender. Chill mushrooms in liquid for at least 2 hours. Drain before serving.
Serves 4 to 6.

Indian recipes

Chilli Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS:
Button mushrooms - 400 gms
Capsicums * - 200 gms
Onions - 2 medium sauce
Ginger - 2 cm
Garlic - 6 flakes
Oil - 4 Tbsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Dark Soya sauce - 2 tsp
Vinegar - 2 tsp
Corn flour - 1 Tbsp
Water - 1 cup
Salt to taste
PREPARATION:
Cut mushrooms into halves.
Drain and keep aside. Grind onion, ginger and garlic to a paste.
Cut capsicums into halves, remove the seeds and cut into thin strips.
Heat 4 Tbsp of oil. Fry the ground paste.
Add chilli powder and ¼ cup water. Simmer till almost dry.
Add capsicums and mush roooms. Add salt.
Cover and cook on low flame till vegetables are tender crisp.
Add soya sauce, vinegar. Mix corn flour with water and add.
Bring to a boil, simmer for 1 minute. Serve hot with noodles or fried rice.
*Use A combination of green and red capsicums to enhance the flavour and colour. Serves 4

Mushroom Pulao

INGREDIENTS:
2 cup Basmati rice
4 cup water for cooking
3 tbsp ghee
1 large onion, sliced
2 tbsp cashewnuts (kaju) halved
2 tbsp raisins (kishmish)
1 tbsp almonds (badam) slivered
1 inch piece of cinnamon (dalchini)
4 cloves (laung)
4 green cardomoms (hari ilaichi)
1/2 tsp shahjeera
2 cup button mushrooms, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
PREPARATION:
First, wash and soak rice for ten minutes, drain and keep aside.
Heat ghee in a deep pan, add shahjeera and let it splutter
Add the whole spices like cinnamon, cardamoms and clove and let them splutter.
Now add the sliced onions and fry till they are golden in color.
To this add the mushrooms and fry till they lose their water and look a little crispy.
You can now add all the dry fruits and roast them a little.
Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well
Now put in the rice, mix well and add water.
Cover the pan tightly and cook till rice is done.
Garnish with fresh coriander, and sliced fried onions and serve immediately.

Pasta Recipes – The Very Best in Italian Cuisine!

These pasta recipes are excellent for dinners or parties.

In this article, I’m going to share with you three delicious pasta recipes that you can prepare for any occasion that suits you. The recipes are very easy and can be prepare in less than 30 minutes.

So, here we go…

Lemon Tuna Pasta

4 tsp Butter
18 Black olives, pitted & sliced
1 tsp Oil; olive
2 can Tuna; chunk, drained
4 large Garlic cloves, chopped
Pasta; penne, cooked and drained
1/8 cup Lemon juice
4 tsp Butter (add at end)
3 tsp Capers, drained


Melt butter with oil in skillet. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add lemon juice, capers and olives and cook another 2 minutes. Turn heat to lowest setting. Add tuna & separate it (do NOT flake) with a fork. Heat through, stirring gently. Drain pasta. Add remainder of butter and sauce to hot pasta, tossing well.


Tomato Soup with Pasta

3 tbsp Olive oil
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1 small Onion, chopped
1 tsp Basil
1 lb Tomatoes, chopped
3 pt Stock
1 Carrot, sliced
1 cup Small pasta / broken vermicelli
1 Celery stick, sliced
1 tbsp Chopped parsley
1 tsp Salt


Heat oil in soup pot & gently fry the onion for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, carrot & celery. Mix well with the oil. Sprinkle in the seasonings & stir together. Fry for 3 minutes. Add stock & bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes then add pasta. When pasta is tender, serve, garnished with parsley.

Both Pasta Recipes yield 4 servings



If you are concerned about your health and think that the above pasta recipes are too rich in calories, here is one recipe that I’m sure you’ll love…

Broccoli-Pasta Toss

2 cups Broccoli flowerets
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
4 oz Fettuccine, broken up
1 tsp Sesame seed, toasted
1 tbsp Oil, cooking
1/8 tsp Garlic powder


In a large saucepan cook broccoli and pasta in a large amount of boiling water for 6 -8 minutes or just until tender, stirring once or twice. Drain. Add oil to pasta mixture and toss. Add cheese, sesame seeds, garlic, and pepper to taste. Toss gently to coat. Serve immediately. 4 servings.

PER SERVING: 168 cal., 6g Pro., 24g carbo., 5g fat, 3mg chol., 72mg sodium.

chinese chilli chicken

The Chinese way of cooking this dish is a bit different to the way we Indians cook it.. ive seen some people add curry leaves and mustard seeds or even haldi and chilli powder, but that doesn't make it a Chinese dish... i guess we Indians love to spice up our dishes alot... no prbs below is a Chinese chilli chicken recipe and love it this way:)

Ingredients

500 -600 gms Boneless Chicken
2 tbsp Soya Sauce
1 Egg
2 tbsp Corn Flour/Corn Starch
5-6 Chopped Green Chilies
2 Green Onion Chopped
1 tsp Garlic Paste
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp White Pepper Powder
1 tsp Sugar
A pinch of ajinomoto
2 cups chicken Broth/ Water
1 tbsp Oil
Oil to fry

Preparation:
Cut the boneless chicken pieces into1 " cubes.
Take 1tbsp. Soya sauce, 1tbsp. corn flour, salt, egg in a bowl and marinate chicken pieces in the the mixture for about 10-15 minutes.
Heat oil and deep fry the marinated chicken pieces till golden brown.
Now in a separate wok / kadhai heat 1 tbsp. oil and add garlic paste and green chilies and sauté for few seconds.
Add 2 cups of chicken broth or water. Bring to boil and add sugar, pepper powder, salt , ajinomoto and remaining Soya sauce.
Add fried chicken pieces to it and cook for few minutes.
Dissolve the remaining corn flour in 1/2 cup water and add to the curry stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Serve chinese chili chicken hot garnished with chopped green onion tops.

indian sweet dishes

This creamy rice pudding is delicately flavored with cardamom and full of dried fruits.

KHEER

Ingredients
2 litres full-cream milk
1 can (400 gms) sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 cup sugar
1 cup Basmati rice
50 gms almonds blanched and slivered
50 gms raisins
A few strands of saffron
Rose petals to garnish (optional)


Method
Wash the rice well and soak for half an hour in enough water to cover it fully.
Put the milk, condensed milk and sugar in a deep, thick-bottomed pan and boil. When the milk comes to a boil, add the rice and simmer.

Cook till the milk thickens and reduces to half its original volume.
Add the almonds, raisins and cardamom and cook for 5 more minutes.
Turn off the fire and add the saffron. Stir well.
Allow the kheer to cool, then chill.
Serve cold garnished with rose petals.

Soft, spongy balls of cottage cheese soaked in chilled sugar syrup... where else but my city, calcutta, is famous for this delight!

RASGULLA

IngredientsCottage Cheese 1 kg
Sugar 1 liter
Water 1.5 liter
Ghee 4 tbsp
Semolina 2 tsp
Standard flour 2 tsp
Rose Water few drops
Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp


Method:

Sugar Syrup
In a pan add the water and the sugar and boil them together for 20 to 30 minutes and let them thicken.

Rusgulla Balls
In a big bowl add the cottage cheese, ghee, semolina, cardamom powder, and standard flour.
Add all the mixteures together until it forms a dough.
Knead the dough evenly until and unless your palms become oily.
Now make small balls of 1 1/2 inch diameter.
Add these balls in the boiling sugar syrup and let them get cooked in the boiling sugar syrup for 25 minutes.
This will make them spongy.
Remove the pan from heat and after 10 minutes add the rose water essence.


This sweet is a hot favourite on any special occasion be it a birthday, wedding or festival.

JELEBI

Ingredients
plain flour 200 gms (maida)
gram flour 20 gms (besan)
sugar 200 gms
few drops yellow colour
Milk 2 tbsp
ghee to deep fry
a plastic easy squeeze bottle


Method:
Sieve 100 gms maida and besan together.
Make a batter using warn water.
Keep aside for 24 hours.
Add remaining maida and food colour and more warm water if required.
The batter should fall easily when poured Keep aside.(Not too thick not too thin)
Make syrup of the sugar by adding water and boiling.
Add the milk and all the scum to form while boiling.
Make one string syrup. Strain.
Fill bottle with batter.
Heat ghee well in a shallow frying pan and form jalebis in the form of concentric circles about 2 inches on the outside.
Fry till crisp, drop into hot syrup.
Drain with a perforated spoon, serve hot.

Tips The nozzle of the easy squeeze bottle should have a hole the thickness of a knitting needle.


GAJAR KA HALWA

Ingredients
carrots 6 (grated finely)
milk 3 cups
sugar 1 cup
mawa 1/2 cup (powdered milk)
khoya 3 tsp (ricotta cheese)
almonds 1/8 cup (chopped)
cardamoms 5 (skinned and crushed fine)
pistachios 2-3 (powdered)
ghee 1/4 cup (clarified butter)
raisins 1 tsp


Method:
Cook the carrots in the milk in an open pan on a low flame with constant stirring.
When the carrots are done, take them out and drain any excess milk.
Add the milk powder(mava), the ricotta cheese and the sugar to the carrots.
Heat the ghee in a frying pan, add the carrot mixture and keep on high flame until the carrot paste loses the milky texture and becomes golden brown and the sugar is totally dissolved.
Add the raisins, cardamoms, powdered pistas and the almonds.
Heat through and serve either hot or cold with cream on the side.



SEVAI PAYASM

Ingredients
vermicelli 200 gms
ghee 1/2 cup
milk 1 1/2 liters
sugar 100 gms
cashew nuts 2-3 tsp
raisins 1 tsp
cardamom powder 1/4 spoon


Method:
Heat the ghee and fry the vermicelli until a golden brown.
Mix in the cashew nuts and the raisins.
Add milk and boil for 5 minutes.
Mix in the sugar and stir till the sugar is dissolved.
Stir in the cardamom powder and serve hot or warm.


SHRIKAND

Ingredientscurd 500 gms
sugar 200 gms (powdered)
cardamom powder 1/4 tbsp
saffron 1 Pinch
pistachios 1 tbsp (chooped)


Method:
Pour fresh curd into a clean muslin cloth and tie inside the fridge for 2-3 hours.
Take out water completely & beat with sugar till mixed.
Add saffron chopped nuts.
Serve cool.

Butter Chicken

yummy butter chkicken.. havnt had it for a while now but looking foward to it soon...

You could also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs to make this rich and delicious Indian main dish recipe.just cook it a bit longer.

INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. curry powder
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. finely chopped ginger root
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1/8 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups tomato puree
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup heavy cream or evaporated milk
PREPARATION:
In medium bowl, place chicken pieces and sprinkle with lemon juice, olive oil, and 2 tsp. curry powder. Toss to coat and set aside.

In heavy skillet, cook onion, garlic, and ginger in 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 Tbsp.

butter until fragrant. Add curry powder, pepper, salt, tomato puree, and 2 Tbsp. butter and simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in marinated chicken pieces. Bring back to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Stir in heavy cream or milk and serve over hot cooked rice (basmati, if you can!). Serves 4-6

there always isnt only one way to prepare any dish.. use your cooking skills and experiement!

Spicy Garlic Bread

I dont know how many of you, regard garlic as a spicy, must take? especially when it comes to warm garlic breads served with some Italian style sauce? no Italian meal is complete without their favorite garlic bread so enjoy it as a snack or serve as an accompaniment.i love it and it can be made at home in minutes!



INGREDIANTS
4 tablespoons melted butter
4 garlic flakes finely chopped and crushed
1 teaspoon(s) dried oregano leaves
8 French loaf slices


METHOD
Mix the garlic and oregano with the butter. Apply this on each slice of the French loaf. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200oC / 390oF for about 6 minutes or till each slice is toasted light and crisp.

TIPS:
As a variation, a choice of herbs like chives or parsley can be used.

Serve hot immediately as an accompaniment with Fettucine Florentine or with any soup of your choice.

pani puri recipe - I love it!

this is my favourite road side delight... easy to prepare at home but i prefer it out on the road, in a group, with either friends or relatives.its everywhere around the corner of India and two most famous places are mumbai and Calcutta.its not eaten to satisfy our pangs of hunger but does give satisfaction when you crave for mouth watering savoury stuffs... its spicy,tangy and stingy taste refreshes best and you wont find any alternative... trust me.when your minds craves it, you must have it! so do i find any other soul who matches my mind??

'Pani puri'also commonly called 'Gol gappas' by Indians can be bought from Indian supermarkets or chaat shops in bags ready to be filled. If pani puri masala is not available, mix 1/4 tsp chilli powderr, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp kala namak, 1 tbsp tamarind pulp & a pinch of salt.

Pani puri recipe Ingredients

250g Pani Puri or gol gappa
125g black chickpeas
100g steamed bean sprouts (lentils should just begin to sprout) - optional
125g potatoes, boiled and coarsely mashed
1 bunch of mint leaves
1/2 bunch of coriander leaves
salt to taste
1/4 tsp chilli powder
6 tbsp pani poori masala
mint chutney
tamarind chutney


Method

Grind the mint and coriander leaves into a paste.
Mix pani puri masala in 2 litres of cold water. Add mint and coriander paste and the ice cubes.

Wash chick peas and soak overnight. Next day, boil in a pan or pressure cook with water and salt, until soft. Drain and keep aside.

Add salt, chilli powder to the potatoes and mix in the chick peas and the bean sprouts, if using. Make a hole on one side in each gol gappa, and fill it with a teaspoon of the potato mixture.

Top with a little mint and tamarind chutney. To eat, dip each gol gappa into the prepared water and eat.

yummmmy shrimp wontons(chinese)

i recently relished this at birthday bash, it was catered by a Chinese group along with plenty of main and side dishes.this was served as a snack...

Ingredients
1 packet wonton wrapper


Method
Put 1/2 tbsp filling at the center of wrapper
Press the edges of wrapper, so the filling is enclosed and a small packet type is formed
Heat oil
Deep fry the wontons till golden brown
Serve hot with soy sauce
1 packet wonton wrapper
Mix together for the filling
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1/4 cup finely chopped spring onion
1/4 tsp white pepper powder
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 egg
Salt as per taste
Oil for deep frying
2 cup finely minced shrimps
1 cup minced, cooked crabmeat
1 tbsp soy sauce

Method

Put 1/2 tbsp filling at the center of wrapper
Press the edges of wrapper, so the filling is enclosed and a small packet type is formed
Heat oil
Deep fry the wontons till golden brown
Serve hot with soy sauce

Tea, me and its history...

hi and sorry for being away for a while... havent posted anything for the past two days,the reason being cought by a fever.now am back to blogging along with caring for myself and my family... alishas doing fine and so is arayan.recently both were unwell but now they're doing great.life isnt moving at full pace... seems the rains have bought a stop to life! back with some mouth watering dishes and some secrets to great cooking, my way.

do you love tea? i do and i can never begin my day without a hot cuppa tea... coffee is great for the winters though but i'l prefer tea.i do add one or two pieces of elachi and some ginger to bring out a perfect tangy taste esp after some hot spicy garam pakoras:))...

one of my own favorite recipes for spiced tea... nothing too exotic, so this is a great choice for the beginner chai maker.

INGREDIENTS:
4 tsp loose tea, usually black
1 piece of dry ginger
3 cardamom pods, crushed
3 whole cloves
1 piece of cinnamon stick
Milk and sugar to taste

PREPARATION:
Chop up ginger into fine pieces, and break up cinnamon stick. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, then add tea leaves and all the spices. Let everything brew at boiling for 30 to 45 seconds. Remove from heat, then let steep at room temperature for another minute.
Strain out the tea and pieces of spice. Serve hot and fragrant, with only a touch of milk or sugar.

what, wont you like some pakoras too?
Pakoras - Vegetable Pakora

Ingredients
2 cups of vegetables, cut into large pieces
(You can use green bell pepper, cauliflower, onions, etc)
1 cup besan(bengal gram flour)
1/4 cup water
2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
A pinch of hing(asoefetida)
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method
Made a thick batter with the water, flour, red chilli
powder, cumin, hing and salt.
Coat each vegetable piece with this batter and deep fry.
Serve with tomato ketchup.


now,if you love tea you should be knowing the history behind it??

As legend has it, one day in 2737 B.C. the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung was boiling drinking water over an open fire, believing that those who drank boiled water were healthier. Some leaves from a nearby Camellia sinensis plant floated into the pot. The emperor drank the mixture and declared it gave one "vigor of body, contentment of mind, and determination of purpose."
Perhaps as testament to the emperor's assessment, tea--the potion he unwittingly brewed that day--today is second only to water in worldwide consumption. The U.S. population is drinking its fair share of the brew; in 1994, Americans drank 2.25 billion gallons of tea in one form or another--hot, iced, spiced, flavored, with or without sugar, honey, milk, cream, or lemon.

A serving of tea generally contains about 40 milligrams of caffeine (less than half as much caffeine as in coffee), but the actual levels vary depending on the specific blend and the strength of the brew. Decaffeinated tea is also available.

Many tea drinkers find the beverage soothing, and folk medicine has long valued it as a remedy for sore throats and unsettled stomachs. Recent studies have shown that certain chemicals in tea called polyphenols may help reduce the risk of far more serious illnesses, including atherosclerosis and some cancers, although the data are not conclusive.

i know now and so do you... tea, an addiction to you??

i love chicken biryani

welcome to what i call a tantalizing dish.. my fav dish which i cannot resist having it with or without a reason to celebrate.i guess India is famous for it spices and maslas and what is more satisfying than mammas home made biryani.some of us dont even know the A's of the recipe so here i am... sharing the recipe with my readers.

this is a delicious Pakistani/Indian rice dish which is often reserved for very special occasions such as weddings, parties or holidays such as Ramadan.it has a lengthy preparation but i guess the work is definitely worth it... for biryani, always use long grain rice.basmati rice with its thin, fine grains is the ideal variety to use.ghee can be used in place of vegetable oil to yield a more authentic taste."

Ingredients

Basmati rice 500 gms.
Chicken pieces 1kg.
Garam masala powder 4 tsp.
Milk ½ cup
Whole garam masala 4 tbsp.
Butter 50 gms.
Sliced onions 1 cup
Golden fried sliced onions ¾ cup
Chopped garlic 4 tbsps.
Rose Water 2 tbsps.
Chopped ginger 4 tbsps.
Oil 5 tbsps
Red chili powder 3 tsps.
Salt To taste
Coriander powder 1 tbsp.
Saffron ½ gm.
Turmeric powder 2 tsps.
Curd (yogurt) 2 cup
Bay leaf 4 nos.
Chopped tomato ¾ cup

Preparation
1. Marinate chicken pieces .Mix salt, ½ of the red chili powder, ½ of the chopped ginger, ½ of the chopped garlic, 1 tsp. Garam Masala Powder, ½ of the turmeric powder and Curd/Yogurt. Mix well and put chicken pieces in this for an hour.

2. Wash and soak rice in water for about 30 minutes.

3. Boil water, add ½ of the Whole Garam Masala , bay leaf and salt and boil rice till ¾th done. Drain rice and keep aside.

4. Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan. Add remaining Whole Garam masala .Let it crackle. Add Sliced onions and sauté’ until light golden brown.

5. Then add remaining chopped ginger, chopped garlic, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, 1 tsp. Garam Masala powder and chopped tomatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add marinated chicken and cook till chicken is tender.

6. Dissolve saffron in warm milk and keep aside.

7. Arrange alternate layers of chicken and rice. Sprinkle saffron dissolved in milk, remaining Garam Masala powder, mint leaves, golden fried sliced onions and butter in between the layers and on top. Make sure that you end with the rice layer topped with saffron , rose water and spices.

8. Cover and seal with aluminum foil . Cook in a preheated oven, for 10-12 minutes. Alternatively cook on an indirect slow flame for 10 to 12 minutes.