Cumin Flavoured Raita

2 Cups curd
1 tsp ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
a pinch turmeric powder
a pinch chilli powder
salt to taste



Beat the curd & mix salt to it.. Heat the ghee & add cumin seeds. Make sure the ghee is very hot & cumins turn brown instantly. Add turmeric powder & chilli powder to the ghee & immediately pour it over the beaten curds. Serve as a side dish.

Healthy Lettuce Soup

What do you do with a few days old lettuce leaves?
I kept wondering for some time, what to do with the bunch lying unnoticed in the cornor of my vegetable basket in the fridge. Soggy not good enough to be used in salads.
It is rainy day here in Yerevan, the temperature again dropped below ten degrees leaving me craving for some warm soup. I was reminded of a cookbook, my first gift from my DH when I started my experiments in cooking i.e. 'The delights of vegetarian cooking' by Tarla dalal. I quickly turned its pages to find lettuce soup recipe which somehow crept out my mind recently. A perfect warm creamy soup for a rainy day accompanied with grilled vegetables. Yummy. far better & healthier option than the usual pakoras which we are used to make in the rainy season in India.


2 bundles Lettuce , shredded
1 onion finely chopped
1 cup milk +1 cup water
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp plain flour
salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat butter & saute onions until translucent.
2. Add the lettuce & saute for another 2 min.
3. Mix the milk, water & plain flour & add to the lettuce. Bring to a boil stirring.
4. Simmer for another 10 min.
5. Grind the soup with a hand blender or in a mixer & strain.
6. Add salt & pepper & serve hot.

Adapted from : TarlaDalal's recipe for cream of Lettuce soup.

My entry for
'Comfort Food For Illness' Event hosted by Recipe Center

Vegetable stuffed Puff Pastry

Finally, I got the perfect recipe!

I tried several recipes to make puff pastry dough but nothing worked for a perfect pastry. While surfing the internet I came across a recipe for puff pastry. I found that its actually the method which you use plays an important role in making perfect puffs .This method seemed quite easy compared to other recipes where you have to brush the dough with fat several times. Here you only need to roll & fold, no brushing again & again. One very important thing I learnt is that while making pastry the temperature of the dough should be always maintained cold & the butter or margarine which ever you use should not be allowed to melt in the process. So here's my tried & tested recipe for puff pastry. Its actually very easy to make the pastry dough only thing scary about it is that its time consuming. So make the dough ahead when you have enough time & store it in Freezer for instant snacks.

makes: 20 medium puffs

for the pastry dough

2 cups plain flour

250 gms margarine (you can also use butter)

1/2 tsp vinegar

1 tsp salt

extra flour for dusting

for vegetable stuffing:

2 potatoes, boiled & mashed

1 1/2 cup boiled mix veg(chopped carrots, beans or peas)

3 green chillies finely chopped

2 onions chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric powder(optional)

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp lime juice

salt to taste

2 tbsp oil

for vegetable stuffing:

Heat oil & saute onions until light brown.

Add the spices, mix veg, potatoes & salt. Mix well & cook for 3 min.

Remove from fire & add lemon juice.

For the pastry dough:

1. Cut a small strip from the margarine about 40gms & mix it to the flour along with salt & vinegar. Knead the flour into a soft dough using some water.
2. Cut another thin strip from the margarine about 20 gms & keep aside. This we can use for brushing purpose.
3. Now crush the margarine lightly & assemble again like a dough & roughly form into a square shape. Remember, the margarine should not melt while you are handling it.
4. Flatten the dough & place the assembled margarine block on it & wrap the dough around it.



5. Sprinkle some flour & roll the dough into an oblong shape. Don't press at once else the margarine will pop out of the dough. So gently roll it.
6. Now fold it into three parts as shown in the picture.
7. Keep it in the Freezer for about 10 min. (If the quantity of the dough is more you will have to increase the Freezing time also.)
8. Take ou the dough & roll again into an oblong shape & agin fold it into 3 parts.
9. Put it back in the Freezer. Repeat this process for 5 to 6 times.
10. Finally take out the dough from Freezer & roll it into oblong shape to a thickness of 1/4 inch & cut into small squares depending on the size required by you for your pastry.
11. Fill the stuffing in the squares & fold it either into a triangle or rectangle shape by pressing the edges together.
12. Arrange the puffs on a greased baking tray . Brush the top with the melted margarine we kept aside in the begining.
13. Bake in a preheated oven at 220 degrees for first 15 min.
14. Reduce the temperature to 180 degrees & bake for another 10 min.

Variations: You can make any stuffing of your choice for these puffs like cheesy puffs, sweet puffs etc.

Garden Salad

1 cucumber or Zucchini

1 carrot

1/2 cup finely shredded cabbage

a few lettuce leaves, shredded roughly

3 red raddishes

for dressing:

1 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp white pepper

a few springs parsely, finely chopped

1 tsp salt

To get the best results always choose the fresh & firm vegetables.

wash, wipe & cut the vegetables as you like. Mix all the ingrdients for dressing & pour over the salad just before serving. Toss lightly. Serve chilled.

ghar ki Rasoi Tip: For crispy Lettuce leaves put them in ice cold water for some time.

Dahi chana masala

In Rajasthan eating grams or sprouts in breakfast is in practice since a long time. when you visit to a Rajasthani kitchen even to this day you will find parathas, any one whole gram or sprouts curry like moth(matki), mogar(skinned matki dal) or chana along with papad. Bread & butter comes secondary.

This particular recipe has been my favourite ever since I was a small child. For breakfast the chana masala is kept dry ,fully coated with spices consumed with paratha & papad. I usually cook a lot, after finishing breakfast I just add a little water & make it like a curry & eat with rice accompanied with yougurt & chopped onions. To me it tastes best with rice. Delicious!

1 cup black chana, soaked overnight
1/2 cup yoghurt
2 tbsp oil
a big pinch hing(asfoetida)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp corriander powder
1/2 tsp amchhor(dry mango powder)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp garam masala
salt to taste

1. Boil chana in a Pressure cooker until soft with little salt. Remove & drain the water.

2. Heat oil & add cumin seeds. & hing.

3. Mix turmeric powder, red chilli powder & corriander powder in beaten yoghurt. Add this to the oil & cook until the oil starts separating.

4. Add boiled chana, salt & cook until the gravy thickens & coats chana. Mash a few chana(a spoonful) to thicken the gravy.

5. Add garam masala & amchoor & simmer for another 5 min.

Serve hot.

Tomato Launji-sweet & sour tangy tomato curry

This is another popular curry from Rajasthani cuisine.

Choose firm & fresh tomatoes for this recipe for best results.

2 medium sized tomatoes, cut into big cubes

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chilli powder

2 1/2 tbsp sugar

a big pinch kalonji (optional)

salt to taste

Heat oil to smoking point & add cumin seeds. Cumin seeds when added to hot oil turn to a dark brown color immediately. This releases its flavour instantly. Add all the spices, tomatoes, salt & sugar. Mix & cook on high flame until the tomatoes are slightly tender(approximately 3 to 4 min.) .Do not over cook else the curry may turn into a sauce. Serve hot with chapati.

Spinach-Besan Paratha

Whole wheat parathas stuffed with spicy spinach & gram flour stuffing.

When talking about north Indian breakfast & especially in Rajasthan no breakfast is complete without parathas. Paratha is a must in any type of breakfast whether a simple daily breakfast made at home or a special table laid for the guests.

There may be hundreds of varieties in parathas.
Different people make spinach paratha in different ways. Some of them knead spinach & spices together with the dough, which is another easy way avoiding all the stuffing mess. When it comes to masala paratha for real spice lovers I prefer this method.

makes: 10 parathas

for the dough

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp oil

for stuffing

1 big bundle spinach

1/2 cup besan, gram flour

4 green chillies, finely chopped

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

salt to taste

1 tbsp oil

10tsp oil to fry parathas

for dough:

Mix together all the ingredients of the dough & knead using water. Don't knead the dough too soft as will not hold the stuffing properly.

for stuffing:1. Remove stems & wash spinach leaves. Drain thoroughly or towel dry the leaves as spinach leaves out its own juices while cooking.

2.Heat a pan & Roast the gram flour while stirrring until it leaves a nice aroma.

3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add cumin seeds. Add green chillies, chilli powder, turmeric & spinach. Cook on high until almost all the water has evaporated .Add salt & the gram flour which we already roasted to avoid raw flavour & mix well. Take care to add salt, the mixture should be slightly more salty as the dough will obsorb the extra salt when stuffed.

process:

 

1. Divide the dough & stuffing into 10 equal balls . Make a depression in the dough ball & stuff each with spinach stuffing & roll in a round shape.

2. Put the rolled paratha on a hot griddle & cook on both sides using 1 tsp oil (Add oil only after cooking lightly on both sides, Then cook both sides again by putting little pressure with the spatula or paratha press.)

3. Repeat for remaining dough.

serve hot with raita, pickles or just plain curds.

Baby onions Curry

A spicy curry made with whole baby onions in yogurt gravy.

Serves:4

8 baby onions

1/2 cup yogurt (slightly sour for best results)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp corriander poder

salt to taste

1 tbsp oil

Peel & make a criss-cross on the onions.

Heat oil & add cumin seeds. When they crackle place the onions in the pan & saute until soft flipping in between to cook on both sides.

Mix all the spices in the yougurt & pour it over the onions.

Cook until the oil separates (3 to 4 min).

Serve hot.

My entry for http://spicesetc.blogspot.com/2009/04/15-minute-cooking-spieces-etc.html

Vegetable Poha-Power-packed nutritious breakfast

Poha or Chiwda or Beaten Rice or rice flakes is very rich in Iron content. It is said that 100gms of poha provides the iron required by an adult/day.
I like to eat poha even just with yougurt & sugar. It also makes an instant & healthy break-fast for me except for the addition of sugar .
Vegetable poha is also one of my favourites. It a complete meal in itself with cereal & vegetables.. During lazy hours usually this one is on my top-list even for lunch or dinner.

 Serves: 4

2 cups poha or rice flakes

1 potato, chopped finely

1 onion, chopped finely
1 carrot, chopped finely
2 to 3 green chillies, finely chopped
1 broken red chilli
1 inch piece ginger, grated
1 tomato, chopped (optional)
juice of half lemon
few corriander leaves, chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
few curry leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp oil

salt to taste

Bhujiya sev for topping(optional)

1. Wash rice flakes 2 to 3 times under running water. squeeze excess water & keep aside.

2. heat oil, add mustard seeds & allow to crackle. Add curry leaves & red chilli.

3. Add all the vegetables except tomato & corriander leaves. Cover & cook on low heat for 10 min. or until the vegetables are tender (but still crunchy). (here you can also use chinese syle of stir frying on high flame).

4. When the vegetables are cooked add turmeric powder, salt, tomato & poha. Mix well. cook for 2 to 3 min.

5. Switch of gas & add lime juice & corriander leaves. Mix well.

6. Serve warm garnished with bhujiya sev. Health councius can omit bhujiya topping.

Easy to make Buns

A big thanks to my friend Nilu who introduced me to the basics of baking. Until then baking was a strict "no- no" for me.

One very important thing for perfect baking is that the measurements should be accurate. If you follow every step properly you can never go wrong with baking. Its the easiest thing once you learn it.

What you need:

1 cups tepid water

1 tbsp active dry yeast

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup oil

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups flour

little milk for brushing

seasame seeds for topping(optional)

1. Mix water, sugar & yeast in a bowl until frothy. Mix salt & half the quantity of oil.
2. Add the flour slowly & knead into a soft dough.grease a working surface & place the dough on it. Using the remaing oil knead using your palms for atleast 10-15 min or until the dough becomes lighter. This step is very important to incorpulate air in the dough.
3. Divide the dought into 14 equal parts & shape each into a ball (make smooth with no cracks). Place them on a greased baking tray leaving enough space in between for them to expand.
4. Cover the tray with a plastic wrap & place it in a warm place for about an hour or until the buns are doubled in size.
5. Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees C. Remove the plastic wrap & brush the top of the buns with milk. You can also put seasame seeds on top.
6. Bake at 180 degrees C for the first 15 min. at 220 degrees C for another 15 min. Remove the buns with the help of spatula.

My entry for

Alu Ki Kachouri- Fried pastry with potato stuffing

Making Samosas is usually a time consuming process. When in hurry or when I have to make in huge numbers I prefer Alu kachouri over samosa. It gives almost the same taste as samosa & ofcourse! easy to make.

makes: 14 kachouris

for stuffing:

3 boiled potatoes

3 green chillies, finely chopped

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp ani seeds (saunf)

1/2 tsp amchoor(dry mango powder) or lime juice

2 tsp oil

salt to taste

For dough:

2 cups plain flour(maida)

1/4 cup(60 ml) oil

1/2 tsp ajwain(optional)

1 tsp salt

oil for deep frying

for dough:

Mix together all the ingredients of the dough & knead into a tight dough using water. Allow to rest for 10 min. Knead again to make it smooth & elastic. Divide into 14 equal part & make balls.

for stuffing:

Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan & add cumin seeds & saunf. Add green chillies rest of the spices, salt & potato. Mix well & cook on low heat for 2 min. Remove & keep aside.

(pic 3)

Process:

Take a dough ball, press lightly & pull out edges using your fingers (first picture in the pic 3 ). Stuff about 1 scoop of the potato stuffing in the centre & bring all the edges together(third picture in the pic 3). Seal the edges & flatten the ball carefully so that the stuffing doesn't come out while frying.
Repeat for rest of the balls.

Fry the kachouris in medium hot oil (in the begining temperature should be low, increase after some time to medium hot) until golden brown. Drain on obsorbant paper & serve with any of your favourate sauce.

Ghar ki rasoi tip:

The kachouris can be frozen after frying for about a month.

To freeze: do not brown while frying. Completely cool & then pack in air tight zipper bags (a few in one bag) . Before eating defrost & fry them again to a golden brown colour.

Soya-Vinegar sauce

3 tbsp soya sauce

2 tbsp vinegar

1 garlic finely chopped

1 tsp seasame seeds

1 tsp sugar

salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients. Add very little salt as soya sauce already has a salty taste. Adjust sugar according to your taste buds.

Serve with vegetable rostis, sandwiches or pakoras

Sweet Corn pulav

Another quick & tasty meal. While making pulav, the rice should be boiled so that each grain is separate & not sticky.

2 cup boiled long grain rice
1/2 cup sweet corn
1 onion sliced thinly
handful of cashewnuts broken into halves
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin seeds
few corriander leaves finely chopped
2 tsp oil or ghee
salt to taste


Heat oil & add cumin seeds. when the seeds crackle add cashew nut & saute until golden brown. Add green chillies & thinly sliced onion. Brown the onions too and add sweetcorn, salt, garam masala & corriander leaves. Cook for 1 min. Add boiled rice. Mix well. Serve hot.

Carrot Rice

Another instant meal from my kitchen made using just 1 tsp of oil, flavoured with cumin & loaded with the goodness of carrots. I have given the recipe for 2 but it can always be doubled tripled & ...

Serves:2
What I used:
1 cup Boiled rice
1 carrot grated
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp pepper
1tsp oil
salt to taste

Heat oil in a pan & Add cumin seeds. When the seeds crackle add grated carrot & saute for 2 min. Add all the spices & salt. Mix & add boiled rice. Mix well. Serve hot with kadhi, Raita or papad.

Paneer-Cottage cheese

In many countries its very difficult to find the right kind of paneer used in our cooking. This recipe is for all those who cannot find paneer in their area.

1 litre milk

1/2 tsp citric acid or 1 tbsp vinegar

Heat milk & bring it to a boil. Switch of the gas & after 2 min. add citric acid dissolved in 1/4 cup of luke warm water or diluted vinegar to the milk. Stir. The milk will curdle. Put it in a strainer or cheese cloth & allow the water to drain by itself.

If you need crumbled paneer for your recipe you can use it directly else to obtain cubes give it a rectangular shape & wrap it in a cheese cloth. Keep it under heavy weight for 30 min. Cut and use as required.

For later use keep the paneer refridgirated wrapped in plastic wrap or in a box filled with water.

Cucumber Raita 1

Raita is a Yogurt Dip popularily eaten all over India along with the meals. It keeps your body cool during summers.
The best part about this Raita is that I haven't used any oil for the tempering.

1 medium sized Cucumber, grated

1 1/2 cup yogurt

1 green chilli, finely chopped

salt to taste

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

2 to 3 curry leaves

Beat the yogurt lightly so that no lumps remain. Add salt & cucumber & mix gently.

Heat a kadhai or pan without any oil. When hot add mustard seeds & curry leaves. When mustard crackles switch off the gas and add chopped green chilli & roast for a few seconds. Add the tempering to the yogurt. Serve chilled as a side dish.

Hummus

This dish is very popular in the middle eastern countries . Its popularily eaten with Pita Bread and also used as a dip for Falafel, bread or just anything. To prepare this dish Tahina is used which is seasame seed paste in olive oil.
I remember the first time I saw it I felt oh! who will eat this dough, without tasting I just threw it. As I got used to its subtle taste I started liking it. Its a very simple dish and comes very handy at hungry hours.

Serves:4
Shelf life: 1 week refridgirated

What I used:

1/2 cup chick peas
3 tbsp Tahina
2 tbsp sour cream(optional)
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lemon
little olive oil
chopped parsely & chilli flakes for garnish


How I made:
Wash and soak chick-peas overnight or at least 6 hrs before boiling. Boil them with salt in a pressure cooker until properly cooked. Drain keeping a little water aside for grinding. Mix Tahina with 3 tbsp water & blend in the processor. This step makes the tahina look creamy and in-copulates air. It will ensure that your Hummus will not be sticky but light. Add the chick-peas, garlic, lemon juice and sour cream to the tahina and grind to a smooth paste using as little water as possible. Adjust salt and lemon juice according to your taste. Remove the hummus in a serving bowl and top with olive oil, chopped parsley and chili flakes. Keep Refrigerated. Serve with toasted bread or Pita.

If tahina is not available then you can prepare it at home:
dry roast white sesame seeds. Grind to a smooth paste using enough olive oil. Store in an airtight bottle and use as required.

Ghar ki Rasoi Tips:
1. Instead of grinding garlic along with chick-peas you can add finely chopped garlic. It gives a crunchiness to the Hummus but be careful if you don't like the raw flavour of garlic.
2. Do not heat Hummus.
3. To keep longer top with olive oil.

vegetable Rosti

This is another interesting & easy to make snack which I learnt from a Korean friend. I am not sure whether it could rightly be called as Rosti or pancakes. Correct me if I am wrong, but its easy & nutritious and my family especially my child loved it.
I was served the rostis with soya-vinegar sauce , I'll post you soon the recipe for it.
I modified the recipe slightly by adding green chillies to give it a spicy Indian taste.


In this recipe you can use any combination of vegetables like potatoes, carrots, cabbage, spring onion, spinach, etc. and cheese too. In short make them with whatever veggies you have in your refridgirator.



makes: 18

What I used:
2 cups grated mixed vegetables( I used 2 potato, 1 carrot, 1 radish & few spring onions)

2 green chillies finely chopped

1/2 cup plain flour
oil to shallow fry.
salt to taste




How I made:
Mix in all the ingredients. Heat a heavy bottomed non-stick pan & grease it . Put small ball sized portions of the mixture & flatten them with the back of a spoon .If you find it difficult to do it in the pan you can prepare flat disks in between your palms & then put it in the pan. Flip them to cook on both sides using very little oil.

Serve hot with soya-vinegar sauce.

My entry for
Sunday Snacks - Chaats/Indian Street Food hosted by Pallavi