Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Onion Fritters | Pyaz ke Pakore

Make thin slices of onions
Chop green chillies
In a bowl add onion slices, green chillies, salt , red chilli powder and crush garlic, carom seeds and mint powder mix well, leave it for 5 minutes, after 5 minutes you will see mixture has released sufficient amount of moisture from it.
In this mixture you have to add whole besan ( 1 tablespoon at time), mix it thoroughly so that besan is coated on onion slices, if the mixture is too dry sprinkle few drops of water to it (not more than 1 tablespoon) while mixing
Onion Fritters | Pyaz ke pakore
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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook time:10 minutes
Serves: 4servings
Pyaz ke Pakore or onion fritters is one of the famous mansoon recipe, this easy to made snack recipe can be prepared along with tea on other burner of gas stove. Minimum preparations are required for this recipe, you can serve this with any chutney of your choice or simply with a cup of tea. Other fritters recipes of my blog are bread pakoda, spinach fritters. Ingredients required and detailed instructions for the recipe are as follows:
Ingredients
Onions: 2 big
Besan or gram flour-1 ½ cup
Green chillies-2
Crushed garlic pods- 5-6
Ajwain or carom seeds- ¼ teaspoon
Red chilli powder-1/2 teaspoon
Dry mint leaves powder-1 tablespoon
Oil – for deep frying
Water- ½ to 1 tablespoon
salt to taste
Instructions:

Beat this mixture thoroughly for 2-3 minutes so that it become light.
Heat sufficient oil in kadhai or wide pan  with the help of dry spoon take one tablespoon oil from kadhai and add it to pakora batter mix well.
Drop small size fritters in oil. First fry fritters on high flame as they start changing the color, adjust the flame to medium to low. Fry till crisp from both sides. Repeat the process with the remaining batter.
Serve hot with tea .
Notes : If you want extra crisip pakoras you can add one teaspoon cornflour or 1 tablespoon rice flour to the mixture( I have used rice flour as seen in step by step instructions pic 1 image number 2)
Try to use minimum water, so that fritters turn out crisp

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Saturday, July 27, 2013

Spicy Potatoes Recipe

how to make spicy potatoes , an easy chaat recipe
Spicy Potatoes Recipe
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes
Serves: 4servings
Spicy potatoes is a side dish recipe in which boiled potatoes are simmered with freshly roasted and powdered spices. This can be served as a chaat too, I usually serve this potatoes with kachauris and dates and tamarind chutney, you can have this with poori too. In this recipe you can use boiled baby potatoes too. Ingredients required and detailed instructions for the recipe are as follows:

Ingredients
Boiled potatoes-8-10
Oil- 1 tablespoon
Salt-to taste
Lemon juice- 1 lemon
Dry mint powder- 2 teaspoon
For dry roasting:
Cumin seeds- 2 teaspoons

Coriander seeds- 1 tablespoon
Cloves-2
Black cardamom-1 
Pepper corns-10-15

Instructions: heat tawa or griddle, take all the ingredients of dry roasting, stirring continuously roast them on medium flame till aroma arises and spices are dark brown in color. Let them cool completely, grind them to coarse powder.
Peal and chop potatoes.
Heat oil in a wide pan or kadhai, add spice powder to it, roast for a minute, add potato pieces, salt and mint powder to it, mix well, simmer the flame, cover the lid and cook for 5-6 minutes(stir once in between) till potatoes are slightly crisp from outside, switch off the flame, mix lemon juice to it. Serve hot as an accompaniment with any meal course of your choice


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Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Dates and Tamarind Chutney | Sweet Chutney Recipe

instructions for making dates and tamarind chutney or sweet chutney for indian chaats
Dates and Tamarind Chutney
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time:15 minutes
Serves: 1cup
Dates and Tamarind chutney is a healthy dip or sauce recipe, prepared with dates, tamarind, jaggery and other spices. This multipurpose chutney can be served with dahi vadas, any kind of fritters(pakodas) tikki, bhelpuri or any type of kachoris, if cooked properly, stored in glass container can be preserved in fridge upto 2 months. In this recipe I have used fresh juicy dates, in the month of Ramjan, in market we have different varieties of dates and fine vermicelli in Lucknow. I prefer to buy and stock these 2 things during this period. Ingredients required and detailed instructions for the recipe are as follows.
Ingredients
dates=1cup
Tamarind-1/2 cup
Jaggery-1/2 cup
Water-1 cup
Salt- to taste
Red chilli powder-1/2 teaspoon
Onion seeds or kalaunji-1/2 teaspoon
Fennel seeds or saunf-1 teaspoon
Roasted cumin powder- 1 tablespoon
Dry ginger powder or soonth – ½ teaspoon
Instructions
: soak tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes, mash properly, extract the juice, pass it through strainer, if required mix ¼ cup water again in the same tamarind and extract juice again, after straining it mix it with the juice extracted earlier.
Cut jaggery into pieces.
Chop dates roughly.
In a heavy bottomed pan heat 1 teaspoon of oil, add kalaunji and saunf to it as they crackle pour tamarind juice over it, add jaggery and dates, mix well till jaggery is melted properly. On a high flame let it boil for 10-12 minutes, stir in between, when its consistency is thick enough(as shown in picture) switch off the flame, add the remaining spices. Let it cool completely, store it in a glass container in fridge.


Notes: You can use dry dates too, after soaking them for 3-4 hours.
Instead of jaggery you can use sugar too in this chutney then consistency will be slightly thin than this one’s and less water will be required.
Other chutney recipes of my blog are: Sweet and sour mango chutney, instant chhunda in microwave
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Saturday, July 20, 2013

Rose Shrikhand Recipe

how to make indian dessert rose shrikhand at home
Rose Shrikhand Recipe
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Prep Time:4 hours
Cook time:0 minutes
Serves: 4 servings
Rose shrikhand is an Indian dessert recipe made from hung curd, easy to prepare recipe with simple 2 ingredients. Very light preparation better than any other cream based dessert. Ingredients required and the detailed instructions for the recipe are as follows.

Ingredients
curd – ½ kg
Rose syrup- 2 tablespoon
Instructions: Whisk curd throughly, tie it in white muslin cloth hang it on the shelf of refrigerator, place a bowl beneath it to collect the water which will drop from curd. It should be hang for minimum four hours over night hanging is good for getting excellent results.
Transfer curd in a bowl, mix 2 table spoon of rose syrup to it, no need to add sugar.
Fill this mixture in a piping bag with star nozzle pass it directly in serving bowls.
Places bowls in freezer for maximum ½ hour, serve chilled.

Notes:
Water collected from hanging curd can be used in kneading dough for chapatis, it has lots of nutrients in it.
Curd should be dry because after adding rose syrup its consistency will loosen and piping will be difficult.


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Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Beans Potato Stir Fry

recipe of making beans and potato stir fry under 10 minutes

Beans Potato Stir Fry
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Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook time:10 minutes
Serves: 4servings
Beans Potato stir Fry is a healthy subzi with lots of fibers  in it. This can be prepared within 10 minutes, This dry vegetable can be served as a side dish, ideal for Lunch box. Ingredients required and detailed instructions for the recipe are as follows:
Ingredients
beans-250 gm
Potatoes-2 big
Green chillies-4
Ginger-1/2 “ piece crushed
Garlic-12-14 pods crushed
Oil- 1 & ½ teaspoon
salt- to taste
Cumin seeds-1/2 teaspoon
Red chilli powder 1/4 teaspoon
Coriander powder-1 tablespoon
Garam masala powder- ¼ teaspoon
Sabzi masala-1 teaspoon
Lemon juice- of one lemon
Instructions:

Remove the side threads of beans and chop them in ½ “ pieces.
Peel potatoes and chop them.
Chop green chillies.
Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and garlic as cumin seeds crackles, add chopped vegetables, salt and turmeric powder mix well. Cook on high flame for 3-4 minutes. Reduce the flame to low, cover the lid cook them for 6-7 minutes, stir for twice in between. Check beans and potatoes if they are not cooked properly add one teaspoon of water over it, add green chillies, ginger and other spices mix well. Cook it for 2-3 minutes with lid covered.
Finally sprinkle garam masala powder over it and squeeze lemon juice.
Serve hot with roti or paratha.
Notes: You can substitute lemon juice with tomatoes, 2 tomatoes are sufficient, while adding ginger, green chillies and spice add tomatoes too.


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Saturday, July 13, 2013

Gond(Edible Gum Crystals) Panjeeri Recipe with Video



step by step instructions with video of making gond panjeeri

Gond (Edible Gum Crystals)Panjeeri Recipe with Video
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Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook time:35 minutes
Serves: 8servings
Gond panjeeri is basically very healthy Punjabi recipe loaded with dry dates, ghee, edible gum and dryfruits. . Sindhi’s call it kutti. This recipe is high in calories, in this recipe Gond (edible gum crystals) are deep fried and then added, but I have substituted this step in Microwave in which ghee is not required at all, hence reduce the amount of ghee. and calories as well.  Preparation is simple but time taking. Another recipe of edible gum crystals  in my blog is of Gond ke ladoo which is one the popular recipes of my blog. 
Here is the video of Gond Panjeeri. 
Ingredients required and detailed instructions for the recipe are as follows: Ingredients Ghee – 1 cup Wheat flour-2 cups Green cardamom- 6-8 Gond or edible gum crystals: 2 tablespoon Raisins 1 tablespoon Dry dates- 2 tablespoon Sugar-1 cup Dry coconut- 1 tablespoon(sliced) Almonds= 1 tablespoon(sliced) Instructions:
Roughly chop dates slices, place them in grinder till they are crushed properly. Place gum crystals on turntable, Micro high for 1 minutes, pieces will puff up, grind them in grinder and pass the mixture through thick strainer, this strained powder is to be used in panjeeri.(all pieces will be puffed up in 2 batches)
Chop almonds and slice dry coconut. Heat ¾ cup ghee in a kadhai add cardamom seeds to it, add wheat flour to it, mix well roast on medium to high flame stirring continuously for 3-4 minutes.
Set the flame to medium to low stirring continuously till it is golden in color, this will take approx 20-25 minutes for proper roasting.
While roasting add the remaining ghee spoon by spoon in between.
When panjeeri is golden in color add gumpowder, and all the remaining dry fruits. Finally add sugar to it, mix well and switch off the flame. Gond panjeeri is ready, you can store it for 15 days.
Hope you will like this recipe.Your suggestions and comments are valuable to me, and will help me improve further.

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Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Mango Ice Cream Recipe

Mango ice cream
By
Prep Time:8 Hours
Cook time:0 minutes
Serves: 4servings
Mango Ice cream is all time and all age group favorite recipe. When fresh mangoes are in season I prepared it twice or some time thrice week in summers. Easy to prepare recipe with only five ingredients. Ingredients required and detailed instructions for the recipe are as follows:

Ingredients
Mangoes-2
Milk-1/2 litre
Cream or malai-1/2 cup
Vanilla Flavored custard powder-2 tablespoon
Sugar 2 table spoon
Instructions
Take ½ cup of milk and dissolve custard powder in it.
Peel and chop mangoes, and then grind them to puree.
Boil milk on high flame, as it starts boiling, simmer the flame, stirring continuously boil it for 5-7 minutes, add sugar to it.
Add dissolved custard powder along with milk, stirring continuously boil till it thickens.
Add cream to it, mix well switch off the flame.
After 5 minutes, add mango puree to it, mix well. Let it cool , place ice cream mixture in an air tight container. Place it in freezer for 3-4 hours.
Remove the container from freezer, after a minute or 2, with the help of hand blender, blend the mixture thoroughly.
Place it in freezer again, do the blending process for minimum 3 times, this will help remove ice flakes from mango ice cream.

After last blending when ice cream is set, scoop it and serve.
Notes: I use a lock N lock container for setting ice cream, it is airtight and blending is easy in it. You don’t have to shift mixture again and again in blending jar.
You can serve it with the topping of rose syrup or chocolate sauce.


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Monday, July 8, 2013

Toori Bhaji

Toori Bhaji
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Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook time:25 minutes
Serves: 4servings
Toori , ridge gourd or turai is a light vegetable with lots of water content in it. In sindhi families it is usually serve with moong dal khichari or plain rice. This simple recipe if prepared right can turn out as any other exotic dish. Today I am sharing with you my recipe of toori bhaji, Ingredients required and detailed instructions for the recipe are as follows:

Ingredients
Turai- ½ kg
onion-1
Green chillies-2
Ginger -½ “ piece
Turmuric powder-1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder-1 tablespoon
Salt-to taste
Garam masala powder-1/4 teaspoon
Red chillipowder-1/4 teaspoon
Freshly ground pepper-1/8 teaspoon
Tomatoes-4
Oil-1 tablespoon

Instructions: Peel and chop onions in small pieces.

Grind green chillies, ginger and tomatoes.
Peel turai and chop it.
In a heavy bottomed pan heat one tablespoon of oil, add onion pieces to it, stirring continuously roast till golden brown in color, add turai pieces, turmeric powder and salt to it, mix well , cook on high flame for 4-5 minutes, turai will leave all its moisture, simmer the flame, cover the lid and let it cook till turai is soft and transparent . This will take approx 12-14 minutes. Add red chillipowder, coriander powder and tomato puree to it. Adjust the flame to higher, stirring continuously cook till water is evaporated , slightly mash turai in between.

Simmer the flame , cover the lid and let it cook for another minute or two You will see oil floats on top this is indication that turai is prepared, add garam masala and pepper powder to it.
Serve with khichari, rice or roti.
Notes: You can also squeeze lemon juice on turai for sour flavor.
If turai had been in a fridge for a day or two it will take more time to cook.
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Friday, July 5, 2013

Mango Jam | Microwave Recipes

Mango Jam | Microwave Recipes
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Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook time:12 minutes
Serves: ½ bottle
Mango Jam is a form of preserving mangoes, when they are plenty in season, In Lucknow we have lots of Dusheri Mangoes from Malihabad, a very sweet variety of mango. Packed Jams are prepared with preservatives so that they will last long, but as far as home food preservation is concerned we use sugar, salt and vinegar for preserving pickles, jams and murrabas. I have tried this recipe in Microwave and turn out good, hence sharing with you. Usually pectin is used for thickening jams and jellies, in this recipe I have not used pectin but you can use 1 tablespoon if you like thick consistency as packed jam. In microwave it is easy to prepare any recipe, power levels and timing is very important in microwave cooking, if you have command over it, than you can convert any stove cook recipe to its microwave version. The best part of microwave cooking according to me it that color of fruit or veggies remains the same, they are not distorted after cooking. Let’s come to the recipe, ingredients required and detailed instructions for preparing jam in Microwave and detailed pictorial instructions for the recipe are as follows
Ingredients
Mangoes-2
sugar-1/2 cup
lemon juice- of 2 lemons
Instructions:

Peel and chop mangoes.
Blend them with hand blender or puree it in grinder.
Take a microwave safe bowl, pour mango pulp and add sugar to it, mix well.
Place it in Microwave and Micro high (in mine’s it is 850 Watts)for 2 minutes with lid uncovered.

Remove it from microwave, sugar is dissolved mix well, add lemon juice to it.
Again Microhigh for 2 minutes.
Set the power levels to 600 Watts( or its nearest) micro wave it for 6 minutes, stir once after every 2 minutes you have to stir it 3 times, so that it mix well and cook properly.

Do the Plate test( a method for checking whether Jam is ready or not) Place a drop of mixture in the centre of plate, check its consistency if its flowing downwards then it is not prepared yet
Micro high(850 watts)it again for 2 minutes again.
Do the plate test again usually it will stick to plate, this means it is ready, if not cook for another minute or two. Depending upon the power levels time may vary from minute or two.
Notes:
1 This jam can be prepared on normal gas stove too. Take sugar , mango pulp and lemon juice in a wide pan, cook on high flame, as it starts boiling adjust flame to medium to low, stirring continuously cook till it is thick, check it by performing plate test. While performing plate test the portion of jam should be cool enough  or you can say it should be on room temperature .
Store this jam in refrigerator, I have not used it more than 2 weeks, prepare it in small quantity and enjoy different flavors.
I have not tried cooking this jam in microwave safe glass bowl, for long time cooking I always use plastic bowls.
Try my another recipe on Mango preserve, aam papad rolls

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Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Lauki Aloo ki Sabzi | Squash Potato Curry

Lauki Aloo Ki Sabzi
By
Prep Time: 8minutes
Cook time: 12minutes
Serves: 4servings
Lauki Aloo ki sabzi is a very light vegetable it has lots of water content in it, Its a comfort food soothing to stomach. Simple and easy to prepare and can be included in day2day cooking. Ingredients required and detailed instructions for the recipe are as follows:
Ingredients
Lauki or squash-300gms
potato-1 medium
onion-1
crushed garlic-1/2 teaspoon
tomatoes-3
green chillies-4
salt to taste
coriander powder-1 tablespoon
turmeric-1/2 teaspoon
red chilli powder-1/2 teaspoon
kasoori methi-1/2 teaspoon
garam masala powdere-1/2 teaspoon
oil-1 & ½ tablespoon
Instructions:
Peel and chop onion, potato and lauki
Peel and crush garlic pods.
Roughly chop tomatoes and green chillies.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker on high flame, add sliced onions roast till golden brown in color.
Add crushed garlic till pinkish, add red chillipowder, immediately pour 1 teaspoon of water , add tomatoes , green chillies, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt to it, mix well cook for 2-3 minutes, add 1 tablespoon of water to it cover the lid and pressure cook it till one whistle. Let it cool completely, with the help of hand blender puree the mixture or alternatively grind it.
Place pressure cooker again on high flame, add chopped lauki and aloo, mix well roast on high flame for 3-4 minutes, At this stage you can add one tablespoon of water if you like gravy consistency,cover the lid of pressure cooker and cook till 2 whistles. Add kasoori methi and garam masala powder to it, slightly mash potatoes and lauki this will thicken the gravy.

Serve hot with phulka and curd.
Notes: If lauki had been in fridge for more than a day it will take more time to cook.
You can adjust the consistency of gravy according to your liking.
Squeezing lemon juice over the sabzi will increases its taste.
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