BROCCCOLI-LETTUCE-CHERRY TOMATO SALAD !!!!!!

Today i came up with a healthy recipe. I adopted this salad recipe from SHRUTHI'S KITCHEN. & i added fresh cream & lots of peanuts later to enhance the taste. You can skip dinner after eating this salad. It is equivalent to whole meal. Nutricious, healthy, stomoch filling recipe.

     (here, i added fresh cream & peanus)

INGREDIENTS:-

Broccoli, cut into small florets - 1 head(blanched)
iceberg lettuce, torn into bit size pieces - 2 big leaves(put in cold water until ready to use)
zuchini, cubed - 1/4 cup(i didn't add)
bell peppers, cubed - 1/4 cup(i didn't add)
grapes - 1/4 cup
cherry tomatoes, cut into halves - 1/4 cup
carrot, julliened - 1/4 cup(i didn't add)
peanuts - 1/4 cup

Dressing:

Yogurt - 1/4 cup
salt & pepper - to taste
cilantro, chopped - 1/4 cup
lemon juice to taste
fresh cream - 200ml

METHOD:-

1. Mix all the ingredients under dressing together until creamy.
3. To this, add lettuce, broccoli, peppers, zuchini, tomatoes, grapes, carrots.
4. Toss all these together until well mixed.
5. Serve immediately.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))))

WHITE KURMA !!!!!!!!

I got this recipe from my dear friend UMA PREM KUMAR who lives in USA & loves to experiment in cooking. This gravy goes well with rotis/rice dishes.

INGREDIENTS:-

Boiled vegetables - 1 to 1 & 1/2 cup (use veggies like grean peas, carrot, beans, cauliflower, paneer, mushroom, sweet corn, potato etc)
grated coconut - 3 tsp
almonds - a handful
green chilly - 3 to 4
pepper corns - 1& 1/2 tsp
cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
cinnamon - 1 inch
cloves - 3
ginger - 1/2 inch
garlic flakes - 7
onion - 1 small ( shallow fried)+2 chopped
beaten curds - 1/2 cup
salt to taste
chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

METHOD:-

1. Make fine paste of grated coconut+ peeled almonds(soak almonds in hot water for 1/2 hr & then peel them)+green chillies+pepper corns+cumin seeds+cinnamon stick+cloves+ginger+garlic+sha;;ow fried onions in a mixer. & keep it aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan & add chopped onions & fry till light brown.
3. Add ground paste to this & fry them on low flame till oil seperates from sides of pan.
4. Now add boiled veggies+beaten curds+salt to taste & mix well & bring it to boil.
5. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves.

IIAPPY COOKING :))))))

THANDOOR MUSHROOM !!!!!

Who dont like mushrooms ? From kids to elders , everyone wants to eat starters prepared by mushroom. Infact when i visit barbeque nation, i eat starter thandoori mushroom miximum. So, when i saw this recipe in one of food group in facebook, thought let me try it. And believe me it turned out awesome. But take care of one thing, curds should not be sour & dont keep it for too long time after marination.  Btw, i adopted this recipe from KINI'S KITCHEN.

INGREDIENTS:                                

10 nos button mushrooms
Salt to taste
Oil as needed

FOR MARINATION:

1/2 cup hung curd or thick curd
2 tsp roasted besan/bengal gram flour
1/2 tsp kasuri methi
1 tsp red chilli pdr
1/2 tsp chat masala
1 tsp roasted cumin pdr
1/4 tsp ginger and garlic crushed
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp oil

PROCEDURE:

1. Wash the mushrooms and remove the stems
2. Marinate with the ingredients and keep for 1/2 an hour
3. Heat tava fry the mushrooms adding littlle oil
4. Serve hot .

HAPPY COOKING :))))))

BADAMI EGGS !!!!!!!!

          Actually this is badami chicken recipe from NDTV FOOD.COM But i used eggs instead of chicken here & it tasted great ! It goes well with roti/rice/idly/dosa etc. A must try recipe.

INGREDIENTS

For the roasted spice mix:

1 tsp peppercorns

2-3 black cardamom

1 cinnamon stick

1 green cardamom

1 tsp cloves

1/2 grated nutmeg

For the gravy base:

1 Tbsp ghee

1 finely chopped onion

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 finely chopped ginger

1 tsp coriander powder, heaped

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp jeera powder

Sea salt (Substitute - normal salt)

Water

1 1/2 cup yogurt

1 cup almond paste

1 cup saffron infused milk

6 whole apricots

Rock salt

8 pieces chicken or 8 eggs boiled

For the tempering (tadka):

1 Tbsp ghee

6 green cardamoms

3 dried kashmiri chillies

For the garnish:

1 Tsp ghee

Mint leaves

3-4 whole red chillies

      OR

1 tblsp chopped coriander leaves

METHOD

For dry roasting the spices:

Heat a pan, add peppercorns, black cardamom, cassia, green cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and roast them. Use a mortar and pestle to ground the spices.

For the gravy base:

Heat a pan, add ghee and sweat out the onions till they are a creamy yellow-white. Mix garlic, ginger and keep stirring. Add 2 teaspoons of the grounded spices and mix well.

Add coriander powder, turmeric, jeera powder, sea salt (to taste) and toast the spices on high flame. Add water to deglaze the pan and cook out the masala.

Add the yogurt to this mix slowly while stirring. Then mix in the almond paste. It can be prepared at home by blanching almonds, peeling them and grinding with water.

Add the saffron infused milk and stir till gravy thickens. Then add the apricots and a pinch of rock salt. Keep stirring.

Make incisions on the chicken with a knife and add to the gravy to poach. Add the cooled down tempering to the gravy. Let this simmer on low flame for 30-40 minutes till the chicken is coming off the bone. Uncover the pan for the last ten minutes of cooking till the gravy has reduced and thickened.

Put the chicken pieces in a bowl and strain the gravy on top using a colander. Garnish and serve hot.

For the tempering:

Heat the ghee in a pan for the tadka and add green cardamom and kashmiri chilli. Let it cool and ad to the gravy

For the garnish:

Put the ghee in a pan and heat it. Add chillies and mint leaves and cook till it's crispy. OR garnish it with chopped coriander leaves.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))

Note : I found dis recipe sweet n sour , so added 2tsp everest chicken masala n it tasted great

CAPSICUM RAITHA !!!!!!!

I got this reciepe from my friend POORNIMA AJITH KUDVA who is an ace cook and a good singer too. Actually in original recipe tomatoes were not there but i added just to get tangy taste & it tasted good too. But you can skip adding tomatoes. & if capsicum itself is spicy you can skip adding green chilly too.  A healthy & tasty side dish for rice along with curry. & a jhatpat recipe too.



INGREDIENTS:-

Onion, finely chopped - 1/2 cup
capsicum, finely chopped - 1/2 cup
tomato, chopped - 1 medium
green chilly, slitted - 1
jeera - 1/2 tsp
jeera pow - 1/2 tsp
coriander pow - 3/4 tsp
curds - 100 ml
salt to taste

METHOD:-

1. Heat oil in a non stick pan & add jeera, when it splutters add chopped onions & capsicum & green chilly till onion turns transparent.
2. In a bowl add curds+jeera pow+coriander pow+salt & mix well.
3. Now add onion capsi mixture & mix well.
4. Finally garnish with chopped tomatoes.
5. While serving, mix everything well & serve immediately.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))))

COFFEE LASSI !!!!!

COFFEE LASSI...sounds odd na :P Actually coffee is my fav flavour. One day thought will add instant coffee powder & added to lassi. It tasted good. Coffee lovers must try it once. I know it is simplest recipe but still thought of sharing it.

INGREDIENTS:-                                                               

Thick curds - 1 cup
Instant coffee powder - 1/2 tsp ( i used BRU)
sugar - 3 tsp

METHOD:-

1. In a mixer jar add curds, instant coffee powder & sugar & blend it well.
2. Your special coffee lassi is ready to serve.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))))

INSTANT POHA IDLI !!!!!!!!

I adopted this recipe from Hebbar's Kitchen. Must say very quick & easy recipe. No grinding & fermanting. But i steamed it for 20 mins instead of 10 mins...may be coz of my idly moulds. This is a must try recipe.

(I used these type of idly moulds & steamed for 20 mins)

(If you are using these type of moulds, then 10 mins are enough I think)

Ingredients

• 1 cup beaten rice / poha / avalakki (thin / thick variety )
• 1½ cup rice rawa / idli rava
• 2 cup sour curd / buttermilk
• pinch of baking soda / eno fruit salt
• water as required
• salt to taste
• oil to grease idli moulds

Instructions

1. soak 1 cup of poha in curd for 10 - 15 mins or till they turn soft. (rinse the poha with water if it is not clean)
2. now mash them nicely using back of your spoon.
3. now add 1.5 cup of rice rava, 1 cup curd and water as required.
4. mix and allow to rest for 10 - 15 mins. rice rava (idli rava) has to absorb all the water.
5. add water to get idli bater consistency.
6. finally add some salt to taste. just before steaming add a pinch of baking soda and mix well till it turns frothy.
7. brush the plates with oil and pour the batter immediately into the idli plate. do not rest the batter.
8. as other idlis you have to steam it for 8-10 mins on medium flame. allow it to rest for 5 mins then unmould.
9. serve hot with any chutney of your choice.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))

SWEET LASSI USING CONDENSED MILK !!!!!

My son gave me this idea lassi using condensed milk. He said using milkmaid thickens the lassi. So tried it & liked it too.

INGREDIENTS:-

thick curd , chilled- 1 cup
condensed milk - 1/4 cup

METHOD:-

1. In a mixer jar, add curds & condensed milk & run it till you get foam on the top.
2. Pour it in a glass & serve chilled.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))

and here's an tip:-

1. You can add chocolate/strawberry syrup while beating for different flavours.
2. Try adding different drinking powders like horlicks, bournvita etc.

ROTI NU SHAAK / ROTI KI SUBZI !!!!!!!

My today's recipe is ROTI NU SHAAK from TARLA DALAL. It's a gujju dish from leftover chapathis. In original recipe they have not added onion & garlic. But i found it tasteless so added onion & garlic. While eating i added raosted ground nuts too. & it tasted much much better. originally it is a microwave recipe but i prepared it on stove top.

INGREDIENTS:-                                                                       

leftover chapathis - 3 torned into small pieces
curds - 2 tbl sp
onion, chopped - 2 small
garlic flakes, chopped - 7
tomato, chopped - 1 small
chole masala pow - 1/2 tsp
mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
turmeric pow - 1/2 tsp
oil - 3-4 tsp
green chillies, chopped - 1tsp
roasted ground nuts - 2 tbl sp (optional)
slat to taste
coriander leaves, chopped - 1 tbl sp for garnishing

METHOD:-

1. Combine the chapati, curds, turmeric powder, salt and ¾ cup water in a deep bowl, mix well and keep aside for 10 minutes. & then mash them nicely & keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a non stick pan & add mustard seeds, when it splutters add jeera & fry till light brown.
3. Now add onion & garlic & fry till light brown.
4. Now add tamato & fry till mushy.
5. Add chole masala powder & fry for sometime.
6. Now add mashed chapathi mixture & mix them well for 15 mins in low/medium flame.
7. When done add roasted ground nuts & mix them well again.
8. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves & serve hot.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))))

and here's a tip:-

You can add chopped & cooked veggies & fried cashew nuts to enhance the taste.

AVARE KAALU KURMA !!!!!

My today's recipe is from CHITRA AMMA'S KITCHEN....and the recipe is AVARE KAALU KURMA that goes well with rotis. Here instead of avare kai i used southavare kaalu as suggested by my friend. I dont know exactly what it is but i bought it from Chikmagalore market. It looks like fresh thingalavre i mean fresh navy beans. Pic is given below....

I pressure cooked them for 4 whistles but i felt i should have continued for 2 more whistles to get soft cooked beans. Anyways recipe tasted great ! So, sharing it here with you all today.

INGREDIENTS:
Avarekaalu – 2 cups
Curd – ½ cup
Salt – 2 tsps
Fresh Corriander leaves - 2 tbsp
Finely chopped tomatoes – optional for garnishing.( i skipped this)
For Seasoning
Cooking oil – 2 tbsp
Finely chopped onion – ¼ cup
Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
Bengal gram dal – 1 tsp
Cashew nuts – 10
Curry leaves – a few
For Kurma Masala Paste
Grind the following ingredients to a fine paste:
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Coriander seeds – 2 tbsps
Garlic – 4 pods
Fresh ginger – 1’’
Cloves – 6
Sambar powder – 1 tsp (or green chillies – 2)
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp
Cashew nuts – 10
Soaked Poppy seeds – 1 tbsp (optional)

METHOD:

1. Boil avarekai until tender and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
3. When it splutters add Bengal gram dal and fry till golden in colour.
4. Add cashew nuts and roast till golden in colour.
5. Add the chopped onion and curry leaves and cook till the onion is glassy. .
6. Now add the ground kurma masala paste and fry it, until the oil separates out.
7. Add the cooked beans, a cup of water and salt and cook.
8. Blend in the curd and cook for a few more minutes.
9. Garnish with fresh coriander and finely chopped tomatoes.

Enjoy the hot kurma with poories, chapaties or ghee rice!

HAPPY COOKING