Cabbage Sabzi

You Need

1/2 cabbage copped fine.
2 tomatoes chopped in cubes.
2 tspoons oil
1 stalk curry leaves.
1 tspoon each mustard and cumin seeds.
2 green chillies vertically slit.
1 tspoon each red chilli powder, turmeric powder.
3 tspoons coriander powder
2 tspoons salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro/coriander leaves.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan.
Add mustard and cumin seeds.Allow to splutter.
Add green chillies and curry leaves.
Add cabbage and tomatoes.
Cover the lid and let cook for 10 mins.
Add turmeric powder,salt,red chilli powder,coriander powder.
Mix well and cover for 10 mins.
Remove from heat and add the chopped cilantro/coriander leaves.
Serve with indian bread.

Indian Bread

This one is specially for my friend Patricia.

You Need
2 cups wheat flour.
1 pinch salt
2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
3/4 cup water

Process
Mix flour, salt and 1/2 spoon ghee. Knead a soft dough with water of proper consistency.The dough shouldnt be too hard or too soft. Let soak for 15 mins.
Apply little ghee on your palms. Make ping pong balls of the dough.
Apply dry flour around the balls and roll on a flat surface with rollint pin just till it becomes flat.
Apply little ghee on the surface.
Fold it into a semicircle and refold it to make a triangle shape so that there are four layers now.
Apply dry flour on both the sides and spread it to make a thin bread.Keep applying flour in between so that it is not sticky and you can spread it smoothly and evenly in all directions.
Heat a flat surface pan with low edges.Maintain medium heat.
Place the bread on the pan.When slightly cooked,flip and apply ghee on both the sides.
Serve with Indian curries.

Goan Potato Curry

You Need

1 large coconut, scraped, (Ready made coco-milk is also fine)
2 tbsp. coconut grated coarsely
2 green chillies
2 red chillies
4 flakes garlic peeled
1 large potato boiled
1 cup mixed boiled vegetables
2 tomatoes, boiled, pureed, strained
1 capsicum chopped into chunks
2 onions chopped
1 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cream
5-6 cashews
1" stick cinnamon
2 cloves
1 bayleaf
2-3 peppercorns
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. mustards seeds
salt to taste
2 tbsp. ghee or oil

Dry roast cinnamon, pepper, cloves, bayleaf and cumin.
Grind to a fine powder, keep aside.
Stirfry onion in 1 tsp. ghee, till transparent.
Stirfry grated coconut in 1 tsp. ghee till browned lightly.
Grind coconut with 2 cups water, strain to get a thick milk.
Grind together tomato, red chilli, half of fried onions, fried coconut, garlic to a paste.
Grind cashews to a powder, keep aside.
Heat remaining, ghee, fry potato chunks till golden, drain keep aside.
Fry capsicums, drain keep aside.
Add mustard seeds, allow to splutter.
Add mixed veggies, stir for a minute, add ground spices and mix.
Add fried onions, ground paste, cashew powder, coconut milk,salt and stir till it starts to boil.
Add fried potatoes and capsicum, simmer to thicken.
Stir in fresh cream, garnish with chopped coriander, serve hot.

I got this from a site n tried it yest.If u r going 4 this remm 2 things,
Follow the recipe as written(i got amazing results by this).
Prefer using ghee instead of oil for this recipe. That really makes a lot of difference in taste.

I had a ball of a time eating this..the taste lingers 4ever :)

Gatte ka Pulav

You Need

1 cup rice basmati
1/4 cup boiled peas
2 bay leaves(tez patta), 3-4 cloves
1" stick cinnamon
2 cardamons, 1 stalk curry leaves
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp dhania powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp cashews
2 tbsp ghee (or oil)
1/2 cup gatta pieces
1 tbsp each cumin and mustard
seeds

For Gattas
1/2 cup gram flour
1/2 tbsp oil
Chilli powder, salt to taste

For Gatta
Mix flour, oil, chilli powder, salt and
cumin seeds, add 1 tbsp water.
Make a hard dough. Break off a
piece and roll into shape and size of
a finger.
Put plenty of water to boil.
Submerge gattas (the rolls) and
boil till done. (About 1/2 hour)
Drain, cool and chop into round 1-1
1/2 cm. long. Keep aside.

For Rice
Boil rice in plenty of water. Each
grain should be separate.
Heat ghee in kadai (pan).
Add mustard and cumin seeds, cashews,
bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon,
cardamons and curry leaves.
Add gattas and peas.
Add masalas, lemon juice and salt.
Stir fry till ghee separates. Add to
the rice.
Mix slowly and well. Heat either in oven or
cooker for 2-3 mins.
Garnish with coriander.
Serve hot with curds or kadhi.

Sol Kadhi

This is a konkan style refreshing drink..dunno y its called kadhi as there is no curds or gram flour invloved..doesnt matter..wht matters is the delicious drink

You Need
7-8 kokam pieces
1 cup coconut milk
1 tspoon GGP
1 tspoon salt
1 green chilli crush
1 tspoon sugar (optional)
chopped coriander leaves

Soak kokam pieces for an hr.
extract the juice and add to coconut milk.
add ggp,salt,chilli and leaves.
i like it lil sweet so i add sugar too.

Serve cold. I generally couple this with pulavs or khichdis.

Egg Frankie

Thinking of a Sunday dinner that is something different and appealing...Any clues???

You Need
6 eggs
1 cup maida
1 cup wheat flour
2 cups chopped veggies of ur choice - cabbage,carrots,brocolli,mushrooms,onions,potatoes
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tspoon chilli sauce
2 tspoons salt
1 tspoon GGP
2 tablespoons oil

Knead maida,wheat flour,a pinch salt and 1 tspoon oil into a smooth dough. Ideally this is made of just maida but i combine it with wheat flour to make it healthier.
Heat oil in a pan.
Saute onions till golden brown.
Add GGP.
Add all veggies and cook till soft.
Add salt,soy sauce n chilly sauce.

Beat the eggs and add salt and red chilly powder.
Make 6 omelettes
Make 6 chapatis from maida-wheat dough.
Place one omellete over chapati. Place 1 spoonful of veggies on the omelette. Make a roll out of.
Tasty tasty frankie is ready.

Apple Walnut Pie

You Need
1 egg
1/2 cup maida/plain flour
1 cup chopped apple
1/2 cup copped walnuts
1/4 cup sugar
1tspoon vanilla extract
1tspoon baking powder
1/2 tspoon salt


Mix baking powder maida n salt.
Beat egg and mix sugar and vanilla extract.
add the maida mix to this n beat till smooth.
add apple n walnut pieces
grease a tin and fill in the above mix
heat in a preheated oven at 350F for 10 mins
Serve hot

Stuffed Mushrooms

You Need
10 large mushrooms
1 potato mashed
1 onion chopped fine
turmeric,red chilli n garam masala
salt
1 tspooon lemon juice
1 tablespoon oil

get set go!
Wash and Destem mushrooms
heat oil in a pan
add onions n suate till brown
add potato and all masalas,lemon juice n salt
stuff in the mushrooms and microwave for 5 mins
serve with chapatis

Black Currant smoothie

The process is lil wierd but i made this a couple of time n love it

You Need
Black grapes 1 cup
chilled milk 1 cup
1 tablespoon milk cream
2 spoons yoghurt
1 tablespoon sugar

boil/microwave grapes in lil water for 5 mins
allow to cool n then blend
add milk,youghurt,sugar,milk cream and blend for 5 mins
black currant smoothie is ready.
u cud top this up with ice cream or whip cream

Fruits in Dip

Fruity creamy yummy,.......

You need
i bowl cut fresh fruits of ur choice
my choice would be red seedless grapes,apple,banana,peach,kiwis,pineapple
1 cup very very think yoghurt
1/3 cup milk
1 cup whipped cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon honey

mix yoghurt,milk,cream,honey,sugar well to remove any lumps
mix fruits n serve chilled

if u want to keep it as separate dip n eat, cut fruits into larger pieces and place in a separate plate n let the dip b in the bowl.

Summer cooler - cold veg soup

With summer aroud the corner dry throats r always hanging.....
whenever i make single dish dinners like noodles,khichdis or pulavs i need sth 2 drink with it. In this season soups r out of question..its already so hot.. try drinking the soup chilled..i know it may sound strange but bliv me...try it once..i liked it instantly..

You need
1 cup of chopped mix veggies-choice is yours- i tuk broccolli (its my personal favourite for soups n salads),cabbage,carrot,mushroom,potato,onion.
salt,pepper
1 tspoon maida/plain flour
1 tspoon corn flour
1/4 cup milk
1 tspoon butter

ready in 5 mins
pressure cook or microwave veggies till properly cooked
blend as u need..if u want soup to be coarse blend 4 a lesser time else make fine paste.
mix cornflour in cold water to form a liquid paste.
heat butter in a pan
add maida n saute till it starts changing to brown.
add the cornflour paste n cook till it boils
add milk n cook till it boils
add the veggies mix
add as much water u want..if u wanna drink it like a juice add lots of water..n if u wanna sip it like soup add less water
add salt n pepper
refrigerate n serve chilled.

tht was a healthy summer drink n thirst quenching too.

Muli ka takku

Here comes sth for the pickle lovers..
personally i dont like raddish except in 2 things - muli ka paratha and muli ka takku
takku is a kind of pickle made of finely grated raddish or raw mango.

You need
1 raddish
2 table spoons mustard powder
1 tspoon each mustard n cumin seeds
1 tspoon turmeric n salt
2 tspoons red chilli powder
2 table spoon oil
Bas 5 min
peel n grate raddish fine.
mix lil salt n keep for around 10 mins
till then heat oil in a pan
add mc seeds n allow to splutter
let the oil cool
add turmeric,salt,chilli and mustard powder
squeeze raddish till the last drop of juice comes out..show ur muscle power :P
mix it in the oil n masala mix.
all set..it tastes gr8 with hot rice and lots of ghee :)
in summer its preferable to refrigerate it. it stays for around 10-15 days.

health tip- do not throw away the raddish juice tht u squeezed out. use it in kneading dough 4 chapatis or as water to cook rice..bliv me it doesnt mk much diff in the regular taste n u r nt wasting the valuable juice.

Mujadarah

Surprised by the name ??
That is a mediterranean term for Masoor daal khichdi. I have cooked this khichdi for years but gotta know the term recently from a resto here. Used that name just to spice it up :)

You Need
1 cup whole masoor daal (red gram)
1 cup rice
1 huge onion
1 whole red chillies
GGP
2 table spoons garam masala
1 tspoon salt and turmeric
1 table spoon oil
1/2 cup yoghurt

Soak masoor dal for 6-8 hrs
soak rice for 1 hr
put oil in cooker n heat on low flame
saute red chillies n onions till golden brown
add youghurt n cook till it boils
add GGP.
put daal n rice
add water an inch above the mixture level.
add garam masala,salt and turmeric
cook with weight till one whistle.
lower the flame or 5 mins and then turn off.
open only after steam escapes completely
you could garnish this with chopped coriander leaves n 1 table spoon ghee.

i generally couple this with my style gujju kadhi. so u have something to sip occasionally b/w delicious bites of the mujadarah.
ok recipe 4 the gujju kadhi is also coming soon :)

Daal Makhni

This is gud dish to be prepared when u have guests at home n couple it up with jeera rice.

You Need
2 cups black urad dal
1/2 cup rajma (kidney beans)
1/2 cup chana dal
puree of 2 tomatoes
1 cup yoghurt
2 tablespoons oil
2 whole red chillies
1 tablespoon each of coriander powder,turmeric,garam masala
1 table spoon fresh cream or butter
1 table spoon ginger garlic paste (GGP)
1 table spoon mustard n cumin seeds (MCS)
kick off
soak all dals n rajma for 6-8 hrs. you could as well make it instant..but soaking increases the volume,reduces cooking time and when cooked daal is more consistent than it wud have been without soaking.
pressure cook all 3 till 2 whistles
heat oil in a pan
put MCS n allow to splutter.
add red chillies.
add tomato puree n cook till it separates oil at the corners of the pan
add GGP
stir n add yoghurt/curds
stir till it boils
add the daal mix n rest of masalas.
bring to boil.
top up chopped coriander leaves.
swirl this with fresh cream or butter before serving.

Ready to serve :)

Virgin PinaColada

b4 the first time i made this refreshing cooler i never thot i cud do this at home..but yeah...its POSSIBLE..n bliv me its simple too..

You Need
1 cup fresh cut pineapple
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup ice


Just blend everything in a blender and your fav mocktail is ready.
Now ppl who drink alcohol cud add 1/2 cup martini to this one n remove the word "virgin" from it.
ok i am going to my patio 2 sip a tall glass of it.

Eggless Chocolate Sponge Cake

I love baking cakes n cookies..Its so much fun to check out of the oven wht happened???

You Need
1/2 tin condensed milk (200gms)
2 3/4 cups plain flour (240gms)
40 gm cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda (soda bicarb)
2 tsp icing sugar
1/2 cup butter melted (60gms)
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
100 ml milk
100 ml Coke or Thums Up


Sieve flour, baking powder, baking soda,
sugar, cocoa all together 2 to 3 times.
Keep aside.
Pour condensed milk in a bowl. Add the
butter, and beat well till smooth. Add Vanilla essence.Add the
flour spoon by spoon, mixing into the
condensed milk mixture. In between,
add milk as required if the butter begins
to get too stiff. [Stir the mixture in one
direction only all the while. This will
incorporate more air and make the cake
lighter].
Once all the flour is used up, beat the
batter as above till light (5-7 minutes).
Add the coke or Thums Up and mix
gently till smooth.
Pour into a greased cake tin. Do not
smooth with a spoon etc. If the consistency
is right this will not be needed.
Pre-heat over to 300o c. Place tin inside.
Bake at 200o c for 5-7 minutes and
150o c till done. (35 to 40 minutes).

My Tip :-
You can top this with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. Remember this would be yummy when the cake is still hot :)
choc sauce is quite easy to prepare - just add 3 spoons cocoa powder to hot water n heat for a while.
Ok next time i am gonna post a cake recipe that includes eggs.