Veggies and Cheese Toast Pakora...

Veggies and Cheese Toast Pakora... 

This is an ideal breakfast or snack for a rainy day with a garam /hot cuppa of Chai /Tea.... Today since it is raining heavily from morning, I am only thinking of pakoras and bhajiyas... Ufffff.... Could not resist my thoughts.. Finally had to make some thing fried.
This is an in between version of French toast and Bread Pakora. I have added vegetables, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese and green chutney for stuffing the bread and the batter is made with egg, baking powder, flour and cornstarch. It is crispy and filling too  with all veggies. It is eaten hot with green chutney and ketchup.
You can add any filling of your choice...

For the Stuffing 

Ingredients
1 small  Beetroot cut into cubes
1 small Carrot cut into cubes
1 small Onion cut into cubes
1 small piece of Red Cabbage chopped
5 Garlic cloves
1 tbsp Pickled Red Chillies or Green Chillies chopped
Few Coriander leaves chopped
Cheddar Cheese around 4 to 5 pieces
3 tbsp Cottage Cheese
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Pepper powder

Method
Take a food processor or chopper. Add all the vegetables in the chopper and chop it fine, add both the cheese, churn the chopper. Add the salt and pepper and mix it. Take it out in a bowl.

For the Batter
Ingredients
4 Eggs
1/4 cup Milk
1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
2 tbsp Cornstarch
1 tsp Baking powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Pepper powder

Method
Mix all purpose flour, baking powder and cornstarch together. Break the eggs into a mixing bowl. Whisk the eggs. Add the milk and whisk it once more. Add the mixed flour, whisk it. Add salt and pepper. Mix it.

To make the Toast Pakora
Ingredients
1 packet of Bread loaf
Stuffing
Batter
1/4 cup Green Chutney
Oil for frying

Method
Take 2 pieces of bread. Apply the green chutney on one bread and spread the stuffing on another. Place one piece of bread over the other. Cut it into a triangle. Repeat the process for other bread pieces. Take a frying pan. Add the oil and let it heat. Take 4 pieces of the triangle cut bread, dip it into the batter and fry it in the oil until brown in colour from both the sides. Take it out from the oil and keep it on the absorbent paper. Serve it hot with chutney, ketchup and garam chai, and enjoy the rains...

Gyeran-Bbang (Korean Egg Bread) with a twist...

Gyeran-Bbang (Korean Egg Bread)with a twist..

This is a popular Korean street snack. This is a sweet, hot and fluffy mini loaf of bread with a egg inside. The vendors selling Gyeran-Bbang have special moulds or machines in which they make this little egg breads. At home we can make in any cupcake moulds or a mini bread loaf mould or tray. It is made with eggs, all purpose flour, milk, vanilla essence, sugar, butter and baking powder. 

Here I have given it a twist by making it savoury. I have add very little sugar just for taste and have added salt, garlic powder and pepper. Have it hot. It's delectable. Make it to believe me. 

Inspired from Maangchi's post...

Here is the recipe from my kitchen...

Ingredients 

1 cup All Purpose Flour 

2 tsp Baking powder 

1 tbsp Sugar 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Pepper powder 

2/3 tsp Garlic powder 

3 tbsp Butter melted

1 cup Milk

2 Eggs for the Batter 

6 Eggs for the Moulds

12 small pieces of Mozzarella cheese 

Oil to brush the mould

Method 

Take a mini loaf tray or a cupcake tray. Grease it with oil and keep it aside. Take a mixing bowl, add butter, sugar and 2 tbsp of milk. Beat it till the sugar has dissolved. Add another 2 tbsp of Milk and beat it well till fluffy. Add the rest of the milk and beat it. Add one egg at a time and beat it. Add the salt, garlic powder and pepper powder. Beat it once. Add the baking powder. Beat it once more. Finally add the flour and beat it well. Take the greased loaf tray. Pour the batter into each mould, filling only 1/3 of the mould. Break a egg in the centre of each mould on the batter. Add 2 mozzarella cheese pieces into each mould on the side of the yolk. Bake at 200 degrees celcius for 15 minutes in a preheated oven. If you want a little hard egg then bake for 20 minutes in the oven. Once done, take it out from the oven. Cool it a bit. Run a knife around the edges of the mould and remove it from the mould. Enjoy it hot.

Paya Nihari

Paya Nihari 

Nihari is a stew, usally slow cooked overnight which consist of meat mainly cooked with bone marrow. It can be made of trotters (Paya) too.
The word Nihar originated from the Arabic word "Nahar" which means "day" as it was typically served after sunrise Fajr prayers.
This dish was first developed in the 18th century, in either Delhi or Lucknow, by the Mughals. According to many sources, Nihari either originated in Old Delhi (Jama Masjid and Daryaganj areas) in the late 18th century during the last stage of the Mughal Empire or in the royal kitchens of Awadh. The Nawab ate Nihari early in the morning after Fajr prayers and then took a long nap before going to Zhuhr (afternoon prayer). Later on, it became popular among the labourer class for morning breakfast.
Another story reveals that Nihari was cooked overnight in large volume to be served to the labourers. Whenever there were massive constructions involved and the kings served meals free to labour and also paid them.This dish is now cooked all over south Asian countries. It has been an old popular delicacy in parts of Bangladesh, particularly Dhaka and Chittagong. People cooked it for one whole night and they eat it in the early morning at sunrise. It is a popular dish and is regarded as the national dish of Pakistan. The dish is known for its spiciness and taste. It is served with Paratha, Naan or Kulcha.
(Net Source)

Ingredients
8 Paaya (Lamb trotters) cleaned and washed properly
1 Onion chopped
1 Onion sliced, fried and crushed
1 Tomato puree
2 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
4 Green Chillies slit
2 tbsp Coriander
2 tbsp Mint leaves
4 Clove
2 Cardamom
1 Cinnamon stick
4 Pepper corn
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Chilli powder
2 tbsp Nihari Masala powder
Salt to taste

2 tsp Flour 
3 tbsp Oil

Method
In a pressure cooker, add the paya, a tbsp of ginger - garlic paste, chopped onion, cloves, cinnamon, cardomom, 1/2 tsp  turmeric powder, salt and 2 cups of water. Cook at medium heat and give 10 whistles or cook till the payas are tender.
Take a pot, heat the oil, add rest of the garlic - ginger paste. Sauté it for a minute. Add the tomato puree and sauté for another minute. Add red chilli powder, remaining turmeric powder and nihari masala, stir and cook it for a minute. Add the cooked paya along with the curry in which the paya was boiled. Add 2 cups of water. Mix well and let it simmer on low flame. Add the coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chillies and fried onions keeping 1 tbsp of fried onions for garnishing aside.  Continue simmering for 20 minutes on low flame. Take the flour in a bowl, add 4 tbsp water and mix it. Add the paste into the pot. Stir and simmer for 2 minutes more. Remove from the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves, mint leaves and fried onions. Serve hot with naan, kulcha or paratha.

Nihari Masala
Ingredients
10 Dry Red Chillies
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tsp Coriander seeds
2 tsp Pepper corn
2 Cloves
2 Cardamom
1 Cinnamon stick
1 Star Anise
1Bay leaf
1 tsp Kashmiri Chill powder
1/2 tsp Ginger powder
1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

Method
Dry Roast all the above ingredients except turmeric powder and nutmeg powder. Let it cool. Add the roasted spices, nutmeg powder, ginger powder, kashmiri chilli powder and turmeric powder into a grinder. Grind the ingredient into a fine powder. Store it in a dry glass container.  

Tilapia Mach Shorshe Bata Diye Jhal.. / Telapia Fish cooked in Mustard Gravy......

Tilapia Mach Shorshe Bata Diye Jhal.. / Telapia Fish cooked in Mustard Gravy...... 

I have a small pond next to my house, where the villagers come and fish sometimes. It's a bliss to have that pond as so many small birds comes and catches their feed. You can see the fishes playing in water. I can just spend some hours sitting in the balcony, just seeing the movements of the water. The sound of the birds that come to fish takes you to a different world, way from the urban life. Life away from the city is indeed a bliss. Some times the villagers sell their catch for the day. Fresh catch taste so different from the market fish, the fish just melts in your mouth, the taste is simply divine. The other day my husband got some tilapias from the villagers. I was thrilled as I love cleaning them. As he got the fish home, the high command order too followed... "Today please make Shorshe Bata Mach".... I said ok, but will keep some fish back for the fish roast.. We both agreed upon and here is the recipe for Sorshe Bata... 

Here I have used Sunrise Mustard for the paste. This is a rich gravy and hence any dish with mustard paste is called Jhal. You can make it just with mustard paste, but  I have added ginger, garlic, coconut, chillies and curd to enhance the taste.. Little poppy seeds too can be added. It can be had with hot steaming rice. 

For the Mustard Paste..

Ingredients 

3 tbsp Sunrise Mustard powder

1 big Garlic clove

1 small piece of Ginger 

4 to 5 Green Chillies as required 

3 tbsp Curd

2 tbsp fresh Coconut grated or Desiccated Coconut

Salt to taste 

Method

Add all the above ingredients in the grinder and blend it well. Keep it aside for 15 minutes. 

For the Macher Jhal.. 

2 Telapia Fish cleaned and cut into 2 pieces or can be kept whole

2 to 3 Green Chillies slit lengthwise 

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

Mustard paste 

1 Tomato cut into 4 pieces lengthwise 

1/4 tsp Kalonji /Nigella seeds 

1/2 tsp Turmeric paste

Salt to taste 

1/4 cup Mustard oil for fry the fish 

1/2 tsp Raw Mustard oil for garnishing 

Method

Take the fish and apply 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder and salt. Keep it aside for 10 minutes. Take oil in a wok, heat it up till smoking point. Reduce the heat, add the fish and fry till brown on both the sides. Remove the excess oil and leave 3 tbsp oil back in the wok, add kalonji and green chillies in the oil, let it crackle. Add the tomato and sauté it for a minute. Add the mustard paste and the remaining turmeric powder, stir it and cook it for 2 minutes on medium flame. Add 1 cup of water. Stir and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Add the fish and cook for 2 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and mustard oil. Serve it with hot steaming Rice... 

Chilli Garlicky Cheese Rice -Potato Pops

Chilli Garlicky Cheesy Rice - Potato Pops...

These can be served as tea time snacks or starters. These are vegetarian pops. I love the taste of the melted mozzarella. These are easy to make. Must serve it hot.. 

For the Stuffing

Ingredients

1/2 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese

1 cup Mozarella grated  

1/2 cup Cottage Cheese crumbles or grated 

1 tsp to 2 tsp Green Chillies minced as required 

1 tsp Garlic minced 

Salt to taste 

Method

Mix all the above ingredients together and keep it aside. 

For the Potato - Rice Pops 

Ingredients 

1 cup cooked Rice mashed 

2 Large Potatoes boiled grated

1 cup or 3 to 4 end slice of the Fresh Bread crumbs

1/4 cup Spinach Puree 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Oil

Method

Mix all the above ingredients together well and make a dough. If you feel the dough is too sticky to handle then add some more bread crumbs. Add a tsp oil and knead it well. 

To Fry the Pops 

Ingredients 

Stuffing

Dough

1 cup Fine Semolina 

Oil to fry 

Method

Take a small portion of the dough, flatten it.Place some stuffing in between the dough. Press the stuffing in the center and close the edges of the dough. Roll it into a ball. Repeat the process till all the pops are ready. Toss them in semolina. Heat the oil in a fry pan. Fry the pops till golden brown on full flame. Remove it on an absorbent paper. Serve it hot with tomato ketchup... 

P.S. Take Fresh Bread and grind it to make fresh bread crumbs. 

The dough is a bit sticky, to handle the dough apply oil on the palms. 

Please roll the pops well after the stuffing is done, or else it can break and the cheese can ooze out.