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Welcome to my food blog!

JANMASTHMI-24 th AUG 2008


JANMASTHMI FESTIVAL

Janmashtami or Gokulashtami as it is popularly known in North India, is a festival full of joy and gaiety. It celebrates with great pomp and show, the birth of Lord Krishna who was born more than 5000 years ago in the 28th year of Dwapur Yug. It is one of the most celebrated festivals for Hindus not only in India but also, all over the world. Janmashtami is about the joy, people all over the world feel for their beloved Lord Krishna.Since Lord Krishna was very fond of milk and milk products, so devotees make various dishes of milk to please the Lord.
I offered puri,chole,sooji halwa and friuts as prasad to lord krishanaji.

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SOOJI HALWA ( SEMOLINA PUDDING)



Sooji halwa is a very popular sweet dish in India . I made this as prasad(offering to god) on JANMASHTMI(24th AUG 2008).
Ingredients
1 cup suji (semolina)

¾ cup sugar

1.5 cup whole milk

1.5 cup water

3 tablespoon ghee, butter or margarine

1/ teaspoon cardamom (Elaichi)

2 tablespoon raisin
Garnish

2 tablespoon raisin

2 tablespoon cashew nuts

Preparation

1)Heat ghee, butter or margarine in a wok.
2)Add Semolina and heat for few minutes with constant stirring on low-medium heat until you get aroma smell and light brown color of sooji .
3)Add sugar and cardamom. Stir it nicely on medium heat.
5)Add water and milk. Mix well and heat until you get desired consistency.
6)Garnish with remaining raisin and cashew nuts.
7)Serve either hot (preferred) or cold.

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VEGETABLE KOFTA MANCHURIAN



Vegetable manchurian is an Indo-Chineese recipe .


INGREDIENTS:

2 cups Grated Cabbage
2 cups Grated Carrots
1 Chopped Onion
2 Chopped Green Chilies
3-4 Crushed Garlic Flakes
2 tbsp Corn Starch or Flour
Oil for deep frying
1 tbsp Soya Sauce
Salt to taste
1 tsp Pepper Powder
1 tsp Sugar
1tsp Amchur powder
A pinch of ajinomoto
2 tbsp oil
Red chilli flakes(optional)
1 cup bread crumbs
METHOD :
1)Mix grated cabbage and carrots and squeeze the water out from them.
2)Now in a bowl take the squeezed cabbage and carrots and mix 1 tbsp. corn starch and add few chopped chilies and little salt,amchur powder to it. Add bread crumbs so that it can easily bind.
3)Make small balls (like koftas) of the mixture .
4)Heat the oil in a kadhai / wok and deep fry the balls till golden brown, drain and keep aside.
5)Now in a separate pan heat 2 tbsp oil.
6)Sauté garlic, green chilies and spring onions.
7)Add salt, pepper powder,red chilli flakes, ajinomoto, sugar and soya sauce and water. Bring it to a boil.
8)Mix 1 tbsp corn four with half of a cup of cold water and stir into it. Gently add the fried balls to the gravy.
9)Cook the vegetable manchurian for 3-4 minutes and serve hot garnished with chopped coriander.
10) Serve with naan, or rice

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UTTAPAM


Uttapam is a very popular South Indian crispy dish.
Ingredients:
Batter (1:3 ratio of urad dal and rice)
1 Tomato
1Carrot(shredded)
1 small Onion
1 bunch of fresh Coriander leaves
Little broken Cashewnut or Putna or both
1 or 2 Green Chillies
Method:
1)Put them all in a small chopper and cut them very fine
2)In a cup of batter, mix all of it and add little salt.
3)Put your non-stick pan or tawa on burner and heat it up to medium heat. Use a serving spoon to spread the batter thick, spread a tsp of oil on sides and cook well.When one side turns golden brown,flip it and cook on other side as well.
4)Serve with sambar and coconut chutney
5)I served with ketchup ,cream cheese and sour cream.

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ZUCCHINI PIE


This recipe was given to me by my Russian friend. Believe me it tastes very good, rich in zucchinii and chesse( both r my fav). So, if you are zuccinni lover or chesse lover like me I am sure you are gonna love it.



INGREDIENTS:

4-5 zucchinis

3 medium carrots

1 large or 2 small onions

3-4 cloves of garlic

4-5 eggs

3 cups of water or milk

2 cups of flour

salt to taste


FOR LAYERING:

1 large tub of cream cheese (you can substitute cream cheese for othertype of cheese, eg. grated cheddar, and add 1 tablespoon ofmayonnaise)

canola oil for frying


PROCEDURE:

1. Batter-

Grate Zuccini-mix Zuccini with water or milk, add eggs, some salt and flour, mixwell. You'll probably need to adjust the amount of water and flour,because I never measure them and don't know the exact amount.

2. Fry pancakes( If health consious like me, dnt fry it, just spread oil like you do it for parantha's)

3. Layering-

Grate carrots and chop onions-fry carrots and onions together until soft-when done, squeeze the garlic in the mixture. Wait until it cools and add cream cheese.

4.. Spread cream cheese mixture on one pancake ,then put second one on the top, again spread the mixture ,n keep on layering it.


Enjoy!

BAKING METHOD

INGREDIENTS
3 cups zucchini, diced
1 onion, chopped
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup buttermilk baking mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 10x6 inch pan or a 12 inch pie plate.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine zucchini, onion, eggs, buttermilk baking mix, vegetable oil, Parmesan cheese, marjoram, parsley and pepper; mix well. Spread into the prepared baking dish.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly brown

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SAMOSA












For Cover:
1 cup all purpose flour (Maida)
Water to Knead dough
2tbsp oil
Little salt
1/4th tsp. Ajwain (optional)
For Stuffing:
3-4 Potatoes (boiled, peeled & mashed)
1/2 cup Green Peas (boiled)
1-2 Green Chilies (finely chopped)
1/2tsp Ginger (crushed)
1tbsp coriander finely chopped
Few chopped Cashews (optional)
Few Raisins (optional)
1/2tsp Garam masala Salt to taste
Red chili powder to taste
1/2 tsp. Dry Mango powder( Amchur) (optional)
How to make samosa:
For Cover:
1. Mix all the ingredients (salt, oil, ajwain) except water.
2. Add a little water at a time.
3. Pat and knead well for several times into a soft pliable dough.
4. Cover it with moist Muslin cloth and keep aside for 15 minutes.

For Stuffing :
1. In a bowl add mashed potatoes and all dry masalas (salt, chili powder, mango powder, garam masala) and green chilles, ginger and Mix well.
2. Add green peas, cashews and raisins and mix well.
3. Add coriander and keep aside.

To Proceed :
1. Make small rolls of dough and roll it into a 4"-5" diameter circle.
2. Cut it into two parts like semi-circle.
3. Now take one semi circle and fold it like a cone. Use water while doing so.
4. Place a spoon of filling in the cone and seal the third side using a drop of water.
5. Heat oil in a kadhai and deep fry till golden brown (fry on a medium flame).
6. Serve samosa hot with cilantro chutney, tamarind chutney.

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SEVIYAN KHEER( VERMICELLI PUDDING)



Ingredients:
2 cups Badam

1cup Seviya (Vermicelli) broken into 4 cm bits

5 cups milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup almonds (sliced)

1/4 cup unsalted blanched pistachio, silvered

1/2 tbsp rose water

Silver or gold papper (varak)

Preparation of semiya:
1. Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed non-stick pan over medium heat and add seviya and fry till golden brown, stirring constantly.
2. Pour the milk, sugar, almonds, pistachio and stirring constantly bring to boil.
3. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the milk is slightly thickened.
4. Cool to room temperature, add rose water and chill thoroughly.
5. Stir well and serve the vermicelli pudding in individual bowls with a piece of silver or gold paper (varak).



ANOTHER SIMPLE METHOD :

1 Can evaporated milk

1 cup milk

1/2 cup condensed milk

1 cup seviyan( roasted)

Almonds,pistachio according to your taste


METHOD:

1. Take a heavy bottomed non stick pan, pour evaporated milk,milk,condensed milk, boil it for sometime.

2. When it starts boiling ,add seviyan and let it boil n stir constantly until the milk is slightly thickened.

3. Serve with dry friuts

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METHI (FENU GREEK) PARANTHAS





INGREDIENTS:
2 cups Whole wheat flour [atta]
1/2 cup dried fenugreek leaves / sookhi methi( I used nagauri sookhi methi but if you don't have it,you can also use chopped methi leaves)
Water as required to make the dough
2 Green chillies
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Ghee / oil
METHOD:
1. Mix together the wheat flour, salt,green chillies (chopped), methi, ghee/oil together, using warm water make a smooth, soft and pliable dough.
2. Rest it for 10 mins.
3. Divide into equal portions. Roll each portion into flat parathas.
4. Cook them on a tava.
5. Smear ghee/oil on both sides. Remove when done.
6. Serve hot with pickel and sour cream (my fav.)

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BHINDI BHAJI


INGREDIENTS:
1 pound okra

2 medium onions, chopped

1/4 tsp garlic paste or powder

1/4 tsp coriander paste or powder

1/8 tsp cumin

3 large tomatoes

2 tsp oil

1/2 cup chopped cilantr0

Indian spices ( turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masla,salt acc.to taste)

METHOD :

1. Cut the tip and slice the bhindi into pieces.
2. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add cumin , onion and cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add all ingredients except okra, tomato and cilantro. Cook for 3 minutes. Add okra, then cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Garnish with tomato and cilantro.
4. Serve the bhindi bhaji with rice, naan or roti.

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JAISELMERI KALE CHANE( BLACK CHANE)


INGREDIENTS:
3 - 4 green chillies chopped

1 tsp garam masala powder

2 tblsp oil

2 tbsps.2 inch cinnamon

1/4 tsp asafoetida

1 cup bengal gram, black (kale chane)

1 1/2 cup yogurt

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

4 tsp bengal gram flour (besan)

salt to taste

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 medium sized onions

2 tsp chaat masala

2 -3 black cardamoms

1 cup coriander leaves chopped

2 tblsp pure ghee.

5 - 6 cloves

METHOD :
1. Soak bengal gram overnight in 4 cup water.
2. Drain, mix in 6 cup of water and pressure stir fry till done.
3. Mash the grams slightly.
4. Heat up ghee and oil, mix in cumin seeds, when they crackle mix in the whole garam masala, fry for 1-2 minutes.
5. Mix in asafoetida and choped green chillies, saute.
6. Mix yogurt, gram flour, 1 cup water and dry spices and mix in to the sauted whole garam masala.
7. Keep stirring till it boils.
8. Mix in the grams along with the water they were boiled in.
9. Mix in salt to taste.
10. Mix well.
11. Cover and simmer (boil slowly at low temperature) for 8-10 minutes.
12. Serve hot decorated with cut coriander leaves and onion rings.

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