Authentic tried and tested simple recipes in mainly Indian cooking, including traditional mangalorean, Goan, East Indian, North Indian recipes and much more…
Kashmiri Wazwan recipe, Kashmiri Haakh recipe. To cook it in a jiffy, I have used frozen spinach.
If using whole leaf frozen spinach, like I have done, this dish should not take more than 15 minutes including preparation. No chopping or cleaning of spinach required, just throw all the ingredients together in a pot and you have a wholesome, healthy, nutritious and delicious dish generously spiked with garlic and red chillies but since the chillis are Kashmiri, the dish is not spicy hot!! And if like me you have a batch of peeled garlic always handy, should not take more than 10 minutes!
Ingredients
2 tbsp. oil (mustard if preferred)
3 brown cardamoms, or 3 to 4 green cardamoms
10 kashmiri whole chillies
25 whole garlic, peeled
250 gms. whole spinach
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste
Heat oil and add the brown cardamom, kashmiri whole chillies, whole garlic, whole spinach (saag), little salt and water.
Cook till done (in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle).
Serve hot.
P.S.: The quantity of red chillies may seem daunting but trust me the saag did not turn out spicy hot as would be expected because Kashmiri chillies as usual are mild.
Ingredients and quantities vary according to availability and taste
Mix everything together and and chill 30 mns. before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Keeps for 3 to 5 days well refrigerated. Raw onion may be added just before serving.
Methi Paez – serve a bowl full to the lactating mother for atleast one month, every alternate day, post lunch, starting eight days after delivery!
Cures backache, promotes lactating i.e. increases breast milk, strengthens and helps in bringing back the uterus to its contracted state, relieves flatulence.
Methi paez or fenugreek gruel has several medicinal properties as fenugreek has many nutritional benefits containing fibre, minerals. iron and magnesium, so is beneficial to everyone, not only for lactating mothers
Ingredients
1 cup boiled rice
½ cup methi seeds
1 cup coconut juice
Pinch of salt (optional)
¾ cup jaggery
Method
Wash and soak the methi for 4 to 6 hours.
You can soak the boiled rice too, if you wish, separately.
Drain the rice and methi seeds and transfer to utensil.
Add 4 cups water and bring to a boil.
Remove scum from the surface.
Reduce heat and cook till rice and methi are soft, stirring occasionally.
If the water dries out, add a cup or two of water, as per desired consistency.
If you prefer the methi paez thick, avoid using additional water.
Add the jaggery and stir till the jaggery has dissolved.
Then add the coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes.
A versatile dish that can be served on the wooden skewers as a main entree or remove the chicken pieces to a plate and serve as a snack or appetizer. Plate it, put tooth-picks on the meat and serve with cocktails. Don’t forget the dipping sauce!
Use only chicken thighs. Any other meat like boneless chicken breast (though easier to prepare) would not achieve the same results.
Ingredients
8 Chicken thighs
1 package wooden skewers
Satay Marinade
¼ cup minced lemongrass, fresh or frozen
2 shallots or ¼ onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic
1-2 fresh red chillies, sliced or ½ to 1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 thumb size pc. Galangal or ginger, thinly sliced
½ tsp turmeric
2 tbsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. cumin
3 tbsp. dark soy sauce
3 tbsp. fish sauce
6 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
Peanut dipping sauce to serve
Method
Place all marinade ingredients in food processor and grind to a smooth paste.
Taste-test the marinade – you should taste sweet, spicy, and salty. The strongest taste should be SWEET and SALTY in order for the satay to taste its best. Add more sugar or more fish sauce (in place of salt) to adjust the taste. Add more chilli if you want it spicier.
Remove skin and debone the thighs (or use boneless thighs if available) and cut meat into small pieces or strips – thinner is better.
Place in a bowl and pour marinade over.
Stir well to combine.
Allow at least 2 hours for marinating, or longer (upto 24 hours refrigerated).
Simultaneously, place the wooden skewers in water and leave to soak until required.
When ready to cook, thread meat onto the skewers. Fill upto 3/4 of the skewer.
Grill the satay, turn over and grill over all sides of the skewer till well roasted and brown, about 15 to 30 minutes.
Serve with satay sauce for dipping.
Satay Sauce (Thai Peanut sauce)
Ingredients
½ cup dry roasted peanuts, unsalted
2 cloves garlic
½ tsp. dark soy sauce
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 ½ tbsp. tbsp. fish sauce (substitute with soy sauce)
½ tsp. tamarind paste or 1 tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. thai chilli sauce or cayenne pepper
½ cup coconut milk
¼ to ½ cup water (as required)
Method
Process all the ingredients in a food processor until sauce is smooth.
Adjust, salty, sour, sweet and spicy taste by adding fish sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar and cayenne pepper, respectively as required.
If you require more salty add fish sauce, if more sweet, add sugar.
Serve warm or at room temperature as dipping sauce for veggies, spring rolls, chicken satay, etc.
Momo is a type of steamed dumpling with some form of filling. Traditionally, momo is prepared with ground/minced meat filling, but in the modern era, this has changed and the fillings have become more elaborate. These days, momo is prepared with virtually any combination of ground meat, vegetables, tofu, paneer cheese, and vegetable and meat combinations. Momo are traditionally steamed but can also be deep fried or pan fried. Momo is usually served with chili garlic sauce and pickled daikon ((i.e. pickled raddish) in Tibet whereas in Nepal popular dipping sauces include tomato based chutneys or sesame based sauces – source – wikipedia
A simple white-flour-and-water dough is generally preferred to make the outer momo covering. I have used store bought pastry wrappers. You get packs of 24 wrappers. This recipe makes 35 momos.
Chicken Momos Ingredients
1 lb. Chicken mince, drained well
1 Carrot, chopped fine (or celery)
2 spring onions with greens, chopped fine (shallots or normal onions can be subs)
1” pc. Ginger, chopped fine or 1 tsp. ginger paste
½ bunch fresh coriander leaves, chopped fine
1 ½ tsp. salt or to taste
½ tsp. cumin powder
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. olive oil
Method
Mix all the above ingredients and add a little water if you feel the mixture is too dry.
Take a pastry sheet and moisten the edges.
Place a tsp. of chicken mixture and crimp the edges of the pasty to form a crescent shape or a round shape.
Set aside
Can be frozen at this stage
To cook:
Steaming:
Grease a steamer plate or container (or use bamboo baskets) and steam the momos for 15 to 18 minutes.
I thought the below method are quicker and easier, so used these two methods.
Frying+ Steaming:
Place a batch of momos on a frying pan with a little oil. When all sides are brown, add some water to the pan and cover with a lid and let seam cook till the water dries up.
Boiling :
Place a vessel, quarter filled with water. When it starts boiling, put the momos and bring to a boil. Then add cold water (room temp) and let it boil. Once again add cold water and let it boil. Repeat this 3 times. Then remove with a slotted spoon.
Serve hot with dipping sauce or chutney.
To make dipping sauce:
Add ¼ cup soya sauce to a bowl and add ½ the quantity of lemon or chilli sauce in vinegar. Mix and use to dip the momos or drizzle over the momos in individual bowls and serve.
Sprouts are a powerhouse of nutrition that contain essential vitamins and minerals and at the same time are easy to digest and excellent sources of protein. Although sprouts give the maximum benefit when eaten raw, cooking them makes them more palatable and easier on the digestive process. This is an excellent one pot meal using sprouts. Just accompany the pulao with raita, yogurt, pickle, etc. for a complete meal.
For a non veg version substitute the sprouts with shredded chicken or shrimp. Super delicious!
Sprouted Moong Spicy Pulao
Ingredients
2 cups basmati rice
2 cups sprouted moong
4 cups hot water
2 soup cubes
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp. ghee or oil
Salt, if required
Grind to a paste
1 Onion
6 green chillies
1 bunch coriander leaves
½ tsp. turmeric
1” pc. Ginger
5 flakes garlic
½ tsp. mustard seeds
½ tsp. cumin seeds
½ tsp. pepper corns
3 cloves
1” pc. Cinnamon
Method
Wash rice and soak for atleast 15 minutes.
Wash the sprouts and set aside.
Heat ghee in a pan, add the chopped onion and fry till translucent and soft.
Add the chopped tomatoes and fry till soft.
Add the soup cubes and let them soften and dissolve.
Add the ground masala paste and the masala water and saute 2 minutes.
Add the sprouts and stir and cover and cook 5 minutes.
Add the soaked rice and toss lightly so each grain is coated with the masala.
Add the hot water, stir to mix, check salt and add if required.
Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, stir well to mix lightly.
Cover and cook till all the moisture is absorbed.
Switch off flame and leave to rest.
Serve hot as a one pot meal with raita, yogurt, pickle, etc.
Indian cooking is synonymous with Butter Chicken & Tandoori chicken. This recipe gives you both. I use full chicken or chicken whole legs when making only tandoori chicken but I prefer to use boneless chicken breasts for butter chicken. Don’t be alarmed by the amount of butter used in the recipe…you are not going to eat the whole pot, are you? If you are then I’d be alarmed! Anyway, for the health conscious, you may adjust the butter and cream as per your requirements. Actually I don’t use butter for tandoori chicken on most occasions, if I do may be just a tablespoon if the chicken turns out too dry. But I do use butter for butter chicken…..for what is butter chicken without butter?!
2 medium tandoori chickens (Murgh Tandoori) or 2 lbs. boneless tandoori chicken breasts
The Gravy
250g butter , or as required
3 tbsp. ginger paste
3 tbsp. garlic paste
4 cups tomatoes, chopped or 3 cups passata
Salt
1 tbsp ginger chopped
8 green chillies chopped
5 tsp. cashewnut paste
1/2 tsp. paprika or chillie powder
150 ml or 2/3 cup cream
1/4 cup coriander leaves chopped
The Tandoori Chicken – 1st marinade
2 medium chickens or 2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts (for butter chicken)
Salt
2 tsp red chillie powder or to taste
4 tbs. lemon juice
Butter for basting (optional)
2nd Marinade
100g/6 tbsp. yoghurt
100g/7 tbsp. cream
2 1/2 tsp ginger paste
2 1/2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp. saffrom
1 drop orange color
Marinate the chicken with salt, chillie powder and lemon juice. Keep aside for 15 minutes.
Whisk yoghurt in a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Rub the chicken with this mixture. Keep aside for four hours or overnight if desired.
Preheat oven to 350deg F. Skewer the chicken from tail to head, leaving a gap of at least 2 inches between the birds. Keep a tray underneath to collect the drippings. Roast in a hot tandoor or pre-heated oven till the moisture evaporates and it starts leaving oil. Baste with butter, if required.
Your tandoori chicken is now ready!
Cut the tandoori chicken into desired sized pieces or the breasts into strips.
Melt half the butter in a pot, add the ginger and garlic pastes and stir over medium heat until the liquid evaporates. (To save the effort of sieving the tomato gravy, use tomato Passata (readymade tomato puree) instead. Please don’t make the puree with tomato paste, does not give the same results. I have used passata in this recipe.
Melt the remaining butter in a vessel, add chopped ginger and green chillies, saute over medium heat for a minute.
Add cashewnut paste and saute until light brown, add paprika or chillie powder and stir.
Than add the tomato gravy, bring to a boil, add the tandoori chicken and simmer for 10 minutes or till fat surfaces. Stir-in cream and adjust seasoning.
Remove to a bowl, garnish with coriander leaves and serve with naan or any bread of your choice.
Chatpata chaats are popular on the streets of India, and famous on almost every street in Mumbai. Frequented by those wanting a quick snack or as a substitute for lunch or dinner these lip-smacking street foods are adored by young and old. Dahi batata puri also called dahi aloo puri or dahi puri are crispy puris stuffed with potato and covered with yogurt chutney and coriander leaves. Pomegranate seeds not only enhances the presentation but adds a delicious juicy crunch to each morsel. Those who wish to avoid potato can substitute it with sprouted moong or soaked boondi. The aloo puris are a burst of flavours with the various chutneys, yogurt, coriander, sev etc. I personally do not like combining yogurt and raw onion and so have skipped raw onion in this Chaat, do feel free to use onion if you prefer.
Mix with onion (optional, I usually don’t prefer yogurt and fresh onion combination), sprouts, salt and mix.
Mix yogurt with chilli powder, cumin powder and chaat masala and salt if required.
Arrange puris on a plate and make a hole on the top of the puri.
Fill the puris with boiled potato mixture or only sprouts or only boondi.
Top with the yogurt mixture and then drizzle the garlic chutney, green chutney and sweet chutney, sprinkle the sev and garnish with pomegrantate seeds and coriander leaves.
Add more chutney over the sev if desired.
Serve immediately.
Adjust the sweet and teekha chutneys to your taste.
Punjabi Samosa with Garlic, Green & Sweet Chutneys
Delicious and scrumptious “street food”. Make and enjoy in the comfort of your home at your convenience using pure and fresh ingredients.
Punjabi Samosa and Chaat
Makes 12 large or 24 small samosas
Ingredients
For the samosa dough
2 cups flour (maida, All purpose flour)
1 tsp. ajwain (optional)
6 tbs. melted ghee
1 tsp. Salt or to taste
Water to knead
Filling
2 large potatoes
½ cup green peas (optional)
1 tsp. cumin seeds
3 green chillies
1” pc. ginger
1 tsp. amchur powder
½ to 1 tsp. chilli powder (as per taste)
1 tsp. garam masala powder
2 tbsp. coriander leaves
Salt to taste
1 tbsp. ghee
Oil for frying
Method
Mix the flour with the ajwain, salt and ghee and mix well.
Add small quantities of water and make a hard dough.
Knead for 3 minutes, cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for 15 minutes.
Peel the potatoes, wash and chop into small cubes.
Heat ghee in a pan, add the cumin .
When it crackles add the chopped green chillies and the potatoes.
Saute for 2 minutes.
Add the salt, chilli powder, amchur and garam masala powder and toss for a minute.
Add water little at a time until peas and potatoes are cooked. (If using fresh peas, parboil them before adding to the potatoes).
Add coriander leaves and mix well. Take off the heat.
Divide the dough into 12 balls to get 24 samosas, (I have rolled into 6 to make 12 bigger size samosas) and roll out each as thin as possible into a somewhat elongated shape.
Using a knife cut into two in the centre.
Wet the cut edge and form into a cone shape with your hands.
Fill the cone with a heaped tbsp. of the filling and bring the edges to cover the filling and press together to secure.
Heat oil to smoking, reduce heat to low and fry the samosas few at a time till golden brown on all sides.
Serve hot with sweet chutney (saunth), garlic chutney & green chutney.
To make Samosa Chaat:
Samosa Chaat with Ragda
Ragda
1 cup white peas, boiled till soft
1 tsp. Ginger paste
1 tsp. garlic paste
2 green chillies, finely chopped (or 1 tsp. green chillie paste)
½ tsp. cumin seeds
¼ tsp. asafoetida
1 tsp. coriander seeds powder
1 tsp. red chilli powder
¼ tsp. turmeric powder
1 tbsp. ghee
1 tsp. salt or to taste
½ tsp. Garam masala powder
2 tbsp. coriander leaves
Method
Heat ghee, add cumin seeds, when they sizzle add asafoetida, ginger, garlic paste and chillies.
Saute for a minute.
Add coriander and chillie powder, turmeric powder and mix well.
Add some water to prevent the masala burning.
Add the cooked peas and stir to mix.
Add salt 1 cup water and cook till fat surfaces.
Add garam masala and fresh coriander and cook 3 to 4 mintues.
To assemble:
Break samosa into large pieces and cover with the 2 to 3 ladles of ragda.
Top with green chutney, sweet chutney (saunth) and garlic chutney and some chopped onion.
Sprinkle some chaat masala.
Add some sev all over and garnish with coriander leaves.
Add additional chutneys if desired
Serve immediately.
To make Dahi Samosa Chaat:
Dahi Samosa Chaat
1 cup yogurt
½ tsp. chaat masala
Few pomegranate seeds
Green chutney
Garlic chutney
Coriander leaves
Sweet chutney
Sev
To assemble:
Place 2 samosas in a bowl.
Top with ½ to 1 cup beaten yogurt.
Drizzle garlic chutney, green chutney, sweet chutney, garnish with pomegranate seeds, coriander leaves, sev.
And sprinkle some chaat masala
Serve immediately.
To make green chutney:
Grind to a paste:
1” pc ginger
2 green chillies
2 flakes garlic
1 to 2 cups fresh coriander leaves
½ cup mint leaves
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt or to taste
Grind all together to a paste without adding water as far as possible.
To make garlic chutney:
Grind to a paste:
1 cup garlic
3 red chillies
1 lemon, juice
Salt to taste
Grind together to a smooth paste adding water as required.
To serve take as much chutney as required and dilute with water and serve.
To make Sweet Chutney (Saunth)
Made from Mango powder and usually served with snacks
5 tsp mango powder (Amchur)
3/4 cups sugar or jaggery (I used jaggery)
2 ½ tsp. cumin seeds
½ tsp. Black salt
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1 tsp. black cardamom seeds (use white if not available)
1 tsp. red chilli powder
Salt to taste
1 drop red food color
1 small raw mango
Method
Roast the cumin on a pan, cool.
Pound black salt with a pestle if it is in chunks.
Powder the cumin, black salt, peppercorns, cardamom seeds to a fine powder.
Transfer to a dry bowl and add the red chill powder and salt and mix well.
Sieve the mango powder to break up the lumps.
Peel, and cut the mango into small pieces.
To make a larger quantity, double the ingredients.
Put 1 cup water in a saucepan, add mango powder and whisk to prevent lumps.
Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously until it thickens and becomes glossy.
Add the remaining ingredients (except mango pieces) and stir till jaggery dissolves.
Simmer 5 minutes.
Remove and sieve through a soup strainer and cool.
Quick easy healthy Pancakes with just 3 main ingredients – No eggs, no leavening agents, no sugar. To make it dairy free, use water instead of milk. Makes 6 pancakes
Ingredients
1 cup Ragi powder
2 ripe bananas
1 cup milk
¼ tsp. salt
Butter for greasing the pan
Walnuts and maple syrup or honey for garnish
Method
Peel and mash the bananas.
Add the ragi powder, salt, milk and mix to a smooth thick batter of pouring consistency.
Set aside 10 minutes.
Heat a griddle, grease lightly and pour ½ cup of batter.
Cover and cook on medium flame till top turns opaque about 2 to 3 minutes.
Flip and cook further 2 minutes.
Remove.
Stack all the pancakes and drizzle maple syrup or honey and top with walnuts.
Enjoy healthy delicious and easy to make pancakes!
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