Burger Pizzas and Handmade Flat Bread Pizza....

Burger Pizzas and Handmade Flat Bread Pizza... 

I call it "Quick Fix Pizza"... 

When my friend called me, it was 7:30 pm in the evening. Uncle (her father) wanted to visit us. I had already planned to invite him over dinner, so then I decided why not today itself... My initial though was to order food from out, but my friend said that since children wanted to have Pizza Burger, we would order the burger pizzas from out, but from the time I have started baking, I hate to order pizzas from out... But to make the Burger Pizzas, first I have to bake the burger buns and then make the pizza.. It was already 8:30 pm.

 So tried some tricks to save some time on baking the burger bread and then to make the pizza burgers on time for the children to enjoy. I did save some time, but for the children to enjoy was bit delayed... 

    Let's see how to proof the bread dough in a warm oven to save the time for baking, especially when the kneading time is also reduced. 

You need a warm place for the yeast to rise quickly when you are lacking time... This method some what solves the problem.

Let's see the recipe......

Since I made Vegetarian Pizza burger and Pizza, I used lots of vegetables cut into small cubes..... 

Onion, Green - Yellow - Red Capsicums, Mushrooms, Baby Corns, Green - Black Olives, Pickled Red Chilli sliced, Pickled Gherkins and Tomatoes too. (Which I missed)

1 block of Pizza Cheese or 50:50 Cheddar Cheese and Mozzarella Cheese 

Pizza sauce 

Sprinkle of Dry Oregano and Chilli flakes.. 

2 tbsp Milk, 1 tbsp Oil and 1/2 tsp Honey for the wash

(Keep all the above ingredients ready while proofing the bread.)

For a Quick Pizza Sauce.....

Ingredients

6 Ripe Tomatoes cut into cubes 

6 big size Garlic pod chopped

1 big size Onion chopped 

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Sugar

1 tsp Dry Mix Herbs or Fresh Basil Leaves chopped 

1 tsp Pepper powder 

1 cup Tomato purée

2 tbsp Olive oil

Method

In a wok, add olive oil. Add garlic and sauté for a minute, add the onions. Sauté till translucent. Add the tomatoes, stir and cook it for 5 minutes. Add the tomato purée, salt, pepper powder, sugar and mix herbs, stir and let it simmer for 5 minutes more. Keep it aside.

For the Burger Buns.....

Ingredients 

500 grams Flour ( Whole Wheat + All Purpose Flour ) 

                                      60          :           40 

2  and 1/4 tsp Dry Yeast or 1 Dry Yeast Sachet  

1/2 cup + 1 1/4 cups Luke Warm water 

2 tbsp Sugar 

Salt to taste

3 tbsp Olive oil 

Sprinkle of Dry Oregano (optional) 

Method 

Take a mixing bowl. Add the flour and salt and mix it. Take 1/2 cup lukewarm water, add sugar and mix it. Add the yeast, stir and dissolve the yeast in the water and let it stand for 10 minutes to rise. 

( This is the first step... Very very important... The yeast has to rise. )

Make a well in between the centre of the flour. Add the yeast water, 1 1/4 cup water and 1tbsp of oil in the centre of the flour. Mix it with a wooden spoon. Lightly knead it for 2 minutes. The dough is bit sticky at this stage.. ( if you feel the dough is very sticky, then sprinkle some flour and knead it. ) Add 1/2 tbsp oil and continue kneading for minute. Add 1/2 tbsp oil again and continue kneading for another minute. 

( Instead of 10 minutes, I kneaded it for just 4 minutes. Saved 6 minutes.) 

Now apply the remaining oil on the dough, cover the bowl, wrap the bowl with a napkin and keep it in the oven at 60 to 70 degrees Celsius.. (The oven has to be warm and not hot.) keep an eye on the bowl. After 3 to 4 minutes please feel the bowl.. If it has become hot.. Remove it from the oven and keep it out till it cools down. Keep it back in the oven. In 30 to 40 minutes the dough will rise. 

 ( Saves almost 30 minutes of stage 1 proofing time ) 

Remove the bowl from the oven. Punch the dough and knead it for a minute. Make 9 equal portions of the dough ( 100 grams of each portion ) the remaining dough would be made into hand made flat bread Pizza.. Grease a baking tray. Take a portion, to make the burger bun, push the dough from in between the thumb and index finger. It will form a ball. Now gently roll the ball with the help of the palms. Place the rolled dough on the baking tray. With the help of the fingers, lightly flatten the ball. Repeat the process. Keep the dough balls at a distance from one another. Cover it with a napkin and keep it in the oven for 20 minutes for rising at 60 to 70 degrees celcius. Now take the tray out of the oven, remove the napkin. Increase the oven temperature to 190 degrees celcius. Keep the oven for preheating. Meanwhile apply the milk wash on the buns. Sprinkle dry oregano on the buns (optional). Bake the buns for 10 minutes. Remove and apply another milk wash. Bake for another 10 minutes. Remove again and apply the last milk wash. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes more until brown in colour. Remove it out from the oven. Brush in oil on the buns. Remove the buns from the tray and cool it.

To make the Hand made Flat Bread Pizza........

In between baking the buns.. Grease another baking tray. Take the remain dough, stretch it with your palms and spread the dough uniformly on the tray and cover up the tray completely. Grate the cheese over the dough. Apply the pizza sauce. Arrange all the cubed vegetables, olives and pickled vegetables. Put some more grated cheese on top. As the buns are ready, increase the oven temperature to 200 degrees celcius and bake the pizza for 25 minutes until the cheese has melted and the edges of the bread has become brown. Take it out from the oven and keep it for 10 minutes before cutting the pizza.

To make the Burger Pizza......

Take the burger buns and cut the buns horizontally. Take a baking tray. Place the lower portion of the buns on the tray. Put the grated cheese, then put a tbsp of the pizza sauce, put the all the vegetables one after the other. Finally put some more grated cheese. Bake the buns at 190 degrees celcius for 10 minutes or  till the cheese has melted. Take the. Tray out from the oven, place the top portion of the buns on the cheese. Put the tray back into the oven and back it for 10 minutes more. Remove the tray and serve it hot..... 

Dimer Tadka / Anda Tadka / Egg Tadka .......

Dimer Tadka / Anda Tadka / Egg Tadka .......

In and around Kolkatta there are many Punjabi roadside dhabas. Tadka dal is one of the very famous dish found in those dhabas. As a child every time, I visited Kolkatta, I would make it a point to eat this dal made by my Masi ( Aunty ) at her house.  Dal Tadka made with yellow lentils is otherwise available everywhere in India, but Tadka dal made with whole green gram / moong dal and the way it is prepared is only available in Kolkatta and it's surroundings. Egg or Chicken or Mutton is added to it. It can be vegetarian too. It is eaten with hot phulkas / Roti. There are many ways of making it. The eggs can be scrambled and added later or the egg can be dropped on the tadka at the end and simmered till the eggs are cooked. 

This is one of the way of making it. 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup Moong Dal washed soaked and boiled 

2 Eggs 

1 medium Onion chopped 

1 medium Tomato chopped 

6 Garlic cloves minced 

1 small piece Ginger minced 

3 Green Chilli minced 

1/2 tsp Turmeric 

1/2 tsp Coriander 

1/2 tsp Cumin 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp Kasuri Methi 

1/2 tbsp Butter 

2 tbsp Oil 

For Garnishing 

Few Ginger juliennes 

1 Green Chilli slit 

Few Coriander leaves

 Method 

Take a deep bottom pot or lagan. Add oil and heat it. Add the garlic minced, sauté it for a minute. Add ginger minced and  chopped onion. Fry it till light golden brown in colour. Add the green chilli minced, stir it. Add the tomato, turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add salt and 4 tbsp water, stir and cook till the tomatoes have become mushy. Now break the eggs into the pot and stir it for 2 minutes till the eggs have cooked. Add the boiled dal. Stir fry it well for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and stir it.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the garam masala powder, Kasuri methi and butter. Stir it. Garnish it with coriander leaves, ginger juliennes and green chilli. Serve it hot with hot rotis... 

P. S. You can have a dry version or add more water as per you requirement.

Macher Roast / Fish Roast

Marcher Roast / Fish Roast 

This recipe is adapted from the book "Thakur Barir Ranna". I have recreated this recipe by adding whole garam masala and green chillies and made it as per my convenience... It is a semi dry dish. This is a very simple and easy to make dish. Even though there are no spice powder added in the recipe , yet it is so tasty.  It can be eaten with hot steamed rice.

 Ingredients 

3 Whole Tilapia Fish cleaned 

1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Chilli paste 

1 Onion made into paste 

4 Green Chillies slited 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tbsp Sugar

1 Bay Leaf

Whole Garam Masala crushed  (2 Cloves, 5 Pepper Corn, 2 Cardamom and 1 small stick Cinnamon)

2 to 3 tbsp White Vinegar or Curd 

3 to 4 tbsp Ghee 

Method

Marinate the fish with onion paste, ginger - garlic - chilli paste, salt and vinegar for about an hour. Take a flat bottom pan, add the ghee. Let it melt, add the whole garam masala and the bay leaf. Sauté it for few seconds till the garam masala crackles. Add the fish pieces into the pan, fry it till light brown in colour on both the sides. Remove it from the pan and keep it aside. Add the remaining marination into the pan, sauté it till light brown in colour. Add the green chillies and sugar, sauté it for a minute more. Add 3/4 cup of water and let it simmer till the gravy reduces a bit. Adjust the salt, stir it and add the fish. Cover and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Open the cover and turn the fish gently. Cook for a minute more. Serve it with hot steaming rice. 

Pholkopir Barfi / Kabishambardhana Barfi / Cauliflower Barfi

Pholkopir Barfi / Kabishambardhana Barfi  / Cauliflower Barfi

This sweet dish is one of the favourite sweet cooked in Jorasanko, where the great poet Rabindranath Thakur resided. This dish was invented by his neice on his 50th birthday. This sweet dish is not found any where in the shops. You have to make it to enjoy it. Cauliflower is ground and made in to a barfi. In eairler days it was ground on shilbatta.. but now a days grinders have taken over the kitchen.

Ingredients

250 grams or a small Cauliflower remove the stem and cut into medium size florets around 6 to 7 florets

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp Khoya crumbs

5 to 6 tbsp Sugar or more as per the sweetness required

Pinch of Salt

1/4 tsp Cardomom powder

1 tbsp Almonds chopped

1 tbsp Raisins

Few Saffron Strands

2 tbsp hot Milk

2 tbsp Ghee

Method

Soak the saffron in hot milk and keep it aside. Take a pot and boil the cauliflower florets in water till It is cooked. Remove and drain the water out completely. Let it cool. Make a coarse paste of it in a grinder without adding any water to it. The paste should be around a cup. In a wok, heat the  ghee. Add the cauliflower paste. Stir it on low heat and stirring it continuously cook it for 5 minutes. Add sugar and 1/2 cup khoya. Keep stirring it till the sugar has dissolve and the khoya has melted. Add the saffron milk, cardomom powder, salt, half of almond chopped and raisins. Stir and cook till the mixture has incorporated well and semi dried up. To check, take a pinch of the mixture and roll it with your fingers, it should form a ball. Grease a plate. Pour the mixture into the plate. Spread it out. It should be 1/2 to 1 inch thick. Garnish it with remaining almonds, raisins and a tbsp of khoya. Let it set till it cools completely. Cut it into square pieces and enjoy it. 

Challah Bread

Challah Bread

The name challah may originally have indicated roundness ("circle") and then also came to denote hollowness ("space") or vice versa. The bread was originally called Yachov in Hebrew, since it was baked in the form of a round loaf. It is also now known as cholla bread. Yiddish communities in different regions of Europe called the bread khale, berkhes or barches, bukhte, dacher, kitke, koylatch or koilitsh, or shtritsl. Some of these names are still in use today, such as kitke in South Africa. Most traditional Ashkenazi challah recipes use numerous eggs, fine white flour, water, sugar, yeast, and salt, but "water challah" made without eggs also exists. Modern recipes may replace white flour with whole wheat and oat or sugar with honey or molasses. Among Sephardic Jews, water challah is preferred for ritual purposes because Sephardic minhag does not require the Mitzvah of Challah if the dough contains eggs or sugar. While breads very similar to Ashkenazi egg challah are found in Sephardic cuisine, they are typically not referred to as challah but considered variants of regional breads like çörek, that are eaten by Jews and non-Jews alike.

Egg challot sometimes also contain raisins and/or saffron. After the first rising, the dough is rolled into rope-shaped pieces which are braided, though local (hands in Lithuania, fish or hands in Tunisia) and seasonal (round, sometimes with a bird's head in the center) varieties also exist. Poppy or sesame (Ashkenazi) and anise or sesame (Sephardic) seeds may be added to the dough or sprinkled on top. Both egg and water challah are usually brushed with an egg wash before baking to add a golden sheen. According to Jewish tradition, the three Sabbath meals (Friday night, Saturday lunch, and Saturday late afternoon) and two holiday meals (one at night and lunch the following day) each begin with two complete loaves of bread. This "double loaf" commemorates the manna that fell from the heavens when the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years after the Exodus from Egypt according to Jewish religious belief. The manna did not fall on Sabbath or holidays; instead, a double portion would fall the day before the holiday or sabbath. Each single loaf is sometimes woven with six strands. Together, both loaves have twelve which is associated with the 12 Loaves of the Showbread offering which was displayed in the Holy Temple (in Jerusalem)- on the "Table", each loaf represent a tribe of Israel. Other numbers of strands commonly used are three, five and seven. Occasionally twelve are used, referred to as a "Twelve Tribes" challah.

(Net Source )

Here I have replaced water with milk. 

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp Sugar

3/4 cup Lukewarm Milk 

1 tsp Dry Yeast

Salt to taste 

2 Eggs, beaten

1/4 cup Oil

Egg wash (1 Egg + 1 tbsp Water)

1 tbsp Sesame seeds

Method

Mix the yeast and 1 tbsp of sugar in the lukewarm water. Keep it aside until it rises. Add the eggs in the yeast water and mix it thoroughly. In a large mixing bowl, add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, flour, and salt. Mix it with a wooden spoon and pour in the yeast mixture and oil. Stir until the dough starts to come together, then knead for 10 minutes, or until the dough is soft and stretchable. Sprinkle some flour and apply some oil on the palm as the dough may be little sticky while kneading. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Grease a baking sheet. Take the dough, punch it. Knead it for 2 minutes. Divide the dough into 6 portions. Weight each portion, so it is divided equally approximately 125 grams. Take a portion and roll it into a long rope.  Repeat it with the other portions. Arrange the dough ropes in a line. Pinch the top of the ropes together and start braiding the ropes together. As the braiding is done, pinch the end so that it does not open up. Place it on the baking sheet, cover, and let it rise. As the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius. Brush with the egg wash. Sprinkle sesame seeds and bake for 30- 35 minutes, or until the challah is golden brown.

Lapis Sarawa Coloured Layered Kek

Lapis Sarawa Coloured Layered Kek...

The Sarawak layer cake is traditionally served in Sarawak, Malaysia on special occasions. In the Malay language, the cakes are known as kek lapis Sarawak, Kek lapis moden Sarawak, 'or simply Kek lapis. They are often baked for religious or cultural celebrations such as Eid ul-Fitr, Christmas, Deepavali, birthdays and weddings. 

According to the history, layer cakes have been made in Jakarta, Indonesia since the 1970s and 1980s. During that time, Betawi people came to Sarawak and taught the people, how to make the spiced Betawi cake. The Sarawak people then added new ingredients, flavour and colour that resulted in a new version of the layer cake been introduced and named as Sarawak layer cake. In addition, modern Sarawak layered cakes were inspired by Western cake-making in the early 1980s. In 2011, cake maker Kek lapis Qalas Qalas introduced modern design to the traditional layer cake, along with new flavours. Sarawakian modern layered cakes can be divided into two categories, cakes with ordinary layers and cakes with patterns, motifs, or shapes. All must have at least two colours. The cake can be baked in an oven or microwave. The batter is made from butter or vegetable oil, milk and eggs, it requires a strong arm or electric mixer to beat the ingredients together. The baked cake has a high, firm texture and the layers are fastened together with jam or a similarly sticky sweet substance. More detailed cakes often require special moulds to maintain the perfect layer thickness.

(Net Source )

Here is my version of this recipe with the ingredients available in my kitchen.

Ingredients

160 grams All Purpose Flour 

80 grams Malt / Horlicks or Malt based drinking powder like Bournvita 

1tbsp Coco powder 

1 tsp Baking powder 

200 grams Butter

80 grams Caster Sugar

5 Eggs

200 grams Condensed Milk

1 tsp Vanilla essence 

3 Ameri Colour of your choice

Method 

Grease a rectangular 7" × 5 " × 2 " baking tin and keep it aside. Take a mixing bowl. Add butter and sugar. Beat it well till fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat it well. Add the vanilla essence and condensed milk. In a bowl mix the flour, baking powder and malt powder together. Add the flour mix little at a time and beat it well. Divide the batter into 5 parts. Add cocoa powder into 1 part of the batter and mix it well. Let one part remain as it is. Add different colours in each of the 3 remaining batter. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees celcius. Pour 2 tbsps of cocoa batter into baking tin and spread mixture evenly. Bake for about 6 -7 minutes or until cooked. Once cooked, remove the pan from the oven & press top of the cake gently using a fondant smoother or bottom flat surface of bowl.Then adjust the oven setting to top heat only and increase the temperature to190 degrees celcius.  Pour 2 tbsp of any colour batter into baking tin and spread evenly. Bake untill cook. Continue baking the same way, by pressing the baked layer and adding another colour batter on top of the baked layer. Repeat till all the batter is over. Take it out from the oven and cool it completely. Cut it into square pieces and enjoy it...

P. S. 2 tbsp batter will remain which can be baked in a small bowl.

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. 

Instant Kanchipuram Idlis

Instant Kanchipuram Idlis

I remember my best friend's gradmother Patti. Some of the people though they are no more in this world, they will always remain in my heart forever, she is one of them. As a teenager I use to visit my friend's house everyday, infact it was my second home. Patti use to make many Tamilian dishes and I picked up few of them from her, though few of the dishes are forgotten and few I remember. One of the dish was Kanchipuram Idlis. She used black lentils with skin and rice, soaked it over night and she use to ground it on a stone grinder. Then the batter was left to ferment overnight and it was seasoned with salt, some curry leaves, mustard seeds, chana dal, few peppercorn, few broken cashwenuts and 2 pinch of asafoetida. Then the rest of the process remained the same for making the idlis. She served it with coconut chutney and milagai podi which was again homemade. 

      Here I followed the recipe but since it is an instant idli, it was not kept for fermentation. I used Eno, but soda bicarbonate can also be added if there is no Eno. It helps in instant fermentation and incoperates air in the batter. I added desiccated coconut in the batter as I love it. Also I replaced rice with idli rawa and oats...

For the Seasoning 

Ingredients 

1/4 tsp Bengal Grams / Chana Dal

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Pepper Corn crushed 

Few broken pieces of Cashwenuts 

1 tsp minced Green Chillies 

Few Curry leaves

2 Pinch of Asafoetida 

1 tbsp Ghee 

Method 

Take a pan and add ghee in it. Let it. Heat add the chana dal, stir it for a minute. Add the mustard seeds, let it crackle. Add peppercorn and few Cashwenuts, stir it for a minute. Add the green chillies and curry leaves. Stir for another minute. Add asafoetida and stir it for few seconds. Remove it from the flame. 

For the Batter 

Ingredients 

1 cup Oats

2 cups Idli Rawa

1/2 cup Split Black Lentils with skin soaked for an hour

2 tbsp Desiccated Coconut

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Eno / Soda bicarbonate 

1/2 cup Curd

Water as required 

Seasoning 

1 tbsp Seasam oil

Method

Grind the soaked lentils in a grinder. Remove it in a mixing bowl, add oats, ldli rawa, coconut, salt, curd, seasoning and water as per required to make a batter. It should be dropping consistency. Add eno. Mix it and let it stand for 10 minutes. Take idli moulds and apply seasam oil on it. Add the batter and steam it till done. Serve it with chutney and sambhar.