Safflower Leaves Bhaji

Safflower Leaves also known as Kardai in Marathi...

The flower from the seeds of this plant are used as medicine.

Safflower seed is also used to treat fever, tumors, coughs, breathing problems, clotting conditions, pain, heart disease, chest pain, and traumatic injuries. Safflower seed oil is used as a cooking oil. The tender leaves of the plant are use for cooking. This vegetable is available in the winter.

Ingredients
1 Bunch Safflower Leaves chopped
1 big size Onion chopped
2 Tomato chopped
1 tbsp  Garlic minced
1  Dry Red Chill broken
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2  tsp Red Chili Powder
1 tsp  Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Oil

  Method
Take a pot, add 4 cups water, add the safflower leaves. Let it boil for 3 minutes or the leaves are cooked. Drain the water out and keep the leaves aside. Heat oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds and dry red chilli. Let the cumin seed crackle. Add the garlic and onion and fry it till it becomes light brown in colour. Add the tomato, turmeric powder, red chilli powder,coriander powder and stir well, cover and cook until tomato are tender. Add the cooked safflower leaves and stir well.Cook on medium heat until all water dries up and it starts to leave oil from the sides. Once done serve hot with steamed rice.

Potal Maach Doi Shorshe Diye Pointed Gourd and Rahu Fish in Mustard and Curd

Potal Maach Doi Shorshe Diye
Pointed Gourd and Rahu Fish in Mustard and Curd

For the Fish
Ingredients
6 Rahu Fish pieces
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 cup Mustard Oil to fry the fish

Method
Marinate the fish for 15 minutes with turmeric and salt. Take oil in a pan, heat it. Fry the fish till brown on both the sides.

For the Mustard Sauce
Ingredients
3 tbsp of Mustard seeds soaked in water
2 tbsp Poppy seeds
2 Green Chillies
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/4 cup Curd

Method
Drain the water from the mustard seeds, add all the above ingredients into the blender. Blend and make a smooth paste.

For the Gravy
Ingredients
6 Fried Fish
1/2 kg Pointed Gourd peeled roughly... Some peels should remain on the vegetable, cut vertically into half.
Mustard Sauce
2 Green or Red Chillies slit
1 /2 tsp Kalonji / Nigella seeds
3 tbsp Mustard Oil
Few coriander leaves chopped for garnishing

Method
Take 2 1/2 tbsp oil in a wok, heat it. Add Nigella seeds and chillies. Let the seed crackle. Add the pointed gourd. Stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes, add the mustard sauce and 1 cup water, cover and cook till the pointed gourds are tender. Add fish, simmer for 2 minutes more, drizzle the remaining mustard oil on top. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Rui Macher Dimmer Bora

Rui Macher Dimmer Bora
Fish Eggs Pakoda
Ingredients
1 cup Fish Eggs
1 Onion finely chopped
2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped
2 Green Chillies chopped
2 Garlic cloves chopped
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Chilli powder
1/4 tsp Nigella seeds
Salt to taste
1/2 cup Gram flour
Oil to fry

Method
Mix all the above ingredients in a bowl, except oil. Mix it well. Cover and keep for 15 minutes. Add oil in a pan, heat the oil. Put 1 tsp of the batter in the oil, repeat the process. Fry it till crispy golden brown. Have it with hot rice.

Forest Green served with Boiled Rice Noodles..

Forest Green served with Boiled Rice Noodles..
A medley of green vegetables with leafy vegetable cooked together and serve on the bed of Rice Noodles..... Green vegetable and leafy vegetables are cooked in Garlicky Green Sorrel Sauce.... This is an experiment from my Kitchen....

For the Garlicky Green Sorrel Sauce
Ingredients
1 Bunch Green Sorrel / Ambat Chuka chopped and blanched
1 Garlic pod cleaned and minced
2 tbsp Chilli sauce
2 tbsp Soya Sauce
1 tsp Oyster Sauce
1 tbsp Honey
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
1 tbsp Sesame Oil

Method
Take a wok, take sesame oil, heat it. Add garlic, saute it for 2 minutes. Add green sorrel, stir and cook it for 2 minutes. Add chilli sauce, soya sauce, oyster sauce, honey, salt and pepper powder. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

For the Forest Green
Ingredients
2 cups medium size Broccoli florets
1 Red Capsicum cut into cubes
1 Yellow Capsicum cut into cubes
1 packet of medium size Mushroom  cut into 2 halves
2 red chillies chopped
1 Onion cut into cubes
2 cups of Garlic leaves chopped
2 cups of Spring Onions chopped
Garlicky Green Sorrel Sauce
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Sesame Oil

Method
Take oil in a wok, heat oil, add chopped chillies and onion, sauté it on high flame. One by one add the vegetables, add broccoli first, stir fry for 2 minutes, add yellow and red capsicum. Stir fry for a minute, add the mushrooms, spring onions and garlic leaves. Stir fry for 2 minutes, add the garlicky green sorrel sauce. Add salt if required. Stir and cook for 5 minutes..... Serve it on the rice noodles and enjoy the goodness of the veggies...

Eggless Chocolate and Cranberry Marble Bundt Cake and Cupcakes

Chocolate and Cranberry Marble Bundt Cake and Cupcakes
Ingredients
4 cups All PurposeFlour
2 tbsp Cocoa powder
1/4 cup Chocolate chips
2 tsp Soda bicarbonate
2 tsp Baking powder
2 cups Butter
2  1/2 cup Caster Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla essence
1/2 cup Curd
1 cup + 2 tbsp Milk
1/4 cup Dried Cranberries

It yielded 1 Bundt Cake and 12 cup cakes.

Method
Sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder. Beat the butter and sugars together until creamy. Mix in the vanilla essences and curd. Beat it. Add the flour and milk little a time and beat it. Divide the batter into two bowls. Fold the chocolate chipes and coco powder into one bowl and dried cranberries into the other. Grease the bundt pan. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees celcius.Take 2 piping bag and add the batter into piping bags and pipe in the batter in the pan. Fill the pan till 3/4 of the pan. Bake it for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan a bit. Remove the cake on the wire rack and cool it completely before cutting....
For the cupcakes bake at 180 degrees celcius for 30 minutes.

Pathar Bangla.. Countryside Mutton Gravy

Pathar Bangla..
The English meaning I would assume should be Countryside Goat..
This is a 100 years old local countryside recipe from West Bengal. This recipe is take from the book "Thakur Barir Ranna"...... The recipes printed here are from Rabindranath Tagore's kitchen...
The original recipe say to take ghee in a pan, then add Turmeric, Chillies, Ginger, Onion paste, lots of coriander paste and curd. Saute and stir cook the masala for some time. Add salt, sugar, and mutton. Stir it for some time more. Add water, add some onions cut into cubes. Cover and let it simmer for some time. Add the potatoes. Once the potatoes and mutton is cooked, sprinkle roasted cumin seeds powder... It should be a liquid gravy.

My recreated recipe is
Ingredients
750 grams Mutton pieces
2 Potatoes cut into 4 pieces
2 Onion paste
8 Garlic paste
1 tsp  Ginger paste
1 Onion cut into cubes
1 Tomato cut into cubes
1 1/2 tsp Red Chilli paste
1 tbsp Coriander paste
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Roasted Cumin seed powder
1 tbsp Sugar
Salt to taste
1/4 cup Curd
3 tbsp Ghee

Method
Take a pressure cooker. Add ghee. Let it heat. Add the onion paste, garlic, ginger, turmeric, chilli paste, coriander paste and beaten curd. Stir it and cook for 3 minutes. Add the salt, sugar and mutton. Stir it and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cubed onion and tomato. Stir it for 5 minutes more. Add 8 cups of water. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes. Close the lid and give 4 whistles. Let the pressure release. Open the lid and sprinkle roasted cumin powder on the mutton gravy.

Spicy Mutton Tortilla Roll with Green Veggies..

Spicy Mutton Tortilla Roll with Green Veggies..
Very easy to make... Healthy and delicious... I always make Mutton roast and keep... It serves my purpose of making quick sandwiches and rolls.. Take a big chunk of boneless mutton. Boil the mutton piece with garlic, onion, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves and salt. Once done, take the mutton piece, baste it with butter and roast it for 30 minutes at 200 degrees celcius, till brown on both the sides. Once cool, cut it into strips or shred  it and use it. Make whole wheat tortilla. For the roll, add the mutton roast and vegetables with any sauce of your choice. 

Ingredients
6 Whole wheat Tortilla
1 1/2 cup Mutton Roast shredded
1 Onion chopped
1 Tomato cut into thin stripes
2 Green chillies minced
Few Lettuce leaves
Few Kale leaves
1/2 cup Carrot shredded
1/4 cup Radish shredded
1/2 tsp Lime juice
1/4 cup Chilli sauce 
Salt to taste

Method
Take a bowl. Add tomato, onion, chopped chillies, shredded carrots, radish, salt and lime juice. Mix the salad. Take a tortilla, spread little chilli sauce in the center of the tortilla, add mutton roast stripes, lettuce leaves, Kale leaves and vegetable salad.  Roll the tortilla and enjoy.

Tuna and Egg Green Scramble....

Tuna and Egg Green Scramble....
"Better Go Green" is my latest mantra. With increasing number of man made disaster in our environment as well as increasing number of health issues... We better go green... Grow more plants and tree in the surrounding.... Plant some in your house.. Try to grow few green veggies in the pot..... Eat more green..... Leafy green vegetables have full of vitamins, minerals and fights diseases. They are a good source of fiber and provides nutrition to the body. It manages weight loss. Leafy vegetables also contains water to keep you hydrated. 
Every day  have 4 cups of Vegetables in the whole day... That includes leafy as well as other vegetables... In the form of cooked and raw..
Ingredients
1 cup of fresh Tuna boiled and made in to flakes
6 Eggs beaten
1 Onion finely chopped
3 Green chillies chopped
4 Garlic cloves Minced
1/4 cup Spring Onion chopped
1 cup Spinach chopped and blanched
4 tbsp Coriander leaves paste
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
1/2 cup Mozzarella and Cheddar grated mix
2 tbsp Olive Oil

Method
Take a pan. Add the oil. Add onion, garlic and chillies. Sauté till light brown. Add the tuna flakes. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add the beaten eggs. Stir continuously, add the spring onions, spinach leaves and coriander paste. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.  Add salt, pepper and cheese. Cook for another 2 minutes. Serve hot with bread.
P.S. Dill leaves, bokchoy, green peas, Shrimps etc can be added..

Raw Papaya Salad

Raw Papaya Salad

For the Salad Dressing
Ingredients
1 tbsp Lime juice
2 to 3 Thai Bird Chillies seeded and finely chopped
2 garlic minced
1 tbsp Thai Fish sauce
1 tbsp Brown Sugar
Salt to taste

Method
In a blender combine the lime juice, fish sauce, chillies, garlic, sugar and salt,  blend it. Set aside for 10 minutes.

For the Raw Papaya Salad
Ingredients
2 cups Raw Papaya shredded
1 Carrot shredded
1 Tomato cut into small strips
1 Onion finely chopped
2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped
2 tbsp Mint leaves roughly chopped
3 tbsp Roasted Penuts crushed
Salad Dressing

Method
In a mixing bowl, combine the papaya, carrot, onion, tomato, mint leaves and 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. Add the dressing and toss to combine thoroughly. Garnish with the remaining coriander leaves and crushed peanuts. Serve immediately.

Ripe Papaya and Carrot Soup

Ripe Papaya and Carrot Soup
Ingredients
1/2 cup  Papaya peeled and chopped
1 Carrot peeled and chopped
1 Onion chopped
2 Garlic Clove chopped
1 small stick Cinnamon
2 Cloves
4 Pepper corn
1/4 cup Milk
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 tsp Olive oil

Method:
Heat the oil in a pot. Add the onion, garlic, cloves, pepper corn and cinnamon,  saute it for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Papaya and carrot and saute for 2 more minutes. Add 2 to 3 cups of water. Cook for 10 minutes until the carrot and papaya are tender. Let it cool. Add the mixture into a  blender and puree until it is smooth. Pour the soup back to the pot. Add milk and salt,  stir well to combine, and simmer on  low flame for  5 minutes. Garnish with pepper powder and a spoon of milk. Serve immediately.

Mutton Raan Roast with Saffron Pulao Su's Style

Mutton Raan Roast with Saffron Pulao Su's Style
I love the Raan Rice at Persian Darbaar at Bandra... After I shifted from Bandra, I did not get a chance to go there. I had it in mind for many days to make it at home... So finally made it at home... though this is a completely different recipe, an experiment from my kitchen...

For the Mutton Raan Roast
For Marinating the Mutton leg Stage 1
Ingredients
1 Mutton leg
1 Lime juice
Salt to taste

Method
Make deep slits on the mutton leg with a sharp knife on both the sides. Rub the lime juice and salt on the mutton leg and marinate it for 30 minutes.

For Marinating the Mutton leg Stage 2
Ingredients
Marinated Mutton
8 Garlic cloves
4 Green Chillies
1 cup Mint leaves
2 tsp Arabic Spice Powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Oil

Method
Corsley grind the garlic, chillies and mint leaves. Mix oil, Arabic spice masala and salt. Rub the masala paste on the mutton leg.  Wrap it up in the foil paper and refrigerate it. Marinate it overnight.

For Roasting the Mutton leg
Ingredients
Marinated Mutton leg
2 tbsp Melted Butter
Handful of Bay leaves or All Spice leaves

Method
Roast the leg in a  pre-heat oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 2 hours. The first 30 minutes roast it covered with foil paper and keep a tray of water on the lower shelf with bay leaves or all spice leaves. After 30 minutes take the mutton leg out of the oven and  baste it with butter on both the sides. Cook it open in the foil for 1 hour 30 minutes, turning it after 15 minutes and cooking it again. If the water in the below shelf tray evaporates then add more water. This will keep the meat moist. Now baste it again with butter on both the sides. Continue roasting. Last 10 minutes take the mutton leg out of the foil and put it on the wire rack and roast it turning after 5 minutes, cook till done.  When done, serve it with Saffron Palau and Salad.

P. S. Don't discard the juices collected in the foil... use it for the Pulao.

For the Saffron Pulao
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Basmati Rice washed and soaked for 30 minutes
2 Onion  Slice
6 Garlic crushed
2 Green Chillies chopped
2 Dry Red Chillies chopped
2 Bay leaves
8 Black Pepper Corn
1 Stick Cinnamon
4 Cloves
2 Green Cardomon
1 Star Anise
5 Alu Bukhara
1 tbsp Raisin
2 tbsp Almond and Pistachio flakes
1/2 cup Milk
Juice retained from Mutton leg roast
3 Pinch of Saffron
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Butter

Method
Take a pot, add oil and 1/2 tbsp butter. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, star anise,  garlic, green and red chillies and  onion. Fry the onion till translucent. Add the raisins, Alu Bukhara,
1 1/2 tbsp Almond and Pistachio flakes. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add sugar,  salt, juice from the roast, milk,  2 pinch of saffron and 2 cup water. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook till done. Add the remaining butter.  Garnish with remaining saffron, almond and pistachio flakes. Serve it with the mutton leg roast and salad.

Arabic Spice Powder
Ingredients
2 tbsp Peppercorns
2 big sticks of Cinnamon
1 tbsp Cloves
1/2 tbsp Cardomon seeds
6 Red Dry Chillies
1 small Nutmeg
1/4 cup Coriander seeds
1/4 cup Cumin seeds
1/2 tbsp Turmeric powder

Method
Blend the above ingredients together in a blender and make it into a powder

Beetroot Chocolate Bundt Cake

Beetroot Chocolate Bundt Cake
Made this specially for my daughter who loves beetroot cake...
Ingredients
2 1/2 cup All purpose flour
1/2 cup Chocolate chopped
1 cup Butter 
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
2 cups Beetroot puree
1tsp Vanilla essence
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Soda bicarbonate
Powder Sugar for Dusting

Method
Melt the chocolate and 1/4 cup butter in a microwave, stir it. Let it cool a bit. In a large bowl, add the remaining butter and brown sugar, beat it until light and fluffy, add the eggs one at a time and beat it. Now combine the chocolate mixture, beetroot puree and vanilla essence in to the beaten batter. Gradually combine the flour, soda bicarbonate  and  baking powder in to the batter and beat it. Pour the batter into the greased  baking bundt tin.  Bake at 180 degrees celcius for 50 to 55 minutes in a pre heated oven or until a toothpick is inserted in the cake comes out clean. Cool it.  Before serving, dust with powder sugar.

Bedmi Puri Aur Aloo ki Sabji

Bedmi Puri Aur Aloo ki Sabji
Bedmi puri is a popular breakfast from the North. Bedmi poori is made from grounded urad dal or moong dal combined with spices and mixed with wheat flour. There are two ways to make this puri, one method is to mix the spices with dal and flour together and knead it. The other method it to make a dry mixture of dal and spices and stuff it in the dough just like making a kachori.

For Bedmi Puri
Ingredients
3 cups Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Samolina
1 cup Moong dal or Urid dal
1 tsp Ginger paste
1/2 tsp Chilli paste
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Fennel powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
1/2 tsp Dry Mango Powder
2 tbsp Oil
Oil to fry

Method
Soak the moong or urad dal in the water for 2 hours. Drain the water out and put the dal into the mixer to make a coarse paste. Add salt, coriander powder, red chilli powder, ginger, chilli paste, dry mango powder, asafoetida, fennel powder into the paste. In a bowl take flour, semolina and 2 tbsp oil. Mix the flour, add the dal paste. Knead it, add lukewarm water little at a time. Knead it and make a semi soft dough. Cover the dough and leave it for half an hour. Knead the dough again. Heat oil in a wok. Make small balls of the dough and roll it into flat disc. Put the puris into the oil and fry until it turns brown. Serve it with Aloo ki Sabzi recipe.

For Aloo ki Sabzi
Ingredients
5 Potatoes Boiled
2 medium sized Tomatoes puree
1 tbsp Ginger grated
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
2 tsp Chilli powder
2 Dry Red Chillies
1 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp mustard oil

Method
Roughly mash the potatoes into big pieces. In a pan, heat mustard oil,  add  dried red chillies, asafoetida and cumin seeds. Add tomato puree and ginger paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt. Cook for another 5 minutes or until oil leaves the sides of the pan. Add potatoes and mix well with the spices. Add 3 to 4 cups of water, stir it. Boil the sabzi till it is thick in consistency. Serve hot with the bedmi puris.

Noodles with Spinach, Eggplant and Sprouts....

Noodles with Spinach, Eggplant and Sprouts....
Ingredients
3 Packets of Hakka Noodles
1 cup of Eggplant cut into thick medium strips
1/4 cup of Spinach chopped
1/2 cup of Red Capsicum cut into long strips
1 Onion sliced
1 tbsp Garlic chopped
1 tbsp sliced Red Pickled Chilli
1/4 cup of Moong sprouts
2 tbsp of Rice Wine Vinegar
2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp of Hot Basil Sauce  
1/2 tbsp Grated Jaggary
Salt to taste
3 tbsp Sesame Oil

Method
Boil the noodles according to the instruction on the packet. While draining the water from the noodles, retain 1/2 cup water from it. Take the water in a bowl, add salt, Jaggary, rice wine vinegar, worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp oil and hot basil sauce. Mix it and keep it aside. Take a wok, add 1 tbsp oil, heat it and fry the eggplant till brown, take it out and keep it aside. In the same wok add 1 tbsp oil again. Let the oil heat, add garlic and onion, fry on high flame till translucent. Add the capsicum, spinach, pickled chillies, sprouts and eggplant. Stir fry till 2 minutes, add the noodles and pour the sauce on the noodles. Stir fry on high flame till the sauce and noodles have incoperated well. Serve hot.

Fluffy Cheesy Potato Casserole

Fluffy Cheesy Potato Casserole

Ingredients

6 Eggs

2 Big Potatoes peeled and grated

1/2 Red Capsicum thinly sliced

4 Garlic cloves minced

2 Green Chillies minced

2 tbsp Parsley chopped

1/2 tbsp Chives chopped 

1/4 cup Cheddar + Mozzarella grated

1/4 cup Milk

1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour

 Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Pepper  powder

1/2 tsp All Spice powder

2 tsp Butter

Method

Put the grated potato in salt water and par boil it. Drain the water from the potato and keep it aside. Take the eggs and separate the yolks from the White. Beat the yolk, add salt, pepper powder, all spice powder and milk, whisk it. Add the flour, cheese, butter, potatoes, capsicum, parsley, chillies and garlic. Mix the batter well. Take a glass baking bowl. Pour the batter and bake at 200 degrees celcius for 10 minutes in a pre heated oven. Take the bowl out of the oven and stir the egg batter once, put it bake in the oven and bake it for 20 minutes more. Mean while the eggs are baking, take the egg whites, add salt and 1/4 tsp pepper powder. Beat the egg whites till stiff.

After the baking time is over, take the bowl  out and with the help of a tbsp, drop the egg whites on the baked egg, put the bowl back in the oven and bake for 10 minutes more till the eggs whites are cooked and brown from top. Sprinkle chopped chives from top. Serve it with toast or sautéed mix vegetables...

Chingri Mach diye Kalmi Saag / Water Spinach Fried with Prawns

Chingri Mach diye Kalmi Saag / Water Spinach Fried with Prawns

Ingredients
1 small bowl medium size Prawns
1 bunch Kalmi Saag chopped
6 Garlic Cloves minced
2 Green Chillies slit
1 Onion chopped
1 Tomato chopped
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
2 tbsp Oil

Method
Take a wok, add oil. Heat it. Add garlic, chillies and onion. Sauté it for few minutes. Add the Kalmi saag, tomato, salt, turmeric and prawns. Stir fry and cook till the water from the Kalmi saag dries up. Serve it with hot rice.

Mutton Stew

Mutton Stew 
Ingredients
500 Mutton pieces
2 Potatoes cut in to big cubes
1 Carrot cut in to big pieces
1 Capsicum cut into big pieces
Small size Cauliflower florets cut into 4 pieces
1 Tomato cut into 4
Few French beans cut in to 2 pieces each
1 Onion cut into big pieces
6 Garlic cloves crushed
1 tsp Ginger grated
1/2 cup Green Peas
2 Green chillies slit
2 Bay leaf
Whole garam masala
2  Cardamom
1 stick cinnamon
4 Pepper corn
2 Cloves
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
1 tbsp Sugar
2 tbsp of Whole Wheat Flour or APF
1 tbsp Ghee

Method
Heat ghee in a cooker and add the bay leaf and whole garam masalas, garlic, ginger  and Mutton. Saute it for 10 minutes. Add the onion, salt, sugar and all the vegetables. Stir and cook for 10 minutes.  Sprinkle the flour and stir well for 2 minutes.  Add 6 to 8 cups of water. Pressure cook it and give 3 whistles, once done, serve it with hot rice.

Palang Saager Ghonto / Spinach with Potato Brinjal and Peas....

Palang Saager Ghonto / Spinach with Potato Brinjal and Peas....

Ingredients
1 bunch Spinach chopped
2 Potatoes cut into small cubes
2 medium sized Brinjals cut into small size  cubes
1/4 cup Peas
2 Green chillies slit
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
2 pinch of Garam Masala powder
1/2 tsp Sugar
3 tbsp Moong dal Boris fried
1 Bay leaf
1 tbsp Oil
1/4 tsp Ghee

Method
Take a pan. Add oil. Add  bay leaf and chillies. Add the potatoes, peas and brinjals. Stir and sauté it for 5 minutes. Add the spinach, salt, sugar, turmeric and coriander powder. Stir fry, cover and cook till the potato cubes are tender and the vegetable is almost dry. Add ghee and sprinkle garam masala powder. Crush the fried Boris and sprinkle from top.

Whole Wheat Broccoli, Sprouts and Almond Bundt Cake with Almond Yogurt Frosting

I love naked cakes.. which are rustic and easy to make and delicious too... This is a very healthy cake which is an experiment from Su's Kitchen.. it is amazing in taste... as it is eatten it is gooey and has a mild  flavour of  broccoli and spouts. 

For the Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups of Whole Wheat Flour 
• 1 cup of Sugarfree 
• 1 medium size Broccoli florets 
• 1 small cup Mix Sprouts 
• 2 tbsp Curd
• 1/4 cup Milk 
• 2 tbsp Butter 
• 1 tsp Baking powder 
• 1 tsp Soda bicarbonate
• Few drops of Almond essence 
• 2 tbsp of Almond flakes

Method

Par boil the broccoli florets  and mix sprouts. Strain the water out. Take a blender add the broccoli florets and the mix sprouts. Blend it till it becomes a puree, add butter, Sugarfree and almond essence. Blend it once more. Mix the curd and milk together in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder and soda bicarbonate into the blender, now add the milk and blend it. The consistency should be thick dropping consistency. Add the almond flakes and fold the batter with a spatula. Grease a bundt cake mould, add the batter. Bake it at 180 degrees celcius for 35 minutes in a preheated oven. Cool the cake completely before frosting.

For the Yogurt Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 cup Hung Yogurt 
• 3 tbsp Milk
• 1/4 cup Sugarfree 
• Few drops of Almond essence 
• 1 tbsp Almond flakes

Method

Take a bowl, add the hung Yogurt, milk, Sugarfree and essence. Whip it, add the milk and whip it. It is a thick dropping consistency frosting. Drizzel the frosting on the cake. Sprinkle almond flakes on top.

Bread Charlotte... A French Dessert

Bread Charlotte
Charlotte russe is a dessert invented by the French chef Marie-Antoine Carême (1784–1833), who named it in honor of his former employer George IV's only child, Princess Charlotte and his current, Russian employer Czar Alexander I (russe being the French word for "Russian").  Charlotte russe was also a dessert or on-the-go treat popular during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.
A charlotte is a type of dessert or trifle that can be served hot or cold. It can also be known as an "ice-box cake". Bread, sponge cake or biscuits/cookies are used to line a mold, which is then filled with a fruit puree or custard. It can also be made using layers of breadcrumbs. Classically, stale bread dipped in butter was used as the lining, but sponge cake or ladyfingers may be used today. The filling may be covered with a thin layer of similarly flavoured gelatin. Due to the simple preparation of charlottes, many different varieties have developed. Most charlottes are served cool, so they are more common in warmer seasons. Fruit charlottes usually combine a fruit purée or preserve with a custard filling or whipped cream. Some flavors include strawberry, raspberry, apple, pear and banana. Other types do not include fruits, but use a custard or Bavarian cream. Chocolate charlotte uses a mousse filling within the layers. A citrus curd is a more contemporary choice.
There is a lot of doubt surrounding the origins of the name charlotte. Despite the fact that charlottes are served across Europe, one etymology suggests it is a corruption of the Old English word charlyt meaning "a dish of custard". In another, meat dishes that were known as charlets were popular in the 15th century. Other historians say that this sweet dish took its name from Queen Charlotte (1744–1818), wife of George III of the United Kingdom.It is possible that the dessert takes its name from Alexander I's sister-in-law, Charlotte of Prussia.
Information source Net

My version of the Charlotte
For the Bread
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup + 1 tsp Sugar free Diet Sugar
1  tsp Dry Yeast
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2  cup lukewarm Milk
1/4 cup Milk
2 tbsp Butter
1 Egg

Method

Take 1/2 cup Milk.  Make it lukewarm,  add 2 tsp sugar free diet sugar and yeast. Mix it and let it rise. Take a mixing bowl, add APF, Whole Wheat Flour, salt and remaining sugar. Mix it. Take a another bowl, add the remaining 1/4 cup milk and 1 tbsp of melted butter and egg. Beat it. Now take the dry ingredients and mix it with the wet ingredients, mix it to form a soft dough. Knead it.. add 1/2 tsp butter and knead it for 5 to 10 minutes. Apply the remaining butter on the dough and let it rise. Punch the dough. Take a baking tin. Grease it with butter. Roll the dough to the side of the tin and 1/4 thickness. Spread the roll dough in the tin. Prick the dough with a fork. With the remaining dough, roll the dough out in a circle the size of a glass bowl rim in which charlotte will be set. Bake the bread at 180 degrees celcius for 20 minutes till done. Cool the bread completely.

For the Strawberry Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup Strawberry pulp
1 cup Sugarfree Diet sugar
1 tsp Lime juice

Method
Mix all the above ingredients in a pan and cook it on a low flame till the pulp reduces and become a bit thick.

For the Custard Filling
Ingredients
2 Egg Yolks
1/2 cup Cream
1/4 cup Milk
1/4 cup Sugarfree Diet Sugar
1/4 tbsp Gelatine
1/2 tsp Vanilla essence
1 sliced Banana

Method
Take the egg yolks and beat it. In a pan, heat the cream, milk, vanilla essence  and Sugarfree. Let it simmer for 2 minutes. Add the beaten eggs little at a time whisking the cream continuously. Put the pan back on a low flame. Keep on whisking till the custard thickens. Take it off the flame and continue to whisk till it cools downs a bit. Take the gelatine and 2 tbsp hot water. Mix the gelatine till it dissolves. Add the gelatine to the custard and mix it. Add the banana in the custard and mix it.

To Assemble the Charlotte
Take the bread from the tin and cut it into 2 parts. Apply the strawberry sauce on one part of the bread. Cover it with the other  part. Cut it into square or rectangular  pieces. Take the glass bowl. Line the glass bowl with cling flim. Arrange the bread pieces on the sides of the  glass bowl leaving no gap in between. Fill in the centre with the custard filling.  Cover the top with the round bread. Cover the whole bowl with the cling flim. Let it set in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours.  Remove the cling flim. Place a plate upside-down on top of the bowl, then invert the bowl so the charlotte can rests on the plate. Gently lift the bowl up, and peel the cling flim from the top of the charlotte.

Baked Strawberry Custard Pudding With Sugarfree...

Baked Strawberry Custard Pudding
With Sugarfree...
For the Strawberry Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup Strawberry pulp
1 cup Sugarfree Diet sugar
1 tsp Lime juice

Method
Mix all the above ingredients in a pan and cook it on a low flame till the pulp reduces and becomes thick.

For the Custard
Ingredients
2 Egg Yolks
1 cup Cream
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 cup Sugarfree Diet Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla essence

Method
Take the egg yolks and beat it. In a pan, heat the cream, milk, vanilla essence  and Sugarfree. Let it simmer for 2 minutes. Add the beaten eggs little at a time whisking the cream continuously. Put the pan back on a low flame. Keep on whisking till the custard thickens. Take it off the flame and continue to whisk till it cools downs a bit.

For the Pudding
Ingredients
1 cup Milk
2 Eggs beaten
1/2 or more Bread Loaf
Custard
Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients
Cut the bread pieces into strips. Mix the Custard, milk and eggs together. Take a glass square  tray, add the bread strips and fill up half the tray,  pour the milk and the sauce on the top of the bread strips. Lay the remaining bread strips on top, repeat the process and at the end add more bread strips on top. Bake the pudding at 180 degrees celcius for 20 to 25 minutes in a pre heated oven till the top becomes brown in colour.

P.S. I have used Sugarfree Diet Sugar. If required we can increase the sugar quantity according to the taste.  Regular sugar can be added in the same quantity instead of diet Sugar.

Sarson ka Saag Makki Di Roti with Jhatpat Mooli ka Achar

Sarson ka Saag Makki Di Roti with Jhatpat Mooli ka Achar 

Ingredients
1 bunch Green Mustard leaves chopped and cleaned
3 Tomatoes chopped
3 Green chillies
1 small Ginger piece
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 Pinch of Asafoetida
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Chilli powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Makka flour
2 tbsp Ghee

Method
Make tomato, ginger and green chillies paste.
Take a cooker and add the chopped leaves and add 1 cup of water and pressure cook it. After 2 whistles take it off the gas and let the pressure release.  Once  the leaves cool down, blend it in a blender into a fine paste. Take a wok, add 1 tbsp ghee, add the cumin seeds and asafoetida, let the cumin seeds crackle. Add the corn flour and roast it till light brown, add the tomato paste, turmeric and salt, saute and cook for 5 minutes. Add the mustard leaves paste and a cup of water.  Stir the gravy, After gravy comes to boil, simmer and  cook it on a low flame till it is in semi liquid form, add the rest of the ghee and serve hot with Makki Di roti and Jhatpat Mooli ki Achar..

P.S. 1/2 bunch of Spinach and 1/4 bunch of Dill  leaves can be added along with Mustard leaves while boiling. Chopped onion and 1/2 tsp chopped garlic also can be added while sauté.

Makki Di Roti

Ingredients
500 grams  Makka Flour
Salt to taste
Warm Water
Butter / Ghee

Method
Take Makka Flour in a vessel. Add salt and mix the flour. Knead dough just before preparing. Knead the flour with warm water. Heat the skillet.  Take a small portion of dough and knead it again with hands until soft. Take a portion of the dough and roll into a ball. Apply water on the palm and flatten the dough with palms and make circles round of 5-6” in diameter.
Place it on hot skillet,  turn when one side is done. When other side is also cooked, with the help of a tong cook directly on the flame,  turning around until both sides are done. Add ghee before serving.

Jhatpat Mooli ka Achar
Ingredients
3 Radish (Mooli)  washed and  cut in to big pieces
1/2 cup Radish leaves stem washed and  chopped
6 Green Chillies
1 small Garlic Pod cleaned
1/4 cup Vinegar
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Carom seeds
1 tbsp Feaugreek split dal
2 tbsp  Mustard split dal
2 tbsp Red Chilli powder
Sea Salt to taste
2 Pinch Asafoetida
1/4 cup Mustard oil

Method
Take a chopper, add the radish, radish stem, green chillies, garlic, vinegar, turmeric, carom seeds, Feaugreek dal, mustard dal, chilli powder and salt. Coarsely grind the ingredients together. Take a pan, heat oil, add the asafoetida. Add the ground ingredients in the oil, cook it till the water from the ingredients have dried up and only the oil should remain. This pickle can be had instantly after it cools down, store it in a dry glass bottle and refrigerate it. It remains till 3 months.

Stuffed Paneer Batura and Pickled Carrot

Stuffed Paneer Batura
Sita Ram Diwan Chand in Paharganj, is the place once long time back I had this Stuffed Paneer Batura; Chana and Carrot pickle with sliced onions. The shop I believe is since 1948. Suddenly the other day while surfing, one of the food channels on television was telecasting Delhi street food and this shop was shown. I with great interest started to watch as I had already been to the place. Then what... I want to make this.. I had the carrot pickle at home and here is the recipe..

For the Batura Dough
Ingredients
3 cups of All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Curd
1 tbsp Sugar
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Oil

Method
Take the curd and mix sugar and salt. Add the curd in the flour, oil and add little water at a time as much required to make a soft dough. Cover and keep for 30 minutes

For the Paneer Stuffing
Ingredients
250 grams Paneer crumbs
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
1/4 tsp Pepper powder
1/4 tsp Chaat Masala
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Green Chilli minced
1 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped
1/2 tbsp Mint leaves chopped

Method
Mix all the above ingredients together.

To make the Batura
Divide the dough into equal big lemon size balls. Take one portion and fill in the suffering. Roll the dough and shallow fry it in oil. Serve it with Chana and Pickle  Carrot..

Pickled Carrot
Ingredients
2 Carrot cut into strips
Few Chillies slit
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds crushed

Method
Mix all the above ingredients and store in a glass bottle for 2 day and have it.

Sprouted Moong and Corn Butter Masala Chaat

Sprouted  Moong and Corn Butter Masala Chaat

While my stay in Bandra and a stroll at Bandstand, I remember the Chana masala chaat vendor.. I use to enjoy the hot, spicy chana masala chaat he use to make... Special chana masala chaat had butter in it. It had green chana which was boiled and then sautéed in butter with onions, tomatoes and chaat masala... Lime juice and coriander leaves was sprinkled before serving and it was served in disposable eco friendly bowl with a thick paper cutting used as spoon...
Ingredients
1 cup Sprouted Moong
1 cup Corn
1 Onion finely chopped
1 Tomato chopped
1 small size Cucumber chopped
2 Green Chillies chopped
1/2 tbsp Raw Mango finely chopped
1/2 tbsp Nutralite / Butter
1/2 tsp roasted Cumin seed powder
Chat Masala to taste
Black Salt to taste
1 tsp Lime juice
Few Coriander leaves chopped

Method
Take a pan, add butter, add onion and chillies. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sauté it for another 3 minutes. Add the sprouted moong and corns. Sauté it for 5 minutes stirring it continuously. Add the cucumber, raw mango, roasted cumin powder.  Stir it and let it cook for 2 minutes. Add the chat masala and black salt and stir it. Add lime juice and coriander leaves before serving.

Egg and Prawn Fried Rice served with Sweet and Sour Prawns

Egg and Prawn Fried Rice served with Sweet and Sour Prawns

For making Fried Prawns
Ingredients
2 cups medium shelled Prawns
1/2 cup Corn starch
1 Egg
1 tbsp Garlic minced
1/4 tsp Chilli minced
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Pepper powder
Oil for frying

Method
Take the Prawns in a bowl, mix in all the above ingredients except oil. Mix it well. Heat the wok. Add oil for frying. Heat it. Add the prawns and fry it till light brown, drain the oil and keep it on a absorbent paper.

For the Egg and Prawn Fried Rice
Ingredients
3 cups Rice cooked
1 cup fried Prawns
1 tbsp Garlic minced
1/4 tbsp Ginger minced
1/4 tbsp Chilli minced
1/4 cup Carrot and Capsicum minced
2 tbsp Spring Onion finely chopped
2 Eggs beaten
2 tbsp Soya sauce
1 tbsp Vinegar
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
2 1/2  tbsp Oil

Method
Take a wok, add 1/2 tbsp oil. Heat it, add the beaten eggs, sprinkle salt. Stir the eggs, make scramble eggs, take it out from the wok and  keep it aside. Add the remaining oil, heat till the smoking point. Add the garlic,ginger and chilli minced. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the carrot and capsicum minced. Sauté it for 2 minutes more. Add vinegar, soya sauce, salt and pepper powder. Stir it, Add the rice, keep on stirring for 2 to 3 minutes till the sauce and the rice had incorporated well. Add the fried prawns, eggs and spring onions before serving.

Sweet and Sour Prawns
Ingredients
1 cup Fried Prawns
1 cup Pineapple cubed
1 tbsp Garlic Minced
1/2 tsp Chilli minced
1 tsp Ginger minced
1 tbsp Spring Onions finely chopped
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Pepper powder
1 tbsp Vinegar
1 tbsp Soya sauce
1 tbsp Hot Basil Stir-Fry Sauce (optional)
1 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Corn Starch
1 tbsp Roasted Seseam seeds
2 tbsp Sesame seed Oil

Method
Take a bowl, add the corn starch, vinegar, soya sauce, basil sauce, honey,pepper, salt and 1 cup water. Mix the sauce and keep it aside. Take a pan, add the oil. Heat it.Add the Garlic, Ginger and chilli minced, sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the pineapple and the prawns, saute it for 2 minutes more. Add the sauce mix. Stir it. Let it simmer  on a full flame till the gravy thickens a bit. Sprinkle spring onions and roasted sesame seeds. Serve it hot.

Piach Pata Aloo Begun diye Chingri Mach (Spring Onion with Potatoes Brinjal and Prawns)

Piach Pata Aloo Begun diye Chingri Mach
(Spring Onion with Potatoes Brinjal and Prawns)
Ingredients
1 small bowl of Medium size Chingri (Prawns)
1 bunch of Spring Onions cut into 1 inch size
2 Potatoes cut into medium size cubes
1 big Brinjal cut into medium size cubes
1 small size Tomato chopped
2 Green chillies slit
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Nigella seeds
1 tbsp Mustard oil

Method
Take a pan, add oil and heat it. Add nigella seeds and chillies. Sauté it for 2 minutes, add the potatoes and stir cook for 3 minutes. Add the brinjals, prawns and the tomato. Stir cook for 3 minutes more. Add the spring onions, tomato, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt . Stir and cover the pan. Stirring it occasionally on low flame cook till the potatoes and brinjals are cooked. Don't add water while cooking,  it cooks in it's own juices.

Goiabada

Goiabada
Goiabada is a popular dessert throughout the Portuguese-speaking countries of the world, dating back to the colonial days in Brazil, where guavas were used as a substitute for the quinces used to make marmelada (quince cheese). An abundance of sugar and slave labour were crucial for its confection, in large cauldrons cooking over a slow fire. It is a conserve made of guava and sugar. It is still commonly made at home for family use or by home industry outlets (traditional recipes) or as processed food. It is known as guava paste or guava cheese throughout the English-speaking Americas, especially the Caribbean and pasta de guayaba or guayabate in Spanish-speaking Americas. It is commercially available, most often packaged in flat, metal cans. It is called Perad in Goa, an old Portuguese colony. In Brazil, goiabada is usually eaten with Minas cheese. This combination is referred to as "Romeo and Juliet." It is particularly popular spread on toast at breakfast, or served hot with cheese inside an empada pastry, as a kind of miniature pie. In Portugal, it is used as the filling of the popular bolo de rosas (rose cake) in which a layer of pastry is covered with goiabada, then rolled and cut into pieces that resemble roses. This same cake is called rocambole in Brazil, and also uses a layer of pastry covered with goiabada, then rolled and served, as a Swiss roll. Another popular dessert is the bolo de rolo. The many different kinds of goiabada depend on the type of guava, and with slightly different textures and flavors. In Brazil, the most widely accepted to be the best (for "Romeo and Juliet") is called goiabada cascão (with fragments of guava in the paste)
Information source Net....

Goiabada is made from ripe Guavas, peeled and cut into pieces; blended onto smooth pulp, strained and cooked with sugar; adding some of the peels into the pulp back. Set for 4 hours and then eaten.

This is my version; I made it from remaining pulp while making Guava jelly... and followed the same process.

The actual recipe of Goiabada

Ingredients
12 ripe Guavas
3 cups Sugar
1 1/2 cups Water

Method

Wash and peel the guava fruits, reserving the peels.Cut the guavas into pieces place in a blender at medium speed until it reaches a smooth and even consistency.
Pass it through a sieve and set aside. Place the sugar and water in a saucepan and cook over high heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Stop stirring and let it boil for 3-4 minutes.
Add the puree and a quarter of the reserved peel. Stir until the mixture thickens and you can see the bottom of the pan when stirring. Remove from the heat.
Add the guava paste to a serving dish and let cool in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.
Once cooled, unmold from the serving dish and slice into pieces to serve.

My version of Goiabada
Ingredients
15 ripe red Guavas
3 cups Sugar
1 1/2 cups Water
1 tbsp Lime juice
Pinch of Salt

Method
Cut the guavas into pieces. Take a pot, add the guavas and water just above the level of the guavas. Boil the guavas till it is cooked. Cool the guavas and blend it in a blender into a smooth pulp. Strain the pulp and throw away the remaining left on the strainer.. it will be the seeds of the guavas. Strain it again. Take the pulp left in the strainer and keep it in a pot. Keep staining 2 times more, add little water at the time of straining, the liquid will collect in a vessel and collect the pulp remaining in the strainer in a pot. The liquid which is collected will be used to make guava jelly and the pulp will be used to make Goiabada. Take a pot; add sugar. Boil the sugar till it dissolves. Add the pulp to the boiled sugar syrup. Cook the pulp on a low flame stirring occasionally. Add salt and lime juice when half done. Stir until the mixture thickens and you can see the bottom of the pan when stirring. Remove from the heat. Stir until the mixture thickens and you can see the bottom of the pan when stirring.  Add the guava paste to a serving dish and let cool in the refrigerator till it sets. Once cooled, unmold from the serving dish and slice into pieces to serve.

Strawberry Cashew Mawa Barfi

Strawberry Cashew Mawa Barfi 

This is my Chef's Special Choice winning recipe for the Sugar free contest 

Ingredients
250 grams Mawa
250 grams Cottage cheese  (Paneer )
1/2 cup Cashewnut powder
1/2 Sugar free powder
1/2 Strawberry pulp
Few drops of Strawberry essence
Few Pistachio chopped for garnishing
Method
Take a plate and make crumbs of Mawa and paneer. Take a heavy bottom pan, add the mawa and paneer and stirring it continuously cook it for 10 minutes till the liquid in it dry up a bit. Divide the mixture in to two parts. Take one part in a pan, add the cashewnut powder and 1/4 cup Sugarfree in it. Stir and cook for 5 to 10 minutes more till the mixture forms almost like a dough. Take it out and spread the mixture on a greased plate. Take the next mixture in a pan, add the strawberry pulp, 1/4 cup Sugarfree powder and few drops of Strawberry essence. Stir and cook till the mixture forms almost like a dough. Take it out and spread the mixture on the cashewnut barfi. Let it cool. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Cut and serve it in
pieces.

Veg Thin Curst Whole Wheat Pizza

Veg Thin Curst Whole Wheat Pizza
With Corn, Capsicum, Onion, Tomato, Black Olives, Pickled Red Chillies and Cottage Cheese

Pizza Dough
Ingredients
500 grams Whole Wheat Flour
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Dry Yeast
1 tbsp Sugar
1/4 cup Lukewarm Water
2 tbsp Olive oil

Method
Take a mixing bowl. Mix Flour and Salt. Take Lukewarm water. Add sugar and yeast. Let it rise. Add the yeast water and extra water little at a time to make a dough. Knead the dough for 10 minutes. Add 1 tbsp oil and stretch the dough while kneading. Apply oil on the dough and let it rise double in size. Punch the dough and make 2 equal portion of the dough. Let it rest for 30 minutes.

For A Quick Garliky Pizza Sauce
Ingredients
6 Ripe Tomatoes cut in to big cubes and seeds removed
1 Garlic pod minced
1 Onion minced
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Chilli Flakes
1/2 tsp Dry Orageno
1 cup Tomato purée
1 tbsp Olive oil

Method
Take tomato purée, tomatoes, salt and sugar. Coarsely grind the tomatoes into purée. Take a pan. Add the oil, Add the garlic minced and the onion minced, saute it for 3 minutes, add the tomato puree,let it simmer on low flame till the sauce reduces a bit and becomes thick and all the ingredients has incorporated well. Add the dry Orageno. Mix it. Switch of the flame and keep it aside.

For the Pizza Filling
Ingredients
Pizza dough
2 Onion finely sliced
3 Tomatoes finely sliced
1/2 of each Green, Yellow and Red Capsicum finely sliced
1/2 cup Boiled Corns
1/2 cup grated Cottage cheese
Pizza Sauce
2 tbsp Black Olives chopped
2 tbsp Picked Red chilli chopped
2 Cup or more grated Mozzarella and Cheddar. Equal portion of Mozzarella, Cheddar to be taken.

Method
Grease the baking tray. Take one portion of the dough and with the help of the fingers, start spreading the dough on the baking tray. Cover the baking tray with the dough, the dough should be 1/4 inch or less in thickness. With a help of a fork prick few time on the dough. Add and spread the pizza sauce on the dough. Then add the grated  cheese. Then add the vegetables, cottage cheese, olives and pickled chilli one by one. Add the cheese again and bake at 180 degrees for 25 minutes till the cheese has melted and the pizza bread has cooked in an preheated oven. Serve hot with chilli flakes and dry oregano (Optional)

Shokhno Alur dom (Dry Alur Dom Bengali style)

Shokhno Alur dom (Dry Alur Dom Bengali style)
Ingredients
1/2 kg Small size whole Potatoes boiled and peeled
1 big size Tomato paste
1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1/4 tsp Chilli paste
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 Bay leaf
Salt to taste
1/2 Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Sugar
2 tbsp Mustard Oil
1/4 tsp Ghee for garnishing
1 tsp Bhaja masala ( coriander seeds, pepper, cumin seeds, red chillies - all roasted and powdered)

Method
Take oil in a pan and heat it well. Add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Add potatoes and stir it well for 2 minutes. Now add  chilli paste, ginger paste and tomatoes and saute it. Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt and sugar. Mix and stir well on a slow flame for some time.. Add 1/4 cup water and cover the pan for 2 minutes and stir the potatoes well till the potatoes mixes well with the gravy. Sprinkle ghee and bhaja masala on top. Serve hot.

Dhonepatar Patar Chutney / Coriander Chutney

Dhonepatar Patar Chutney / Coriander Chutney
This Coriander Chutney has a different preparation... Normally the ingredients are ground raw and the chutney is ready. I remember one of the cook at my Aunt's place use to make this in Kolkatta. She use to called it Dhonepatar Bhorta and it was had with hot rice. This chutney is cooked with mustard oil and has a sweetly, tangy, spicy taste and can be preserved for 3 to 4 months. This chutney can be used to have on bread or can be used for cooking with fish or chicken.
Ingredients
1 big bunch Coriander Leaves cleaned and chopped with stems
10 Green chillies or More as per taste
1 big Lime Juice
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Sugar
1 cup Mustard oil

Method
Take all the ingredients in a grinder except oil, grind the ingredients into a paste. Take a pan, add 1/2 cup mustard oil, heat it. Add the coriander paste, on a low flame cook the coriander paste, for 10 minutes. Add 1/4 cup mustard oil in between. Cook the coriander paste till all the water has almost dried up, add the remaining oil. Keep cooking till no water remains in the paste and the oil starts to leave from the paste. Switch of the flame and cool it. Store it in a dry bottle and refrigerate it. Use when require. It stay well for 4 months. Always use a dry spoon while taking the chutney out.

Chettinad Mutton Gravy

Chettinad Mutton Gravy

For Chettinad Masala Powder
Ingredients
10 Dry Red Chillies
2 tsp Cumin seeds
3 tbsp Coriander Seeds
1 1/2 tbsp Fennel seeds
1 tbsp Poppy seeds
2 medium sticks Cinnamon
6 Green Cardamom
1 tbsp Peppercorns
1 Star Anise

Method
Dry roast the spices and when cool, grind it into fine powder. Store it in a air tight container, in dry cool place.

For Wet Coconut Paste
Ingredients
1/4cup Fresh Coconut (grated)
1tsp Fennel seeds

Method
Grind the coconut and fennel seeds into a wet paste and keep it aside.

For the Mutton Gravy
Ingredients
500 grams Mutton pieces
2 Onion chopped
1 Tomato chopped
Few Curry Leaves
1 tbsp Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1 tsp Tamarind paste
1/2tsp Turmeric powder
2 tbsp Chettinad Masala powder
Salt to taste
1 small stick Cinnamon
2 Cloves
2 Cardamoms
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
2 tbsp Oil
2tbsp Coriander leaves chopped

Method
Heat the pressure cooker and add oil. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, fennel and curry leaves, saute it for a minute, add the ginger garlic paste and stir for few minutes.Add the chopped onions and cook it till light brown in colour, add the tomatoes, turmeric, salt and tamarind. Stir it and let it cook for 5 minutes, add the mutton pieces. Stir and cook the mutton pieces for 10 minutes. Add 4 cups of water, pressure cook until 5 whistles. Let the pressure release, open the cooker
and add the coconut paste, adjust the gravy according to the taste by adding water and masala powder if required. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish the with chopped coriander leaves.

Moong Dal and Dill Leaves Bhaji

Moong Dal and Dill Leaves Bhaji
Very simple and rustic, it taste awesome.. Once you acquire the taste for dill leaves, how ever it is cooked, it taste simply awesome....
Ingredients
1 bunch Dill leaves chopped
1/2 cup small Size Moong dal soaked for an hour
10 Garlic cloves minced
2 fresh Chillies minced
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp a Turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp Oil

Method
Thane a wok, add oil. Let it heat, add the garlic and chilli minced. Stir fry for a minute. Add the chopped dill leaves, salt and turmeric. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring it occasionally. Add the Moong dal and 1/4 cup water, stir it, cover and cook till the water dry up completely. Serve hot with rice or chapati.

Piragi (Latvian Buns)

Piragi (Latvian Buns)
A pīrāgs -  plural - pīrāgi is an oblong or crescent-shaped baked Latvian bread roll or pastry, often containing a filling of finely chopped bacon cubes and onion. Pīrāgi range from 5 centimetres in length to 13 centimetres, depending on if they are intended as a snack or a more substantial meal. Smaller pīrāgi are often prized for their daintiness and are considered the work of a skilled cook. As with many national dishes, Latvian families often have their own unique recipe for the dish, resulting in many variations of pīrāgi. Due to the amount of work involved to make pīrāgi, they are usually made only for special occasions.
Other common pīrāgs fillings include fatty bacon, fatback (speķis), mixtures of ground or finely chopped meats (ground beef, ham and chicken with or without bacon), fish, cabbage and pressed cottage cheese. Pīrāgi come in two main varieties: plain bread pīrāgi and brothor soup pīrāgi (zupas or buljona pīrāgi). Bread pīrāgi come with a larger variety of fillings and are made using a yeast dough. Broth pīrāgi are made from a flaky pastry butter dough, often a sour cream dough, and are usually filled with boiled beef or sometimes cooked fish. These are intended to be eaten with a cup or bowl of good broth.
Information source Net

My version of Pīrāgi
Suffing
1 cup Cottage chesse finely minced
1 cup Red Cabbage finely minced
2 Onions, finely minced
1 tsp Garlic finely minced
Pepper to taste
Salt to taste
1 tsp Oil

Method
In a heavy non stick pan, add the oil. Sauté the onions, garlic, red cabbage and cottage cheese until the onions are translucent. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Keep the stuffing aside to cool completely.

Pīrāgi
Ingredients
3 and 1/2 cups of Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 tbsp dry Yeast
1/4 cup Warm Water
2 tbsp Sugar
3/4 cup Milk
1/4 cup Butter
Salt to taste
Stuffing
2 tbsp Milk + 2 tbsp butter

Method
Place yeast, sugar and water in a small bowl, put aside for the yeast to activate atleast 10 minutes. In a small saucepan add butter, milk, salt. Warm over a low heat until butter has melted. When milk mixture has cooled to lukewarm stir in the yeast. Place two cups of the flour in a large bowl, pour liquid over and stir to combine. Once combined add the remaining flour. Mix until all ingredients have come together, then leave to rest in the bowl for 10 minutes. Once rested turn dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and soft, about 5 – 10 minutes. Place dough back in to a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Leave dough to raise, around 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size. Once dough is ready, divide the dough into  lime size portions. Take a portion and roll the dough in to a ball and stretch it to a circle. Place a tablespoon of stuffing, and bring the edges of the dough together. Seal the bun in a oval shape and pull the 2 points outwards. Place formed buns on a baking tray that has been greased. The seal edge has to be facing down.  Mix the milk and melted butter to make wash. Brush it on the buns.  Place buns in a preheated oven of 180 degrees celcius  and bake for approximately 25 minutes,brushing the milk and butter in between 2 times, bake until golden brown.

Spinach Corn and Egg Casserole....

Spinach Corn and Egg Casserole....

Microwave recipe
Ingredients
6 Eggs
1 cup Corn
1 cup Spinach chopped
2 tbsp Garlic, Ginger and Fresh Chilli minced
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
3 tbsp Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup Milk
1 tbsp Nutralite Spread
1/2 cup grated Cheddar and  Mozzarella cheese

Method
Take the corn in a microwave bowl, add 1 cup of water and cook the corn for 5 minutes. Remove it from the microwave, drain the water and keep it aside. Take the spinach, add 1/2 cup water and  microwave it for 2 minutes. Take it out. Beat the eggs, add salt and pepper. Take a glass baking dish, add nutralite spread, put the dish in the microwave for 30 seconds. Take it out. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli mince, stir it. Put it in the microwave for 2 minutes, stirring it at the interval of 30 seconds. Take it out. Add the whole wheat into the dish, stir it. Microwave it for 2 minutes, stirring in between every 30 seconds. Take it out, add the milk and whisk the flour with the milk. Put it back for 3 minutes, whisking it every 30 seconds. Take it out, add the beaten eggs to the white sauce, whisk it. Take 1/2 cup corn and crush it. Add the whole corn, crushed corn and spinach to the beaten eggs and white sauce. Microwave it for 4 minutes. Take it out. Sprinkle the cheese and microwave  it for 6 minutes more. Serve it with bread toast.

Konkani Kolmi Pulau with Kolmi Rassa

Konkani Kolmi Pulau with Kolmi Rassa

For the Konkani Masala
1 cup Dry Bedagi chilli
1 cup Dry Sankeshwari Chilli
1/4 cup Coriander seeds
1/4 cup Cumin seeds
2 tbsp Caraway seeds (Shahi jeera)
1/2 cup Fennel seeds
1/4 cup Mustard seeds
2 tbsp Poppy seeds
4 big stick Cinnamon
8 pieces Black Cardamoms
6 pieces Green Cardamoms
3 tbsp Cloves
3 tbsp Black pepper corns
10 pieces Star anise
3 tbsp Cobra saffron/ Cassia buds
1 tbsp Stone flower
2 tbsp Mace
10 Bay leaves
1 tsp Asafetida
2 tbsp Turmeric powder

Method
Roast all the above ingredients except Asafetida and Turmeric. Cool the roasted spices and grind all the above ingredients along with Asafetida and Turmeric into a fine powder. Store it in a dry air tight container and it stays fresh for more than 6 months. This Masala can be used for any gravy dishes.

Kolmi Pulau and Kolmi Rassa

For the Marination
Ingredients
2 cups clean medium size Prawns
2 tbsp Roasted Grated Coconut
6 Garlic cloves
1 small Piece of Ginger
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Lime juice

Method
Take all the ingredients except the prawns and grind the wet masala by adding 3 tbsp or more water to the paste. Add the wet masala to the prawns, marinate it for 30 minutes.

For the Rice
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup Basmati Rice soaked for 30 minutes
2 cloves
1 Green Cardamom
1 small stick Cinnamon
1 Bay Leaf
1 Star anise
Salt to taste
1 tsp Sugar
2 tbsp Oil

Method
Take a pot. Add oil, let it heat. Add the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, star anise. Sauté it for 1 minute. Add sugar, stir for 30 seconds. Add the rice, stir the rice for 2 minutes. Add salt and 3 cups of water. Cook the rice. Keep the cooked rice aside.

For the Kolmi (Prawns)
Ingredients
Marinated Prawns
2 Onions sliced
1 Tomato sliced
Few Curry Leaves
1 tsp Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Ginger Paste
4 Kokam pieces
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Konkani Masala
2 tbsp Oil
Few Coriander and Mint leaves chopped for garnishing

Method
Take a wok, add oil. Heat it, add the ginger and garlic paste. Sauté it for a minute, add the onions and curry leaves. Stir the onions and fry it till light golden brown. Add the marinated prawns, stir fry the prawns for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt and Konkani masala, stir and mix the masala. Add 4 cups of water. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. While the gravy is simmering, take the prawns and 2 ladle of the gravy out. Switch of the gas and strain the rest of the gravy out. Take the masala remaining on the strainer and add it to the prawns. Keep the strain gravy ( Rassa ) aside. 

Take the prawns and add it back into the wok. Add the cooked rice and mix it well with the prawns.Cover the wok and for 2 minutes keep the wok on low flame. Take it off the gas and sprinkle mint and coriander leaves on the Kolmi Palau and sprinkle few chopped coriander leaves on the Rassa. Serve the hot Konkani Kolmi Palau with Kolmi Rassa and Salad.