Monday, June 27, 2016

Mojito

Temperature already has reached to almost 45 degrees thoughout India. This year I have decided to try out varities of easy summer recipes which can be made with very common summer ingredients. Cool,delicious and healthy recipes are yet to come. Today I am going to post my second summer recipe after Kulfi, a very simple and easy Mocktail Recipe, very commonly known as Mojito.

Mojito (originated in Havana, Cuba) is a very refreshing citrus drink traditionally consists of 5 ingredients(Rum, Sugar, Water, Mint and lemon juice) with only 5-10% alcohol content. The combination of sweetness, sourness and the mint flavour complement each other. I have excluded Rum here and served the drink as a mocktail.

N.B. Its a very popular/Daily refreshment drink in my household these days :P

Ingredients: for 3 servings:

Mint Leaves: 20 leaves cleaned and washed
Sugar- 1/2 cup
Lemon- 1 (peeled)
Water
Polo peppermint- 2-3balls(avoidable)
Ice (as many as u can)

Procedure: 1) Add Lime peeled lime juice to sugar and Mint leaves.
2) Gently Mash them with a muddler. (I simply took my Wooden Roller which I used to make chapathi :P and also the aluminum dal pressing tool)
3) Add Water and Polo. Mix Well.
4) Keep in Refrigerator and add lots of ice and thin layers of lime while serve.

Cheers!!!

Kulfi

Almost everyone of us have grew up seeing our moms making homemade kulfi with extra milk and other "always available ingredients" at home in summer vacation Kulfi is originated during Mughal Dynasty. Its one of the traditional Indian Dessert often called as frozen dairy dessert in Western Countries. Kulfi is popular in the countries like India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Burma etc. Pistachio, Curdamom, Mango, Saffron, rose etc are the popular amongst all the flavours. Due to its thick density its takes much time to melt than other branded ice creams from the market.

Ingredients: Milk- 5 cups(preferably full fat)
Khova/Mawa- 1/2 cup
Sugar- 1 cup (Adjust according to your intake)
Cashew Paste- (10 gms)
Curdamom Powder- 1tsp
Dry fruites of your choice-Chopped(Pistachios, Almonds and Cashews)
Essence of your choice (Pistachio/Keora or Screw pine/rose/Almond/ even Vanilla)
Saffron strands- 1 pince (optional)

Procedure: 1) Heat milk in a pan and reduce to 1/3 rd of its actual quantity.
2) Add sugar and should be dissolved in the milk.
3) Add curdamom powder and mix well.
4) Switch of the gas and let the milk completely cool.
5) Mix Khowa/mawa into the milk.
6) Add cashew paste.
7) Add essence of your choice and also add the crushed saffron.
8) Pour the mix in the Kulfi mould and let it set for overnight.
9) Serve either in the mould itself or else unmould the kulti with the help of a butter knife and serve in plate or ice cream bowl.

Cheers!!!

SHUKTO (Popular Mix Veg from Bengal)

"Shukto",one of the favourite Mix Veg side dishes of West Bengal. Wide ranges of vegetables are used with Bengali five spice/powder or Panch foron to prepare this dish. Although there is dispute between the use of Panch foron or only Radhuni in Shukto. Some prefers using Panch Foron and some uses only Radhuni.  Mouri (Fennel Seeds), Methi (Fenugreek Seeds), Kalo Jire (Kalonji), Sada Jire (Cumin Seeds), and Radhuni together are known as Panch foron or Bengali Five spice. Though Radhuni is a popular Bengali Spice, but also used in Odisha, some parts of North East India, Bangladesh, even in Nepal. Due to its unavailablility in Western Parts and Southern Parts of India, Mustard seeds or celery seeds can be used instead of this.                          
Bori or Sun dried lentil nuggets is another substance that we used to make Shukto. Most of the Bengalis make this nuggets with Red lentil or Black Lentil or even Urad Dal. Soaked and dried lentil paste are used to make these nuggets. The balls/nuggets should be dried in Sun. After it completely dries up stored in air tight jar. These are used in making Chochchori/Ghonto/Shukto/Jhol (All are the Bengali Veg/Non Veg Forms of Dishes)etc.
Here I have not used Bori. You can follow this simple yet delicious recipe. Also let me know how it comes out-

For 3 person:

Ingredients: Potato- 1
Green Banana- 1
Bitter Gourd- 1
Radish- 1
Egg Plant- 1
Sweet Potato- 1
Drum Sticks- 2
Bori (Its actually Sun dried lentil nuggets, widely used by Bengali's in wide ranges of recipes)- 8-9- (Optional)
Poppy Seeds/Posto/Khus Khus- 2 tsp
Mustard Seeds- 1 tsp
Ginger paste- 1 tsp
Panch Foron/ Bengali Five Spices- 1 Tsp (For Tampering)
Panch Foron/ Bengali Five Spices Mix- 1 Tsp- Make powder after dry roasting the five spices.
Salt to taste
Sugar- 1 tsp
Mustard Oil- 3 tbsp
Ghee- 1 tsp
Milk- 1/2 cup
Water- As required for the gravy.

Procedure: 1) Soak Poppy Seeds and Mustard seeds for half an hour. After half an hour make a smooth paste.
2) Wash all the vegetables and peel everything neatly and cut Potato, green banana, sweet potato, radish, egg plant into 1/2" rectangular stripes. Cut Drumsticks into 1 1/2" stripes. Make thin Slices of  Bitter gourd.
3) In a wok, heat 1 tbsp mustard oil and fry Boris until crisp and keep aside.
4) In the same oil fry the chopped bitter gourd with little salt until crisp and keep aside.
5) Now, heat rest of the mustard oil, tamper Panch foron and add egg plants. Fry it with little salt. When Egg Plants will be soft add the rest of the veges and mix well and fry. Little water can be added.
6) When veges will be soft and will change the colour , add ginger paste and again cook for 2 minutes. You can add water in this step.
7) Add Mustard and poppy seed paste, mix it and cook again for 8-10 minutes until all veges are well boiled and tender.
9) Lastly add salt sugar. Cook again for 3-5 minutes.
10) Add Milk and mix well.
11) Add the Spice mix.
12) Add Ghee to the curry just before switch of the flame.

Cheers!!!!

Lachcha Para(n)tha

After a long time the "Hungry Monster" inside me has woke up. I am going to share 3 of my recently prepared recipes this time. One of them is Lachcha Para(n)tha. I know its long pending recipe since my last post. Thanks to my very hectic work schedule. Oh! By the way, its my mother in law who made her first attempt to make this delicious para(n)tha. So I am narrating this recipe on behalf of her.

                        Lachcha Para(n)tha or Multi Layered Paratha is actually of two types. Panjabi Lachcha Para(n)tha, generally prepared in tandoor and also known as Panjabi Lachcha Para(n)tha. On the other hand in the eastern part of our country lachcha para(n)tha is made using Tawa(pan) also known as Tawa Lachcha Para(n)tha. Here she has used Tawa. I have also attaching step by step collage to let all of you understand its making.

Ingredients: White Flour- 1 cup
Ghee- 1 tablespoon
Baking soda- 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Procedure: 1) Mix salt,baking soda, and ghee with flour. Add water to make a soft dough. Let it rest for 1 hour.
2) Divide the dough into desired shaped balls.
3) First roll one ball into a thin flat chapathi (as pic-1). Now first fold from the edge of the chapathi (as pic 2). As in childhood we used to make Japanese Fan. Continue the same process and proceed (As pic3). After completion the shape will be like pic 4. Now start folding from one side (As in Pic 4). After folding the shape will like Pic 5.
4) Again you have to roll very softly and the layers will be visible (As in Pic 5)
5) Fry the Paratha in oil.
6) Serve hot with desired gravy, Achar, butter or Raita.
Cheers!!

Golbari Style Kasha Mangsho

Among all the diversified meat options around the world, mutton(Goat Meat) is the one which never disappoint a Bengali in spoiling their taste buds. Talking about Mutton I love to go down the memory lane where there is only one clear picture who is my Dida (Grand Mom).
               My grand mom (Father's side) was a great cook. Almost every Sunday she used to prepare mutton for all of us. It was a routine for her which she loved to follow. We were a huge joint family at that point of time. Me and my cousins used to wait the  whole week for Sunday to come so that we could hear whistles of the pressure cooker and would jump to reach her to have a glimpse of the bright red colour cooked mutton. She used to distribute the fats to all of us. No adjective is enough to describe that particular taste . No recipes can replace my dida's mutton kosha. I still miss my dida, her cooking and also those golden days of my life
               After shifting from my home town to Kolkata gradually mutton became Red Meat and off course cooking mutton on Sundays happened to be a rare occasion. Besides dida's mutton, my mom, my Choto kakima(Youngest Paternal Aunt) even my Maternal Aunt (Mamima) also makes delicious mutton KASHA. Shifting to Kolkata made my life totally changed. Change of place compelled me to taste new foods and that was the start of spoiling my taste buds all over again in a different way than before. Kolkata is one of those cities which is famous for wide range of flavoursome dishes besides  architecture, Culture etc. Every foody Bong's one of the most favourite destination is Golabari adjacent to Five point crossing at Shyambajar. It's famous for KASHA MANGSHO or Mutton KASHA. My first visit to Golbari was during my late school life (closely after finishing higher secondary exam) with friends offocourse. We were very enthusiastically thrilled after having KASHA MANGSHO. Cooking was  "not my cup of tea" then. So never bothered about the recipe or any other background discussion rather than enjoying the flavour. But last year again I visited there with my husband and the visit kind of bewitched me to replicate the dish. Research continued for a long long period of time and it ended up few months ago with a close success. Today I am going to share that success story with all my close ones. Try this and let me know how it comes out....

Mutton- 500 gm
Papaya Juice- little less than one cup (Extract juice from papaya removing the skin and put it in mixer- no water to be added)
Onion- one and half (medium size)
Ginger paste- 1 spoon
Garlic Paste- 1 spoon
Dry Red Chilli- 4
Curd- 1/2 cup (well beated)
Mustard Oil-1 cup

Spices:

Curdamoms-2-3
Cinnamon- 1" stick-1
Cloves- 2-3
Bay leaf-1-2
Bengali 5 spices(Panch Foron)- 1 small spoon
Salt- to Taste
Kashmiri Red cchilli Powder- 2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder(Bengali)- 1/2 tsp
Cumin(Zeera) Powder- 1 spoon

Process:

1. Clean mutton pieces and marinate with Papaya extract overnight in fridge.
2. Take out the mutton from fridge atleast 1/2 hour before cooking.
3. In a deep bottom vessel, heat the mustard oil and add the spices one by one(2 dry red chillis, panch Foron, Curdamom, cinnamon, Cloves,bay leaf). Let it tamper for 1 minute.
4. Fry the sliced onions upto golden brown.
5. Add the marinated mutton and cook for 2 hours(maximum). After 15-30 minutes of frying the mutton colour will start changing into blackish. You have to stir constantly/time to time and take care that it should not stick into the bottom of the vessel. For this take one cup of hot water and add time to time.
Note:In case of medium to large pieces it will take maximum 2 hours(with Lid on) to complete this stage(In my case mutton pieces were small. It took only 45-50 minutes)
6. In the mean time, take another pan, heat oil and cook the ginger paste, garlic paste and dry red chilli paste along with zeera powder until oil comes out.
7. Pour the Cooked ginger garlic zeera and chilli paste to mutton after 2 hours. Mix it well.
8. Beat the curd well along with kasmiri red chilli powder and little water. MIx it with mutton and cook another 15-30 minutes until mutton is soft and oil comes out properly.
10. Lastly sprinkle some garam masala powder all over the mutton and keep the lid on.
11. Serve hot with Paratha/Lachcha Paratha etc.

Waiting for your feedback!!!!

Cheers!!!

Chicken Salad

Shreded Chicken(Boneless)- 150gms
Yellow Bell Peppers(Finely sliced)-1/4
Red Bell pepper(finely sliced)-1/4
Green Capsicum(finely sliced)- 1/4
Carrot(flinely sliced)- 1 medium sized
Sweet Corn- 1/4th cup
Mixed herbs- 1 tsp
Chilli flakes- 1tsp
Black pepper powder- 1 tsp or to taste
Salt- to taste
Lemon juice- 1 and half tsp

for the dip: you can choose either 1 cup of mayonese
or white sauce(home made) i used later one

white sauce dip:

Butter- 4tsp
All purpose flour- 4 tsp
Milk- 1 and half cup

Procedure: Boil chicken with salt. keep aside

Now, mix all the vegetables with salt, lemon juice. Add the chicken.

for the white sauce: In a pan, heat butter (careful it should not be burnt, keep all your ingredients ready for the white sauce), add the flour and stir constantly to mix well with butter. Add milk and mix until the sauce becomes thick.

(if u use mayonese: simply mix it with salad and add the herbs and other seasonings.)

Now, mix this sauce with the salad and add mixed herbs, chilli flakes and pepper powder.

Cheers!!!!!

Sunday, June 26, 2016

Apple Upside Down Cake

My first attempt to Bake a cake in proper way. I was so afraid to experiment with cakes as I burnt them quite a lot of times..Still baking a cake is like a passion and may be I am addicted to it..here the recipe goes like-

Ingredients


Apples- 4 medium sized(Though i Took one and half apples)

For Caramel:
Butter- 50gms,
Sugar-5-6 spoon

For Cake Batter:
Flour- 2 cups
Sugar- 1 cup
Eggs- 4 (Seperate the yolks and white in different bowls)
Baking Powder- 2 Small tsp
Vanilla Extract: 1tsp
Butter- 50 gms

Others:Cinnamon Powder- 1 tsp
Cashews- a few (Not mandatory)
Cherries- as per wish

Baking:
Butter Paper-for perfect shape I cut in a shape of the mould(I have used round shaped Glass mould)
Butter- for perfect greasing the sidewalls.




Procedure:

1. First remove the skin of the apples then cut into halves, remove the seed portion and cut the apples into thin small "C" shaped Pieces.
2. In the mould, first place the butter paper, then arrange all the apples thoroughout mould. As I have used round shaped mould, arrangement was like a flower.
3. Now make the caramel. Heat a pan and add butter and sugar. Stir it constantly until the colour changes into dark brown. Caramel will be thick but not hard and should not be burnt.
4. Spread the caramel on the apples.
5. Let it cool for few minutes.
6. Take the apples in your microwave and in 200 degree temperature bake it for 2-3 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, In a seperate bowl, take the butter and mix well with Sugar and egg yolks until the sugar melts.
8. Add flour and baking powder slowly fold it and add oil and vanilla extract also. Fold together.
9. In a different bowl, beat the egg white with the help of your hand blender in full speed until the egg white is very soft and doubled in size. Add the cake batter and mix well with spatula.
10. Now spread cinnamon powder and little sugar over the baked apples and also some cashews over it. Add the cake batter and cover the apples well.
11. Preheat the oven in 200 degrees and bake the cake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, I have baked again in 300 degree for 6 minutes (In Micro+covection mode). I have done toothpic taste after this stage. I have again baked for two minutes in normal mode. Kept it cool for half n hour and turned the cake up and removed the butter paper. Decorated with cherries.

Cheers!!!

RashoGolla/Rasgullas

Ingredients: 

Milk- 1 ltr
Butter- 25 gms
Lemon- 1 medium size
Sugar-1 1/2 cups
Water- 4 cups
Curdamom Pods- 2-3
Nakul Dana- 13-14





Procedure: 

1. Extract chhana/paneer from milk with the help of lemon juice mixed with little water.

2. Drain 2 cups of plain water over the chhana/paneer to remove the sourness. Keep the chhana in a clean cloth and squeeze the extra water and hang it for 30-45 minutes.
P.S.- Chhana will not be very dry or very moist and dont hang it more than 45 minutes.

3. After 45 minutes, take the chhana in a plate and crumble it. Now you have to knead the chhana until fat comes out of it and your hands will be greasy. Chhana will come together making a smooth dough.

4. You can make 13-14 balls from it. Keep the balls small in size because it will be increased after boiling in sugar syrap.

5. You can put one sugar ball (Nakul Dana) inside rasgulla to keep them juicy inside.

6. Now, Take your pressure cooker and add 4 cups of water and sugar along with the curdamom pods. Make a thick syrap.

7. Add the balls very gently and pressure cook without whistle for 7-8 minutes.

8. Remove the lid and turn the flame off. You can see the size of the balls are increased. Though they will shrink a little after some time.

9. Now transfer them to a bowl and let them cool. for 5-6 hours.

Cheers!!

Caribbean Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken-200gms
Tomato- 2-3 medium
Onion(chopped)- 2 medium
Garlic Paste- 2 tsp
Soya Sauce- 4 tbsp
Salt, Sugar- To Taste
Coriander Leaves- as per requirement.
Oil-2tsp



Procedure:

First make puree with raw tomatoes in a mixer or blender. Sieve the puree and keep aside.
Now in a pan, take oil, fry the onions till light pink.
Add chicken and fry until the pink colour of chicken goes-little brownish.
Add garlic paste and mix well. stir until the raw smell is gone-2 mins maximum. add salt and sugar.
Now add the tomato puree and u can pour little water in this step. cook until chicken is tender.
Add Soya Sauce and cook for another 3-4 minutes. A saucy Saucy thickness is needed.
Sprinkle a considerable amount of coriander leaves over it.

Cheers!!!

Chicken Tikka Masala



Ingredients: Chicken (preferably Bone less though I used chicken with bones)- 300 gms

This recipe is divided into two parts. In the first part tikkas to be made.For this 2 stages of marination are held- 

For First Marination-
Ginger Garlic Paste- 2-3 tsp
Red Chilli Powder- 1 and Half tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tspoon
Salt

For Second marination-
Hung curd- 1/2 cup
Besan- 3-4 tsp
Ajwain- a pinch
mustard oil- 2tsp

Toothpics or skewers

For the gravy

Chopped onions- 2 medium sized
Chopped Tomatoes- 2 medium sized
Cashew and melon(char magaz) paste- 3-4 tsp(mixed with water would do great)
salt and sugar- to taste
Cubely cut capsicum and onions- half onion and half capsicum.
Whole spices- Bay leaf, Cinnamon sticks, cardamom and cloves- as per ur requirement
Red chilli powder- 1 tsp
coriander Powder- 1 tsp
turmeric pwder- 1/2 tsp
Oil- 2 tsp
Fresh Cream or milk- 1/2 cup



Procedure:

Firstly chickens to be cleaned well and let it dry with the help of kitchen towels. After that prepare the first marination with all the ingredients and marinade the chicken. keep aside for 1 hour.

In the mean time soak all the cashews and melon seeds in water for 1 hour so that it will be easier to make a paste in mixer.

In a pan, take 1 tsp oil and temper ajwain and add the besan. stir constantly and mix well. when a smell of besan comes out add water and make a smooth paste without any lumps.

Now, in another marination bowl, make a smooth paste with hung curd and above prepared besan mix together and beat it to a smooth paste. Add the rest of the mustard oil in it.

After one hour of first marination, add the whole marination in the curd mixture. Mix well and keep aside for 3-4 hours. Over night refrigeration would add execellency.

after the marination, construct those chicken pieces in skewers or toothpics and bake those for 25 minutes with constant supervision.you can use griller, tandoor maker and even plain tawa. keep aside the tikkas.

N.B. Use only the chicken pieces not the gravy. you can keep gravy for 2-3 days and use it in other non veg recipes.

In a kadhai, pour oil, and temper all the whole spices. add onions and fry till golden brown. then add the chopped tomatoes and cook until it becomes fluffy and smooth paste. Add the Red chilli powder,coriander Powder,turmeric powder and cashew and melon paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes by adding water to make a thick gravy. adjust sugar.

Add the tikka and mix well. cook again for 5 minutes. Adjust salt and water. Add the cubely cut capsicums and onions in this stage.

Lastly, add fresh cream or milk. keep one minute in flame.

Serve with Tanoor roti, Naan biriyani or zeera rice.

Kashundi Chicken


Being a Bengali one can not have any snack item without Mustard sauce which is widely known in Bengal as Kashundi. Staying out of West Bengal restricts us having Kashundi regularly. Also we can not store it for longer time as I am living in a place where there is predominance of hotter climate..Sometimes back I was going through some article about homemade sauces and got the idea to replicate Kashundi at home. Here I am sharing the idea how to make homemade Kashundi.
And yes i made delicious and beautiful Kashundi Murgh With the leftover Kashundi. Off course I am thankful to some other Bengali cooking blogs for the initial idea...

Ingredients:
Chicken- 300gms

For Marination:

Ginger garlic paste- 5tsp
Turmeric Powder- 1 and half tsp
Salt- a pinch
Musturd oil-1tsp

For Kashundi(If u do not have sauce u can use home made)

Musturd seeds- 3 tbsp
curd- 2 tsp
garlic clove- 2-3 fat one
Musturd oil- 1tsp
Salt-to taste

For Gravy:

Grated coconut- 2tbsp
Cashew:4-5
Milk- 2-3 tbsp

Green Chillis- 4
Kalonji(Kalojeere)- 1tsp



Procedure: 1. Marinade chicken with 1 tsp musturd oil, 3tsp ginger garlic paste and 1 tsp turmeric powder for half n hour.

2.Soak Musturd seeds in water for 20 minutes. After 20 Minutes, Make a smooth paste with Musturd seeds, Garlic cloves, Curd, 1tsp Musturd oil and salt. you can sprinkle some water also-Home made instant Kashundi is ready- Keep Aside.

3.Again Make a paste with grated coconut and Cashews with milk and little water. Keep it aside.

4.Take a pan. Heat Musturd oil and tamper one slited green chilli and kalonji. After one and a half minutes add the rest of the ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook until the colour of chicken changes to golden yellow and also the gravy is dried. it will take maximum 8-10 minutes.

5.Add Kashundi and little water. Cook it for 4-5 minutes.

6.When the gravy thickens add cashew coconut paste and cook again for 3-4 minutes. you can sprinkle some water over it.

7. Serve in a bowl with steamed rice and add splash of musturd oil before service. Taste will be awesome..

Cheers!!

Golden Chicken


Since childhood I have the urge to taste different types of chicken recipes. I can remember the first time my parents took me and my brother to a Chinese restaurant and had Chilli Chicken. That was one of the memorable day of my life as that time going to a restaurant for dinner or lunch was very uncommon and was very expensive too. Still my parents managed to make us happy and offcourse we were on cloud 9. I also remember the day when I first slurped after tasting Chicken Cha(n)p during my college life. It was amazing.
My mom is also a great cook but as she was a dedicated housewife and never got that chance to watch television like we did and also at that time life was not as internet based as now, so her desire of making new recipes were restricted but she used to follow different newspapers or magazines and tried new recipes. Off course I inherited that urge. One funny incident I remember during the first year of my marriage was, I made one chicken and my husband liked it but eventually I forget that recipe. After few months when i again tried that same recipe it didn't came out that well So my husband suggested me to write every recipes then after. I proudly say now a days 'Behind every successful cook there is one foody husband'. 
Golden Chicken is also my self creation. It can be prepared with 'always available' ingredients and takes very less time to cook. Hence very useful for working women. Here it goes-



Ingredients- Chicken-500 gms

Sour Curd- 1 cup

Ginger paste- 1tsp

Garlic paste- 2tsp

Coarsely grained black pepper- 1tsp

Onion (chopped)- 2 medium

Tomato(chopped)- 1 medium

Salt- to taste

Oil- 1 tsp




Procedure: 1) Marinate chicken with curd, ginger paste and half of the garlic paste for half n hour.

2) Heat oil in a pan, tamper black pepper till a nice aroma comes out- 1 minute approx.

3) Fry tomatoes until soft.

4) Add onions and fry until light brown and mixes well with tomatoes.

5) Add rest of the garlic and mix well until the raw smell is gone. You can add 2tsp water if the gravy dries up.

6) Add the marinated chicken and cook until chicken is tender by keeping the lid over the pan.

7) When oil comes out add warm water as per your requirement as per desired consistency of gravy.

8) Cook again for 6-7 minutes until chicken is soft and tender.

9) Golden Chicken is Ready. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Cheers!!!

Cheesy Chicken

Ingredients: 

Chicken - 200 gms
Cashew nuts- 10-12
Raisins- 10-12
Dry Dates- 1-2
Almonds- 5-6
Melon Seeds- 2tsp
Cumin Seeds- 1tsp
Black pepper corns- 1 tsp
Garlic Cloves- 5-6 medium
Vineger/lemon juice- 3-4 tsp
Salt, Sugar-To taste
oil
Cheese Cube- 1 (but u can use it depending on your love for cheese :P)




Procedure: First, marinate chicken with lemon juice/vineger and salt for 1/2 an hour.

Soak the dry fruites,pepper corns and melon seeds in water for 1 hour. Rinse the water and make a smooth paste along with cumin seeds and garlic cloves.

Now, Take a pan heat oil and stir fry chickens until it becomes pinkish brown. Pour the paste. Mix with the chicken and cook until oil comes out. 

Adjust salt water as per your requirement of gravy.

Cook until chicken is well tendered. 

Add some grated cheese and wait until the flavour of cheese mixes with chicken. 

Remove chicken and gravy in your serving bowl and sprinkle rest of the grated cheese over it and 

Serve hot.


Cheers!!

Dhoklas

Its a traditional Gujrati snack item. They make Dhoklas mainly with gram dal or chana dal. But now a days in our busy lives Besan is the good replacement for gram/chana dal. It's a very easy and simple yet delicious tiffin for sudden guests ,kids etc. I have also used Besan to make these. It takes only 5 minutes to cook in microwave..

Ingredients: Besan- 1 cup
Samolina-1/2 cup
Curd- 1/2 cup
lemon juice- 1 tspoon
Salt- 1/2 tspoon
sugar- 1/2 tspoon
Cumin Powder- 1/2 tspoon
Fruit Salt(Eno)- 2 tspoon

For Tarka-
curry leaves- 10-12 leaves
slited green chillis- as per requirement
Mustard Seeds- 1 tspoon
Sugar- 1 tspoon
salt- a pinch
oil
And Grated Coconut- 2 tspoon
Chopped corriander leaves- 1 tspoon



Procedure: 

First make smooth batter with Besan and Water with medium consistency and without any bubble.

Add Samolina, beated curd, lemon juice, cumin powder, salt and sugar. batter will not be watery or very thick. keep aside for 2-3 hours.

Prepare a baking tray greasing well with oil.

Now lastly, add fruitsalt. mix well with the batter but not much mixing needed. u will see instantly the batter will be farmented.

Now transfer the batter in the baking tray and microwave for 3 minutes to 4 minutes with proper supervision. after that keep that in 2 minutes standing time.
let the dhokla to be cool. with the help of a knife seperate the sides from the tray and after that transfer it to another serving dish.

In a tarka pan take oil and temper mastard seeds, curry leaves and green chillis. add some water and sugar. this solution will be sweet. when boil comes stop the gas and add over the dhoklas.

Serve with tamarind chatni or any chatni you like.

Cheers!!

Simple Chocolate Cake in 5 minutes


It was my first perfect cake and its perfect cake who wants to start baking cakes at home and wants to surprise near and dear one for the first time. Measurement is very important in this cake as it takes only five minutes to be ready..


Ingredients: All purpose flour: 1 cup

Egg- 2

Sugar- ½ cup powdered

Baking Powder- 1 tspoon

Vanilla Essence: 1tsp

Choco powder-4 tspoon (I used weikfield choco powder)

Refined oil- little less than a full cup

Decoration: Dairy Milk- 1 packet of 38 gms (or u can have much more dairy milk

Choco chips- as much as u wish



Procedure: 

for the cake : separate egg white from egg yolk. Now beat the egg white in a bowl with the help of an electric beater until it becomes like a foam. U can do this with the help of a whisk too but it takes near about 10 minutes. You can do the work at mixer also.

Now with this foam mix egg yolks, oil, vanilla essence and beat again for 5 minutes

Mix flour, powdered sugar, choco powder, and baking powder in a separate bowl and pour this mix into the wet mix slowly with the help of a whisk first. (If u feel that the batter is very tight then u can add ½ cup of meal)

Now grease a baking tray with oil and microwave in normal mode for 5 minutes. Take a toothpick or fork and enter in the middle of th cake. If it comes out clean then it is ready. Or else bak for 1 or 2 minutes more.

Let the cake cool for some times.

Decoration: grate dairy milk as much as u can above the cake and decorate with choco chips.

Cheers!!!

Palak Chicken

Long ago in a family trip to Chandigarh I had my first opportunity to taste traditional Panjabi Khana. I can still remember the way they prepared those delicious flavours. It was just splendid. The use of natural spices and the aroma comes from it was simply mouth watering. Ever since, I am a great fan of Panjabi Cuisin and Palak Paneer will always stay at the top of my favourite food list. The immence love for Palak Paneer always inspired me to cook it again and again. Here I have used the same concept and presenting Palak Chicken. Its a very healthy dish and can be prepared with only one tea spoon oil. To all the chicken lovers I insist you to try this. Trust me you will not regret 
Ingredients: Chicken- 500 gm
Palak/Spinach- 1 bunch(seperated from the sticks and boiled)
Ginger paste- 1 tsp
Garlic Paste- 1 tsp
Tomato(chopped)- 1 (medium to big size)
Green Chillis- 2
Cumin Seeds- 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder(kashmiri)- 1 tsp
Refined Oil- 1 tsp
Salt to Taste
Kasoori Methi- 1 tsp
Fresh Cream- 1 TSP (optional)



Procedure:1) Marinate chicken with salt and ginger garlic paste for one hour
2) Boil Spinach/Palak leaves with little salt. Drain the water after boiling and keep aside for cooling.
3) In a mixer jar, take the cooled spinach/Palak Leaves and green chillis. Make a smooth paste. Keep aside.
4) Now take a non stick pan, heat oil and tamper cumin seeds.
5) Fry the tomatoes until its soft.
6) Add the marinated chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes until the chicken changes the color.
6) Add red chilli powder and mix well. Cover the lid and cook in slow flame until chicken is half cooked atleast for 7-8 minutes.
7) When oil starts coming out from the chicken, add the green paste. Mix well.
8) After 2 minutes add the kasuri methi and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
9) Adjust salt.
10) Gravy will be creamy so adjust water as per requirement. Do not over boil the chicken.
11) Cook until chicken is tender.
12) Spread some fresh cream over the cooked. But it's an optional step.
13) Serve with rice or naan or chapathis.
Cheers!!!

Bechamel Sauce Macaroni and Cheese



Bechamel Sauce or White Sauce is one of the 5 mother sauces of French cuisin. Melting butter dipped in Milk & the base is the flour. White pepper, onions, cloves, nutmeg even garlic are added to increase flavour of the sauce. Its widely used in making Pasta, Macaroni, Lasagne etc. And also the base of other classic sauces like Mustard Sauce(Mustard), Mornay Bechamel Sauce or White Sauce Bechamel Sauce or White Sauce is one of the 5 mother sauces of french cuisin. Melting butter dipped in Milk, its base is the flour. White pepper, onions, cloves, nutmeg even garlic are added to increase its flavour. Its widely used in making Pasta, Macaroni, Lasagne etc. Its also the base of other classic sauces like Mustard Sauce(Mustard), Mornay Sauce (Cheese), Cream Sauce (Heavy Cream) etc. Macaroni is a kind of dry pasta offcourse its source in Italy. In India now a days its a very common tiffin item for almost every household. A very easy to make this macaroni can be a very delicious option for school tiffin for kids, evening snacks for all ages. Bechamel Sauce can be a tasty dip for baked vegetables, sandwitches and pizzas. Try this recipe and share your feedback...

For Bechamel Sauce:


Ingredients: White Flour- 2 tsp
Butter- 2 tsp
Milk- 1 1/4
Onion- 1
Cloves-6-7
White Pepper- 1 tsp
Salt to Taste

For Macaroni

Macaroni- 100 gms
Fresh Bell Pepper yellow and red(medium size)1+1
Salt- to taste
Oil or butter- 1 tsp
Grated cheese- 2 tsp
Pasta Mix- 1 tsp ( I have used Snapin Pasta Mix)
Black Pepper- 1 tsp



Procedure:

1) Slice the bell papers and keep aside.
2) After cleaning and removing the dry part of the onion, dice the onion into small parts.
3) Take cloves and pin those to each of the diced onion part. Keep Aside.
4) Boil water and soften the macaronis with salt. Once its done, remove water let it dry. Do not over boil. Macaronis should not be sticky and broken.
5) Now Take a pan, Heat 1 tsp oil and shallow fry the bell papers with 1/2 tsp black pepper and salt. Keep aside after frying.
6) In another pan, heat the butter and add the flour. stir constantly.
7) After two minutes of stiring, add the milk and stir vigorously no lumps should be there.
8) Add the onions and stiring should be continued.
9) Be careful sauce should not be sticked to the bottom. Its better to keep the flame low.
10) When the sauce becomes thick add the salt, pepper. Stir for 1-2 minutes, the sauce will be ready.
11) Add the Macaronis and pasta mix. Mix well.
12) Adjust salt and pepper.
13) when mixing is done keep the lid on the pan for 2 minutes.
14) Add the grated cheese and mix again. Switch off the flame.
15) Keep the lid on the pan for some times.
16) Serve with the veges fried earlier.

Cheers!!!! one of the 5 mother sauces of french cuisin. Melting butter dipped in Milk, its base is the flour. White pepper, onions, cloves, nutmeg even garlic are added to increase its flavour. Its widely used in making Pasta, Macaroni, Lasagne etc. Its also the base of other classic sauces like Mustard Sauce(Mustard), Mornay Sauce (Cheese), Cream Sauce (Heavy Cream) etc. Macaroni is a kind of dry pasta offcourse its source in Italy. In India now a days its a very common tiffin item for almost every household. A very easy to make this macaroni can be a ery delicious option for school tiffin for kids, evening snacks for all ages. Bechamel Sauce can be a tasty dip for baked vegetables, sandwitches and pizzas. Try and share your feedback...

For Bechamel Sauce:

Ingredients: White Flour- 2 tsp
Butter- 2 tsp
Milk- 1 1/4
Onion- 1
Cloves-6-7
White Pepper- 1 tsp
Salt to Taste

For Macaroni
Macaroni- 100 gms
Fresh Bell Pepper yellow and red(medium size)1+1
Salt- to taste
Oil or butter- 1 tsp
Grated cheese- 2 tsp
Pasta Mix- 1 tsp ( I have used Snapin Pasta Mix)
Black Pepper- 1 tsp

Procedure:

1) Slice the bell papers and keep aside.
2) After cleaning and removing the dry part of the onion, dice the onion into small parts.
3) Take cloves and pin those to each of the diced onion part. Keep Aside.
4) Boil water and soften the macaronis with salt. Once its done remove water let it dry. Do not over boil. Macaronis should not be sticky and broken.
5) Now Take a pan, Heat 1 tsp oil and shallow fry the bell papers with 1/2 tsp black pepper and salt. Keep aside after frying.
6) In another pan, heat the butter and add the flour. stir constantly.
7) After two minutes of stiring, add the milk and stir vigorously no lumps should be there.
8) Add the onions and stiring should be continued.
9) Be careful sauce should not be sticked to the bottom. Its better to keep the flame low.
10) When the sauce becomes thick add the salt, pepper. Stir for 1-2 minutes, the sauce will be ready.
11) Add the Macaronis and pasta .Mix well.
12) Adjust salt and pepper.
13) when mixing is done keep the lid on the pan for 2 minutes.
14) Add the grated cheese and mix again. Switch off the flame.
15) Keep the lid on the pan for some times.
16) Serve with the veges fried earlier.

Cheers!!!!

Source: Information gathered from various websites

Mitha Malai Fish Curry

Originally I got this idea to mix khova with milk from a TV show. Very Tasty and very easy to make. In Bengali it's known as Katla Macher Dudhli. Try this and give it valuable feedback

Ingredients
Rahu/Katla Fish: 2 piece (Dipped in Turmeric,Salt and little bit flour)
Mustard Oil- enough for sauted the fishes and same oil can be used for cooking
Ginger Paste- 1 tbsp
Fennel seeds-1/2 tsp
and Methi Seeds- 1/2 tsp
Curdamom(whole)-2
Clove-3-4
Cinnamon-one (1 inch stick)
Fennel Powder- 1/2 tsp
Milk- 1 cup
Khova(Mava)- 2 tsp
Salt- To Taste
Green Chiliis- 2 slited



Procedure: 1) Fishes to be shallow fried in mustared oil. Keep Aside.
2) In the same pan, first add the all the whole spices and green chillis. Let them splatter.
3) after 1-2 minutes Add Ginger paste mix with little water.
4) Cook until a nice aroma of ginger comes out.
5) Add Milk and Mix well. Bubbles will be there.
6) After the milk starts to boil, add the khova(Mava) and mix it well.
7) Add fennel powder and cook for 4-5 minutes.
8) you can add water if requires.
9) When all the raw smell will be gone add the fishes.
10) cook for 5-6 minutes more. Adjust the thickness of the gravy as per your requirement by adding water.
11) In between, turn the fishes to opposite side.
12) Add salt in the last stage. Mix well. donot stir much.
13) Serve with Rice.
Cheers!!!

Chocolate Cake with Ganache(Valentines Special)


Ingredients: 

For Cake: As usual- 2 Cups- Flour
4 Eggs
Baking Powder- 1 tsp
Unsalted Cooking Butter- 1/4 th Of 100 Gms
Milk- 1 cup
Powdered Sugar-1 cup
Vanilla Essence- 1 tsp
Cudbury Cocoa Powder- 1/4th Cup

For Ganache:
I have used Butterfly Whipping Cream recently ordered from a popular Online Shopping Portal. Ingredients for making the ganache are-

Whipping Cream-50 gms.
Water- 90 ml (as per the instructions inside the whipping cream box)
Cocoa Powder- 2 tbsp (Dark chocolate compound/considerable amount of choco chips also can be used)
Cooking butter- 3 tsp

Decoration:
Cherries- 11 Soaked in sugar syrap.




Preperation: 1. Made whipping cream as per the instructions inside, adding water into the powder. This process can be varied from brand to brand. I have made the cream using my hand blender in high speed mode for about 7-8 minutes. Kept it inside fridge.

2. In a seperate bowl, whisked all the liquid ingredients(except Milk) seperately starting from egg white with blender.

3. Mix solid ingredients in a seperate bowl.

4. Fold the solid ingredients into liquid ingredients with a help of spatula. Batter will not be very hard or very liquid. If its hard then adjust the amount of milk.

5. Grease the cake mould with butter and set the batter.

6. I have simply made the cake in 5 minutes in microwave as i did not wanted to pay much time 

7. While cake was baking in oven I divided the cream into two halves. In one half I mix some cocoa powder and blend it again for 2-3 minutes.

8. kept both the halves again in fridge until the cake was cooled down.

9. Cut the cake two halves. Seperated the cakes and spreaded sugar syrap first and then the white cream with a help of a knife. Kept some white cream aside for decoration. Attached both the halves.

10. Now Spreaded the Choco ganache all over the cake.

11. Decorated the cake with whipped cream poured in the piping bag and topped with cherries..

Simplest Valentines Day cake is now ready.


Cheers!

Badam Milk/Thandai

A prefect drink when you expect sudden guests or even you are going to break your fast. Its a Mughlai Drink. Use of wide ranges of natural aroma and flavours increases the excellence of Mughal Cuisin. Thandai is also one of them. As it is rich in various nutrients, also considered a perfect energy drink. Thandai is used in the Festivals like Maha ShivRatri, Holi or DolYatra, Eid etc...

Ingredients

Milk- 300ml
Half Cashew nuts- 10 pcs
Almonds- 10 pcs
Kishmish- 6-7 pcs
Khuskhus(Posto)- 1 tspoon
Black Pepper Corn- 3-4
Sugar- to taste
Kesar-Pista essence or mix- 1/2 tspoon(not mandatory)



Procedure: 
Boil milk and keep aside to let it cool
Soak all the nuts, khuskhus and pepper corns for 2-3 hours

Take a mixer and make a paste with soaked ingredients and sugar.

In a blender, take all the ingredients and blend well. water can be added if its essential.

Lastly add some chopped nuts above the drink.

Refrigerate for 1 hour
.

Cheers!!!

Simple Vanilla Cookies


Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsalted butter (in room temperature and softened)
1/2 cup Powdered sugar
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp Vanilla essence
2 eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Accessories u need:
one mixing bowl,
electric beater or hand beater
spatula(silicon/wooden)
cookie cutter(or small tiffin box or even knife)
baking sheet and
baking tray or simple microwave rack
Microwave (Convection mode)


Process: 1) Beat softened butter with electric beater or hand beater until it becomes fluffy.
2) Mix powdered sugar with butter and beat until no sugar grain is left. Even mixing of sugar is important.
3) Add eggs one by one and mix well for a soft batter.
4) Add vanilla essence.
5) Sief flour with baking powder and baking soda.
6) Now add flour into the butte-egg batter and make a dough.
7) refrigerate for 1/2 hour.
8) Preheat oven in 200 degrees.
9) I have divided the dough into 2 parts. With first half, I made small balls with the help of my hand and pressed with hand to a flat balls and secondly,I have used roller and cut those in round shapes..
10) In microwave racks, I have spread the butter paper and greased it with butter.
11) Kept the cookies one by one leaving 1 1/2 inch space with each other.
12) bake for 12-15 minutes. The time varies oven to oven. But bake until the sides are brownish and the cookies should not be very crisp.
13) keep the cookies in oven after baking is completed for 2-3 minutes.
14) The rack should be in airy place after that and Wait for some time until these are completly cool down.
15) Use an air tight jar to store them for 4-5 days.
Cheers!!

Gajar ka Halva


This sweet dish is actually a North Indian dish and it's origin is in Bihar...its a very simple and common sweet dish many of North Indian festivals. Now a days popular in a Bengali kitchen too...

Ingredients- one and half cup- Grated carrot
Milk- 4 TSP
Sugar- 2 TSP
Khova(mava)- 3 TSP
Curdamom powder- 1/2 TSP
Ghee- 1 TSP
Chopped dry fruites- as u wish( I have used cashew and kishmish almonds, pistachios can also be added)

Procedure: In a pressure cooker, pour ghee and saute Grated carrots.
When it will change colour add milk and again saute for 3-4 minutes.
Pressure cook the carrots(only one whistle and after that allow the vapour to escape automatically)
Now in a flat non stick pan shift the boiled carrots and add sugar and cook for 4-5 minutes more. Stir constantly.
Add khova and cook for again 4-5 minute more. Stir constantly.
Now add the curdamom powder and dry fruites and mix it well. Stir for 2-3 minutes more.
Keep the lid on the pan and allow to cooled down.
Decorate with some dry fruites and serve..
Cheers!!!