Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Vegetable Kurma

Ingredients:

1 ½ Cup Beans
2 large Carrots
2 Cups Peas
2 Potatoes
1 medium Cauliflower
2 Red peppers
1 cup Corn kernels
½ cup raisins
2 ½ inches Ginger
2-3 Green chilies
2 Cups Home made fresh yogurt
1 Can Evaporated milk
1 cup Cashew nuts
3 Tbs. Cornflower
3 Tsp. Salt
2 Sugar
2 masala cardamom
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. Cumin
¼ tsp. asafetida
1 ½ Tsp. Turmeric powder
1 ½ Paprika powder
2 tbs. Coriander powder
1 tsp. Cumin powder
1 Tsp. Cardamom powder

Masala…
1 Tbs. black pepper
3 Kashmir chilies
4 Green Cardamom
1 tsp. Cloves
1 tsp. Shahi jeera
2 Tbs. Coriander seeds
1 shell Mace
½ tsp. Anise seeds

Dry roast ingredients for masala till you get nice aroma. Grind this to powder. Soak the cashew nuts for 1 hour and grind it to paste. Grind ginger and chilies to smooth paste. Peel and chop carrots and potatoes in small cubes. Cut the red bell pepper in small cubes. Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Mix ½ can of evaporated milk with corn flower. Beat the yogurt till its smooth.

Now boil the vegetables in around 6 cups of water in batches. First put carrots and beans. Cook them till they are half cooked just tender. Drain and keep aside. In the same water boil potatoes and peas and at the end boil cauliflower. Reserve the stock. Also do not cook bell pepper.

Add ½ cup water in ginger chili paste. Now in large pot heat oil and put two-tsp. Cumin. When cumin crackles add asafetida, masala cardamom, and bay leaves. Now add the ginger chili paste. Fry for 2-3 min. and add cashew paste. Fry for another 2-3 minutes and add all the powdered masalas including the ground masala. Fry tilll you get nice aroma.

Now add the cornflour mix and yogurt. Mix well and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add the vegetable stock ,milk, bell pepper, salt, and sugar. Stir for 3-4 minutes. Now add all the vegetables. Let it cook covered till the gravy starts thickening.

Serve the kurma with naan or chapati.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 can sliced pineapple
9-10 maraschino cherries(optional)
1 cup sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup powdered white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and coat with flour. Melt 1/2 cup butter over very low heat. Remove from heat and add brown sugar evenly over pan. Pour this mixture in the prepared cake pan and arrange pineapple slices to cover bottom of skillet. Put cherries in the pineapple rings and set aside.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Separate the eggs into two bowls. Beat egg whites just until soft peaks form. Add white sugar gradually, beating well. Beat until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks and vanilla extract at high speed until very thick and yellow. Gently fold egg yolks and flour mixture into whites until blended. Spread batter evenly over pineapple.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip. Loosen the edges of the cake. Cool the cake for 5 minutes before inverting onto serving plate.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Cake

Ingredients:

3 Cup Mixed Dried fruits
1  Cup butter
2 Cup packed brown sugar
5 eggs
3 Cups flour
1/2 Cup Molasses
½ Tsp. baking soda
½ Tsp. baking powder
1/4 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp. Ground clove
1/4 Tsp. Ginger powder
1 Tsp. Vanilla extract
1 Cup cognac

Soak dried fruits in 1/2 cup cognac for 24 hours at room temperature. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Butter a big a loaf pan.
        Add ½ cup of flour to mixed dried fruits . Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground spices. Cream the butter and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until fluffy. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl. Add the flour to sugar, butter mix in three parts in between add whisked eggs, molasses and 1/2 cup cognac. Fold the dried fruits into this batter gently. Pour it into the pan. Bake for about 1 hr 20 minutes. Let it seat in oven for 10 min after the oven is shut off. Then cool it on a rack. After an hour or so when its completely cooled down, sprinkle 1-2 Tbsp. cognac on it.You can serve immediately or store it in an airtight container for up to a week.

Note: For dried fruits you can use dried cranberries, candied citrus peel, candied cherries, dried currants, Optionally add chopped walnuts, sliced almonds. You mix and match according to your choice.




Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Vangi Batata Rassa

Ingredients:


2 Tbsp. Fresh coconut
3 pods of garlic
¼ Tsp. Peppercorn
1 Dried red chili
1 Tsp. Sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. Coriander seeds
6 small eggplants
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 medium potatoes
1 Tsp. mustard seeds
½ Tsp. Cumin
Pinch of asafetida
1⁄2 tsp. Turmeric
½ Tsp. red chili powder
1½ Tsp. goda masala
2 Tbsp. Jaggery
1 Tsp. Salt
¼ Tsp. Tamarind concentrate
3 Cups of water
2 Tbsp. Oil
3 Tbsp. Chopped Cilantro
 
Dry roast first 6 ingredients till you get the aroma and the coconut is pale golden. Grind it to smooth paste. Cut the eggplants and potatoes into medium size cubes.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Recipe for Mutton Biryani



Ingredients:

2 lb goat meat
Marinade:
3" Ginger
7-8 pods Garlic
3 Tbsp. Yogurt
2 Tsp. Salt
1 green chili
Handful of Mint leaves
1 Tbsp. Garam masala
3 Tsp. Coriander powder
1 Tsp. Cumin powder
1 Tsp. Chili powder
1 Tsp. Turmeric powder
Masala (Gravy):
4 Tbsp. Olive oil
4 Tbsp. Ghee
2 Brown Cardamom
2" Cinnamon
3-4 Bay leaves
4 medium size onions
3 small tomatoes
4-5 dried apricots
1 dried plum (alubukhara)
Rice:
2 Cups basmati rice
6-7 Cloves
3" Cinnamon
3-4 Green cardamom
1 Tsp. Salt
4-5 Tbsp. Oil
3½ Cups warm water
1 Tsp. Salt
½ Tsp. Sugar
Garnishing:
1½ Cup fried onions
½ Cups fried almonds, raisins
A pinch of saffron
2 Tbsp. Ghee
2 Cups potato fries
Extra:
1 tsp. Garam Masala
1 Cup chopped coriander leaves

Gently wash rice in cool water for 5-6 times or till the water is almost clear not cloudy. Soak the rice in cold water for at least 30 minutes. Drain the rice. Grind first 6 ingredients for the marinade to a smooth paste. Marinade the mutton with this paste and remaining marinade ingredients for at least 2 hours. Chop the onions finely. Also chop the tomatoes to small pieces. In a heavy bottom deep pan heat 4 tablespoon of olive oil and 4 tablespoon of ghee. Lightly fry brown cardamom, bay leaves, and cinnamon. Add onions to it and fry them till golden brown. Add tomatoes and fry till the oil starts to bubble on top. Now add the marinated mutton, apricots, and plum. Fry for 5 minutes on high flame. Now add 3 cups of water and mix very well. Cover and simmer till the mutton is cooked. Now remove the lid and cook till the gravy thickens a little bit. While the mutton is cooking, heat 4-5 tbsp. oil in a medium size pot add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, stir and add the drained rice fry well till the rice looks opaque. Add 3 ½ cups of warm water, 1 tsp. Salt, and ½ tsp. Sugar. Cook on high heat till the water boils. Now keep the heat minimum and cook covered till rice is almost done. Preheat the oven to 300 F. When the mutton is cooked transfer it in a big casserole dish sprinkle 1 cup chopped coriander, 1 tsp. garam masala on it. Cover it with layer of rice. Pour 2 tbsp. ghee all over rice. Crush the saffron and add 2 tablespoon of warm milk to it mix well and sprinkle over rice. Garnish the rice with fried onions, fried potato fries, fried raisins and nuts. Cover the casserole with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
Serve with onion-tomato raita.

Recipe for Tomato-Onion raita (Tomato Onion Salad)



Ingredients:

1 large tomato
1 medium size cucumber
1 medium size onion
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Sugar
1 Tsp. Cumin powder
3 Cups plain yogurt
2 Tbsp. Chopped coriander
2 Tbsp. Chopped mint
1 Tsp. Chopped green chili


Dice tomato, cucumber, and onions to small cubes and toss together in a large bowl. Mix yogurt, salt, sugar, cumin, coriander, mint, and green chili very well. Pour over the diced veggies. Serve with biryani and other pulaos.
 
 
 
 

Monday, March 14, 2011

Recipe for Chicken Marsala


6 Skinless, boneless chicken breast halves -
pounded
½ Cup all-purpose flour
1½ Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Crushed black pepper
½ Tsp. Dried oregano
5 Tbsp. Butter
5 Tbsp. Olive oil
2 Cups sliced mushrooms
1 Cup Chicken stock
½ Cup Marsala wine
¼ Cup Harveys sherry
¼ Cup half and half ( or cream )

Mix together the flour, salt, pepper and oregano in a dish.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Recipe for Kesar Pista Biscuits


Ingredients:


1¾ Cups Flour
  ¾ Cup Butter
            (softened)
1 Cup confectioner’s
           sugar
1 Cup chopped
          Pistachios
2 pinches Saffron



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Recipe for Quick and Easy Dhokla



Ingredients:

For batter:
1 Cup besan
¾ Cup water
4 Tsp. Oil
4 Tsp. Sugar
1 Tsp. Salt
3 Tbsp. Yogurt
1 Tbsp. Lemon juice
2 Tsp. Ginger chili paste
1 Tsp. Eno fruit salt

For tempering:
1 Tsp. mustard
1 Tsp. sesame seeds
pinch of asafetida

Apply oil all around inside of a high rim pan which will fit in your pressure cooker and keep it aside.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Recipe for Bhel


Ingredients:

3 Cups dry bhelmix
1½ Cups puffed rice (Kurmure)
3 medium size potatoes boiled
1 small green chili
½ cup chopped coriander
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 tsp. Garlic chili paste
¼ cup water
2 tbsp. Sugar
1 tbsp. Lemon juice.
 
Chop the potatoes into small cubes.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Recipe for Matki Usal


Ingredients:

2 Cups Sprouted Matki
1 Tsp. Mustard seeds
½ Tsp. Cumin
a pinch of Asafetida
½ Tsp. Turmeric powder
1 Tsp. Chili Powder
1 Tsp. SKP masala
1½ Tsp. Goda masala
3 Tbsp. Fresh coconut
1 Tbsp. Lemon juice
2 green chilies
1 Tsp. Salt

Heat oil and temper with mustard seeds, cumin, and green chilies.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Recipe for Chavali Usal (Black Eyed Beans)



Ingredients:

2 Cups Chavali (Blackeyed Beans)
soaked overnight
1½ Cups Medium Onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. Garlic finely chopped
½ tsp. Turmeric powder
½ tsp. Chili powder
1 tsp. SKP Masala
1½ tsp. Goda Masala
1½ tbsp. Jaggery
3 tbsp Fresh grated coconut
1 tsp. Salt
2 cups Water
A pinch of Asafetida

Heat oil in a saucepan. Temper with garlic and asafetida.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Recipe for Ananas Aamti (Pineapple Curry)

Ingredients:

½ medium size pineapple
1 medium size onion
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp chanyache pith
1½ tsp sugar
½ tsp tumeric powder
2 medium green chili
2 tbsp fresh coconut
1 cup thick coconut milk
1 ½ cup thin coconut milk
2 tbsp splited cashewnuts
2 tbsp ghee

Grind fresh coconut, 1tsp cumin, 1 chili together to fine paste and keep aside.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Recipe for Nital (Tamrind Curry)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. Tamarind concentrate
½ mediumsize Onion
1 Green chili
¼ cup chopped Corrinder chopped
¼ tsp. Turmeric powder
2 tbsp. Oil
¼ cup Jaggery
¼ tsp Salt
1½ cup water

Mix all the above ingredients with hand and add water to it.

Recipe for Kuval (Coconut Curry)

Ingredients:

2 cups coconut milk
1 tbsp. Tamarind pulp
½ medium size onion
1 green chili chopped
¼ c chopped cilantro
¼ c jaggery
½ tsp. salt
Crush all the ingredients with hand.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Recipe for Rasgulla





Ingredients:


4 cups milk
5 tbsp. Lemon juice
4½ cup water
1½ cup sugar
1 tbsp. all purpose flour


Boil milk in a heavy bottom pot. Add 3 tbsp. water to lemon juice. Line up a muslin cloth to a colander and keep it ready in the sink. When the milk starts to boil put lemon juice in it and stir. Boil till you see milk solid (chenna) and water separating. Strain it through a muslin cloth and wash the milk solid in cold water properly. Now squeeze the water from the chenna and keep some heavy pot on it while still wrapped in the cloth and in the colander so that all the water squeezes out properly.
Meanwhile in a pressure cooker bring sugar and water to boil. When most of the water has drained, remove the chenna and knead and make it smooth, dust a little bit of flour and make a smooth dough. Divide the dough into twelve equal parts. Roll into balls and put into boiling sugar water. Cover the pressure cooker lid. Take three whistles. Shut off the heat. Let the pressure cooker cool down. Open it and transfer the rasgullas into a bowl. When they are cool refrigerate them. Serve cold.

Recipe for Kolambi Bhat (shrimp Rice)

 Ingredients:

For marinade:
1 green chili
4 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp. Chopped fresh cilantro
16-18 medium size shrimps
1 cup basmati rice
1 medium size onion thinly sliced
3 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. Turmeric powder
1 tsp. Skp masala (optional)
1 tsp. Red chili powder
1 tsp. Dhane powder (cilantro powder)
½ tsp. Garam masala
1½ tsp. Salt
2 cups hot water

For tempering:
1 inch Cinnamon stick
1 black cardamom
3 cloves
2 bay leaves

For garnishing:
2 tbsp. Cilantro
2 tbsp. Grated fresh coconut

Wash the rice 3-4 times. Drain and spread it on a cloth to drain properly. Grind the marinade ingredients to a smooth paste. Apply the Marinade, ½ tsp. Tumeric powder, ½ tsp. Chili powder, ½ tsp. SKP masala, ½ tsp. salt to shrimps.
Heat the oil and add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves. Saute for a minute. Add onions to it. Saute the onions till they are soft. Add the washed and drained rice. Saute the rice till the grain looks white and opaque say for 5-7 minutes. Add marinated shrimps and saute for another 7-10 minutes or till the shrimps change color and curl up. Add remaining turmeric powder, SKP masala, chili powder, dhane powder, garam masala and salt to it. Mix everything very well and add hot water. Cover and let it cook on low heat till rice is cooked.
Garnish with chopped corriander and fresh coconut.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Recipe for Kairi Panha (Mango Drink)




Ingredients:

2 raw mangoes
1½  cups sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
a pinch of saffron strands.










Remove the stems from the mangoes. Boil them in pressure cooker. Take three whistles. When it cools down, remove its skin and seed. Blend the pulp with sugar and cardamom powder in a blender. Pour it in a glass jug and add crushed saffron to it and mix well. Refrigerate. When you want to serve, fill half the glass with the mixture and top it up with chilled water.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Recipe for Mango Murramba (Mango Murrabba)


Ingredients:

3 cups Firm Alphanso
   Mango peeled and cubed
3 cups sugar
1½ cup water
6-7 Cloves
7-8 Pods of Cardamom
Pinch of saffron strands








Heat water, sugar, cardamom, cloves and saffron in a pan. When the sugar dissolves add the mango pieces and cook uncovered until the syrup has two string consistency. Remove from the heat, cool completely and bottle it in a sterilized glass jar. Store refrigerated for up to 1 year.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Recipe for Jilebi ( Jalebi)


Ingredients:

Batter:
1 cup Maida
2½ tbsp. Cornstarch
1 tsp. Yeast
1 tsp. sugar
2½ tbsp. Yogurt
2 tbsp. Oil

Syrup:
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
5-6 strands of saffron (crushed)
1 tbsp. Lemon juice
Ghee for frying

For batter:
In a bowl dissolve 1 tsp. sugar with lukewarm water and add yeast to it. Dissolve the yeast in it and let it sit for about five minutes. Mix the flour, cornflour, and turmeric powder together. Add yogurt, oil, yeast and lukewarm water to make a smooth paste like batter. Cover it and let it rest in a warm place for one hour. If the batter looks bubbly that means it is fermented and ready to use.
For Syrup:
In a saucepan, boil sugar and water together. Add saffron to it. When it starts boiling add lemon juice stir well and turn the heat off.Now heat the ghee in a frying pan. When the ghee is hot enough (check this by putting a drop of batter in it, if the drop sizzles and come up immediately.) Fill the batter in an empty ketchup bottle.Now squeeze the jilebi batter in hot ghee in a circular coil shape. Fry until light gold in color and feel hard when you touch it with a fork. Remove from ghee and immediately soak in the warm syrup for 15 to 20 seconds, then remove. Serve hot.