Tuesday, August 28, 2012

DHOKLA CAKE


Wow ,,, Look at this yummy Dhokla cake !
This was a treat from my friend Manju, She made this for me because I don't relish sweets and desserts. How innovative isn't it ?

Ingredients:
Rice ................... 2 cups
Urad dal .......... 1/2 cup
Chana dal ....... 1/2 cup
Ginger ............... 1 inch piece
Green chillies ... 3-4
Asafoetida ........ 2 pinches
Baking soda ...... a pinch
Salt to taste

Method:


1. Soak rice and dals for 10-12 hrs.
2. Grind them with ginger, green chillies, salt adding very little water.
. Mix asafoetida and let it ferment well.
4. Add in the baking soda mixed with oil
5. Grease a tin with ghee and pour the batter in it.
6. Steam it in a double boiler for 15-20 minutes.
(Garnish with mint chutney and cashew nuts) 
.

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Tuesday, August 21, 2012

CRISPY PALAK PAKORAS / FRITTERS



Any kind of pakoras are relished and liked by anyone and everyone. Who can ever resist them. Some crispy and crunchy spinach pakoras with a cup of masala chai is BLISS !

Ingredients:
Tender Spinach Leaves - 3 cups
Gram Flour (Besan) - 1 tbsp
Rice Flour - 1 & half tbsp
Salt to taste
Baking Soda - 2 pinches
Water .. as needed
Oil  ... for frying.

Method:
1. Mix besan, rice flour, salt, soda in a little water, to make a very thick paste.
2. Add the washed spinach leaves into the paste and rub the paste onto the leaves.
3. Heat oil to medium heat, and sprinkle the coated spinach leaves into the oil, separating the leaves as you put them into oil.
4 .Fry until they are crisp turning them occasionally.

Serve hot as a snack.

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HANDVO



This is a very healthy and nutritious snack. I have baked it in the oven but you can even make it in a thick bottomed pan like a Pan Pizza and cut it into pieces.
These days ready to make Handvo Mix is available at the Indian grocery stores.

Ingredients:
Rice ............. 1 cup
Chana dal ..... 1/4 cup
Toor dal ........ 1/4 cup
Urad dal ....... 1/4 cup
Ginger ........... 1 tbsp (grated)
Garlic ........... 1 tsp. (crushed)
Green Chillies .. 3-4 (crushed)
Cabbage .......... 1 cup (grated)
Normally we use bottle gourd but I like to use different vegetables for a change. Sometimes I use grated carrots or mixed grated veggies.
Ajwain/carom seeds... 1 tsp
Sugar ..................... 1 tbsp.
Salt ....................... to taste
Turmeric powder .... 1/4 tsp.
Eno fruit salt ........... 1 tsp.
Yogurt .................... 1 cup
Sesame/ til seeds .... 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds ........ 1 tbsp.
Hing................ 2 pinches
Red chilli powder ..... 1/4 tsp
Oil .................. 3-4 tbsp.
Dessicated coconut .... 1 tbsp (to garnish)
Coriander leaves ........( to garnish)

Method:
1. Wash and soak all the dals for at least 6-7 hours or overnight.
2. Grind them coarsely using the yogurt and leave the batter to ferment for 2-3 hours.( The consistency should be like idli batter)
(you may use it immediately adding a little more quantity of eno)
3. Mix in the crushed chillies, garlic, ginger, turmeric powder, salt, sugar, ajwain seeds, 1 tbsp.oil and cabbage/ doodhi/any grated vegetable.
4. Just before you are ready for baking, add the eno and mix well.

5. Grease a dish or tray for baking and pour the batter into it little below the brim.
6. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes. Alternately you can also do it in a deep, thick bottomed griddle (with cover)on a low flame. This may take less time.

7. Remove from the oven and let it cool. Meanwhile heat one tablespoon oil and add the asafoetida, mustard seeds and slightly crushed sesame seeds. When the seeds splutter, switch off the gas and add the red chilli powder.( this gives a nice colour). Spread the tempering with a spoon on the prepared handvo.
8. Cut into pieces and garnish with dessicated coconut and coriander leaves. Serve with mint chutney.
    

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BEANS PORIYAL ( South Indian)



This dry preparation of beans is a perfect accompaniment with dal rice, curd rice

Ingredients:
Beans........ 200gms (chopped very finely)
Turmeric powder ....1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder ....1/4 tsp
Oil ........................... 1 tbsp
Salt ...to taste
Grated coconut ...... 2-3 tbsp
Roasted gram powder... 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds............ 1 tbsp
Dry red chillies ........... 2-3 (broken)
Curry leaves ............... 1 sprig
Lemon juice ................ 1tbsp

Method:


1. Boil the beans adding salt and strain.( To retain the green colour just add a small pinch of baking soda while boiling)
2. Heat oil and crackle mustard seeds, asafoetida, dry red chillies, curry leaves.
3. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt, boiled beans and saute.
4. Add lemon juice and mix.
5. At the end, add grated coconut, roasted bengal gram powder. Mix well.
( for variation you can make the same dish with carrots or cabbage.You can also mix the three vegetables)
This is generally served as a side dish along with rice, sambar, rasam, curd rice.



Monday, August 20, 2012

BAGHARE BAIGAN


Baghare Baigan is a spicy dish from Hyderabadi Cuisine. Baby brinjals are simmered in a paste made with peanuts and lots of spices. This curry is tangy in taste. This is also another popular accompaniment served with biriyanis.

Ingredients:
Small brinjals ...........1/2 kilo
Onion ........... 1
Poppy seeds .........1tbsp.
Sesame seeds ...... 1tbsp.
Dessicated coconut .. 1 tbsp.
Dry red chillies ... 2-3
Cumin seeds ....... 1tsp.
Coriander seeds.... 1tsp.
Cloves ...................3-4
Cardamoms ..........3-4
Peanuts ................. handful
Yogurt ...................1/2 cup
Turmeric powder ...1/2 tsp.
Salt ...to taste
Tamarind juice .....1-2 tbsp.
Tomato ketchup .... 1tbsp.
Oil

For tempering:
Mustard seeds .....1 tbsp.
Asafoetida ....a pinch
Curry leaves .... a sprig
Dry red chillies ....... 2

Method:
1. Give a slit to the brinjals and put them in water to which a tbsp. of salt is added.
2. Deep fry the brinjals.
3. Fry the onion to golden brown colour, cook for a few minutes adding a little water. Blend it.
4. Dry roast the poppy seeds, sesame seeds, coconut, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, red chillies, peanuts,cloves and cardamoms. Grind them to a paste adding little water.
5. In a pan put oil and add the tempering. Then add the onion paste, salt and turmeric powder.
6. Mix the ground masala paste with yogurt and add it to the onion paste. Also mix in the tamarind juice and tomato ketchup. Add half cup water to make gravy.
7. Now put the fried brinjals into the masala and simmer for a few minutes.
 

Recipe Video

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HOT AND SOUR SOUP



This is one of the most popular soups in the Chinese Cuisine. It is hot and spicy and suitable to our Indian taste buds.

Ingredients:
Chicken ........ 2-3 pieces
Mushrooms.... 3-4 (thinly sliced)
Spring onion ... 1 sprig (choppped finely)
Carrot ............ 1/2 (chopped finely)
Ginger .......... i inch piece..(grated)
Tofu ............ about two tbsps. (cut into small pieces)
Eggs ............. 2
Soya sauce ...... 2-3 tbsps.
Vinegar .......... 1-2 tbsps. (according to your taste)
Ajinomotto ...... a pinch (optional)
Black pepper .... 1/2 tsp (powdered)
Salt .......... to taste
Corn flour ...... 1 tbsp.

Method:
1. Boil the chicken pieces adding salt. Store the chicken stock and shred the chicken.
2. Boil the stock and keep adding the vegetables one by one.
3. Add also the chicken and tofu pieces and salt.
4. Break the eggs and pour them slowly into the soup, stirring continuously to bring a string like consistency.
5. Now add the cornflour diluted in water to thicken the soup.
6. Finally add the soya sauce, vinegar, ajinomotto and black pepper.
Serve immediately.

Check out the video




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Friday, August 17, 2012

EGG DOSA



Ever tried egg dosa for a change. Tastes so delicious

DOSA BATTER

See recipe - HERE



Egg Masala:
Egg .... 1
Onion ... 1 tbsp. finely chopped
Green chilli ... 1 chopped finely
Coriander leaves ... 1 tbsp. chopped finely
Salt ...................... to taste
Oil or ghee ... to roast


Method:
1. Mix the egg masala ingredients together.

2. Heat a griddle and spread the dosa batter on it. Apply a little ghee/oil.

3. Spread the egg masala over it and apply ghee/oil.

4. Turn the dosa to cook the other side.(the egg side)
5. You may sprinkle a little podi over it if you like it spicy.

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DUM KA MURGH



This is another delicacy from Hyderabad. The actual process is really tedious and time consuming where we leave the chicken to cook in a pan. The lid is sealed with dough and the chicken is cooked on a very low flame for few hours...hence the name...DUM KA MURGH. This requires more ghee to avoid burning and it becomes very rich and heavy. So I have simplified it here by roasting the chicken in the oven first and then adding to the prepared masala.

Ingredients:
Chicken ... 1 whole (1 kg weight)
Eggs ........ 4 (hard boiled)
Garlic ...... 2 pods
Green chillies .. 6
Onions .......... 3-4 sliced
Ginger ..... 2" piece
Raisins ..... 2 tbsp.
Cashewnuts.... handful
Charoli ........... handful
Cloves ............ 5
Cinnamon ..... two 1" pieces
Dry coconut ..... 3/4 cup (roasted)
Poppy seeds ...... 2 tbsps. (roasted)
Yogurt .............. 1 cup
Coriander powder .... 1 tsp
Cumin powder .......... 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder ...... 1/4 tsp.
Ghee ................. 1 cup
Salt .................. to taste.
Chopped nuts ..... to garnish

Method:
1.Clean the whole chicken and marinate it with 1 tbsp garlic paste, 2 tbsp. yogurt and salt.

2. Heat the ghee and fry all the ingredients one by one including the boiled eggs.( except the poppy seeds and dry coconut. Dry roast them.)

3. Fry the whole chicken turning the sides carefully to give it a brownish colour.Cook the chicken in a pre-heated oven for 20 minutes.

4. Now grind the dry masalas and the wet ones seperately.
5. In a pan take the left over ghee and saute the wet masala first for 5-7 minutes.Add the chilli, coriander,cumin, turmeric powders and salt.Now add the second masala and saute further for a few minutes.
6. At this stage tip in the roasted chicken. Using a spoon push a little masala inside the chicken.
7. Add the eggs. Simmer for 4-5 minutes on a low flame.
Garnish with chopped nuts.
Serve with nans or rotis:

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