Monthly Archives: March 2008

Baked Vegetables

30 Sunday Mar 2008

Posted by in Cakes n Bakes

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baked_vegetables.jpg

This is one of the oldest and all time favorite recipes of mine. Somehow I never got a chance to make it. May be because I was always skeptical about my baking skills.

Today I managed to bake this for our Special Sunday lunch. It turned out well. I intentionally made it a bit lighter than the original recipe because my husband cant digest heavy milk products in his food.

Being a total Indian at heart I couldn’t keep oil out of this dish. So I tweaked the original recipe a bit to suit my requirement.

Ingredients :

  • 1 tablespoon salted butter
  • 1 tablespoon maida
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 tablespoon grated cheese
  • Pepper Powder (freshly roasted and ground)
  • 1 cup mixed vegetables :
    • Red , Yellow, Green pepper
    • Mushroom
    • Baby Corn
    • Carrot
    • Beans
    • Peas
    • Spinach
    • Finely chopped Garlic
  • Macaroni
  • 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil
  • 2 teaspoons of bread crumbs

Procedure :

For the White Sauce

  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add maida and fry till it turns opaque.
  2. Add milk and boil the sauce. If it appears too thick add more milk till the sauce is moderately pasty.
  3. Add grated cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Preparing the Vegetables

  1. Stir fry vegetables in oil with some salt till they are half cooked.
  2. Boil pasta with a Pinch of salt, till its soft. Mix into the stir fried vegetables.
  3. Add the white sauce to the mixture of vegetables and pasta.
  4. Add some pepper powder. Mix well.

Baking the Dish

  1. Preheat oven at 200 °C.
  2. Pour the vegetable pasta mixture into a baking dish.
  3. Pour Olive Oil over the dish and mix well.
  4. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top.
  5. Bake at 200 °C for about 15 mins.

Please NOTE :

  1. In this dish salt is added a number of times at different stages of preparation. Care needs to be taken to ensure that the overall quantity of salt does not become too much.
  2. If you don’t have bread crumbs you can quickly make them. Microwave a piece of bread for 30 secs and leave it outside till it dries up. Crumble it and sprinkle over the dish.
  3. While preparing the white sauce pour warm milk into the fried maida. This will prevent lump formation due to temperature difference.

Tawa Masala

30 Sunday Mar 2008

Posted by in Masalas

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Tawa Masala

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Tawa masala (or Bharwa Masala) is an age old dry powder recipe used to stuff Brinjals, ladys fingers, bitter gourds, etc;

The best part is that once this masala is made, you wont need to spend too much time in making your sabzi. Moreover, this powder can be stored for weeks together. Its usually available in all stores but its hard to find something that matches the home-made one.

Ingredients :

  • 1 tablespoon saunf
  • 1/3 teaspoon methi seeds
  • 1 teaspoon jeera seeds
  • 1 teaspoon dhania seeds
  • 1 dried red chilly
  • 1/4 teaspoon Haldi powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Garam masala (optional)
  • Pinch of Hing

Procedure :

  1. Roast saunf, methi , jeera, dhania, red chilly till you get a crackling sound.
  2. Powder the roasted masala. To this add haldi powder, hing, Garam masala and salt.
  3. Mix this powder well and store in an air tight container.

Please NOTE :

  1. When you want to use this masala in your stuffed vegetables please add some amchur powder to it. We dont add amchur powder to the tawa masala while preparing it because that reduces its shelf life.
  2. Also, if the stuffed vegetable recipe contains tamarind in it then please skip adding amchur powder.

Chai Masala

29 Saturday Mar 2008

Posted by in Masalas

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chai_masala1.jpg

Its impossible to make a type of tea that everyone will like. Some like it with more sugar, some with more milk, some want the tea leaves to be boiled more and others don’t want it boiled at all! It really amazes me that a simple thing like tea can be made in so many ways to suit so many people.

However, masala chai is something thats a safe bet for all of us. It directs your attention towards flavors that unfold with every sip.

Its interesting to note that tea has many medicinal properties as well. Masala chai is particularly helpful if someone has a cold.

Ingredients :

  • A small piece of Cinnamon stick
  • 3-4 Cloves
  • 10 Tulsi leaves
  • Small piece of Dried ginger (Soont/ Sonti)
  • 5-6 Elaichis

Procedure :

  1. Dry roast the above ingredients and powder them. Store this powder in an air tight container.
  2. While preparing a cup of tea add a pinch of chai masala to the boiling tea water.

Tamarind Poha

29 Saturday Mar 2008

Posted by in Snacks

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Tamarind Poha

tamarind_poha.jpg

Although this dish is similar to the tamarind rice we usually eat I think its easier to prepare because you dont need to have rice prepared ahead of it. Whats more? Even my one year old baby cant get enough of it!

We tried eating it with Haldiram’s Golden Mixture and found that the crunchy namkeen further geared up the taste.

Tamarind Rice / Puliyogre paste is commonly available is stores these days. However, if you have the tamarind rice powder, you can try it out with that as well.

Ingredients :

  • 3 cups Poha (beaten rice – thick one)
  • 2 teaspoons Tamarind rice paste
  • 1 teaspoon Ground nuts
  • 1/2 teaspoon split white urad dal
  • 1/2 teaspoon channa dal
  • 1/2 teaspoon rai
  • 1 green chilly
  • Few curry leaves
  • Coriander leaves

Procedure :

  1. Moisten the poha.
  2. Heat Oil. Add groundnuts to it and stir for a minute.
  3. Add urad dal, channa dal and rai. Let them splutter.
  4. Add green chillies, curry leaves and tamarind rice paste.
  5. Now add the soaked poha, salt and mix well.
  6. Garnish with coriander leaves and namkeen mixture.

Please NOTE:

  1. You need to be careful while moistening the poha. Just wash it once with water and let it stand in a strainer.Wash again after a while. Repeat this till poha becomes soft.
  2. After you add tamarind paste don’t cook it. Immediately add the poha, else the paste will burn.

Vegetable Nutri Pie

24 Monday Mar 2008

Posted by in Cakes n Bakes

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Vegetable Nutri Pie

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When I saw the event for making a Balanced Breakfast I immediately remembered my mother’s innovative vegetable pie that she used to make so we would not crave for junk food. Attractive as it looked, we never really imagined that it was meant to be healthy.

In this recipe we use wheat flour, vegetables and bake the dish making it a lot better than other spicy, deep-fried snacks we eat. If you add some sprouts to the vegetable stuffing it becomes even more nutritious. You can try this out on a lazy Sunday morning when you are in no mood to head off anywhere.

Thanks Mansi for giving me a reason to try out my mom’s treasured recipe.

Ingredients :

  • 1 cup Wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon Maida
  • Pinch of Carom seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Butter
  • 1 teaspoon Oil
  • 1 cup mixed vegetables :
    • Shredded Red cabbage
    • Green peas
    • Finely chopped Capsicum
    • Finely chopped Carrot
  • 1 tablespoon Grated cheese

Procedure :

For the Dough

  1. Take wheat flour in a mixing bowl. Add salt, pepper and carom seeds.
  2. Fold the butter in. Now add luke warm water little by little, mixing well continuously.
  3. Knead into a soft dough and set aside for sometime.

For the Filling

  1. Heat oil. Add the vegetables and cook till they turn tender. Add salt, pepper and mix well.
  2. Turn off heat and grate cheese into the vegetables.

For the pie

  1. Grease a flat clean surface and roll out the dough with the help of a rolling pin.
  2. Place the rolled out dough over a greased pie mold. Trim away extra dough with the help of your fingers.
  3. Now fill the vegetable stuffing into the pie. Garnish with a tomato slice.
  4. Make thin, long rolls of the dough and criss-cross over the pie.

nutripiemaking.jpg

Baking :

Preheat oven at 200 ° C . Now place pies in and bake for 12-15 mins.

nutripie.jpg

Variation

You can use beans, mashed potatoes or any other vegetable of your choice for the filling. Sprouts will be the best way to go as they are not only nutritious but also filling.

Paneer Fusion in Garlic Sauce

23 Sunday Mar 2008

Posted by in Curries

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Paneer Fusion in Garlic Sauce

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My husband is totally into North Indian cuisine and I love to order Chinese whenever we go out. One Sunday, I decided to make something that will make both of us happy. I had paneer, which everyone at home loves and I knew how to go about making koftas out of it. I wondered how those yummy paneer dumplings would taste in a spicy hot garlic sauce. Garlic, as we know takes over the taste of any dish it enters. Thats one reason we really need to think before adding it to anything.

Well, there wasn’t much to lose so I got started on my paneer koftas and chopped out a whole lot of garlic. I didnt want to make the gravy too heavy so I decided to keep cream out of it. The end result was enjoyed by both of us. So thats how Paneer Fusion in hot garlic sauce came to being. I guess in Chinese cuisine they must be making a similar dish, with Tofu probably.

For centuries people have known the medicinal properties of Garlic. In Egypt, Garlic has been found in the tombs of ancient Pharaohs dating back to 3,200 B.C. It was used by the pyramid builders who believed that garlic gave them strength. The only slave revolt in Egypt was by laborers over lack of Garlic, one year when the Nile flooded the Garlic fields. The Greeks used garlic to bring strength to their athletes at the Olympic game. So finally we all know the secret to winning an Olympic Gold!

This is my entry to JFI – Garlic for the month of March, 2008. Thanks Mathy for chosing such a wonderful ingredient which not only has flavor but also medicinal properties.

Ingredients :

  • 1 cup grated Paneer
  • 1/2 tablespoon Maida
  • Few Spring onions
  • 10-12 Garlic pods
  • 1/2 tablespoon Cornflour
  • 1/2 teaspoon Vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Soya Sauce
  • 10 Pepper corns
  • Puree of 3 Big ripe Tomatoes

Procedure :

  1. Grate paneer. Add salt and maida. Mix well.
  2. Make small balls out of the paneer mixture and deep fry in hot oil.
  3. Heat Olive oil. Add finely chopped garlic and fry well.
  4. Now add finely chopped spring onions and continue to fry.
  5. Add some freshly roasted and ground pepper powder.
  6. Once the onions appear done add tomato puree. Cook till tomatoes are done.
  7. Dissolve cornflour powder in a cup of water and add to the paste. Now add salt (remember paneer also has salt!)
  8. Once paste thickens slightly add vinegar, soya sauce, paneer balls and stir for few minutes.
  9. Garnish with finely chopped green onion leaves and serve hot with roti or pasta.

Variation

  1. If you are calorie conscious and don’t want to deep fry the paneer balls you can microwave them for 3-4 minutes and add them directly to the sauce.
  2. You can used red chillie flakes instead of black pepper corns in this dish to give the gravy more fire and color.

Please NOTE :

  1. Don’t microwave the paneer balls for more than a few minutes as they will turn hard.
  2. Don’t boil the dish much after adding cornflour paste as the gravy will thicken and you will continuously need to add more water.

Stuffed Lady’s Fingers (Bharwa Bhindi)

20 Thursday Mar 2008

Posted by in Ladys Finger

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Bharwa Bhindi

This sabzi is usually prepared to take along while traveling. The masalas keep the bhindi pickled for 24 hours. I personally like it so much that often I made my mother make it even when we weren’t going anywhere.

The masalas in this case completely change the taste of bhindi. This is a must try, for those of you who dont like Bhindi or are bored of the usual style of cooking it.

Ingredients :

  • 250 grams Bhindi
  • 1 tablespoon Oil
  • 1 teaspoon Tamarind paste
  • 2 teaspoons Jaggery
  • 4 teaspoons Tawa masala

Procedure :

  1. Heat Oil. Add Tamarind paste. If you dont have tamarind paste you can add amchur powder.
  2. Add Jaggery and mix well.
  3. Put tawa masala in and turn off the heat. The consistency of the paste should be thick, like halwa.
  4. Slit bhindi. Stuff the masala into it and shallow fry in hot oil. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the bindis (remember stuffing already has salt)
  5. Once bhindi appears done, serve hot with rotis.

Please NOTE :

  1. If you buy ready-made tawa masala you will need to taste and see if it contains salt or not. If it doesn’t, please add some to it.
  2. If your tawa masala contains amchur or dry mango powder then please skip adding tamarind paste.

Dressed Crackers

20 Thursday Mar 2008

Posted by in Salads

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Dressed Crackers

dressedcrackers6.jpg

Wheat crackers are among the most nutritious biscuits available in market today. Non-fried and high in fibre they make a perfect snack to be had with tea or to kill that hunger in-between meals.

Dress them up and they become an attractive option to be had as a side-dish. Replace your salad with these and watch them disappear from the dinner table. Even kids who usually dont eat salad will have at least one!

Ingredients :

  • 2 Wheat crackers
  • 1 teaspoon Cheese Spread
  • Grated cheese (optional)
  • 1/2 a Tomato, finely chopped
  • 2 baby potatoes
  • Moth Dal sprouts
  • Whole green moong dal sprouts
  • Freshly roasted and ground pepper powder
  • Mint leaves (Garnish)

Procedure :

  1. Microwave (or boil) potatoes and sprouts for about 5 mins.
  2. Mix salt and pepper into tomatoes, sprouts and potatoes.
  3. Spread cheese on the cracker. Place mashed boiled potatoes on it.
  4. On it add tomatoes and sprouts.
  5. Sprinkle grated cheese on top or dot crackers with cheese spread.
  6. Decorate with a mint leaf and serve.

Please NOTE :

Spinach is extremely nutritious and should be a part of ones regular salad. Whenever you make salad you can place it on lettuce, spinach, etc; to ensure we get our greens in the most nutritious form – raw!

However, please place the crackers over a tissue paper as green leaves can make the crackers soggy.

Raw Mango Dal

12 Wednesday Mar 2008

Posted by in Dals

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raw_mango_dal1.jpg

Mangoes have started appearing again. Well, at least the raw ones have and I cant stop myself from making the dals and chutneys that I have been missing for so long.

Raw mangoes lend a sourness to the dal which is very unique. Even lime juice, tamarind or kokum can not possibly enhance the flavor of dal like kaccha aam.

Ingredients :

  • 1 cup toor dal
  • 1/2 raw mango
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 1 onion
  • 1 green chilly
  • Few curry leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon jeera seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon rai
  • 1 teaspoon dhania powder
  • Pinch of hing
  • Pinch of haldi powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of red chilly powder

Procudure :

  1. Soak dal for 15 mins. Wash well.
  2. Add chopped tomatoes and raw mango. Add Haldi powder, salt and water. Pressure cook till dal is completely done.
  3. Heat oil. Add rai, jeera, hing, green chillies, curry leaves and onions. Stir till onions are done.
  4. Add a pinch of red chilly powder, dhania powder and mix well.
  5. Pour a tablespoon of dal into this tempering. Let it sizzle a bit. Now pour this tempered dal into the remaining dal and give it a boil.
  6. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with plain rice.

© Roma Sharma 2007-2008

Instant Rasmalai

10 Monday Mar 2008

Posted by in Desserts

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Instant Rasmalai

The same old flavor of your favorite rasmalai can now be got very quickly and easily. Only constraint here is that you have to be an eggetarian to enjoy this short cut. I still haven’t been able to find something that can substitute egg in this recipe and still retain the texture of the end result.

Ingredients :

  • 50 g Milk powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • One egg
  • 1/2 lt milk
  • 1 tablespoon of Khoya
  • Sugar (to taste)
  • A teaspoon of Gulab jal
  • Pinch of Elaichi powder
  • Few strands of Kesar
  • Pistas

Procedure :

  1. Mix milk powder with baking powder in a dry container.
  2. Beat an egg. Wet hands with the beaten egg and make a dough of the milk powder mix.
  3. Mix kesar in a small quantity of milk till it releases its color.
  4. Boil milk. Add sugar, kesar milk and elaichi powder to the milk and mix well.
  5. Make marble-sized pedas with wet hands and drop in boiling milk.
  6. Let it cook till the rasmalai bloats up and reaches the surface.
  7. Add khoya to the milk and stir till milk thickens.
  8. Cool and add gulab jal. Garnish with sliced pista and serve chill.

Please NOTE :

  1. Although one egg is beaten in this dish we may not use the whole of it. Care should be taken to make the dough with hands wetted with the egg mix. If you pour the egg into the milk powder the dough will become a batter and things might get out of hand.
  2. In any dessert, gulab jal should be added only after dish cools.
  3. In the above recipe I used Amul milk powder and was satisfied with the dessert.

© Roma Sharma 2007-2008