STIR FRIED RICE

          A colorful medley of flavorful vegetables.You can use mushroom, broccoli, sprouts pretty much anything you want. This is a great dish with leftover rice.   

INGREDIENTS:

Rice cooked - 3 cups

Egg - 2

shrimp - 10

Oil - 2 tbsp

Carrot sliced in angle - 2 

Baby corn slice lengthwise - 5

Snow peas - 10

spring onions chopped - 5

Soya sauce - 1 tbsp

Hot chilli sauce - 1/2 tbsp

Chilli flakes - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

METHOD:

• Heat 1/3 of the oil in a pan, add beaten egg and salt, make scrambled egg and keep it aside.
• In the same pan heat another 1/3 of oil and fry the shrimps to cooked and keep it aside.
• In the same pan heat rest of the oil,add the carrots, baby corn and snow peas fry it for 3 mins.
• Add rice then soya sauce and hot sauce, chilli flakes, keep stirring it for 2 mins adjust the salt. Sprinkle little water.(Remember soya sauce has salt in it so salt accordingly).
• Then add in the egg and shrimps and stir it for another min or so. 
• At last add spring onions. Serve it hot.

Makes 3 servings.

BANANA LOAF CAKE

INGREDIENTS:
Banana - medium size 2
All purpose flour - 2 cups + some extra
Butter - 1/2 cup + some extra
Sugar - 3/4 cup (adjust it if the bananas are over-ripe)
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Soda bicarbonate - 1/2 tsp
Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp
Almonds roasted,chopped roughly - 12
pinch of salt

METHOD:

• Preheat the oven 340 degree F or 170 degree C.
• Take a mixing bowl mash bananas thoroughly add vanilla essence.
• Now add butter(room temperature),salt,sugar and mix well with a hand blender.
• In another bowl take rest of the ingredient, strain it to avoid lumps and mix well.
• Then mix this flour mixture little by little to banana mixture with hand blender.
• Add the almonds and mix.
• Take a baking pan grease with butter and dust with flour by spreading it all around.
• Pour the cake batter and bake it for 35-45 mins or till the inserted knife comes out clean.

PANEER KULCHA

            These are traditionally baked in tandoor but you can always bake in the even but cook them on tawa. I usually make these with homemade paneer. This is one of the way I give my 4 year old paneer as he hates milk products.

INGREDIENTS:
FOR DOUGH:
Refined flour (maida) - 2 cups
Soda bicarbonate - 1 pinch
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
milk - 1/2 cups
yogurt - 1 tbsp
oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Butter - 3-4 tbsp
FOR FILLING:
Paneer grated - 100 gms
Onions finely chopped - 1 medium sized
Coriander leaves - few springs
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste

METHOD:

• Take all the dry ingredients for the dough in a mixing bowl then add the wet ingredients except butter one by one.
• Add water if needed and knead into a soft dough. Apply oil. cover it with damp cloth for at least 1 hour.
• Heat pan with little oil then fry onions till translucent.
• In a bowl mix grated paneer, fried onions,and rest all the filling ingredients.
• Divide the dough into 4 small balls. take one and flatten it, place 1/4 th of the filling in the center.Then fold the dough over to make a ball.
• Flour the surface and roll the ball carefully, remember don't try to make it thin because the stuffing will come out otherwise.
• Do the same with rest of the balls. Then tawa fry these like paratha with butter.
• Serve hot with raita.

Makes 4 kulcha

SHAHI PANEER

        It's the creaminess and the richness of  flavors that makes this paneer dish "shahi". This is the first choice of most paneer lovers. I like it with roti but you can certainly have rice too.

INGREDIENTS:
Cottage cheese cut into cubes(Paneer) - 200 gms
Oil -1 tbsp
Butter - 1 tbsp
Onions chopped - 1 medium size
Tomato  chopped - 1 medium size
Cashew nut - 8-10
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Masoori methi - 11/2 tsp
Cream - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste 

METHOD:

• Heat oil in a pan, add onions, cashew nuts slightly fry it.
• Then add tomatoes, sauté it for 10 mins.
• Add turmeric powder,chilli powder and coriander powder.
• After 3 mins, take it off the heat and let it cool down.
• Blend this into a paste with little water if needed.
• Transfer this mixture back to the same pan, add butter, salt.
• Let it cook on low heat for 10 mins.
• Then add paneer, garam masala, masoori methi powder and cream stir well.
• Garnish with a dollop of cream on top.

Makes 2-3 servings.

SABUDANA KHICHDI

         I tried this dish several times before but never used to get it right until I learnt it from my Mother-in-law couple of years back. This dish usually prepared during fasts.And she does fast a lot.

INGREDIENTS:
Sabudana - 1cup
Peanuts crushed - 2tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Cumin - 1tsp
Green chilli slited - 2
Curry leaves - 4
Tomato chopped- 1
Potato cubed  - 1 small ( optional)
Coriander leaves chopped - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

METHOD:

• Wash and soak sabudana in may be 3/4cup of water just until sabudana sinks for 4 hours. ( too much water will make the khichidi paste like and you don't want that)
• Heat oil in a pan, add curry leaves, green chili. Then add cumin seeds let it crackle.
• Add potatoes,let it cook for 3 mins.
• When the potatoes are done add tomato, continue to cook for couple of mins.
• Add sabudana, salt, peanuts. Keep stirring it for 3mins, until the sabudanas are little transparent that's when it's done. You may have to sprinkle little water from top.
• Sprinkle coriander leaves and serve hot.

Makes 2 servings.

PATRA BHAJI

   Its a popular vegetarian Gujarati dish.

INGREDIENTS: 
Colocasia leaves - 4 large
Chickpea flour - 11/2 cups
Coriander leaves chopped - 2 tbsp +  1 tbsp ( for Garnish )
Green chillies chopped - 2
Ginger minced - 1 tsp
Sesame seed - 1 tbsp
Coconut grated -1 tbsp 
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Tamarind paste - 2 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

METHOD:

• Wash and remove the stems of the leaves.
• Take all the ingredient other than mustard seeds, oil and mix well to make a thick batter with a very little water.
• Take 1 tbsp of the batter and spread it on the wrong side of the leaf then cover it with right side of other leaf .
• Keep stacking the leaves then start rolling tightly.( if you want you can tie with a string but if the batter is really thick you don't need to tie, the batter will help it stick together.)
• Steam the roll for around 20 mins.
• Let it cool slightly before slicing the roll (slice the roll into 1/2 inch thick slices).
• Heat oil in a pan add mustard seed then add the slices.
• Toss it carefully otherwise it will break, garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with mint chutney. 

Makes 2 servings

SARSON DA SAAG

                Sarson da saag is popular main dish in Punjab region of india made with mustard leaves usually served with makke di roti. Traditionally it is cooked in a earthen pot and the result is delicious.

 INGREDIENTS:
Mustard leaves chopped - 4 cups
Spinach leaves chopped - 2 cups (Optional, But I use them as it helps balance the bitterness of mustard leaves)
Oil - 2 tbsp
Onion chopped - 1 large
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Green chilli chopped - 2
Cornmeal - 2 tbsp
Red chilli powder - 1tsp
Butter - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

METHOD:

• Heat oil in a pan and saute the onions till golden brown.
• Add ginger garlic paste and green chilli then saute for another 3 mins.
• Add mustard leaves, spinach and red chilli powder and continue to cook for few more mins.
• Then add salt, cook on low heat for 10 mins.
• Add cornmeal with little water and continue cook untill the greens are cooked through mustard stem takes more time to cook.
• Let it cool down then process it in a food processor till the consistency is slightly course.
• Heat butter in a pan, add this mixture then cook it for 5 min.
• Serve hot with a dollop of fresh butter on top.

Makes 4 servings

CREAM CARAMEL PUDDING

          

Ingredients:

           1 Tin              Sweetened Condensed Milk (Actually Small tin…)

500ml            Milk

4                    Eggs

2 tsp              Vanilla Essence

3 tbsp            Sugar for caramelization

Rind of 1 Lemon

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 360F or 180C and place a big shallow baking pan of water in it. Heat sugar in a bowl till it caramelizes and swirl it around so that it coats the base and sides of the mould. ( This will give a nice color )
2. Combine condensed milk, milk, beaten eggs, vanilla essence and lemon rind and mix well in a blender. Pour into caramelized bowl and place the bowl in the pan of water in the oven.
3. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Cool and chill in the refrigerator before unmoulding to serve.

Serves : 4-6 serving

PENNE WITH GARLIC BREAD

INGREDIENTS:

FOR PASTA:
Penne Pasta - 500 gm( I picked penne pasta for this one as can hold the sauce)
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Garlic minced - 3
Pasta sauce -1 cup
cherry tomatoes -8 9 (cut in half)
Green bellpepper diced - 1
Italian seasoning -1 tsp
Chilli flakes - 1 tsp
Baby spinach - 3 cups
cheese shredded - 3 tbsp 
Gound Pepper  - 1 tsp
salt to taste

FOR GARLIC BREAD:
Butter - 2 tbsp
Parsley chopped - 2 tsp (Fresh or dried)
Garlic minced - 2 cloves
Chilli flakes - 1 tsp
Pinch of salt (Don't use salt if the butter is salted)
Mozzarella cheese shredded - 1/4 cup (optional) My son loves cheese on his garlic bread ;-)
Italian bread loaf - 8 inch

METHOD:

•  Cook the pasta according to the package directions in lightly salted water.
• On a medium heat take oil and add garlic (Don't let it burn).
• Stir in green bellpepper, let it cook for 2 mins.
• Now add pasta sauce cook for another 2 mins,mix in italian seasoning, chilli flakes, ground pepper.
• Add the spinach, tomatoes, cooked pasta and cheese, then turn of the heat
• Toss to combine everything (at this point you can add cooked chicken diced if you want)
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• For garlic bread, Mix together the butter, parsley, garlic, chilli flakes, salt.
• Cut the bread into slices at an angle and spread the above butter mixture on one side of the bread.
• Bake these breads in the oven  for 2-3 min till the butter melts and half way through you can add cheese.
• Bake further until cheese melts.
• Or you can toast these breads on a tawa until the butter melts.
• Then add cheese and cover it for 1 min to let the cheese melt.

QUICK & EASY PULAO

     I always add beet root to my pulao as it gives the rice fantastic color. It's a really quick and easy recipe with loads of veggies. Feel  free to  add veggies of your choice.

INGREDIENTS:

Rice - 1cup
Carrot diced - 1/4 cup
French beans diced - 1/4 cup
Beet root diced - 1/4 cup
Peas - 1/4 cup
Red chili  powder - 1/2 tsp
water - 2 cups
Ghee( clarified butter) - 1 tbsp
Cumin seed - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Spices:
cinnamon - 1/2 inch
Green cardamom - 1
Black cardamom - 1
Peppercorns - 3
Bay leave - 2
Clove - 2

I know I know that's a lot of spices, instead of looking for these above spices go and grab your pulao masala.

METHOD:

• Wash the rice.
• Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add cumin, let it splatter.
• Then add the spices, veggies, rice.
• After stirring it for 1 min, add chili powder and salt.
• Add the water. ( always remember rice to water ratio is 1:2 )
• Now close the lid, keep the heat on high.
• After 3 whistle take it of the heat.
• Serve it with curd and pickle.

Makes 2 servings.

 

CHICKEN DUM BIRYANI

My Family's all time favorite. So I thought this has to be my first Post.
Hope you all like it as much as my family do.

INGREDIENTS: 
Basmati rice, soaked in water for 30 mins - 2 cups
Ghee/ Any vegetable oil - 1 tbsp ( I use refined olive oil )
Chicken, cut into pieces - 1 kg ( bone pieces would be great)
Yogurt - 400 ml 
Saffron, dissolved in 4 tbsp of warm water/milk - 1 tsp 
Orange food color mixed with 2tbsp of water - 2 pinches
Green chilies, finely chopped - 3  (Don't forget this one, makes a big difference)
Large onion thinly sliced-2
Mint leaves, chopped - 1/4 cup (Must have)
Salt to taste

Masala Paste for the Marinade:
Whole Garam masala:
     Black peppercorns - 8
     Cinnamon -2" stick
     Brown cardamoms -3
     Green cardamoms - 3
     Cloves - 4
     Bay leaves - 4 
     Star anise - 2
 Large onions, grated - 2
Ginger-garlic paste - 3 tbsp
Red chili powder -  2 tsp ( depending upon how hot you want) I like mild
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 ½ tsp
Biryani masala powder -2 tbsp ( I always prefer Everest Biryani masala, Biryani comes out really well) 
Mint leaves, chopped - ½ cup (Must have)
Ghee/ Any vegetable oil - 1 tbsp ( I use refined olive oil )
Salt to taste

METHOD :

To Make Masala paste:

1. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
2. Add all the whole garam masala and then add the onions.
3. Saute onion till translucent.
4. Add the ginger garlic paste, saute it for another 3 minutes.
5. Add the red chili powder and turmeric powder.
6. Keep sauteing for 5 mins till the raw smell of ginger and garlic goes away.
7. Then add the Biryani masala and the garam masala.
8. Add salt, let it cook till the oil separates.
9. Add mint leaves then cook for another 2 mins till all the moisture dries out.
10. Take out of heat and let it cool down.

Usually I make this masala paste double batch so that I can store it in my freezer 
for the next time. U can store it in the freezer for couple of weeks.

Marinade:
In a big bowl take chicken, yogurt, masala paste,green chili and salt mix it well.
keep it in the freeze to marinate.



Rice:

1. Cook the rice in water till the rice is 50 percent done.
2. Drain and keep aside. here I salt the rice and add little Biryani masala powder too.

Assemble Biryani:

1. In a large deep pot, heat oil then fry the sliced onions till golden brown then keep it aside usually people deep fry it but i prefer to shallow fry. 
2. In the same pot, smear oil on all sides and the bottom.Keep the heat on low.
3. Place all the marinated chicken in the pot. 
4. Then ½ the mint.
5. Add all the rice on top, don't have to mix or anything.
6. Then add the remaining mint leaves, the fried onions and saffron mix,orange food color.
7. Close with a tight lid and seal with atta dough. ( called the process DUM)
8. Let it cook on very low heat for 40 - 45 mins. ( Time it when you seal it not any time before)

Serve hot with raita.

Don't forget to let me know how it come out, I would love hear from you.