Fresh Homemade Sausages without Casing

I love the Kolkata fresh sausages that my friend’s parents get for me, but unfortunately it’s not available in Mumbai. I had some boneless mutton in the fridge, so thought of experimenting  with mutton and  it turned out to be delicious. These fresh homemade sausages are quick and easy to make and satisfies your urge of  having sausages.  You can use boneless chicken or pork or mutton. Here I have used mutton.

Ingredients 

250 grams Boneless cold Mutton cut into small pieces 

30 grams Mutton Fat 

1 big Onion coarsely ground and water squeezed out

1 small Garlic pod finely minced 

1 small Ginger piece finely minced

1 Green Chilli finely minced 

1/2 cup Coriander leaves chopped 

1/2 cup Mint leaves chopped 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Cumin powder

1/2 to 1 tsp Red Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder

3 tbsp Oil

Method 

Take a electric chopper or a food processor. Add the Mutton pieces, finely mince it. Add the fat and mince it once more. Remove it into a bowl. Add the onion, mint, coriander, garlic, ginger, green chilli, garam masala, cumin powder, red chilli powder and salt. Mix it very well for 5 minutes until the fat and the meat binds very well. Grease the steamer plate. Take a steamer and heat up the water. Take a plastic sheet and spread it on the platform. Now apply oil on your palm and on the sheet. Take a big lemon size portion. Roll the mince meat on the sheet and give it a longish sausage shape. Place the sausages into the steamer plate. Steam the sausages in batches for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the sausages from the steamer. Keep the sausages in the fridge for 30 minutes. If you are in a hurry then you can keep it in the freezer for 10 minutes. Remove it and now the sausages are ready to be fried. Take a pan add 1 tsp of oil, heat it. Add the sausages and toss the sausages till brown in colour. Serve them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I prefer having it with hot dal and rice. 

P. S. The meat pieces has to be cold so that it is easy to mince. 

The meat has to be finely minced and not paste. 

You can add 30 grams more fat if you want as I have used less fat. 

It is very important that the meat and the fat binds very well. 

Kathal Ke Kabab

Kathal or Raw Jackfruit is known as vegetarian meat because of its texture and look. It has lots of health benefits. This dish what I made today can be served as starter or appetiser or can be eaten as snacks. This can be served with onions and green chutney. It’s a simple recipe with very less ghee or oil. 

Ingredients

250 grams Raw Jackfruit (Kathal)  cut into medium size cubes and boiled

1/4 cup Chana Dal boiled without any excess water

1 small Onion finely chopped

1 - 2 Green Chillies as per required cut into pieces 

2 small pieces Ginger 

3 Garlic Cloves 

1 tbsp Coriander Leaves chopped

1 tbsp Mint Leaves  chopped

1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder

1/2 tsp Chilli Powder

Salt to taste

1 tsp Cumin powder

1 tsp Fennel powder

1 tsp Coriander powder

1 tsp Lime juice 

Ghee or Oil for shallow frying

         

Method 

Take a food processor or a grinder. Add the boiled jack fruit, boiled chana dal,lime juice, green chillies, ginger, garlic, garam masala powder, fennel powder, chilli powder, salt, cumin powder and coriander powder.  Grind it into a coarse paste. Transfer the paste into a bowl. Add the onion, coriander leaves and mint leaves. Mix it well. Take a lime size portions of the paste and flatten it. Take a pan, add ghee or oil. Let it heat on a medium heat. Add the kababs into the ghee or oil. Shallow fry it on both the side until golden brown in colour. Serve the kababs with onion and green chutney. 

P.S. Don’t over cook the jackfruit and the chana dal. 

It’s better to use a food processor than a grinder as it takes a bit longer to grind in a grinder. Don’t add any water while grinding. 

I prefer ghee to fry the kababs as it enhances the flavour of the kababs. 

Almond and Whole Wheat Orange Cookies

These orange flavoured cookies are home made and healthy too. Make them for your friends and family in a day advance and enjoy them with a hot cup of tea. You can add orange colour to the cookies but I don’t prefer adding any artificial colour. As you bite into the cookie and chew it, suddenly you get a strong flavour of the orange and that is due to the orange peel that has been added in the cookie dough while kneading. Please note that the white side of the orange peel should be scraped and removed before chopping or else it may give the cookies a bitter taste. 

Ingredients 

2 1/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 cup Almond Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder 

1/4 cup Orange Juice

1/2 tsp Orange Essence 

1 tsp Orange Peel chopped 

1 cup Butter 

1 cup Powder Sugar 

Method 

Take a mixing bowl. Sieve the whole wheat flour, almond flour and baking powder together. Take butter and sugar together in another bowl. Beat it well, till fluffy. Add the essence and orange juice. Beat it once more. Add the flour and mix it well. Now knead the ingredients all together to form a dough. Add the orange peel and knead it once more. Take half of the dough and roll the dough into 1/4 inch thick sheet. Cut the desire shapes with the help of a cookie cutter and place the cookies on a baking tray at little distance. With a help of a fork press the top of the cookies to get some impression. Bake it at 170 to 180 degree celsius for 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove it from the oven and let it cool in the same baking tray. After it cools down, remove it from the baking tray and further coo it down. Keep it in a air tight container and enjoy the cookies. 

Eggless Strawberry and Vanilla Cupcakes Center filled withStrawberryJam...

 

We all enjoy cupcakes and cakes at some point of time. I prefer making them at home. This cupcakes are delicious in taste... I have used strawberry as this is the fruit of the season. These can be severed at any point of the day. These makes a perfect lunch box serving for children to carry it to school. 

Ingredients 

3 cups All Purpose Flour + 1 cup of Wheat Flour mixed together 

1/2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Baking Powder

2 tsp Soda bicarbonate 

1 cup Caster Sugar 

2 tsp Vanilla Essence 

1 Mashed Banana 

1/4 cup Curd

1/2 cup Condensed Milk

150 Ml Oil

500 ml + 1/4 cup Milk 

1 cup Strawberry Pulp

1/2 cup Strawberry Jam 

2 tbsp Almond Flakes 

                    

              

Method 

Take a mixing bowl. Add sugar, condensed milk, banana, curd and oil. Beat it well till all the ingredients are well  incorporated. Add the vanilla essence, 1 cup flour, 125 ml milk and salt. Beat it well. Add another 1 cup flour and 125 ml milk, beat it well. Keep repeating the process twice more till all the flour and 500 Ml milk is used up. Add the baking powder and soda bicarbonate. Beat it once more. Divide the batter into 2 parts. Now add the strawberry pulp into one part of the batter and 1/4 cup milk into another part of the batter. Beat both the batters. Take a 12 mould cupcake cavity tray. Place a cupcake liner in each cavity. Pour 2 tbsp of the strawberry batter in each liner. Now add 1/2 tsp strawberry jam in the center of the batter. Now top it up with 2 tbsp Vanilla batter. Add few almond flakes on top. Bake it in a pre heated oven for 25 to 30 minutes at 180 degree celsius. Insert a tooth pick to check. If done, then remove the cupcakes from the oven. Remove the cupcakes  from the cavities. Let it cool completely on the cooling rack before enjoying it. 

Tawa Maachli

This a simple fish recipe which can be served as a side dish. Any fish of your choice can be used. I have used about 1 kg Rupchand / Indian Piranha Fish here. I prefer to use coconut oil as it gives a flavour and enhances the aroma while cooking. 

For Marnation 

1 whole medium size Fish cleaned

1 tbsp Garlic paste

1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder

1 tsp Spicy Chilli powder

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

2  tbsp of Kitchen king masala or any Fish Masala

Salt to taste 

2 tsp Tamarind paste

2 to 3 tbsp Water 

1 tbsp Oil 

Method 

Take a small bowl. Add the garlic paste, Kashmiri chilli, spicy chilli, turmeric powder, Kitchen king masala, tamarind paste, water and oil. Mix all the ingredients together. Apply the masala paste on the fish. Keep it aside for 1 to 2 hours. 

For the Tawa Maachli

Ingredients 

Marinated Fish

3 to 4 tbsp Oil

Some Curry leaves 

Method

Take a rectangular skillet. Add oil. Let it heat. Add the curry leaves and let it sauté for few seconds. Add the marinated fish. On a medium low flame cook the fish on both the sides till done. Serve it hot with sliced tomato, cucumber and onions. 

Rasabali

It is a sweet dish from the state of Odisha. This sweet dish is originated from Baladevjew temple of kendrapara. It is offered to lord Baladevjew. It is one of the chapan bhog offered to Lord Jaganath. 

The mashed Cheena is mixed with all purpose flour and semolina, then it is shaped into small flattened pattie  and then fried until golden brown. It is then dipped into flavoured thickened sweet milk and served. 

For the Chenna Bara / Pattie

Ingredients

250 grams Mashed Chenna / Cottage Cheese

3 tsp Fine Semolina

2 1/2 tsp All Purpose Flour

1 tbsp Sugar

1/4 tsp Baking soda

Oil / Ghee for frying 

Method

Take a bowl. Add cheena, semolina, APF, sugar and baking soda. Mix all the ingredients well together. Take small lime size portions and make small balls and flatten it. Take oil / ghee in a pan, let it heat. Add the flattened balls into the hot oil. Fry on medium low heat until golden brown from both the sides. Remove them on a paper towel and keep it aside.

For the Rasabali

Ingredients

1 liter Milk

5 tbsp or more Sugar as per the requirement

1/2 tsp Cardamom powder

Few strands of Saffron

Pinch of Salt 

Few Almond / Pistachio flakes and Rose petals for garnishing

Cheena Bara / Patties

Method

Boil the milk in a heavy bottom pot on medium low flame. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. Now add salt, saffron and cardamom powder. Stir for a minute. Now add sugar, stir the milk and let it simmer till the milk has reduced into half its quantity.  Add the cheena patties into the milk. Let it continue to simmer for another 5 minutes. Switch off the flame. Garnish with almond flakes, pistachio flakes and rose petals. Let it cool. You can either serve it in room temperature or chilled. 

                          

Roasted Garlicky Lime Chicken

This dish can be served as a starter. The longer it is kept for marination the chicken will be soft and juicy.So keep it as long as 5 to 6 hours for marination. It’s a easy recipe and delicious in taste too. This dish is good to be served in parties. 

Ingredients

5  Chicken Drumsticks

1 tbsp Garlic paste

Juice of 1 Lime 

1 tsp chopped Coriander Leaves 

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder

3 tbsp Fresh Cream

2 tbsp Grape seed Oil or any Oil

Method 

Take a mixing bowl. Add the lime juice, garlic, fresh cream, red chilli powder and pepper powder.  Whisk it well. Add the oil and whisk it once again. Apply the marination on the chicken drumsticks. Keep it aside to marinate for at least for 2 hours. Arrange the marinated chicken drumsticks on a foil baking sheet and apply the remaining marination on the chicken drumsticks. Roast it in a preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes at 250 degree celsius, flip the chicken pieces in between and spray oil on the chicken pieces. After it is done then sprinkle with coriander leaves. Serve it hot. 

Chicken Mini Pancake

These mini pancakes can be enjoyed as snacks. It is easy to make and can be enjoyed by children and adults. The batter is made with chicken pieces and other ingredients, it is then shallow fried. It can be served hot with cheese dip or sauce of your choice.

Ingredients

200 grams boneless Chicken cut into small pieces

1 tsp Pickled Chillies or 1 Green Chilli chopped

1 cup chopped Spinach Leaves

1 tsp minced Garlic

4 tsp Mayonnaise

2 Eggs

150 ml Thin Butter milk

3/4 cup Wheat Flour

4 tbsp Rice Flour

2 cubes Cheddar Cheese grated

Salt to taste

1/2 to 1 tsp Pepper powder

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

Oil for shallow frying

Method

Take a mixing bowl. Add the wheat flour, rice flour, pepper powder and salt. Mix the flour. Now add the dijon mustard, mayonnaise,cheese and eggs. Mix it all together. Now gradually little at a time add the buttermilk and stir the batter, till it is a thick dropping consistency. Now add the garlic, pickled chilli, spinach and the chicken and mix it. Add the remaining buttermilk and mix it well. Cover the bowl and let it rest for at least an hour. Open the lid and stir the batter well. Heat a non-stick pan over medium low heat and add 2tbsp oil. Let the oil heat up. Add 2 tbsp of the batter. Slightly flatten the batter, cover and cook on medium low heat it,one side until it becomes golden brown, then flip and cook on the other side until golden brown in colour. Serve it hot with cheese dip or sauce of your choice. 

P. S. You can add 2 tbsp Oats to the flour to make it more healthier. You can all add vegetables like grated carrots, capsicum, grated zucchini

or bottle gourd.

Clams and Egg Sandwich

This sandwich can be eaten for breakfast or snacks. I added clams to my sandwich and here is how I made it... I have used home made mayonnaise, but you can use the store bought ones too. 

Ingredients 

1/4 cup  cleaned Clams

2 small Onions sliced 

1 tsp Garlic minced 

1/4 cup Cabbage sliced 

1 tomato cubes

1/2 tsp Pepper

Salt to taste 

1 tbsp Butter

1/2 cup Mayonnaise 

2 Egg whites

Sliced Breads 

Method 

Take a pan, add butter and let it melt. Add the onions and garlic. Sauté it till light brown in colour. Add the clams, salt and pepper. Continue and stir fry it for 2 minutes. Now add the beaten egg whites and stir it on low heat for 2 minutes. Switch of the flames. Add cabbage and tomato. Mix it. Take 2 slices of bread. You can toast the bread or use it as it is. Apply the mayonnaise. Add the stuffing and add some more mayonnaise on top. Cover it up with another slice of bread. Enjoy it...

Homemade Mayonnaise 

Ingredients 

2 remaining Egg yolks

1/4 cup Olive oil

2 tbsp Vinegar

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp Pepper powder

Method 

Blend all the ingredients together till it thickens up.

Savoury Mini Cake Loaf

This is a healthy vegetarian dish which can be served as snacks.

Here I have used Amaranth Flour and Semolina for the base along with vegetables. I have used chickpea leaves as it's available in the market in this season but we can use spinach leaves instead of chickpea leaves. 

Amaranth Flour contains high source of Protein, Calcium and Fiber. It is ideal for gluten intolerent. It has high levels of the amino acid lysine which help your body to properly absorb calcium from the digestive tract. Here I have used Amaranth flour from Original Indian Table which I had received it as a prize in  a contest. 

Ingredients

1 cup Amaranth Flour

1 cup Fine Semolina

1 small Onion chopped

1 medium size Carrot chopped 

1 medium size Capsicum chopped 

1/2 cup Chickpea Leaves or Spinach chopped 

2 Fresh Green / Red Chillies chopped

1 tsp Garlic chopped

1/2 tsp Ginger chopped

2 1/2 tbsp Walnut chopped

Salt to taste

1 tsp Sugar 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Soda Bicarbonate

1/4 cup Melted Ghee

500 ml Butter Milk

Method

Mix together amaranth flour, semolina, salt, turmeric powder, sugar and baking powder. Mix it. Add the ghee. Now add the butter milk little at a time into the flour and whisk it. Whisk it properly so that no lumps remain and it forms into a thick batter. Add all the vegetables. Mix the batter well. Add the soda bicarbonate and mix it again. Here I have taken 3 mini loaf tin and greased it with ghee. Pour the batter into the pan until 3/4 of the pan is filled. Sprinkle the chopped walnut on top.

Bake it in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. After 45 minutes, insert a tooth pick and check. If it comes out clean then it’s done. Remove it from the oven and let it cool a bit. Remove it from the tin, cool it further before slicing. Enjoy it with a cup of tea. 

Chingri Macher Matha diye Kochu Saag Batta..

Prawn head and Colocasia leaves Paste....

 I love traditional dishes. Many of the authentic dishes or traditional home recipes are not available in any restaurants. It’s when some one personally shares them, we get to know. These recipes are not showy but one must taste them to experience it. Recently my love for these kind of traditional simple home cooked recipes have got more rooted in me.. 

This is one such recipe I am going to share with you which is my recipe connecting to my roots. 

 I had some prawn heads left with me after making  the prawn pickle for order. I didn’t feel like throwing them as I personally love to chew the prawn heads and I feel it’s more tastier than the prawn. I also had a bunch of Colocasia leaves in the fridge. So taking these two ingredients, put together... this recipe was created... 

Ingredients 

500 grams Prawn head after cleaning the prawns.. 

(Cleaned, marinated with salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. And fried in Mustard oil.) 

1 bunch of Colocasia leaves chopped without stems

1 medium size Onion chopped 

2 to 3 or more Green chills chopped 

1 tsp Garlic paste

1/2 tsp Ginger paste

1 tsp Tamarind paste

1/2 tsp Nigella seeds / Kalonji 

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Cumin powder

2 tbsp + 1/2 tsp Mustard Oil

1 roasted dry whole chilli for garnishing.. 

Method 

Take 2 cups of water in a wok and add 1/2 tsp salt and colocasia leaves and let it cook till the water begins to bubble. Switch off the flame and drain the water out from the leaves. Keep it aside. Traditionally the Prawn heads and the Colocasia leaves should have been ground on a shil batta, but I have used a chopper. So first grind the prawn head and then add the leaves and grind them together again. As we don’t want fine paste, it’s better to use a chopper or a food processor. Add 2 tbsp oil in a wok. Let it heat up. Add the kalonji. As the kalonji begins to crackle, add the green chillies, ginger paste and garlic paste. Sauté it for few seconds. Add the onions and let it cook for 2 minutes or till the onions become light pink in colour. Add the prawn head and colocasia leaves paste. On a low flame, stir and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the cumin powder, stir for few seconds. Add the tamarind paste and stir for few seconds more. Now add the salt. Stir and continue to cook for another 2 minutes or till the paste starts to leave the sides of the wok. Remove the paste in a bowl, garnish with roasted whole red chilli and drizzle 1/2 tsp Mustard oil. Later you can crush the red chilli and sprinkle on top. This paste taste even better the next day. Server it with hot steaming rice... 

 P. S. You can add 2 tbsp fresh coconut paste at the end after you add salt and mix it. The coconut flavour will enhance the taste of the fish. 

Vegetable Gateau

The vegetable gateau is layered with vegetables, savoury custard and cheese which after baking becomes soft, fluffy and creamy in texture. 

This dish can be served for breakfast or dinner with bread...

It is made with vegetables, cheese, egg and sour cream. 

For the Sautéed Vegetables 

Ingredients 

2 small size Potatoes cut into cubes 

4 tsp of Garlic finely minced 

1 Carrot cut into cubes

1 medium size Egg plant cut into small cubes

1 medium Broccoli cut into small florets  

1 medium bunch of Spinach chopped 

1/2 cup of Green peas 

1 of each colour ( yellow, red and green ) medium size Capsicum cut into cubes 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Pepper powder

2 cubes / 2 tbsp of Butter

Method

Take a pan, add a cube of butter, let it melt, add 2 tsp of garlic, sauté it for few seconds. Add the 1/2 of the onion chopped, potato, carrot, broccoli, egg plant and green peas. Stir and sauté it for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of water, stir and cover the pan with a lid. Let it cook for 5 minute on low flame. After 5 minuets, open the lid. Season the vegetables with salt and 1/2 tsp pepper powder and stir it. Add the capsicum and stir it again. Remove it in a bowl and keep it aside. 

In the same pan, add the remaining butter and melt it. Add the remaining garlic and onions, sauté it till the onions are light pink in colour. Add the spinach and stir it for a minute. Sprinkle salt and remaining pepper powder. Stir and cook it till the water from the spinach evaporates. Remove and keep it in a bowl. 

P. S. You can also  add cauliflower, mushrooms, French beans too... 

For the Savoury Custard

Ingredients 

1 packet of Sour Cream

4 Egg Whites

4 Egg yolks

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Black Pepper powder

Method 

Beat the egg whites till stiff. Separately beat the cream cheese till fluffy. Add salt, pepper and egg yolks. Beat it well. Fold in the egg white and that goes with the vegetables for baking. 

To Assemble 

Ingredients 

Savoury Custard 

Sautéed Vegetables 

1 cup Cheddar cheese grated

Method 

Take a greased baking pan,  pour in 3 to 4 ladles of the custard and spread it. Now add 1/2 of the sautéed mix vegetables and spread it. Pour 2 to 3 ladles of custard over the vegetables and spread it. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the cheese on the vegetables. Bake it in a preheated oven for 10 minutes at 180 degree celsius. Remove the baking pan from the oven. Add the sautéed spinach and spread it. Pour 2 ladles of the custard over the spinach. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheese. Bake for 10 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degree celsius. Remove the baking pan from the oven. Now add the remaining vegetables and spread it. Pour the remaining custard over the vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining cheese. Now bake it for 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degree celsius. Serve and enjoy this dish with garlic bread...