Paneer tikka....

 Ingredients

Paneer-1 packet

Bell pepper(red,yellow,green)-1 each

Onion- 1 (medium sized)

Ginger-Garlic paste-tsp

Curd-1.5 cup

Kashmiri chilli powder-1 tsp

Paneer tikka masala-1 tbsp(else cumin seed powder,coriander powder,turmeric powder-1tsp)

Amchur powder(dry mango powder-1 tsp)

Lemon-1 

Salt-to taste

Oil-to brush

How to proceed

• Cut all the veggies into 1 inch square pieces;make panneer also into thick 1 inch piece.

• Mix all the spices and salt to the curd and mix well,you will get an orange colour and make in batter consistency.

• Add paneer,bellpeppers,onions to the above mixture and squeeze lime to it and marinate nicely.

• Keep in the refrigerator for more than an hour(1-2 hrs)preferably.

• You can see a thick coated curd mixture in paneer and veggies.

• Slowly add to your skewer and keep in your oven in grill,till it becomes golden brown.

• Brush oil to the veggies;watch carefully not to burn it.

• I used crisp mode in my microwave for 15-20 min ,slowly turning in between.i didnt have a skewer so directly put in my crisp plate.

         Yummy tikka is ready to eat:)

Mushroom Biriyani

Biriyani is my all time favourite and I have never tried at home,being the only person who eats at my home.I am always very eager to make biriyani and somehow was not satisfied with the recipes I get to hear and taste.Finally I liked the biriyani of my colleague and asked  the recipet.By adding my own touches,trial and error method I mastered it..I am sure everyone will love this even if he/she is not a  biriyani fan.Mushroom is highly nutritious and is always vegetarians delight.

ENJOY !!

Checklist for making Biriyani for two

Basmati rice                                           -  1.5 cup

Mushroom (button)                               -15-20 nos or small pack

Onions(medium sized,finely chopped) -  2 nos

Tomato (finely chopped)                       -1no

Ginger+garlic paste                               -1.5 tbl spoon

Pudina leaves.                                        -few nos

Green chilly.                                          -1 no

Lemon juice                                           -1tbl sp

Curd                                                       -1tbl sp

Water                                                      -3cups

Bread pieces(cut into squares)               -2 bread slices

Spices and condiments

Biriyani masala ( I used Everest shahi biriyani masala) - 1 tbl sp

Chilly powder.                                                               -1 tbl sp

Clove                                                                            -1 small piece

Bay leaf.                                                                       -1 leaf

Elaichi/cardamom                                                        -1 piece

Cinnamon.                                                                    -1inch piece

Aniseed/saunf                                                              -few seeds

Salt

Ghee/oil                                                                    -2tbl spoon                                                          

Steps for making it happen!!

·         Add oil/ghee to your pressure cooker, keep the flame very low, during the process.once it gets heated up add those spices one by one except biriyani masala.(Adding ghee generously and keeping flame low will help not to stick or burn at the bottom of your pressure cooker,If you are using non-stick version pressure cooker then you don’t have to worry much about it)

·         Add chopped onions,little bit salt and sauté until it becomes transparent.

·         Now add ginger-garlic paste, green chilly, tomato and sauté till tomato becomes mushy.Add pudina leaves in between for more flavour.

·         Now add mushroom, please be careful not to add any water since mushroom itself releases water.(Please be careful while chosing mushroom, it should not be dark and should be fresh.Wash it very nicely in clean running tapwater.If mushroom is not of good quality you may end up in food poisoning)

·         Add chilly powder, biriyani masala, salt and sauté it, in the meantime just wash and drain water from the basmati rice and keep aside (you don't have to soak it for longer time.

·         Once the raw flavor of masala is gone, add lemon juice and curd immediately mix it well such that it's evenly mixed and no lumps are formed  in it.

·         Now add the water that is 3cups of water. Check for salt(water plays an important role in biriyani making.if u have already made anything with basmati rice you are using here, you will be knowing approximate amount of water you need.usually it's 1.5cups for one cup of basmati rice)

·         Let the water boil, Once the water boils, add the basmati rice and keep the flame high close the lid, put the weight and pressure cook for just 1 whistle, at the max 2 whistles and remove from heat immediately.

·         Be careful with the pressure cooker and slowly release it after few mins.Finally add the bread pieces roasted in ghee and it will give you a crunchy feeling in your dish,you will definitely have a hide and seek time with bread when you have it.

·         This biriyani can be served with raita and potato chips.It can be even served with roasted baby potatoes.Enjoy monsoon days with this Biriyani.

PALAK PANEER

I am back to India after 1.5 years,it took me some time to settle,i thought i shud update my blog soon...

This is the dish which i was longing to make while in US,but never got a chance to do..

Finally i did it and here it is for you:)

Ingredients

Spinach -2 bunches

Onion chopped -4 nos(small size)

Tomato chopped -2nos(small)

G&G paste-1 tsp

Garlic -2 pods

Green chillies-2 nos

Kasuri methi( dry fenugreek leaves)-1/2 tsp

Paneer(Cottage cheese)-Small pack

Cumin seeds

Chilly powder

Corriander powder

Turmeric powder

Cinnamom-2 sticks

Cardamom-2 nos.

Cloves -few

Salt

Oil

Method

Boil water and cook spinach with salt,for few minutes and let it cool and grind to smooth paste with green chillies.

Take wide kadai, add oil,when it becomes hot put ginger-garlic paste, cinnamom,cloves ,cardamom and jeera.Let it splutter.Once its done ,add onions and pinch of salt fry till they become transparent,now add chopped tomatoes cook till they are mushy.Now add ginger and garlic paste,turmeric,chilly powder,corriander powder and cook them till the raw smell disappear.Add mashed palak ,kasuri methi leaves and finally add paneer(chopped into fine pieces).

Adding paneer roasted or as such is according to ones taste.

It is best with chapathi,nan or any type of paratha...Enjoy:)

MEXICAN QUESADILLA-VEGETARIAN

 Quesadilla and burritos are amazing mexican dish which most Indians try first in US.I am also also one among them.People say being a vegetarian there are only very few choices for you.I just want to prove that point is wrong and started exploring food in this country.

Quesadilla is nothing but a tortilla covered with  vegges,cheese and cooked until the cheese melts.Now the next question will be what is tortilla ,atleast for few people,there is nothing wrong in that question,because i was also one in that few people.Yes,tortilla is nothing but a flat bread made of corn or wheat,yup something similar to our rotis.

Ok ,so now u can enjoy this mexican dish even at your home.Try to limit ur veggies and also u can use the vegetables of your choice.

Ingredients 

Tortilla

bell peppers(green.yellow and red)-diced

spinach-1 bunch

mushroom(optional)

green chillies-1

garlic minced -1tbsp or garlic powder

red chilli flakes

cheese(mozarella or cheddar or pepper jack)- grated-1/2 cup

salt

Method

• Heat a pan,drizzle some olive oil or oil of ur choice and add the bell pepper,garlic,salt, green chillies,chilli flakes and saute nicely for 2-4 minutes.Keep it aside.
  
• Heat a tava or griddle and rub lil oil it ,put the tortilla and immediately flip in few seconds,let the other side facing the tawa become golden brown ie,let it get black spots in it.
• Now flip it and add the veggies and grated cheese in the side which has been cooked,such that the other side becomes brown by that time and slowly fold it into half,the cheese melts and gets cooked inside by that time.
• Turn both the halves such that it gets equally cooked.
  
• Enjoy ur quesadillas with sour cream,guacamole or salsa of your choice.

Variation

Instead of using one tortilla you can use 2 tortilla and following the step2  and covering the veggies and carefully flipping both them without spilling.

ENNAI KATHRIKKAI /ROASTED STUFFED INDIAN EGG PLANT (brinjal)

Ennai kathrikkai was a dish made very rare at my home, and it is the only dish i love with brinjals(eggplant).This is my version ,and it simply tastes awesome and i hope everyone will love it.

Ingredients

Indian eggplant/brinjal-11 nos.

Corriander leaves-few(chopped into fine pieces for garnishing)

For stuffing

Corriander seeds-1 tbl sp.

Channa dhal-1/2 tbl sp.

Urud dhal-1/2tbl sp.

Dry red chillies-3-4(can vary acc to ur spice)

Hing-small amt.

Grated coconut-1/2 tbl sp.

Salt.

Seasoning

mustard-1 tsp

oil-2tbsp.

Method

• Take a pan, add some oil and fry the stuffing ingredients except coconut and salt into golden brown and keep aside.
• Add grated coconut and fry them separately till golden brown .
• Powder the ingredients that was kept aside(corriander seeds,dry red chillies,urud dhal,channa dhal)first with salt into fine powder ,then add grated coconut and give a swirl again in mixie .
• Now select small equal sized brinjals and cut their stem.
• Cut the brinjal from the bottom side(ie the other side of stem),just a halfway,such that the brinjal remain as a whole for stuffing.
• Stuff the brinjals with the prepared powder,and keep it aside.
• Now add 4-5 tsp oil in the pan,put mustard and put the stuffed  brinjals in the pan, sprinkle water in between,if necessary.
• Close the pan with a lid
• Turn and give once it gets roasted well on a side,and take it out when its completely done.
• Garnish with chopped corriander leaves.

Stuffed brinjal can be served with any south indian food like rice sambar,rasam etc.

SABUDHANA KICHDI/JAVARISSI UPMA

 

I had this dish the very first time at my aunts place in mumbai in the year 1997,As they all were on santoshi mata vrat this was the only meal they had .I started loving this dish from that time,but i was not knowing the name for few years.I used to say to my mom make and give me that wat mami made.But no one had expertise in making that at my place,no one knew the proper method.Finally i left that craving.Now after marriage i used to have sai vrat and one of my frnds told me how to make it and i regained the taste..then too it had few faults,now with few trial and error method i got the expertise in it and now this is the regular lunch at my place on every thursaday.om sai ram,even my husband started liking it now.

Ingredients

Sabudhana/javarissi-1cup

Roasted peanuts powdered -2 tbsp

Onion-1

Potato -1

Turmeric-a pinch

Lime juice-1-2tbsp

Salt to taste

Oil

Seasoning

Mustard

Jeera

Method

• Wash the sabudhana in water by completely removing the starch.ie, u shud wash the sabudhana repeatedly until the water become clear and soak it in water for overnight.
  
• Next day separate the sabudhana with fingers,they will look like semi-transparent bubbles and add peanut powder and keep it aside
  
• Chop onions and potato into fine pieces.
  
• Take a pan pour oil into it ,pop up mustard and jeera,then add onions and saute nicely until they become transparent.
  
• Add potatoes now and fry it for few secs and cook it by closing the vessal for 2 -3 min and add turmeric to the mixture and mix nicely.
  
• Now add the sabudhana mixed with peanuts to it and add salt and fry for few minutes.
  
• Cover the vessal and let it cook for 5 minutes,saute them in between such that they wont stick to the vessal.
  
• Add oil in small amounts(if needed) in between such that they get cooked evenly.
  
• Now the sabudhana appear as transparent yellow crystals.When this stage is reached you can switch off the stove .
  
• Add lime juice at the end and garnish with cilantro(corriander) leaves.
• You can enjoy your sabudhana kichdi with yoghurt or as such.

Precautions

If you have the have the habit of omitting onions during vrat times,u can skip that step.

If you are in santoshi mata vrat please dont add lime juice.

1 serving of sabudhana is approximately 370 cal, and is high in carbohydrates.so make sure that you are not eating too much..

ISHTU/POTATO STEW

Potato stew is a typical kerala cuisine,Many say it as ishtu,which i like the most.This dish is very simple to make yet have got an authentic and rich taste.You can enjoy it at any time and can be prepared easily.I guarantee u all will enjoy its taste.

Ingredients,
potato-2-3
Onion-1(slice it)
coconut milk
ginger-cut lengthy into thin strips (dont chop)-1/2inch piece
curry leaves-few
green chillies(slit)-2-3
coconut oil

Method:

• Pressure cook potatoes and mash it..not very smoothly,but into big chunks.
• Take a kadai,add coconut oil,green chillies,curry leaves,onion and ginger.saute till the onions turns transparent,now itself u can get an superb smell.Add the potato chunks to it and add the 2nd milk of coconut,then let it boil slightly,once boil add the first milk,leave for 1min,till u can see slight froth coming from sides,switch of the stove immedietely.dont allow it to boil much.
• If you are buying coconut milk,this is how i do,after adding potato just pour little water ,not much just to soak everything and allow it to boil for few minutes and then add the coconut milk we get in can.then switch off wen u see slight froth coming,dont boil too much.If you are buying cocconut milk pow,for 2nd milk what i do is take water add lil pow and mw for 10 sec then allow to boil and for first milk,more powder and lil water such that they ll be thick.

Ishtu will be in a semi solid consitency,it wont be liquid.Its a good combo with sevai,aapam,idiyappam etc