Regu Vada/ Ber Vada

Jujube or Ber or Regu pandlu is a seasonal fruit available in South India. In my childhood these fruits are sold by vendors near the schools. We use to eat these along with chilli powder and salt.The ripe fruits are used for making tangy and spicy vadas. Its a very simple snack that can be made at home. Here comes the recipe for these seasonal goodies...........................

1cup jujube fruits should be washed and dried in the shade. Add these fruits into rolu(stone motor ) pound them to a mushy mixture with a berry sized tamarind, 4-5 green chillies, salt to taste and 2tsp. jaggery, make small vadas out of this ground mixture and dry them in the sun for a day or two (turn in between), once dried well, these can be stored for about 3- 6months.

Double ka Meeta

Double Ka Meetha aka Bread halwa, is one of the classic Nizami Dessert, that hails form the city of Hyderabad,India. This dessert is referred as "king of Bread Puddings".



Ingredients:
12 Milk Bread Slices
Oil+Ghee – to deep fry (I used 3/4 of oil and 1/4ghee, if not only oil also can be used)
Cashew nuts-halved(1fist full)
2cups Milk
1/4 cup Khova/khoa
6no. Cardamom(Powdered)
2cups Sugar

Sugar Syrup:

In a pan add sugar and water(just add 1/2 cup of water). Stir to dissolve and let the water boil on high for 10-12 minutes or until you get a sticky consistency.

Method:

Remove the bread form the pack and spread the slices on plate, let them air dry for 10-15mins.

Cut off the corner of the bread slices and slice them into triangles and dry roast them on tava till they are little stiff, remove from the heat and keep them aside.

Now heat the oil and ghee ( the ghee and oil should not be over heated).Roast the cashews till they get golden color and keep them aside. Deep fry the roasted bread slices on both sides till they are dark brown but should not burnt( take care while deep frying as bread gets burnt easily). Remove the fried crisp bread slices and keep them aside.

In a pan boil milk, once it starts to boil add khova/khoa and let it cook till it has reduced to half its original quantity, add cardamom powder and keep aside.

In a wide pan add the fried bread slices, fried cashews. Pour the prepared warm sugar syrup and the warm reduced milk into all over the fried bread slices in the pan. Cook on medium heat until the liquid has been evaporated, stir gently in between. Most of the people like to have this dessert warm, and some like it chilled. This warm dessert tastes heavenly when served with ice cream.

Gavvalu

Gavvalu, if translated in english it literally mean sea shells, a traditional Andhra pindi vantakam(festive sweet). Usually these gavvalu/shells are prepared using a gavvala chekka (mould), if could not manage to get one can be tried on a big fork or a brand new flat comb.



Ingredients:

2cups maida
1cup sooji(upma ravva)
pinch of salt
water as required to make a tight dough
oil for deep frying + 5tbs.oil(heated)


Sugar Syrup for coating gavvalu:
1cup sugar
enough water to immerse sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom powder



Recipe:

Make a soft dough of maida, sooji, salt and heated oil by adding enough water. Keep aside for 15 mts. Make small marble sized balls. Use gavvala chekka or the back of fork to shape each ball like a shell. Take the ball, place it on the fork/mold, using thumb press each ball gently onto the fork, then roll into a shell shape. Prepare shells with all prepared balls and keep aside.



Take a heavy bottomed vessel, add sugar and water and let it melt. Cook till the syrup becomes thick. To check the correct syrup consistency, drop some syrup into a bowl of water and if turns into a soft ball, its the right time to turn off heat. Add cardamom pwd and turn off heat.


Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai/deep frying pan, once the oil is hot enough, add the gavvalu and deep fry to a golden brown shade, fry the remaining gavvalu, take them onto paper towel to remove excess oil. Then add fried gavvalu to the syrup. Combine well to coat the gavvalu, let them cool and store them in an air tight container.

Gunta Ponganalu

Gunta Ponganalu/pongalalu is an age old yummy evening snack recipe of Andhra, even can be had for breakfast accompanied by Errakaram, this makes ponganalu much more consuming. These ponganalu are mostly done with leftover dosa batter. To prepare these we do need a special cooking pan called "Guntaponganala Pennam". Preparation of this snack varies from region to region.....here's my version. BTW thank you Sissy "J" for gifting me this Pennam.

Batter Recipe:

Use left over dosa batter, if not soak 1/2 cup urad dal and 1 cup raw rice for about 5-6hrs. Then grind it to fine paste adding just enough water and required salt, the consistency of the batter should be like dosa batter. Take the batter into a big vessel, cover and let it sit overnight for fermentation.
Take1 big red onion, finely chopped, 3no.green chillies - finely chopped, 2springs curry leaves - finely chopped, 1 teaspoon of cumin, add all these ingredients to the batter and mix thoroughly.

Recipe:
Place the ponganala skillet on medium heat. Add few drops of oil into each pit with a spoon, rub oil around the pit with a cut onion poked to the fork. When the skillet is hot enough, fill the pits with the batter and cover with a lid and cook in a medium flame for 5 min.Then remove the lid and gently lift the ponganalu with a spoon, turn each to the other side, cook the other side also for 5 min.in medium heat, now remove from the skillet gently and repeat the same process with the remaining batter. Cooking in medium heat is the most important thing in making these things.

Bisibele Bath

This is one of most popular Rice variety of Karnataka, which need no introduction. This particular dish is a frequent visitor to my home, this time got a change to click the picture( I mean I'm given chance to click). Recently I have tried this version of bath, which tasted much better than the regular one. I like to relish this dish on a rainy or cold winter days......Here comes the recipe.....................

Ingredients:-

Rice-1 cup, Tur Dal-1/2 cup, Turmeric powder- 1/4tsp, Tamarind pulp-3tsp, Cashew - fist full
Onions-1cup(cut length wise), Vegetables-1cup(carrot, beans, peas, cut length wise), Ghee-3tsp, Salt To taste.

Powder:-

Coriander seeds- 1tbs, Channa Dal-1tbs, Red chillies-10, Coconut-2tbs, Cardamom-2, Cloves-4 Saunf-1tbs, Poppy seeds-1tbs, Cinnamon stick-Small piece.

For Seasoning:-
Oil 1tbs
Mustard seeds 1tbs .

Method:-

Cook the rice and Dal together in a cooker.
Roast all the ingredients(given in the column above for powder) in 1tsp.ghee, let it cool and powder it.
Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds, allow them to crackle, then add onions and fry them till crisp.
Add the other vegetables and saute for few minutes, add the tamarind water,salt,turmeric powder and allow it to boil until the vegetables are cooked.
Now add the powdered masala, mash the rice and add to the vegetables.
Mix well, boil it to required consistency.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and cashew nuts(roasted).




Recipe Courtesty: Jaya's Recipes

Guava- Seasonal Fruit

Guava, this the most popular fruit of tropics, mostly know as Apple of Tropics and as Poor Man's Apple in India.The best way to relish it is, cut them to wedges, season it with little salt and redchilli powder, YUMMMM.. and also this mouth-watering treat comes with immense health benefits. For benifits Click HERE.

Wishing you all.................................

Thotakura Vepudu

This is simple and healthy stir fry of Amaranth greens/thotakura that go well with rice and roti.

Things Required:

• 5-6 bunches of fresh&tender stalk Amaranth leaves/thotakura(chopped)


• 1no. onion (chopped)


• 10-12 pods garlic (peeled)


• 4-5 dry red chillies


• 2tsp.oil


• 1/2tsp.urad dal


• 1/4 tsp.jeera


• 1/4tsp.mustard


• 2springs curry leaves


• A pinch turmeric powder


• salt to taste

Method:

• Boil greens with just enough water for 8-10min.(don't strain the excess water if any)


• In a pan heat oil, once the oil is hot enough add urad dal, jeera, mustard, once they start to splutter add garlic(little crushed) curry leaves,fry till the garlic is light brown in color, then add onion, turmeric powder, salt and saute til onions are translucent.


• Add boiled greens, saute for 15min or til done, with out lid on medium flame.


• Once done, remove from the heat and serve it with rice/roti.

Kheer-vermicelli,carrot and tapioca pudding

This yummy yumm kheer is adopted from srivalli. I have just fallowed the same recipe with out any changes................Recipe in my words.


Things required:

• Vermicelli/semia-2cups



• Sago-2tbsp.



• Milk-4 to5 cups(boiled)



• Carrot-1/2cup(grated)



• Sugar-1&1/2cup



• Cardamom-2(crushed/powdered)



• Ghee-3tsp.



• Cashews/Raisins-fist full

Method:

• Soak Sago/tapioca for at least 1/2hr.



• Heat 1tsp.ghee in a pan, once the ghee is hot enough add cashews and raisins and fry til golden brown color, remove them and keep them aside.



• Now add remaining ghee, carrot and fry for 2mins., then add vermicelli and fry til the vermicelli is light brown in color.



• Add boiled milk, sago and cook till the vermicelli and sago are soft.



• Add sugar, mix well and boil for few mins.(appx.5min.). Then add roasted nuts, cardamom powder.



• Remove from the flame, serve it hot or cold ...........it tastes best either ways.

Dosakaya Vadiyalu/Yellow Cucumber Fryums

In India it's not only summer season but also season for pickles and vadiyalu/fryums. I had never tried my hand in pickles or vadiyalu as I usually get them from my mom, but this year a friend of my shared this lovely, simple and tasty recipe of her Mom to me, these vadiyalu can be made on moderate temperature days also, i mean not only in hot summers. For the people living in abroad can make them on their window sills also, isn't it sounding interesting to folks out there.......................come on try your hand on these in this summer, believe me they will never go wrong and you feel like a pro after seeing the outcome..................Thank you my friend for sharing this recipe with me!!!!!!

Things Required:

• 1kg.Yellow cucumber(nearly 2lbs.)


• 1/2kg.Thick Poha/Dampudu Atukulu


• 2-3tsp.Red Chili Powder


• 1/4tsp.jeera


• Salt to taste


• 3tsp.Nuvvulu/Sesame Seeds(optional)


• 4-5spring of Curry Leaves(roughly chopped)

Method:

• Peel the cucumbers, remove the seeds, grate them and keep aside.


• wash poha/atukulu, squeeze out excess water and keep them aside.(do this step just after grating the cucumbers, if you do this step first the poha becomes too soft too handle).


• Now add salt, chili powder, jeera, sesame seeds, curry leaves, poha and mix well and keep it aside for 5min., till the poha absorbs the cucumber juice and becomes soft.(The mixture should not be soggy or runny, if so add little more poha/atukulu)


• Place a polythene cover or silver foil on the table and take little portions of the above mixture and flatten them with your fingers and put them on the foil, once you are done with them, take them and put them in a sunny place for 2 days.


• Once they are dried properly, store them in an air tight container.

Heat required oil for deep frying, the oil should not be too hot, once the oil reaches moderate temperature drop these yadiyalu/fryums, fry them til light golden brown color, they should not be fried til deep brown color because they give burnt smell. Enjoy them as side for dal curries.

Masala idli

The reason for this idli to come up on the table and get a click is...... the scorching sun...me forgot to refrigerate left over idli batter till afternoon, due to hot climate it's more fermented, was too sour to be an idli, i requested MOM to suggest for transformation, she gave me this idea......which was sooo simple yet tasty and different.........if you gals have the same issues....give it a try and you will simply love it..............

METHOD:
For 2cups over fermented idli batter, Take 2tsps.oil, once its hot enough add 1tsp.urad dal, 1/2tsp.mustard seeds, 1/4tsp.jeera, once they start to splutter add curry leaves, 1/4cup shredded carrot, 1/8cup chopped beans(optional), 2green chillies(finely chopped), 1''ginger(finely chopped), few dashes of hing, fry for a min. remove from the flame and add them to fermented batter, adjust the salt if needed, mix well. Add the batter to idli plates, steam them and enjoy
tangy yet tasty masala idlies.

Nimbu Pani/ lemon Sherbet

Nimbu pani/nimbu sherbet is a delicious and refreshing thirst quencher, which is a common summer drink in Indian houses. The fresh squeezed lemons with basil seeds make it more refreshing. Mama made/Homemade lemonade on hot summer day makes your summer vacation a most magical one.

Benefits of Basil Seeds: Click herehttp://benefitof.net/benefits-of-basil-seeds/.

• My mom tells me that having basil seeds with nimpu pani has a health reason for it, nimbu pani demands little more sugar to make it yumm, so if you add basil seeds to it, it will cover the sugar content, so your body don't absorb it all, which results in lowering the sugar levels.



• it's believed that, It also helps to burn calories, loose wait, have beautiful skin and control blood sugars.

Ingredients:

• Juice of 4lemons



• Chilled water



• Sugar as required (approx3/4cup - 1cup)



• Black Salt 3pinches/ jeljeera powder-1/4tsp.



• 2tsp.basil seeds

Recipe:

• Soak Basil seeds in 1/2cup of water for half an hour.



• Squeeze the lemons, add little water, sugar, black salt mix well till the sugar is dissolved.



• Add required water and basil seeds, adjust the sugar if needed.



• For a deeper lemon flavour add the squeezed peels of lemon to the pani and allow them to sit in there for a while and remove them before serving.



• Relish the best Mama made/Home made lemonade with an ice cube and a fav board game.............it makes hot summer afternoon a pleasant one.

Thotakura-Tofu/ Amaranth leaves-Tofu

Well!!!!!!! If you are looking for a yumm curry this is not the right one. If you are looking for a nutritious one with mild flavours this is perfect. It'll go well with roties or as a side for rice.

• Things Required:(serves 2 )


• Thotakura/Amaranth leaves-8 bunches


• Tofu(cubed)-1cup


• Garlic Cloves-12no.


• Whole Red Chillies-4no.


• Onion-1no.(roughly chopped)


• Tomato -2no(chopped)


• Oil-2+1tsp.


• Jeera-1/2tsp.


• Urad dal-1/2tsp.


• Red Chilli Powder-1/2tsp.


• 1/8tsp.turmeric powder.


• Salt to taste

Method:

• In a pan heat 1tsp. oil, fry Tofu till it gets light golden brown color and keep it aside. In the same pan add remaining 2tsp.oil, once it's hot enough add jeera, urad dal, whole red chillies and garlic, once they start getting light brown add onions and fry till translucent.


• Add chopped green, tomato, salt, turmeric powder, 1/8cup water, mix well, cover and cook on medium heat for10-15min. or til the green are cooked.


• Once the greens are cook add red chilli powder, mix well. and adjust the seasoning if required.


• Add tofu pieces to the curry and cook for about 2min. on medium heat adjust the seasoning if required and remove from the heat and serve it with roties or rice.

Note:

• The consistency of the curry should be little wet, if taken with roti, if it's for rice it can be little dry.

Ultimate Comfort Food - Fruit Curd Rice

"Love the Curd Rice!!!!!" This is what I'm hearing around the compound. This is the best comfort food to beat the soaring hot summers, that too with crunchy, juicy fruits.....Yummm what can make summer more comfort than this!!!!!! This is my lunch today....wanted to share with you all..............


Things Required:

• 2cups Cooked rice


• 2&1/2cups Curd


• 1/2cup Pomegranate seeds


• 1/4cup Pineapple Chunks


• Salt to taste


• 1/2tsp.oil


• 1/8tsp.urad dal


• 1whole red chilli


• 1/8tsp.mustard seeds


• A pinch of hing/Asafoetida


• a spring of Curry Leaves

Method:

• Generously mash the rice, add curd, salt, mix well and keep it aside.


• In a pan heat oil add urad dal, whole red chilli, mustard seeds, curry leaves, hing/asafoetida, once they get light golden color, remove from the heat and let them cool for a min or so. Then add the seasoning and fruit to the curd rice, mix well (can be served chilled, so can refrigerate for an hour but not too long) and enjoy the most comforting food.

Badusha

I know most you out there must be thinking!!!! What these cute little sweet treats are doing in my kitchen at this time of the year. Yep............usually I do these at the time of Diwali, but this time I have prepared these to celebrate a happy and special time at my place. So friends had got a chance to click and share this yummy recipe to you all..............................

Required things:

• Maida/ all purpose flour-1&1/2cup


• Butter-2Tsp.


• Curd-2/3cup


• Water-1&1/2cup


• Sugar- 1&1/ 2cup


• Baking powder- 2/3tsp.


• Cardamom Powder - 1/4tsp(optional)


• Oil for deep frying


• Crushed nuts - 1/4tsp. for garnishing.

Method:

• Sieve the flour and baking powder.


• Add 1tbsp.sugar, butter to the flour, mix till well combined.


• Add little by little curd to the flour, knead well and make a soft dough, if required grease your your palm with little butter to make the soft dough.


• Cover the dough and let it rest for at least 30min.


• Divide the dough to 10-12 balls.


• Flatten them little with your fingers, pinch the sides and tuck them inside to get fancy look or just flatten them with your fingers and make little depression in the centre of the flattened dough, keep them aside.


• Make a batch of flattened balls(5-6 at a time) and keep them aside.

Frying Badusha:

Most of the taste of Badusha lies in it's layers, to get a perfect layers the badushas should be fried on really low flame.

• Heat the oil for deep frying, the badushas should be completely covered in the oil while frying.


• The oil should not be hot. Once it is hot enough( to test drop a little ball of dough in the oil, it should raise up immediately)


• Remove from the heat and drop Badushas and let them fry for 5-6 mins. Then again keep them on low flame for just 4-5mins, fry them on both the sides.


• Fallow the above method for all the badushas and keep them aside.

Syrup:

• Prepare the sugar syrup by boiling sugar and water till it gets 2 string consistency.


• Drop the prepared Badushas in the hot sugar syrup and soak them for 4-5min.


• Remove them from the syrup and lay them on the wax paper, let them sit there till the sugar syrup dries up.


• Garnish Badushas with crushed nuts.

Note:

• Do not add the curd all at once, adjust as required to make the soft dough.


• If the dough is too soft to handle add little plain flour to it.


• Have a look at this Video for making fancy looking Badushas.

Savory Diamond Cuts/ Namak Pare

This a common house hold snack that's ruling as favorite snack for kids for ages..............me too have grown with lots and loads of memories attached to this snack. Even today it makes my best tea time snack!!!!!

Things Required

• 2cups all purpose flour


• 2tsb.oil/ghee


• 1/2tsp.jeera


• 1/4tsp.ajwain


• 2tsp.sesame seeds


• 1/2tsp.red chilli powder


• salt required


• Oil for deep frying

Method:

• Sieve the flour, add salt, red chilli powder, sesame seeds, ajwain, jeera mix well.


• Now add 2tsp.oil/ghee to the flour and rub well so that the flour is well coated with oil/ghee.


• Add required water and make the dough of roti dough consistency.


• Divide the dough to 4 equal portions/balls.


• Roll the dough ball to big and thin roties( i prefer them to be thin so they have the melt in mouth texture).


• Now run the knife and cut them into small diamond shapes.


• Meanwhile heat oil for deep frying, once the oil is hot enough, reduce the flame to medium and fry the diamond cuts in bathes, till light golden brown color. place them on the tissue paper, to remove excess oil if any. In the same way roll the remaining dough, cut and fry.


• Store them in air tight container, once they completely cool down.

Note:

• Always fry these bites on medium flame, remove them in light golden brown color because they turn out little dark after removing from the oil.


• The dough should be stiff, otherwise the bites will not be crisp.

Angoor Rabdi/Rasmalai

Recently ours and my sissy's family had an lunch out, we have been to "Ohri's" Banjara which serves buffet, it's our first time to buffet in India, everything over there was yummy yummm...The lamb biryani over there was superb, I really enjoyed it to the best. BUT.......like always I was much inclined to desserts, there were more than 8-9 dessert items but only two of them caught my attention, one of them was this Angoor Rasmalai, which almost tastes like rasmali and the only difference is, the"Malai Balls" in ras are as small as grapes and one can gulp more than 2 at a time. I really fell in love with this Angoor sized malai balls and made them at home to relish many more..........................So if you also love to have them ....here comes the recipe.............................

Thing Required to make Malai Balls:

• 2cups Milk


• 1tsp. Vinegar


• 2cups Sugar


• 2cups Water

Method:

• Boil Milk, once it comes to rolling boiling add vinegar, reduce the heat and stir it until the milk is totally cuddled, then remove from the heat and allow to rest for 5min. this allows the cuddled milk(paneer) to settle on the top, then strain the mixture with clean cheese cloth.


• Hold it under running water for a minute to remove the vinegar traces from the paneer and gently squeeze out the excess water and had the cheese cloth for 15-20min. so that all the whey is drain out.


• Now remove the paneer and kneed it to fine paste/dough with heel of your palm and make the Malai ballas to the size of garbanzo beans(These balls grow in size once they are cooked). you will get nearly 35-40 balls of this size to this measurement.


• Now add 2cups of sugar and 2cups of water in a pressure cooker, stir well until it's dissolved, once the water gets to rolling boiling then add 20 paneer balls, close the pressure pan and cook them for about 3 whistles. Allow the pressure pan to cool naturally, once it's cooled remove the malai balls, keep them aside. Now add the remaining paneer balls to the sugar water in pressure pan and cook them. We have to cook them in two batches because these balls double in size once they are cooked.


• Once Malai balls are cooled squeeze out the sugar water in them and keep them aside.

Things Required to make Ras:

• 
  
  3cups FCM/Whole Milk


• 
  
  3/4cup Sugar


• 
  
  A pinch of Saffron


• 
  
  1/2tsp.crushed nuts for garnishing.

Method:

• 
  
  Boil the milk in heavy bottom pan, boil it until it is reduced to 1/2, stir in between to avoid sticking.


• 
  
  Then add sugar and saffron and cook till the sugar is dissolved, remove from the fire.


• 
  
  Then add the cooked Paneer Balls to the Ras and garnish them with nuts.


• 
  
  Refrigerate them and serve them chilled.

AkuVada/Keerai Vadai

This is little variation to normal Masala Vada, a healthy version, just by incorporating greens in it. I usually use Thotakura/Amaranath leaves, these leaves make Vadas more crispy and tasty.

Things Needed: 1cup.Channadal/senaga pappu, 1/2''ginger piece, 2bunches greens(roughly chopped) 2bunches coriander leaves(roughly chopped) 2no.cloves 1''Cinnamon 4cloves garlic 1/2tsp.coriander seeds 4no.green chillies 1no.onion(chopped) 2springs curry leaves salt to taste oil for deep frying.

Procedure:

• 
  
  Soak channadal for 2hrs.


• Grind dal, all the ingredients(except chopped Amaranath leaves, coriander leaves and onions) to a coarse paste by adding very little water( 2-3tbsp), if needed.


• Now add the ground paste to chopped greens and onions and mix well.


• Adjust the salt if needed.


• Make lemon sized balls with the above mixture and slightly flatten them with palms to make vadas.


• Meanwhile heat oil in the pan, once it's hot enough make vadas and drop them in the oil, and fry them till crisp/ til you get light golden brown color.

Note:

• Do not fry them on very high flame, the upper layer gets colored quickly and the inside part remains uncooked. Heat oil, once it's hot enough, reduce the flame and fry vadas.

Capsicum Paneer Masala

Channa Masala from South tastes totally different from Chole, Similarly the Capsicum Paneer Masala is totally different from paneer curries those hail from other places. This is a typical paneer dish with loads of southern flavours in it................

Things Required to Make:

1Capsicum/green pepper(cut 2''length pieces), 2cups Paneer(cubed, fried), 1no.Onion(chopped), 1no.Tomato(crushed/grounded), 2tsp.Oil, 1tsp.Cream(optional), 1&1/2tsp.Red chili powder, 1/8tsp.Turmeric powder, Salt to taste.

MASALA:

• 2tps. poppy seeds, 2tsp.fresh coconut, 2no.cloves, 2''piece Cinnamon, 1no.elachi, 1/4onion, 8pods garlic, 1''piece ginger, 1tsp.coriander powder, grind all these things to fine past by adding required water.

Method:

• In a pad heat oil, once it is hot enough add chopped onions, fry till translucent, then add crushed tomato, fry till the raw smell is gone.
• Now add the Masala and fry on medium heat till it turn light brown in color(apx.10min.)
• Then add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, capsicum and 1/4cup of water and cook till the capsicum is 1/2cooked.
• Now adjust the seasoning and add the fried paneer and cook for few seconds. Now add Cream(if desired) switch off the heat.
• Serve it with your choice of bread.

Pecking style BabyCorn&Chicken fried Rice

Pecking??????????????
This particular post was sitting in the doc for a long time, it has slipped my sight with no reason. We were frequent visitors to Pecking(a small restaurant in VA), the only thing we would have there was their Chicken fried rice. Wow...........even while writing this post, me drooling here with tickling taste. I tried to prepare this particular dish for many times, but never got the restaurant taste, after many failures, finally got it!!!!!! Wow............now tough I'm staying in home land I don't miss Pecking:-)

Things Required to Make:

• 2cups long grain rice/Basmathi.
• 1chicken breast.
• 2eggs.
• 1onion(roughly chopped).
• 1Green pepper(roughly chopped).
• 1bunch spring onions(cut them int3''pieces, lol:-) they make difference).
• 1Small tin of baby corn
• 2tsp.dark Soy Sauce.
• 2tsp.Oyster Sauce.
• 1tsp.Pepper Powder.
• 4tsp.Oil.
• Salt to taste.

Preparation:

• *Cook the rice and keep it aside(many cook it 3/4only, but I prefer to cook it little grainy).
• Take the chicken breast, keep it in a zip lock bag, pound this, add little salt, crushed garlic(4-5pods), little pepper powder and marinate for 1/2 an hour, then cut them to thin strips.
• In a pan add 2tsp.oil fry these chicken strips and keep them aside.
• In the same pan, add little more oil if required, then add egg, pepper, mix well and keep stirring to make scrambled egg, and keep it aside.
• In the same pan add remaining oil and keep it on high flame, once it gets to smoking point, add onions, spring onions, green peppers and fry till they are 1/4done.
• Then add soy sauce, salt, pepper powder, fried chicken, scrambled egg and rice, mix well, take care not to break the rice.
• Keep it on high flame, till the rice is hot enough and flavourful.
• Serve it hot with Chili Garlic sauce. I think we need no gravy with this dish because it has all the flavours needed.

*Note:

• After cooking the rice, let it cool, drizzle1tsp. Sesame Oil and refrigerate it for about 1/2 an hour. This helps not to mash the rice and the consistency will be perfect.

Palkova

Palkova..........................

Things Required:

• 4cups whole milk(FCM)
• 2tsp.curd
• 2tsp.ghee
• 2tsp.roasted or powdered nuts(cashews, almonds or pistachios)
• 3/cup sugar

Method:

• Boil the milk, one it gets to rolling boiling add curd and boil, it starts to cuddle.
• remove half of the water and add sugar, ghee and continue to cook, stir in between to avoid sticking at the bottom.
• remove from the flame once it is little watery because it gets hard after cooling.
• garnish with nuts and serve.

Note:

• If you want to get it in shapes, cook it til the water is totally dried, even you can get the light rust color.(I cooked it till I got the rust color).

Methi Gobi

It was so boring to cook regular Gobi, so decided to go for Methi Gobi inspired by Aloo Methi, this saucy gravy suites perfect to all Indian breads.

Required Things:

1Gobi Flower(cut to bite size pieces), 3 bunches Methi(cleaned, chopped), 1/4cup green peas, 1Onion(roughly chopped), 2Tomatoes(diced), 1/2tsp.Red chili Powder, 1/2tsp.coriander powder, 1/8tsp.Turmeric powder, 1/2tsp.garam masala/chicken masala, Salt to taste, 2tsp.Oil, 1/4tsp.jeera, 1tsp.Cream(optional).

Preparation:

• Heat oil in a pan, add jeera and allow to splutter.
• Add onion and fry till soft.
• Now add methi and fry for few mins.
• Then add tomatoes, salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder, mix well, cover it with lid and cook for 5mins.
• Now add gobi to it, cover and cook in on medium flame for about 15min. or till gobi is done.
• At last add cream (optional) and serve it with roties.

Note:

For this curry we need not add any water, as we get required water from tomatoes, if you feel it's getting dry add 1/4cup of water at the time of adding Gobi.

Vegetable-Paneer Medley

Yep..................this is my post quite after a long time, It doesn't mean that I'm not cooking, but little lazy(nope more than little) to click and post. Trying to be on track, at least a recipe a week. This is the recipe that I have tried last week, which is a huge hit with my guests and family......

Ingredients:

1 cup diced beans, 1cup diced carrot, 1/2cup diced green peppers, 1cup diced paneer, 1/4cup chopped onions, 1/2cup diced tomatoes, 1&1/2tbsp.oil, 1/4tsp.jeera, 1/2tsp.garam masala, 1/8tsp.turmeric powder, 1tsp. red chili powder and Salt to taste, Coriander leaves for Garnishing(Optional)

Masala Paste:

2tsp.Poppy seeds, 1tsp.dania /coriander seed powder, 1/4'' piece ginger, 6-7cloves of garlic, 2 cloves, 1''piece of cinnamon, 1no.cardamom, grind all these ingredients to fine paste using little water.

Method:

In a pan heat oil, once it's hot enough, add jeera, once it starts to splutter add onion and fry till they are pick in color, then add tomatoes and cook it they are mashed well, then add salt, turmeric power, red chili powder, garam masala, diced vegetables and 1/2cup of water, cover and cook the vegetables until 3/4 cooked then add ground paste and fry for about 5-10min. on medium heat or til desired consistency, then add cubed and fried paneer and cook for a min. and remove from the flame and garnish with coriander leaves(if desired).. Serve hot with roti.