Eggless Nutty Brownie Banana Cake Loaf...

This is a soft cake with a chewy brownie base..... 

For the Brownie 

Ingredients 

140 grams  Dark Chocolate broken into pieces

55 grams Butter

50 grams Brown Sugar

40 grams All Purpose Flour 

2 pinches of Soda bicarbonate 

1 pinch of Baking powder 

50 grams Curd

2 tbsp Broken pieces of Walnuts

Method 

Prepare the loaf tin with greasing and laying the parchment paper and again greasing it with oil. 

Melt the chocolate and butter on low heat. Remove and leave to cool slightly. Stir in brown sugar until mix it well. Add in curd, mix well. Fold in flour, soda bicarbonate and baking powder, mix until well combined. Add the walnuts and fold the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake it in preheated oven for 20 minutes at 180 degrees celcius. Meanwhile when the   brownie is baking, prepare the batter for the banana cake.

For the Banana Cake

Ingredients 

120 grams All Purpose Flour 

100 grams Butter

100 grams SugarFree or Sugar 

4 grams Baking powder

4 grams Soda Bicarbonate

2 Ripe Banana Mashed

1 tsp Banana essence 

2 drops of Yellow Food Colour (optional) 

50 ml Milk

Method 

Beat the butter with sugarfree until creamy. Add the mashed banana, essence, food colour and Milk.  Add the flour, baking powder and soda bicarbonate. Beat it well. By now the brownie must have bake. Remove the brownie and pour the cake batter on the brownie, bake in the oven at 160 degree celcius for 35 to 40 minutes or until baked. Insert a tooth pick in the middle to check if done. Cool it completely before cutting...

Baked Creamy Mango Sandesh (SugarFree)

Baked Creamy Mango Sandesh (SugarFree)

This Bengali sweet is creamy and soft. It is made with #SugarFree, cottage cheese and mango pulp as the key ingredients used in it. 

For the Creamy Mixture 

Ingredients 

1 cup Cream

2 cups Milk 

1 cup SugarFree 

1 cup Mango pulp 

Pinch of Cardamom powder

Method 

Take a pan and add milk in it, simmer the milk and reduce it to a cup, stirring it occasionally. Add Sugarfree and stir it until it dissolves. Let it cool down. Add the cream, mango pulp and cardomom powder. Mix it well. keep it aside.

For the Sandesh 

Ingredients 

2 cups of Cottage cheese  (Paneer)

Creamy mixture..

Chopped Mango for Garnishing

1 tbsp Rose Syrup 

 

Method 

Blend the cottage cheese in a blender till light and fluffy. Add the creamy mixture and blend it again.

To make the Baked Creamy Mango Sandesh

Ingredients 

Take a silicone mould, grease it with ghee. Add the mixture into the mould. Bake it for 10 to 15 minutes at 180 degrees celcius in a preheated oven. Once it is set, take it out and refrigerate it for 30 minutes. Garnish it with chopped mangoes and drizzle it with Rose syrup. Serve it cold.

Sweet and Sour Stir Fried Broccoli and Chicken

Sweet and Sour Stir Fried Broccoli and Chicken

This recipe is an experiment in my kitchen... It's a good appetiser or a starter. It is cooked in an Asian style. Here the souring agents are Mango and Tomato, the sweetness comes from the honey. Try this recipe and I am sure you will like it... 

Ingredients 

10 to 12 medium size Broccoli florets

14 medium size boneless Chicken chunks 

1 small Garlic pod Clean and minced

6 whole Cherry Tomatoes 

1 Fresh Red Chilli sliced

3 tbsp Ripe Sour Mango chopped

1 tbsp Oyster Sauce

1/2 tbsp Fish sauce

1 tbsp Honey

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

1 tbsp Roasted Peanuts

2 tbsp Oil 

Method 

Take a wok, add oil and heat it. Add the garlic minced in the wok. Stir fry it till light brown on a medium heat, Add the chicken, continue to stir fry for 5 minutes. Add the broccoli florets. Stir fry for 5 minutes. Add the red chilli slices, mango pieces, cherry tomatoes, salt and pepper powder. Stir fry for 5 minutes more. Add the oyster sauce, fish sauce and honey. Continue to cook till the broccoli and chicken are tender. In between sprinkle little water while stirring otherwise the sauce may get burnt and broccoli will not cook. Garnish with roasted peanuts and serve it hot.

Keema Aloo Aur Bhindi ki Sukhi Sabji (Potatoes and Okra with Keema)

Keema Aloo Aur Bhindi ki Sukhi Sabji

Potatoes and Okra with Keema

Ingredients

1 cup Chicken or Mutton Mince

250 grams Okra cut slit into half and cut into 2 pieces

3 medium sized Potatoes cut into thick strips

2 Onions chopped

1 Tomato chopped

2 Green chillies broken into pieces

1 tbsp Ginger Garlic and Chilli paste

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Cumin powder

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder

1/2 tsp Curry powder

Salt to taste

1/4 cup Oil to fry the Okras and Potatoes

1 tbsp Ghee

Few Coriander Leaves chopped for garnishing

Method

Take oil in a wok. Let it heat. Fry the potatoes till light brown in colour. Take it out and keep it aside. Add the okras and fry it till light brown in colour. Take it out and keep it aside. Add ghee in the same wok. Add the chillies and the paste. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the onions and sauté it till pink in colour. Add the chicken mince, stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato and the powder spices and salt. Stir and cook for more 2 minutes. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring it occasionally. Before serving garnish it with coriander leaves.

Dubke

Dubke

This dish is made in the Kumaon region of Himachal. It is a very simple to make using Yellow pigeon peas made into paste and made into pakoras using 1/2 the paste and the rest of the remaining paste is used to make the gravy. The type of lentils can vary. Green grams or Red lentils can be used.

Ingredients

1/2 cup Tur dal / Yellow Pigeon Peas washed and soaked for 2 hours 

1 Tomatoes chopped 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds 

1 Red Chilli broken 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Ghee 

Oil to fry the pakoras 

2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped for garnishing 

For the final Seasoning 

1 tsp Ghee 

1/4 Cumin seeds 

1/4 tsp Mustard seeds 

1 Red Dry Chilli broken

Method 

Add the dal, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds and salt in a grinder and make it into a paste. To make the pakoras, take 1/2 the dal paste.  Heat oil in a wok. Add the 1/2 tsp dal paste in oil and make small pakoras. Keep it aside.

To make the dubke, heat oil in a wok. Add the remaining cumin seeds, mustard seeds and red chilli. Let it crackle. Add the remaining dal paste. Stir fry it continuously for 2 minutes. Add 4 cups of water little at a time, stirring it continuously. Add salt, turmeric powder and tomato. Boil and then simmer the dal on low flame for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mean while soak the pakoras in water. After 20 minutes add the pakoras and simmer for few minutes. For the final seasoning take a pan, add the ghee. Let it heat. Add the chill,  cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Let it crackle. Add the seasoning from top.

Garnish it with coriander leaves.

Maqluba

Maqluba 

It is a traditional dish of Jordan and Palestine. The dish includes meat, rice, and fried vegetables placed in a pot, which is then flipped upside down when served, hence the name maqluba, which translates literally as "upside-down".When the casserole is inverted, the top is bright red colour from the tomatoes  and rest covered with other vegetables. It is usually served with either Yogurt or simple Arabic salad...

Net Source
 
Today I have made Veg Maqluba..and have adapted the recipe as per the availability of the ingredients in my kitchen...
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Basmati Rice washed and soaked for 30 minutes
2 big size Potatoes peeled and cut into thick rounds
2 Eggplants cut into thick round
1 Cauliflower cut into medium florets
3 Tomatoes cut into thick rounds
1 Onion chopped
2 Garlic Clove chopped
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 1/2 tbsp Baharat powder
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
1/2 tsp Allspice powder
Or
***1/2 tsp Cloves powder
     1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
     1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder***
2 Bay Leaves
Salt to taste
4 1/2 cups of Vegetable stock or water
2 tbsp Oil
Oil to fry the Vegetables
1 tbsp Butter, melted
1 tbsp Almond and Pistachio flakes
Few Raisins and dry Berries  for garnishing

Method
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pot, add bay leaves, onions and garlic, stir for 2 minutes.  Add salt, pepper, turmeric powder, cumin powder, allspices powder and baharat powder. Add 4 1/2 cups vegetable stock and let simmer for 10 minutes. Keep it aside.
Take another pan, heat the oil for frying. Add the  eggplant slices and fry it from both sides until golden brown. Take it out and on an absorbent paper, keep it aside. Fry the cauliflower florets and keep it aside. Fry the potatoes and keep it aside.
Take a heavy bottom pot. Grease it with butter. Arrange the tomato, eggplant, potatoes and cauliflower in layers. Pour 1/2 the stock, add the rice and then pour the remaining stock. Cover it and cook it on a low flame. Till the rice is cooked. Let it cool a bit, then carefully flip it up-side down on a serving platter. Garnish it with raisins, berries, almond and pistachio flakes. Serve hot with fresh yogurt or Arabic salad.

Baharat Spice powder
Ingredients
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
2 tbsp Cumin seeds
2 tbsp Pepper Corns
1 tbsp Cloves
2 to 3 sticks of Cinnamon
4 Cardomom
2 tbsp paprika / chill powder
1 small Nutmeg

Method
Blend all the above spices in a blender. Store it in a dry glass container.

   

Cheesy Herb Balls

Cheesy Herb Balls....

This dish can be served as an appetiser.  

 For the Cheese Herb Filling 

Ingredients 

2 cubes Cheddar Cheese grated 

2 Garlic Clove 

1 Green Chilli 

1/2 cup Mint leaves 

1/2  cup Coriander leaves

1/2 cup Spring Onions 

Juice of 1/2 Lime 

Salt to taste

Method 

Add all the above ingredients in a grinder and grind it. 

For the Cottage cheese and Potato Shells

Ingredients

5 medium sized Potatoes boiled 

2 cups Cottage cheese 

4 tbsp All Purpose Flour 

1/4 tsp Cumin powder 

Salt to taste

Method 

Mix and knead all the above ingredients together to form a dough.

To make it....

Ingredients 

Filling 

Dough

6 tbsp All Purpose Flour + 1/4 cup Water -  mix it 

1 cup Bread Crumbs 

Oil to fry

Method 

Divide the dough into equal portions like lemon. Take a portion and flatten it, add 1 tsp of the filling and close the edges of the dough properly and give it a round shape. Repeat the same process. Now dip each balls in the all purpose batter and coat the balls with the bread crumbs. Repeat the dipping and coating process once more. Let it refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Heat oil in a pan. Fry the bombs till golden brown in colour. Serve hot with tomato sauce...

Chicken Massaman Curry...

Chicken Massaman Curry... 

While browsing through the net, I found this very interesting write up regarding this dish. 

Massaman or Matsaman is not a native Thai word. It is generally thought to refer to the Muslims with earlier writers from the mid-19th century calling the dish "Mussulman curry". According to Thai food expert David Thompson, as well as Thai journalist and scholar Santi Sawetwimon, the dish originated in 17th century Central Thailand at the cosmopolitan court of Ayutthaya, through the Persianmerchant Sheik Ahmad Qomi from whom the Thai noble family of Bunnag descends. Other theories contend that massaman is a southern Thai dish, influenced by Malay and Indian cuisine, or that its name is derived from the Malay word masam, which means "sour". The curry is extolled in a poem from the end of the 18th century, attributed to Prince Itsarasunthon of Siam, the later King Rama II (1767-1824). It is dedicated to a lady who is believed to be Princess Bunrot, the later Queen Sri Suriyendra, wife of King Rama II. The second stanza of the poem reads.....

- Massaman, a curry made by my beloved, is fragrant of cumin and strong spices.

- Any man who has swallowed the curry is bound to long for her.

Due to its Muslim roots and therefore Islamic dietary laws, this curry is most commonly made with chicken, but there are also variations on this dish using duck, beef, mutton, goat, or, less commonly so, pork.  As pork is haram meat - forbidden food in Islam - this last variant is of course not eaten by observant Thai Muslims. Vegetarians and vegans have created their own versions of this dish..
The flavors of the massaman curry paste (nam phrik kaeng matsaman) come from spices that are not frequently used in other Thai curries. Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cumin, bay leaves, nutmeg and mace would, in the 17th century, have been brought to Thailand from the Malay Archipelago and South Asia by foreigners, a trade originally dominated by Muslim traders from the Middle East, Indian subcontinent and from the archipelago itself, but increasingly threatened by the Portuguese, the Dutch and French East India Company.These are combined with local produce such as dried chili peppers, cilantro (coriander) seeds,  lemongrass, galangal/ ginger, white pepper, shrimp paste, shallots and garlic to make the massaman curry paste. Massaman curry paste is first cooked with coconut milk, before adding in the other ingredients. Massaman is usually eaten with rice, in a meal together with other dishes. There are also traditional versions using oranges, orange juice, or pineapple juice as additional ingredients.

Net source........

I have adapted this recipe as per the ingredients available in my kitchen.. 

For the Curry Paste
Ingredients
4 Dried Chillies 
1 small Onion sliced 
6 Garlic cloves 
1 small piece Ginger 
1 Lemongrass stalks sliced
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Coriander seeds
2 tbsp Dry Peanuts 
2 Cardomom
2 Cloves 
4 Pepper corns
1 small Cinnamon stick 
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
2 Pinch Nutmeg powder 
1/2 tsp Shrimp paste
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Oil 

Method
Take a pan, add oil. Add chillies, garlic, lemongrass,onions and ginger. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Remove it and keep it aside. In the same pan add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, coriander, cumin and peanuts. Sauté it for 2 minutes, let cool. Mix in all the remaining ingredients and grind it in to a smooth paste.

For the Curry 
Ingredients 
500 grams Chicken pieces
2 medium size Potatoes, peeled and cubed 
1 Onion sliced
6 tbsp Massaman curry paste
1 tetra pack Coconut milk
1/4 cup Chicken stock
1 tsp Fish Sauce
1/2 tsp Tamarind paste 
2 tbsp Roasted Peanuts 
Salt to taste 
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 tbsp Coriander leaves 
2 tbsp Oil

Method
Heat oil in a pot. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pot and keep it aside. Add the potatoes in the same pot and cook until brown. Remove from the pot and keep it aside. Add the onions. Cook the onions for a few minutes, until they begin to brown, and take it out and keep it aside. Add the Massaman curry paste and the coconut milk. Stir it for 5 minutes on a low flame. Add the chicken stock, fish sauce, chicken, potatoes and onions and bring it to a boil on medium flame.  Reduce the flame, cover and cook until the chicken is tender and the potatoes are cooked, stirring it occasionally.  Add the tamarind paste, salt, sugar and the peanuts. Stir in well.  Sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves. Serve with hot rice. 

Whole Wheat Mango Cupcakes with Cottage Cheese Cream Frosting...

Whole Wheat Mango Cupcakes with Cottage Cheese Cream Frosting...

It is raining mangoes, and my family likes to have the mangoes as it is, the stone of the mango remains. It has so much of flesh attached to it, so I managed to take out some pulp from it and used it up to make these mango cupcakes. These cupcakes are made with whole wheat and frosted with Cottage Cheese Cream... 

Ingredients 

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour 

1 tsp Baking powder 

1 tsp Soda bicarbonate 

1 cup Condensed Milk 

1/2 cup Melted Butter (Room Temperature)

1/2 cup Mango puree 

1/4 cup Curd + 1cup Milk mix together 

1 tsp Mango Essence

Method 

Sieve the flour, baking powder and soda bicarbonate. Add all the wet ingredients together in to a mixing bowl. Beat it well. Add the flour little at a time and beat it. The batter has to be thick dropping consistency.  Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius. Take the cupcake liners. Fill in 2/3 of the batter in each of the liners. Bake at 180 degrees celcius for 40 minutes depending upon the oven temperature. Check after 30 minutes. Insert a toothpick and check. If it comes out clean then the cupcakes are done. Cool it completely before frosting.

Cottage Cheese Cream Frosting 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup Cottage cheese crumble 

1 Tetra pack chilled Amul cream (remove the excess water in the cream)

1 1/2 cup Icing sugar 

Few drops of Mango Essence 

Few pieces of Mangoes

Some sprinkles 

Method 

Churn the cottage cheese in a blender with 1 tbsp milk in to a paste. Beat the Amul cream till soft peaks form.

Sieve the icing sugar and beat it. Add the essence and cottage cheese. Beat it well. Refrigerate it for 30 minutes to set. Then add the frosting on the cupcakes. Decorate it with chopped mangoes and some sprinkles on top.

Lau Matar Daler Bora diye Ruhi Macher Jhol Ruhi Fish Gravy with Bottle Gourd and Split Green Pea lentils Fritters....

Lau Matar Daler Bora diye Ruhi Macher Jhol

Ruhi Fish Gravy with Bottle Gourd and Split Green Pea lentils Fritters....

 Usually bottle gourd and prawns or bottle gourd and bori is very famous among the  Bengali  dishes. This time I wanted to try a bit different dish. Tried to recreate this dish. This dish is eaten with steamed rice. Hope you will like it. 

 

For the Matar Dal Fritters 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup  Matar dal / Split Green Pea lentils  washed and soaked for 4 hours

Salt to taste 

1 small piece Ginger

1 Green Chilli 

1/2 cup Mustard oil

Method 

Grind all the above ingredients except the oil in a grinder. Don't add extra water. Mix the batter very well in one direction. Heat oil in a wok till the smoking point. Lower the flame. Add half tsp spoon of the batter. Add the batter 8 to 10 times in the oil, fry till brown in colour. Remove the fritters and keep aside.

For the Fried Fish 

Ingredients 

6 pieces of Ruhi Fish 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

Salt to taste 

Use the same mustard oil for frying the Fish

Method 

Take the fish and marinate the fish with turmeric powder and salt for 15 minutes. 

In the same wok, heat the oil.  Fry the fish until brown in colour from both the sides.

For the Gravy 

Ingredients 

Fried Fish 

Dal Fritters

1 small size Bottle Gourd peeled ( I have not peeled it ... Depending on the tenderness of the bottle gourd) and cut into chunks 

 2 Green chillies slit 

1 tbsp Ginger and Chilli paste

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

2 Bay Leaves

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 /2 tsp Cumin powder 

1 / 2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

Salt to taste 

2 tbsp Ghee

Method 

Take a wok. Add ghee. Let it heat. Add the cumin seeds and slit green chillies. Let the cumin seeds crackle. Add the ginger chilli paste. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the bottle gourd.  Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add 3 cups of water. Let it simmer. Add the salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder and garam masala. Cover and let it simmer till the bottle gourd is almost cooked. Add the  fish. Let it simmer for 2 minutes. Add the Matar dal fritters  and simmer for another 2 minutes. Once done. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp  Garam Masala and drizzle 1/2 tsp ghee before serving.

Mix Pulses in Sour Green Masala Curry / Mix Dal Khatta Hara Masala Curry Mei

Mix Pulses in Sour Green Masala Curry / Mix Dal Khatta Hara Masala Curry Mei.....

As extreme Summer is in... I don't feel like cooking, neither there is any appetite. Only thing I feel like is either have some thing tangy or some thing cool to drink. I has some pre soaked mix pluses and few green small size mangoes. So made this tangy curry to have it with rice, roti or paratha. Tasted quite tangy.... give it a try for yourself.

To make the Sour Green Masala 

Ingredients 

6 Garlic cloves 

1 small piece of Ginger 

2 tbsp Coriander leaves 

1 small Green Mango cut into wedges

2 Green chillies

Method 

Grind all the above ingredients in a grinder.

To make the Curry 

Ingredients 

2 cups  Mix pulses washed and soaked for 6 hours (Black chana and Green Chana / Chickpeas,  Moong / Whole Green gram,  Dried Chawali / Black eyed beans, Whole Massor Dal / Whole Red  Lintel, Matki / Moth Beans)

1 Onion chopped 

1 Tomato chopped 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/2 tsp Curry powder 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

1 Dry whole Red Chilli broken into pieces 

Green Masala 

1 tbsp Ghee 

Few Coriander Leaves for Garnishing

Method 

Take a pressure cooker. Add the pulses and 4 cups of water. Pressure cook it on low flame till 4 whistles or till done. Let the pressure release.  Add 2 cups of water. Add the salt, turmeric powder, curry powder and garam masala powder. Let it simmer on low flame. Take a pan, add ghee. Let it heat. Add cumin seeds and whole red chilli. Let the cumin seeds crackle. Add the onions and sauté it till brown in colour. Add the green masala and the tomato. Sauté it for 5 minutes until mushy. Add the seasoning to the mix pulses. Cook further for 5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Rice, Roti or Paratha.......

Fish Egg Omelette Singaporean style...

Fish Egg Omelette Singaporean style...

Recently during my visit to Singapore, I had this amazing Oyster Omelette in one of the Hawker centre. Though it was delicious, but oily. Back home I wanted to desperately make this dish, I could not get Oyster... so tried to be a bit innovative... I had Rohu fish eggs which I used in place of Oyster.

For Fish Egg Omelette
Ingredients 
1 bowl of Rohu Fish Eggs
3 Eggs
4 Garlic cloves finely chopped
1 Spring Onion chopped
2 tbsp  Cornflour
1 tbsp  Rice flour
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Oyster sauce
1 tbsp Rice wine
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Pepper powder
2 tbsp Oil
Few Coriander Leaves for Garnishing

Method
Wash the Fish eggs and drain well. Mix both cornflour and rice flour together with 8 tbsp of  the water to make a thin batter. Heat a large heavy frying pan until very hot and add 1 tbsp oil and spread it. Pour in the batter and cook  until the batter is half set. Add the eggs and spread it on the batter. When the eggs are almost set, cut the Omelette into pieces and set it aside on the pan. Pour the remaining oil and fry the garlic for a few seconds. Add the soy sauce, wine, salt and pepper. Add fish eggs  and cook for 2 minutes. Mix in the egg Omelette and spring onions. Garnish with coriander leaves  and serve hot with Chilli sauce.

Chilli Sauce

Ingredients
4 Red Chillies
4 Garlic clove
1 piece of Ginger
2 tbsp Vinegar
1/2 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste
3 tbsp Water

Method

Add all the above ingredients in a blender, blend it till fine paste.

Ruhi Maccher Aloo diye Jhol / Light Gravy with Ruhu Fish and Potato

Ruhi Maccher Aloo diye Jhol 

Light Gravy with Ruhu Fish and Potato  

Bengalis love Jhol to have it with hot steam rice. Jhol are usually light, liquid gravy. Jhol can be made with fish, meat or vegetables. The Jhol ingredients can vary according to the recipe. Here today I have made Jhol with fish and potatoes. Other vegetables can be added as per the availability.   

For the Fish Fry

Ingredients 

5 to 6 pieces of Rahu Fish 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

1/4 cup Mustard oil 

Method

Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes. Heat the mustard oil till smoking point. Lower the heat. Fry the fish till brown on both the side. Take it out on an absorbent paper. 

For the Gravy 

Ingredients

Fried Fish 

2 medium size Potatoes cut into wedges 

2 medium size Tomatoes cut into wedges

2Green Chillies slit 

2 tbsp Garlic, Ginger and Chilli paste  ( 3 Garlic cloves, 1 small piece Ginger and 2 Green Chillies)  

1/4 tsp Nigella Seeds 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste 

2 tbsp Mustard Oil 

2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped

Method 

Use the same wok in which the fish was fried, take out the extra oil and keep 2 tbsp oil in the wok. Heat the oil, add Nigella seeds and green chillies. Saute it for a minute. Add the potatoes, stir fry for 2 minutes, add the ginger garlic chilli paste. Saute it for 3 minutes. Add the salt and turmeric powder, stir for a minute. Add the tomatoes. Saute it again for 2 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups of water. Let it boil and then let it simmer till the potatoes are cooked. Add the fish and simmer for 2 minutes. Switch of the flame. Sprinkle coriander leaves. Serve with hot steam Rice. 

Chocolate cake with Butter cream decoration

Minni goes wild was the theme of the cake as a girl enters her wild teens... This is a chocolate cake with fresh cream and butter cream decoration on top.. 

Indonesian style Eggplant Sambal / Sambal Terong

Indonesian style Eggplant Sambal / Sambal Terong

 It has a tangy, sweet and spicy taste and is very delicious. It is very easy to make and it can be had with steamed rice. 

Ingredients

2 medium long  Eggplants cut into cubes 

10 Fresh Red Chillies chopped

6 Shallots chopped 

4 Garlic cloves 

1 tbsp Shrimp paste (Optional) 

1 tbsp  Palm Jaggery  grated 

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Tamarind paste 

1/4 cup Oil 

Method

Take a bowl and soak the tamarind paste in 2 cups of water. Keep it aside. Grind chillies, shallots, salt, shrimp paste, palm jaggery and garlic in a mortar and pestle or grind it in a grinder. Heat oil for frying in a wok, stir-fry the eggplant till light pink in colour. Remove from the wok and drain it on a paper towel. Add the paste.  Stir fry for 2 minutes, on medium heat.  Add tamarind water.  Let boil, for  10 minutes. Add the eggplants. Mix well and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve it with steamed rice.

Cauliflower Kootu

Cauliflower kootu

Kootu in Tamil means 'add'. Any Vegetable can be added with the lentils. Different types of Kootu are made with different spice flavour.  It is an South Indian dish. The gravy here is not very thin. 

---  Net source 

Here I have made Cauliflower Kootu. The flavour of the Kootu powder here with the vegetable and lentil has an awesome taste. It is eaten with hot steam rice. 

For the Kootu Powder

Ingredients 

3 Dry Red chillies

10 Black pepper corns 

1 tbsp Coriander seeds 

1 tbsp Chana dal 

1/4 cup Dry or Fresh coconut 

Method 

Take a pan, dry roast all the ingredients except coconut on low flame for 5 minutes. Add grated coconut and roast for 2 minutes more and turn off flame. Cool and grind the ingredients into a fine powder. Keep it aside.

 For making the Kootu

Ingredients 

2 cups of  Cauliflower florets cut into small pieces 

1 Potato peeled and cubed

1 Onions finely sliced 

1 Tomatoe chopped 

1/2 cup Tur dal washed and boiled with 3 cups of water 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Kootu Masala

1 tbsp Tamarind paste 

Salt to taste

For tempering

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds 

Few Curry leaves 

1/4 tsp Asafoetida 

2 tbsp Ghee

Method

Cook the Tur dal with 2 cups of water till done and keep it aside. Heat ghee in the vessel, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida, let it crackle. Add the  onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add turmeric powder, potato and the cauliflower, saute for 10 minutes on low medium flame. Add the tomato. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the boiled tur dal, ground kootu masala powder and salt, mix well. Add 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer till the vegetables are almost cooked. Add the tamarind paste, along with a cup of water and cook on low-medium flame with lid for another 10 minutes and the vegetables are fully cooked. Turn off the flame. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Egg Bafat Curry

Egg Bafat Curry

A Bafat is a hot spicy masala blend , use to make spicy hot tangy Mangalorean curries. Once the bafat masala powder is made, you can use it for many dishes like fish curry, fish fry, meat and many vegetarian dishes too. It can be stored in a clean and dry glass container.

For the Bafat Masala powder 

Ingredients 

5 Kashmiri red chillies

5 Dry Red chillies

1 tbsp Coriander seeds

1 tsp  Cumin seeds

4 cloves

1 piece Cinnamon

6 Pepper corns

1/2 tbsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp  Turmeric powder

Method 

Take a pan. Add the chillies and roast for 2 minutes. Remove the chillies from the pan. Put all the other ingredients on the pan except the turmeric powder and roast for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and mix all ingredients together and cool it. Grind the roasted ingredients in a grinder.  

P.S. Since I did not have the spicy Red Chillies, I have used the chilli powder.

 (The original Mangalorean recipe does not contain Kashmiri Chillies. Only Red spicy chillies to be added.)

Egg Bafat Curry 

Ingredients

6 hard boiled Eggs peeled 

2 Onions sliced 

1 big Tomatoe chopped 

1 tbsp Garlic Ginger and Chilli paste 

1/2 tsp Coriander powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

Salt to taste 

1 tbsp Bafat Masala powder 

4 tbsp Ghee 

1 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped

Method

Take a wok, add ghee and let it heat. Add the garlic ginger and chilli paste. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the onions and sauté it till pink in colour. Add the tomato and cook for 2 minutes till soft. Add all the turmeric  powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt. Stir it well and cook for a minute. Add 3 cups of water. Cover and cook for 10  minutes, add the Garam Masala powder and Bafat Masala. Cook for 10 minutes more.  Add the eggs, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the flame. Cover and let the  curry  stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped Coriander leaves. Serve it with steamed rice.

Palak Ka Kapa

Palak Ka Kapa

It is a Kumauni style spinach preparation. It is easy to cook and in through sense a soul food.  It is eaten with hot steamed Rice.

Ingredients
1 Bunch Palak (Spinach) chopped
2 tbsp  Rice flour
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Red chili powder
2  Whole Dry Red chillies broken into pieces
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
Pinch of Asafoetida
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Mustard oil

Method
Take oil in a wok and heat it on high flame till smoking hot. Lower the flame. Add cumin seeds and whole red chillies. As the cumin seeds crackles, add the rice flour and asafoetida. Sauté  it  until the color of rice flour becomes light brown in colour. Add the spinach, salt, chilli powder and turmeric powder. Mix the spinach well. Add 1 cup of water and cook approximately for 10 minutes on high flame or until done, stirring and mashing it occasionally with a ladle. Switch of the flame.  Cover and let it stand for 10 minutes. Serve with hot steamed rice.