STRAWBERRY KHEER !!!!!!!

Today i came up with some unique recipe STRAWBERRY KHEER. I adopted this recipe from TARLA DALAL. 

INGREDIENTS:-

Strawberries, chopped - 1/2 cup

strawberry puree - 1/2 cup

cornflour - 2tsp

cold milk - 2tblsp

full fat milk - 3 cups

sugar - 1/2 cup

cardamom pow - a pinch

METHOD:-

1. Combine the cornflour & cold milk in a bowl, mix well & keep aside.

2. Boil the milk in a deep pan on a high flame, which will take approximate 5 to 6 mins while sirring twice inbetween.

3. Lower the flame & cook for 5 to 6 mins, while stirring continuously.

4. Add the cornflour milk mixture & sugar, mix well & cook on a low flame for 7-8 mins while stirring continuously & scrapped the side of the pan.

5. Add the cardamom powder, mix very well & cook on a medium flame for a few seconds.

6. Switch off the flame, add the strawberry puree & strawberries, mmix well & cool slightly.

7. Allow the mixture to cool completely. 

8. Refrigerate atleast 1/2 an hour & serve chilled.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))

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 :))))))

MOONG DAL CHANA DAL VADA !!!!!

I got this recipe from my dear friend SANDHYA KAMATH. You can serve it as starters or as snacks or as side dish with rice. Speciality of this vada is it is crisp outside & soft inside. Tastes awesome when eaten hot.

INGREDIENTS:-

Chana dal - 1 cup                                                                
Moong dal - 1/4 cup
urad dal - 1 tblsp
ginger, grated - 1 tblsp
green chilles, chopped - 3-4
coriander leaves, chopped - 4 tblsp
curry leaves, chopped - 2 tblsp
salt- to taste
oil for deep frying

METHOD:-

1. Soak urad dal+chana dal+moong dal in sufficient water for 2 hrs. & grind them in mixer coarsely without adding water.
2. To this, add grated ginger+chopped curry leavs, coriander leaves, green chillies+salt to tastte & mix well.
3. Heat oil in a kadai , make small balls from dough, flatten them & deep until golden brown.
4. Serve hot.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))

KHOA JAMOONS 2 !!!!!!

I got this KHOA JAMOONS recipe from gorgeous friend SANDHYA KAMATH who is an excellent cook & khoa jamoons are her signature dish. What i learnt while trying this recipe is if your jamoon turns harder even after soaking in sugar syrup, place them in pressure cooker along with sugar syrup & take a whistle, switch off the burner, release the pressure & now eat your jamoons. It just mels in your mouth. You can try this trick with all types of jamoons. 

INGREDIENTS:-                                                                     

                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                       

Khoa - 200gms
all purpose flour - 100 gm
baking powder - 1/2 tsp
milk - as needed
sugar - 2 cups
cardamom powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp
oil for deep frying
cashew nuts- few for garnishing

METHOD:-

1. Knead khove till soft.
2. Add all purpose flour & baking soda to this & knead well with required milk to make a soft dough.
3. keep covered for 15 mins.
4. Make sugar syrup by adding 2 cups of water & 2 cups of sugar in a thick bottomed vessel & boil it for 10 mins. Add cardamom powder & cover sugar syrup with a lid & keep it aside.
5. After 15 mins make balls from kneaded dough & deep fry them in oil.
6. When they turns light brown , take them out from oil & soak in sugar syrup.
7. Garnish khoa jamoons with cashew nut pieces.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))))

KAJU KAATLI 2 !!!!!!

I got this KAJU KAATLI recipe from my dear friend SUPHALA SHENOY who is an ace cook & lovely friend too. So many tried this recipe & got excellent results. My kaatlis in pics may not look perfect but tasted great. My hubby liked it & ate a few pieces is the proof :P. What i like about my friend Suphi is she always gives exacact measurements & mentions about timings too. So that it becomes easy to follow her recipes to get excellent results. Now onwards you can make kaju kaalis at home & gift it to your frineds & family during festivals & surprise them. Best part of this recipe is you don't need ghee/butter/oil to make kaji kaaltis. 

INGREDIENTS:-

Cashewnuts - 1 cup
sugar - 1/2 cup
cardamom - 1 pod

METHOD:-

1. Dry grind cashews & one pod of cardamom to make a smooth powder. (it will take about 10-15 secs in small chutney jar of your mixie.)
2. Heat a thick bottom kadai take sugar & add 1/4th cup of water to it. & make sugar syrup for abou 3-4 mins.
3. Add the cashew powder to the syrup & keep stirring for about 2-3 mins.
4. When the mixture becomes little thick remove from the flame & keep stirring till you get a thick ball like cough.
5. Then transfer this dough onto a cutting board & knead it well. (unfortunately i skipped this step & realised later that it is very very important step of this recipe to get excellent results) Be careful as dough is very hot at this point of time. So switch on the fan & allow it to cool a little before kneading. 
6. As you kneads grains will disappear & you will get a smooth dough. Spread this dough with a belan(roller pin) imto a big round. Then cut inti diamond shape.

NOTE:- You can use sides to make kaju rolls.

HAPPY 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 :)))))))

SCALLOPED POTATOES !!!!!!!!!!!

I found this recipe from the blog EASY RECIPES. & i realised it is nothing but baked version of amchi batate upkari i mean konkani's potatto stir fry. Here we add cheddar cheese & white sauce, thats it. But i made little varification in original recipe & used ingredients easily available here.
.

INGREDIENTS:-

Potatoes, thinly sliced - 2 cups (i removed the skin actually no need to remove the skin of potatoes)
butter - 25 gm OR 1&1/2tblsp
all purpose flour - 3 tblsp
milk - 1 cup
salt - 1/2 tsp +1/2 tsp devided
pasta mix seasoning - 2ttsp
cheddar cheese - 3/4 cup / 100gm
white pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)

METHOD:-

1. Melt the butter in a pot & whisk in the flour, cooking for 1 min over medium heat.
2. Whisk in the milk, 1/2 tsp salt , pasta mix seasoning & white pepper powder.
3. Cook till the mixture thickens up, remove from the heat & stir in the cheese.
4. Place half of the potatoes in the bottom of a lightly greased microwave dish.
5. Pour half of the cheese mixture over the potaoes & spread around.
6. Repeat the remaining potatoes & cheese mixture.
7. Sprinkle the top with a little of red chilly powder.
8. Bake in a 350 degree oven, uncovered, for 45 mins.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))).

CAULIFLOWER CHEESE !!!!!!!

Cauliflower cheese is a dish from England & i adopted this recipe from BBC GOOD FOOD.

INGREDIENTS:-

cauliflower - 1 large, broken into pieces
milk - 500 ml
butter - 50gm
cheddar cheese - 100 gm, grated
breadcrumbs - 2-3 tblsp (optional)

METHOD:-

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil &
then add cualiflower pieces & cook for 5 mins.t
2. Lift out a cauliflower piece to tesr, it should be cooked. Drain the cauliflower, then tip into an ovenproof dish.
3. Heat oven to 220*C/200*C.
4. Put the sauce pan back on the heat & add the milk, flour, butter.
5. Keep whisking fast as the butter melts & the mixture comes to the boil.. Flour will disappear & sauce will begin to thicken.
6. Whisk for 2 mins while the sauce bubbles & becomes nice & thick.
7. Turn off the heat , stir in the most of the cheese & pour over the cauliflower.
8. Scatter over the remaining cheese & bread crumbs.
9. Bake it for 20 mins until bubbling.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))