PENNE PASTA IN WHITE SAUCE !!!!!!

My today's recipe is inspired from food blog LILY LUNA. I skipped few ingredients like chicken broth etc & substituted milk instead of it. & used italian seasoning which comes with Dominoz pizza instead of  dried parsley. An ideal dish for Potluck, kitty parties, kids bday parties. & i used button mushrooms & frozen green peas too.

INGREDIENTS:-

1 Lb penne pasta
3 tblsp butter
3 tblsp all purpose flour
2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated amul cheese
8 sliced button mushrooms
1/2 cup frozen green peas, boiled
2 tsp minced garlic
1 or 2 tsp Italian seasoning
salt & pepper to taste

METHOD:-

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan & add garlic. Cook for 1 minute over medium heat.

3. Add sliced mushrooms & cook over low/medium flame for 2 mins(close lid)

4. Add flour & cook for an additional minute stirring contantly.
5. Add milk stirring constantly until sauce boils & thickens. Add boiled green peas.
6. Add italian seasoning & parmesan cheese, Add desired quantity of salt & pepper. Stir continuousely until cheese melted.
7. Pour sauce over pasta & serve. OR mix boiled pasta in sauce well & serve.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))

VEG BUTTER GARLIC RICE !!!!!

I got this delicious recipe from my gorgeous & dear friend Mangala. She doesn't believe in clicking pics & posting them, but an ace cook & dedicates most of her time to her family which makes her ideal woman. This is a stomoch filing healthy & tasty  dish & perfect for lunch box/lunch/dinner/parties.

INGREDIENTS:-

Cooked basmathi rice- 1 cup
garlic chopped - 4 pods
spring oinions, chopped & white & greens seperated - 2
button mushrooms, chopped - 1 cup
Mixed bell peppers(to look colourful), chopped - 1 cup
byadgi chillies - 1 or 2( you can more just to get a little flavour)
salt to taste
butter - as required

METHOD:-

1. In a pan heat butter, add chopped garlic& fry until it becomes little reddish & then add chillies & fry for a minute or two.
2. Then add whites of onion & cook till transparent.
3. Then add chopped mushrooms & bell peppers & cook on medium flame till ust done(not too soft)
4. Add salt & mix well.
5. Now mix cooked basmathi rice & mix well on low flame for few minutes.
6. Garnish with spring onion greens & serve hot with gravy.

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 :))))))

BENGALI HOLUD MISHTI PULAO !!!!!!!

Bengali holud mishti pulao is nothing but saffron flavoured rice with nuts. Its a Bengali delicacy & little sweetish in taste. I adapted this recipe from ARCHANA'S KITCHEN. I skipped mace powder & added chopped almonds instead of pistachio. & added button mushrooms too.

INGREDIENTS:-              

basmathi rice - 1 cup                                                               

green peas, steamed - 1 cup
button mushrooms, sliced - 1/2 cup
salt - 1/2 tsp
star anise - 1
ginger, grated - 1 inch
sugar - 2 tblsp
nutmeg powder - 1/4 tsp
cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
bay leaves -h 2
cinnamon stick, roughly torn - 1 inch
cardamom pods - 3
cloves - 3
mace powder - 1/2 tsp(i skipped this)
saffron strands - few

For seasonitng:-

ghee - 3 tblsp
cashew nuts, halved - 2 tblsp
raisins - 2 tblsp
almonds, roughly chopped - 2 tblsp or pistachio

METHOD:-

1. Cook washed & drained rice in pressure by adding 1 tblsp ghee, grated ginger + 2 cups of water until done.i
2. Once done, allow it to rest.
3, Steam sliced mushrooms & green peas, drain & keep aside.
4. In a small pan, roast he nuts & spices in ghee on medium hea until golden brown then add saffron.
5. Turn off the heat & stir in the steamed green peas & sliced mushrooms along with cooked rice & sugar into the roasted nuts.
 6. Serve hot either with Shorshe Ilish(hisla in mustard sauce) or Bengali doi maach. 

HAPPY 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 :))))))

MUSHROOM BUTTER MASALA !!!!!!

One more side dish for rotis. I adopted this recipe from GREAT SECRET OF LIFE. Here, to enhance the taste i added 1/2 tsp kitchen king masala too. 

Ingredients 

Mushroom - 2 cups, cubed
Onions - 1 big
Tomatoes - 3 big
Ginger Paste - 1/2 teaspoon
Garlic paste - 1.5 teaspoon
Coriander powder / malli podi - 2 teaspoon
Gram Masala- 1/2 teaspoon 
Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Kasuri methi - 2 teaspoon
Cashewnuts -15
Milk - 1/2 cup
Butter / Oil -2 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Bay leaves - 1
Cloves - 3
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Fresh coriander leaves - 1 teaspoon

Kitchen king masala - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Soak Cashew Nuts in the hot milk for 30 mins and grind to smooth paste.
2. Blanch tomatoes and remove the skin. and make puree. Keep it aside.
3. Add 1/2 tablespoon butter/oil in pan Fry Onion and fry it till transparent. Add garlic and ginger paste and fry till raw smell goes off. Grind to thick paste.
4. Heat rest of butter/oil. Add cumin seeds and let it crackle. Add bay leaves, cloves. Add grinded onion and fry for 30 sec.
5. Add Tomato paste. Add Turmeric powder, Coriander powder, Garam Masala, Chilli powder and required salt. Let it boil till raw smell goes off.
6. Add cashew paste and 1/2 cup water. Boil till raw smell goes off. Ad mushroom and mix well. Let it cook.
7. Wash Methi leaves with warm water and add it to the gravy.. mix well. Boil for 3 mins or till you get desired consistency. Add coriander leaves and mix well. Switch it off .
8. Serve hot

HAPPY COOKING :)))))))))

CASHEWNUT FRIED RICE !!!!!!

Ingredients

• 3 cups cold cooked Rice,
• 1-1/2 cups of mixed Vegetables, see Tips
• 2-3 Spring Onions, finely sliced, greens and whites divided
• 1/2 cup Cashews, see Tips
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 1" Ginger, peeled and julienned
• 1 tsp Chilli Sesame Oil, see Tips
• 2 tbsp Soy Sauce, or to taste, see Tips
• Salt and white Pepper to taste

Method

1. To make my life easier, I used frozen combo mix of veggies. It contains carrots, beans, peas and corn. I have another packet of shelled frozen edamame that also went into this recipe for the protein factor. I steamed them for few seconds.

2. Keep everything ready before starting the wok on high heat. Once hot, add chilli sesame oil. Add the cashews to it and stir until golden. Set aside.

3. In the same wok, add the spring onion whites, celery, ginger and garlic. Stir for 6-7 seconds or until aromatic.

4. Then add the steamed vegetables along with snow peas. Stir for another 5-6 seconds.

5. Next goes the sliced mushrooms. Stir for another 10 seconds.

6. Now add the soy sauce (and/or chilli sauce if using) and cook for 10-15 seconds.

7. Add the cooled/cold rice

8. and mix to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper (or additional soy sauce/chilli oil).

9. Add the cashews

10. and mix until combined.

11. Garnish with Spring onion greens and serve hot with any accompaniment of your choice. 

HAPPY COOKING :))))))))))))

MUSHROOM CHILLY !!!!!!

I am very happy that today i am posting my hubby's favourite recipe. I adopted this recipe from my fav blog VEG RECIPES OF INDIA. Here i added capsicum too to enhance the flavour & taste. & one more reason is my son loves capsicum very much. A best starter for rainy season for veg lovers.

INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

• 200 to 250 gms white button mushrooms or baby portabella mushrooms, about 7 to 8.5 ounces
• 1 medium onion or 1 to 2 spring onions whites, halved or quartered and the layers removed, reserve the greens for garnish
• 2 to 3 green chilies, slit
• 1 small capsicum or red/green/yellow bell pepper (optional), chopped into squares
• 7-8 garlic cloves/lahsun, finely chopped
• 1 inch ginger/adrak, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp naturally fermented soy sauce or as required
• ½ tbsp sesame oil or any veg oil for the sauce
• ½ to ¾ tsp corn flour
• 1 to 2 tsp water
• ½ to 1 tsp sugar or as required
• salt and pepper as required
• oil for deep frying the mushrooms

for the batter

• 5 to 6 tbsp whole wheat flour or all purpose flour
• 3 tbsp corn flour
• ¼ tsp black pepper or add as required
• salt as required
• water as required to make a medium consistency batter

INSTRUCTIONS

1. rinse and wipe dry the mushrooms. trim the stalks.
2. halve them if big in size and quarter them if smaller in size.
3. make a flowing medium consistency batter with the ingredients listed above "for the batter".
4. heat oil for shallow frying in a kadai or wok.
5. dip each mushroom slice in the batter and coat uniformly with the batter.
6. add them to the medium hot oil and fry till they are slight golden and crisp.
7. fry the mushrooms in batches and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
8. in another wok or pan, heat sesame oil.
9. add the onions (and capsicum if adding them) and stir fry on medium or high heat for a minute.
10. add the ginger, garlic and green chilies. stir fry on a high flame till you see the onions getting browned at the edges.
11. add the soy sauce, salt, sugar, pepper and stir fry for half a minute.
12. add the fried batter coated mushrooms and stir on a low to medium flame
13. sprinkle about 1 to 2 tsp water and ½ to ¾ tsp corn flour on the mushrooms.
14. saute for a minute or two. continue to stir. this gives a nice glaze to the mushrooms.
15. switch off the flame and serve the chili mushroom hot with veg fried rice, bread or even chapatis or naan. you can also garnish with spring onion greens while serving.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))))

MUSHROOM KA KORMA !!!!!!!!!

School, college started for kids. So, everyone must be thinking "what should i prepare for tomorrow's lunch box ?". & moms will definately want to prepare something yummy & healthy for kids. So, how about a side dish for chapathi/roti....you guessed it right...today we are going to prepare a side dish for roti....MUSHROOM KA KORMA. A healthy , yummy, easy & quick to make side dish.

I adopted this recipe from SANJEEV KAPOOR.

INGREDIENTS:-

Mushrooms - 20
Oil - 2 tbsp
Green cardamom - 4
Black cardamom - 1
Caraway seed(shah jeera) pow - a pinch
Onions, chopped - 2 medium
Cashewnut paste - 2 tbsp
Milk - 2 cups
Green cardamom pow - 1/2tsp
Garam masala pow - 1/2 tsp
White pepper pow - 1 tsp
Yogurt - 1 tbsp
Turmeric pow - a pinch

Method

Step 1

---

Heat oil in a non stick pan, add green cardamoms, black cardamoms, caraway seeds and onions and saute till lightly coloured.

Step 2

---

Quarter mushrooms and add to the pan and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add milk and let it cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.

Step 3

---

Add cashewnut paste and mix.

Step 4

---

Mix green cardamom powder, garam masala powder and white pepper powder with 2 tbsps water and add to the mushrooms. Add salt and yogurt and mix well.

Step 5

---

Simmer for 1-2 minutes.Serve hot.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))))))))

MUSHROOM- CAPSICUM MASALA !!!!!

INGREDIENTS:-

onion - 2
tomato - 2
green chilly -2
garlic clove - 4
ginger - 2 inch
cumin seeds - 2tsp
pepper corns - 2 tsp
coriander seeds - 2tsp
red chilly powder - 1 tsp
kitchen king masala powder - 1 tsp
coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
cashew nuts - 6
almonds -6
salt - 1 tsp
capsicum - 1/2
button mushrooms, halved - 12
oil - 2tsp
curry leaves - 2 strings

METHOD:-

1. Grind together onion+tomato+green chilly+garlic clove+ginger+cumin seeds+pepper corns+coriander leaves +almonds+cashew nuts in a mixie . 
2. Heat  oil in a pan add  curry leaves and fry the ground paste well till the raw smell disappears.
3.  Add  kashmiri red chilly powder+kitchen king masala pow+salt+halved button mushrooms+diced capsicum and cook by adding 1/2 cup water till mushrooms are done.
4. Serve hot with chapathis.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))))  .

MUSHROOM TIKKA MASALA !!!!!!

I adopted this recipe from A CURRY OF LIFE. This gravy become little dry...so sorry for that. & i think pic is also didn't came out well :( Still posting as we liked this recipe very much.

For the sauce

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 large onion, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 tablespoon garlic and ginger paste

6 medium sized ripe tomatoes, pureed

1/2 cup – 1 cup  whole Greek yogurt or strained yogurt (amount based on personal preference) * I prefer Mountain High Whole Plain Yogurt for its thickness

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder or according to taste

1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder (found at Indian grocery stores.  I’ve also seen it at Whole Foods)

4 tablespoons dry kasoori methi (found at Indian Stores)

4 tablespoons heavy cream, optional

For the vegetables

16 oz fresh white button mushrooms (about 25 mushrooms, or two packages)

Ghee (clarified butter) for sauteing (though clarified butter gives the best flavor, you can substitute it with any cooking oil that can take high heat; coconut oil or vegetable oil are good substitutes)

2 tablespoons oil (for frying bell peppers)

1 large green bell pepper, cubed

1 large red bell pepper, cubed

Chopped cilantro, to taste

METHOD:-

For the sauce:

Heat oil in a large saute pan. When the oil ripples on the surface add the cumin seeds. Once they begin to sizzle add the onions and the salt. Cook on medium heat till onions turn brown. Then add the garlic and ginger paste and stir for about a minute or two until the smell of the raw paste disappears. Pour in the tomato puree and let it cook till the oil separates from the tomato sauce and the tomato sauce thickens a bit, about 5-8 minutes. 

For the vegetables:

While the sauce is cooking, work on the mushrooms. Some button mushrooms come in pre-washed packages but you can wipe the mushrooms clean with a paper towel or brush them off if you wish. You can also rinse them in a colander or submerged in water in the sink if you can plug your drain. Slice the mushrooms into quarters or thirds.  Thinner sliced mushrooms will make for a successful sauté.

Put another sauté pan on medium high heat and ladle on a tablespoon of ghee (clarified butter) or your preferred oil.  Keep the oil pretty hot but not to the smoking point. Drop in a handful of mushrooms. Make sure all the mushrooms are touching the hot pan so be careful not to overcrowd the pan.  The mushrooms will sizzle and brown on one side, this will take 2-3 minutes.  Once they are golden brown and have a bit of a crust on them from the sauté, flip each and every mushroom piece over and sauté the other side.  Once that handful of mushrooms are beautifully golden and crusty, move them out to the sides of the pan where the heat is less and add another handful. You can also just spoon out the finished mushrooms and drop them into the sauce but only if your sauce is finished. Continue until all the mushrooms are cooked.

While your mushrooms are sautéing, start preparing the bell peppers.  Heat another sauté pan on medium-high heat. Once it is hot (but not smoking), add the olive oil (you can substitute it with another high-heat cooking oil if you wish). Dice the bell peppers into bite-sized cubes and add them to the oil.  Stir the bell peppers occasionally until they fry evenly (about 8-10 minutes). 

The Finishing Touches:

Once all your mushrooms and bell peppers are finished, add them to your sauce.  Crumble and crinkle the kasoori methi over the sauce by placing it in the palm of your hand and then rolling and crushing the leaves between your palms, letting the powdered leaves fall into the sauce. Cook on medium heat for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle on the garam masala and mix well, let it cook for a minute.  Be sure to taste test and adjust the spices if necessary. Turn off heat and stir in heavy cream if you choose to use it. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

TIP:

Add the yogurt to the pan in small quantities, a few spoonfuls at a time.  Fully incorporate each added batch of yogurt before adding the next batch.  If you add all the yogurt at once, it tends to curdle.   Working in small batches helps prevent the yogurt from curdling.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))