Saturday 16 May 2009

Mirchi ka Saalan

Ingredients:

8-10 large green chillies or capsicum slices
2 tbsp boiled onion paste (Skin the onions and blanch them in hot water for 3 mins, then puree them to form a paste)
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
3 whole cloves
6-8 fresh curry leaves
2 tsp tamarind paste
oil for cooking
1 tsp jaggery solution or sugar (optional)
salt - to taste

Ground Masala Paste:

2 tbsp Coconut
2 tbsp Peanuts
1/2 tsp Coriander seeds
1 tbsp Sesame seeds
a pinch of Cumin seeds
2-3 dry red Chillies

Method:

Slit and deep fry the green chillies/capsisum in hot oil. Remove and keep aside to drain on a piece of paper.
Roast and grind together the ingredients for the Masala paste and keep ready.
Add the sugar or jaggery water to the tamarind paste, mix well, and set aside.
Now Heat oil and add the mustard seeds, when crackling add the cloves and the curry leaves.
Mix the boiled onion paste and stir for 2-3 minutes.
Add the ground Masala paste and continue stirring.
Add the tamarind water paste, and mix well. Let the gravy simmer on medium-low lame, partially covered.
Add some more water as needed to get desired consistency, and keep stirring once in a while to prevent the masala from sticking to the pan.
Finally, add the salt and the fried green chillies to the hot gravy.
Adjust seasoning for taste, then let it boil on high for about a minute.
Remove and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
Serve the hot and spicy Mirchi ka Salan with some homemade Rotis or Parathas, and enjoy a kicking meal!

Friday 15 May 2009

Phirni

Ingredients

Saffron (kesar) - a few strands
Milk - 1 litre
Basmati rice, soaked - 50 grams
Sugar - 1 cup
Green cardamom powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Rose water - a few drops
Pistachios, chopped - 8-10



Method:

Bring the milk to a boil in a deep pan. Lower the heat and let it simmer till it reduces a little.

Grind the soaked rice to a coarse paste. Add a little milk to it and mix to make it a little thinner.
Add this to the reduced milk in the pan and cook, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
Add saffron and mix.
Add sugar and cook till it thickens.
Add green cardamom powder and rose water and mix.Take it off the heat.
Add pistachios and mix. Pour into individual katoris and set aside to cool.
Chill and serve.

Thursday 14 May 2009

Mushroom with Almond Gravy

Ingredients:

Almonds - 10
Buttom Mushrooms - 2 cups (chopped)
Green peas - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 medium
Tomatoes - 2 medium
Ginger/garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Corriander powder - 2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Cloves - 3
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Corrinader leaves - a hand full.
Finely chopped almonds (or sliced) - 1 tbsp

Procedure:

Soak the almonds in hot water atleast for 15 mins. Then peel off the skin and make a smooth paste with almonds.

Leave the tomatoes in boiling water for 5 mins. Cool them, peel off the skin and puree them along with ginger/garlic paste. (Don't add water)

Chop the mushrooms in either slices or 1/2 inch pieces.

Heat oil and season with Cinnamon, Cloves and cumin seeds. Then add chopped onions and fry for a few mins until they become light brown.

Now add the tomato-ginger-garlic puree and fry for 5 mins in medium heat. I usually cover and leave for 5 mins.

Add all the spice powders, mushrooms and salt and mix well. No need to add water as the mushrooms release lots of moisture. Cover in low heat for 8-10 mins. The mushrooms should have been almost cooked.

Finally add the green peas, corriander leaves and the almond paste, mix well and let it boil for 5 mins.

Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with chopped almonds.

Microwave cooking... Simplified

You can easily roast nuts like cashews and groundnuts in microwave and store them for future use. For this, spread out the nuts in the microwave safe plate (preferably plate instead of bowl) and micro high for about 2 minutes for 1/2 cup of nuts. However, just check once in between and ensure they dont get burnt. Dont consume immediately. They become crisp when cooled.

Make paneer in the microwave-- Micro high 4 cups of milk in a doubly sized microwave safe bowl for 5 minutes. Stir every 2 minutes in between. Now add 2 tbsp of curd and micro high for 1 more minute. Leave it to cool for five minutes and then drain out the water.

To blanch tomatoes, use a toothpick to make holes in the tomato and micro high it for around 30 seconds. Allow a standing time of 2 minutes and then blanch them.

To extract juice from tamarind, add some water to it and micro high for 3 minutes in a microwave safe bowl. Allow standing time of 5-10 minutes and extract the juice. Its much easier to do this way.

To get more lemon juice, micro high the lemon for around 20 seconds in a microwave safe plate.

Grilled Cheese... Meal time makeover for Kids.

By using whole-grain bread ,cheese and by doing away with the frying, you'll make this favorite sandwich nutritious. Goes great with a glass of skim milk and tomato soup. And given that this is a no-stove required recipe, kids can make it on their own!

Ingredients:
2 slices whole-wheat or whole-grain bread (at least 3 grams of fiber per slice)
2 slices of cheese

Directions:
Toast bread.
Add cheese slices to one slice of bread.
Top with other slice of bread.
Wrap sandwich in paper towel.
Microwave on HIGH for 20 seconds or until cheese is melted (do not overcook).


Add tomato slices between cheese slices before microwaving to sneak in an extra vegetable serving.