CHEESY GRILLED SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

These make a very good appetizer...

Ingredients:
Shiitake mushrooms ..... 8-10
Mozarella cheese ....... 1/4 cup
Oregano ............... 1 tbsp
Olive oil ............. 1 tbsp

To make the Sauce
Tomatoes ... 1 - 2
Garlic ......... 1 tsp
Chilli sauce .. 1 tbsp
Tomato ketchup .. 1 tsp
Oregano  ... 1 tsp 
Salt ........... to taste
Olive oil .... 1 tbsp

1. Heat oil in a pan and saute the garlic.
2. Add the blanched and chopped tomatoes and simmer to cook.
3.Add the sauces and tempering. Set aside to cool.

To Grill the Mushrooms:

1. Wash the mushrooms and remove the stems. Sprinkle salt.

2. In a frying pan pour 1 tbsp olive oil and place the mushrooms for sauteing. Turn them and simmer until they get half cooked and the colour is light brown.

3. Remove from the pan and line them in a greased baking tray.

4. Spoon a little sauce and cheese on them. Sprinkle dried oregano.

5. Place them in a pre-heated oven for 4-5 minutes, until the cheese melts. If you have a grill place the tray under the grill to get a light brown crust on top.

Serve hot .

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BHARVAAN LAAL MIRCHI KA ACHAR ( STUFFED RED CHILLI PICKLE )

I recently came across this recipe in  Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey  . Being a lover of spicy food, I was tempted to make it. This is an instant recipe and can be consumed right away after making it. In India we have nice sunlight and we can prepare those pickles which are kept in the sun for maturing. But for us instant pickle is the only answer. The recipe is almost the same with a little change in the spices used.

Ingredients:
Fresh Red Chillies ...  4 ( big ones )
Turmeric powder .. 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder .. 2 tsps .. ( as per your taste )
Asafoetida / hing ..... 1/4 tsp
Anardana powder .... 1 tsp ( you can also use amchoor / mango powder )
Salt ......................... to taste
Sugar ................ 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice ..... 2 tbsps ( half a lemon )
Oil .................. 3-4 tbsps ( preferably mustard oil.. I have used olive oil )

Roast and Dry Grind Coarsely
Fennel seeds / saunf .... 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds ............... 1 tbsp
Coriander seeds .......... 1 tbsp
Cloves ......................... 4-5
Cinnamon stick .......... a small piece
Star anise ................... 1
Mustard seeds ............ 1 tsp
Methi seeds / fenugreek ... 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Wash the chillies and dry them well with a kitchen towel. Make a slit in the middle carefully. Remove the seeds.

2. Dry roast and grind the above mentioned ingredients coarsely.

3. Remove in a plate and to this add the salt, turmeric powder, hing, sugar, anardana powder or amchoor powder, red chilli powder and one tbsp of oil and one tbsp of lemon juice.

4. Now stuff the chillies well with the prepared masala.

5. In a frying pan, add the remaining oil and fry the chillies on a very low flame for 3-4 minutes, turning them a couple of times so that they are done evenly without being burnt. Squeeze out a little lime juice over them so that  the moisture helps the chillies to be cooked. The sourness also makes them last longer.

The pickle is ready to be consumed and it stays good for a week in a refrigerator. If you want to keep it longer add sufficient oil to cover the chillies and store them in a jar.

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ROASTED RED BELL PEPPER DIP / CHUTNEY / SAUCE

I had some lovely red bell peppers. I made a dip and a chutney with vagar with the roasted ones. 

.

Ingredients:
Red bell pepper .... 1
Garlic .................. 1 tbsp.
Onion .................. 2-3 tbsps.
Tomato ..............  1
Red chilli powder .... as per your taste
Salt ............. to taste
Oil ............ 4-5 tbsps.

Method:

Dip:

1. Roast the bell pepper on the gas flame using tongs or knife.
2. Let it cool and then peel off the skin and cut into pieces.
3. Blanch the tomato and peel the skin. Cut into pieces.
4. In a mixie put bell pepper, garlic, onion, blanched tomato pieces. Grind to paste.

5. In a pan heat a little oil and fry the paste adding salt and red chillies as per your taste.
If you are serving it as a dip, then add a little tomato ketchup for taste.

Chutney

To serve as chutney with South Indian snacks, you can skip the tomato ketchup add a little more chilli powder and temper with mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida and curry leaves. It goes well with dosas.

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MANGO PICKLE

This is a simple mango pickle and a very easy recipe. All the ingredients used are always there in every kitchen.. Just get some raw mangoes and the job is done ..

Ingredients:
Raw mangoes ... 2 (select small and tender ones)
Coriander seeds .. 1 tbsp.
Cumin seeds ....... 1 tbsp.
Methi seeds ....... 1 tsp.
Mustard seeds ... 1 tsp.
Dry red chillies .... 6-8
Turmeric powder ... 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder ... 1 tsp.
Salt ... 1and  1/4 tbsps.

For tempering:
Oil ............. 1/2 cup
Asafoetida .. 1/8 tsp
Mustard seeds .... 1 - 2 tsp.
Garlic ................. 8-10 cloves

Method:

1. Wash and cut the mangoes into very small pieces. Mix one tablespoon salt and leave it at least for a day. If you have sunlight you can keep it out in the sun or you can refrigerate it.

2. Dry roast and grind the red chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, methi seeds and mustard seeds.

3. Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Add one tsp. salt and check it as the mango pieces are already salted.

4. . Mix this masala well with the mango pieces.
5. Heat about half a cup of oil. Let it cool a bit and add the asafoetida, mustard seeds and the whole garlic.( you may even crush the garlic coarsely if you like)Pour it into the mango masala mix.
6. Mix the pickle well and let it cool. Store in a clean dry jar.

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PINDI CHOLE

This is a tangy and spicy preparation of Chole / Chickpeas in a Traditional Punjabi village style. .. hence the name, Pindi Chole." Pind " means a " Village " in Punjabi language. This dish is served usually with bhaturas but you can relish it with rotis, naans anything. Raw onion and green chillies are served along with a pickle.  Traditionally the chole were cooked on low flame and simmered until cooked, mostly on charcoal Sigris, but these days we use pressure cookers which make the job easy.

Ingredients:
Chana / chickpeas .....  1cup
Garlic ................ 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder .. 1/4 tsp
Anardana powder .... 2 tsps
Oil ................ 3-4 tbsps
Onion rings and  julienned ginger for garnishing.

Dry Roast and grind coarsely:
Coriander seeds .... 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds ....... 1 tsp
Caraway seeds.. 1 tsp
Black pepper corns .. 1 tsp
Cloves ................. 3-4
Cinnamon stick .... 1 small piece
Black cardamom.... 1
Star anise ............ 1

Method:
1. Soak the chana overnight.
2. In a pressure cooker boil the chana with a tea bag and a little salt until done.

3. In a pan heat oil. Add the dry ground spices and saute on low flame.

4. Put the garlic paste and stir fry. Now add the anardana powder, salt and red chiili powder.

5. Drain out water from the chana and add them to the masala.

6. Mix well and add half cup water and simmer again. The quantity of water depends on how you want your dish.. dry or with a little gravy.
Serve with Bhaturas / naans / Rumali Rotis

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Click on the name to see the recipes :

Bhaturas

Naans

Rumali Rotis

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HARE BHARE KABAB

This is a very nutritious snack made with greens, hence the name .. hare bhare kabab. Mashed potatoes are added for binding. Soaked cashew nut halves are pressed into each kabab / cutlet, which make them look so decorative and presentable. 

Ingredients:
Potatoes .... 2
Green peas .. 1/4 cup
Spinach / palak .. 1 cup
Mint leaves ....... 5-6
Coriander leaves .. handful
Kasoori methi ...... 1 tbsp. ( use fresh methi if you have )
Green chillies ....... 2-3
Cashew nuts .......... 5-6
Kummel seeds ..... 1/2 tsp (you can also use shahijeera or cumin seeds)
Bread crumbs ....... 2 tbsps
Salt .................... to taste
Oil ............... to fry

Method:

1. Slit the cashew nuts carefully into half and soak them for at least one hour. By doing this the cashews will not become brown while frying the cutlets.
2. Boil the potatoes and mash them.
3. Boil the green peas adding a little salt. Drain and set aside.
4. Blanch the greens and chillies in just enough water. ( I don't like to drain away the nutrients.) Add a tiny pinch of baking powder to keep the colour green.

5. Mash the greens, potato and green peas together. Add the bread crumbs and kummel seeds and salt.
6. Shape the kebabs / cutlets and insert a cashew piece. Press it well.

7. Deep fry the cutlets on medium flame dropping one first and then another one after some time. Don't fry them to a dark brown colour.

Serve hot with any chutney / sauce.

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