Family,Friends and Food

Sweet Corn Bruschetta

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 23:38:00 +0000

This is one scrumptious appetizer which both kids and adults will enjoy. It has a good balance of sweet and savory combination which makes it interesting. Since the mixture is not watery, the bread does not get soggy.I make it with whole grain bread and pack them for lunch and my son loves them :)

Ingredients:

Bread of your choice ( French baguette/sourdough bread/whole grain bread)
2 1/2 cups corn kernels
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 cup finally chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese or Italian mix cheese
For Garnish

1 de-seeded and minced green chili
Some fresh cilantro leaves

Method :

In a sauce pan cook the milk and corn kernels until corn is tender. Stir the corn occasionally making sure it doesn’t burn in the bottom of the pan.
Add the all purpose flour and lightly mash the corn using the food processor or blender, (do not make it into paste).

Note : You can make this using store brought Cream Style Corn and skip the above 2 steps.

Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium-high heat. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if seed cracks right away oil is ready.
When the cumin seeds crack add the corn mixture, black pepper, salt and red bell pepper.
Stir and reduce the heat to medium. This should take 2 to 3 minutes.
Next stir the cheese and close the heat.
Corn should be in the consistency of a spread not very dry.
Serve over toasted bread and garnish with minced green chili and cilantro.

Pineapple Delight !

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 23:08:00 +0000

This is an easy peasy dessert few ingredients and can be done in almost no time. You can make it ahead of time and still WOW your guests :)

Ingredients:

1 - 8oz cool whip

1 - 20 0z crushed pineapple can in its own juice

1 - 14 oz sweetened condensed milk

Ladyfinger cookies

A big fistful of sliced almonds or any of your favorite nuts for garnishing

Preparation:

Keep the cool whip whipped cream outside for 20 min until it becomes spreadable. For fresh cream you can avoid this step

Drain the crushed pineapple and reserve the juice aside.

Dip the Ladyfinger cookies in the juice and layer it on your serving dish.

In a big bowl mix in whipped cream, condensed milk, pineapple and pour this mixture over the cookies.

Refrigerate it for 6-8 hours or overnight

Tada! pineapple dessert is ready to serve!!

This pineapple dessert is neither too sweet nor too sour, Be generous your favorite nuts which add crunch and so much flavor to the dessert :)

Bangalore Masala Puri

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Thu, 20 May 2010 00:30:00 +0000

Masala Puri is my all time favorite dish and I will have it only the Bangalore Style with green peas.

After trying numerous chaat places in USA, I was not satisfied with the Chikpea version of this dish. I searched online for recipes and below is my altered version of the dish,

I made this dish as a starter for my son's birthday, my family n friends loved it and I am sure your will too :)

Its a lengthy process and believe me friends it all worth it :)

Ingredients:

For Green Peas Masala :
Dried Green Peas : 150g
Potato: 1
Carrot: 1
2-3 Green Chillies
Bayleaf: 1
Cloves: 5
Kapok Buds - Marathi Moggu: 1
Fennel Seeds: 1/2 tsp
Peppercorns: 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies: 3-5 numbers (vary according to the taste)
Coriander Leaf: 1 small bunch
Ginger -Garlic Paste: 1tsp
Onion: 2
Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
Oil: 1/2 tbsp
Coriander(Dhania) Powder: 1tsp
Chaat Masala - 1tsp
Tamarind Paste-1/2tsp
Salt- As needed

Pre Cooking:
1. Soak dried green peas overnight.
2. You can buy few poori/papdi from store if you do not wish to make them at home.

Making Green Peas Masala:

1. Pressure cook soaked green peas,green chillies peeled and washed potato and peeled carrot for 4-5 whistles
2. Once the pressure comes down, remove potato,carrot, green chillies and 2 tbsp of green peas to a separate bowl.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Add jeera. When jeera turns red, add onion and saute till they are soft. Add in ginger-garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes away. Switch off the stove and let it cool.
4. Fry red chillies, cloves and marathi moggu with bay leaf on a hot pan till cloves pops up. Remove them and let them cool.
5. Grind onion-ginger garlic mixture, red chillies, cloves, marathi moggu, bayleaf, fennel seeds, coriander leaves to get coarse mixture. Add cooked potato, carrot, green peas which were reserved in a bowl. Add little water and grind this to smooth paste.
6. Remove the paste to the dish in which you want to prepare peas masala. Add in cooked peas and bring it to boil. It is time to add coriander powder, salt, tamarind paste and continue to boil for 2 mins. Check salt and adjust if necessary. Switch off the stove and add a tsp of chaat masala. Raagda is ready to serve.

Papdi

You can always buy ready made papdi available at stores.

You need the following to make papdi's at home :

Ingredients :

Chiroti Rava - 1 cup
Madia- 2tbsp
Salt
Ghee-1/2 tbsp
Water to knead
Oil for deep frying

Mix every thing to make a firm dough. Rest the dough for 10 mins.
Roll the dough into big circle. Cut them into squares. Prick the squares with a fork.
Heat oil and deep fry these squares till they are crisp and golden.
Puris are ready for the chaat.

Assembling:

Ingredients:
Potatoes - 1 Boiled and mashed
Onions- 1 Chopped finely
Tomato-1 Pith removed and chopped finely
Coriander Leaves- Chopped finely
Carrot- 1 peeled and grated
Sev- 100g
Store bought Coriander chutney & Date chutney.

Take a plate and place few pooris on it. Crush them down.
Pour prepared raagda over it.
Garnish it with chopped onions, tomato, grated carrot, finely chopped coriander leaves along with some coriander and date chutney. Top it up with Sev and serve..slurrrrp!!!!

Notes:

Do NOT use frozen peas for masala puri. The taste will not be authentic. Use the dried peas only!!

The green peas masala needs to be hot while serving. Hence keep cooking the masala on a low heat until you serve OR do not forget to heat it before serving.

Chicken Lasagna

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:38:00 +0000

Its been really long since I posted any recipe...Had been out of country for a while...then we moved to a different city...n then there's my son who always needs me by his side...even when I try to do some thing new in my kitchen, I am worn out before I try to capture the dish and write about it...well there always an excuse for not doing something :)
I have been wanting to try this dish since a long long time....n I'm really glad I did it at last. It was creamy and delicious just the way I expected and really its very simple to put it all together.Just plan ahead.
My man and son loved it and so will yours :)

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts

14 lasagna noodles
1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded

1/2 cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp red chillie flakes

1 tsp Oregano

1 cup mushrooms

1 cup marinated artichoke hearts diced

1 diced tomato (minus the pulp)

1 cup fresh cilantro

Marinade for the Chicken Breast :
1 tbs Italian Spice blend

1/2 tbsp fresh ground black pepper

Salt to taste

Marinade the chicken for atleast 2 hrs.

Boil the noodles according to package instructions; make sure to add 2 tbsp oil to the pan to prevent noodles from sticking together. Rinse in cold water and set aside.

Bake the chicken breats along with the mushrooms by sealing them in Aluminium foil (This will keep the chicken juicy n flavorfull) in a 300 oven for 30 minutes.

Shred the chicken after it is cooled.Add in the baked mushrooms ,artichoke hearts ,tomato and the remaining red chillie flakes.

Mix the cream soups, sour cream, ricotta, garlic, 1/2 tbsp red chillie flakes, oregano and cilantro together until well combined.

Layer in a greased baking dish:

Spread a little sauce in the pan before placing the noodles.

Next seal the noodles in with a layer of the sauce followed by the chicken and 1/4 of the cheese

Repeat the layers until you have 3. On the top sprinkle the remaining cheese along with the parmesan cheese

Bake in a 350 oven for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted. Do not overbake it or the noodles will be rubbery and dry.

Chicken Dum Biryani

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:49:00 +0000

Dum Biryani is my darling hubby's favorite dish and he asks me to do it repeatedly...coz its never Enough !!

Biryani is one dish which is prepared in various ways across India....so many beautiful and delicious variations....with different meats and different preparation methods...this is my un-conventional take on the ......
Authentic n Traditional....not so sure...but seriously tasty and will leave you begging for more.... oh YES !!!

Ingredients

2 cups Basmati Rice (Indian Long Grain Rice)
1/2 pound chicken
1 big onion
1/2 cup coriander leaves
1/2 cup mint leaves
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (GG)
2 tbsp fat free yogurt
2 tbsp milk
1.5 tsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp coriander seeds
3 red chillies
4-5 green chillies
6 strings of Saffron
Salt to taste

Dry Whole Masala: (DWM)

2 Cloves
1/2 Stick Cinnamon
2 Cardamom
2 Bay Leaves
1 Leaf Aniseed

Marinate for the chicken :

Salt
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Turmeric

Method:

Clean the chicken and marinade with salt,turmeric and lemon juice for about an hour (minimum) or more in the refrigerator. This helps the chicken to be moist and absorb the spices.

Drain rice & keep aside. Boil 6 cups of water in a pan. Meanwhile, heat butter/oil in a skillet. Add rice fry for 2 min,just so that all the grains are well-coated with the grease to avoid them from sticking when its done.
Transfer the rice to the boiling water, add salt & cook uncovered till the rice is 3/4th cooked. Drain the rice in a colander & set aside.

Soak the saffron strings in warm milk.

Take some oil in a Kadai (Wok) , once the oil is warmed up, put in the DWM and fry them....your nose will tell you when its time....

Now add crushed coriander, pepper seeds and red chillies, fry for 5 min,put in the GG, and fry it well until the raw smell goes...keeping the flame on med-low.

Tip : Add in a little salt to avoid the GG from sticking to the bottom of your pan.

Add the thinly sliced green chillies and onion, saute it for a few....till the onion soften and become translucent, add the finely chopped coriander and mint leaves and fry.

Add the chicken pieces to the masala along with a pinch of turmeric and salt to taste, cook for 15 to 20 min, once you see the chicken almost done and well coated with all the spices...add in the well beaten yogurt and mix in well and fry it for 10 more min , giving the chicken more time to absorb in all the spices .

Once you have your chicken and rice ready...its time for the fancy layering.

Take a deep baking dish, coat the inside with a good amount of cooking spray. Start layering, with rice being the bottom and top layer.....you can add many or leave it to a minimum of 3 layers.

Add the saffron milk mixture on the top of the rice....to add color and flavor.

Pre-heat the oven to 350F.

Cover the dish with foil and bake it for 30 min.

Serve hot garnished with fresh coriander leaves, fried onion and lemon wedges.

I kinda avoid the fried onion....a little concerned about my waist line n health....noting that i need to repeat this recipe at least twice a month on hubby's sweet request :)

Croissant Pudding

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 23:43:00 +0000

I brought a box of croissants....we ate a couple of them for breakfast....but there were more in my pantry waiting for me to be used....so I tried making this awesome croissant pudding....It really came out to be so perfectly soft , sweet n yummy just the way a good pudding should taste.

Ingredients :

Unsalted butter for the baking dish, at room temperature
4 croissants, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 eggs
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pinch kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup raisens

Method :

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, sugar (brown n white), vanilla, salt, and nutmeg.

Add custard to the croissants,press it well for it to be soaked well...Cover; chill for about 1 hour.

Transfer 1/2 the mixture to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle the raisens and then pour in the rest of the mixture.

Heat oven to 375° F. Butter an 8-inch square or other shallow 2-quart baking dish.

Bake until set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I love to have warm bread pudding with a scope of cold Ice-cream....with some Almond brittels sprinkled on top for crunch....really yummy way to end any meal :)

Methi Chicken (Chicken with fresh Fenugreek leaves)

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:33:00 +0000

I love Methi Chicken....it can be done with both fresh as well as dry methi leaves...but when cooked with fresh methi leaves it really enhances the flavor.

The bitter liquorish taste of methi leaves makes this chicken dish really unique and ‘lip-smackingly’ delicious.

Ingredients :

1 pound skinless Chicken (medium pieces)
1 cup non-fat yogurt
1 large onion (thinly sliced)
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (GG)
1 pinch turmeric powder.
1 tsp red chili powder.
1 tsp coriander powder.
1 tsp cumin powder.
1 tsp crushed pepper
2 thai long green chillies
1 tbsp tomato paste or 1/2 tomato chopped
2 cups fresh methi leaves (Fenugreek Leaves)
1/3 cup chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Dry Whole Masala: (DWM)

2 Cloves
1/2 Stick Cinnamon
1 Leaf Aniseed

Method :

Take some oil in a Kadai (Wok) , once the oil is warmed up, put in the DWM and fry them.

Add the sliced onions and green chillies, along with crushed pepper and turmeric, saute till the onions are well done.

Keep the flame on low heat, add the GG and fry until the raw smell fades, add the tomato paste and fry for a min.

Now add the powdered spices...red chili, coriander and cumin and fry them for a few.....letting all the spices to combine.

This is totally optional...At this stage I grind the above masala....just so that all the whole masalas are in-corporated in the dish. I don't use any Garam Masala powder....just one little swirl in the mixer...it also gives the dish a very rich texture n look.

Now you can add the finely chopped fresh methi leaves...and fry well until it releases the aroma...add in your chicken pieces along with salt ....

Add a cup of water, cover it with lid and let it cook for about 15 minutes on med flame, stirring in between.

When the chicken is almost done stir in the yogurt, cover it and cook for 5 more min.

Garnish it with chopped coriander and sprinkle some lemon juice before serving.

Enjoy it with any of your favorite Indian rice / bread.

Chicken curry with Eggplant

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Thu, 21 May 2009 23:35:00 +0000

I love Thai Eggplant Basil Chicken...nope I am not a big fan of eggplant but this dish totally blows me out...I wanted to try this at home since long... but not with the store brought spice mix...something original.

I googled up for the ingredients ...n was quite disappointed coz most of them I did not have at home during the time(lemongrass,fresh Thai Basil)...n some of them I was hearing for the very first time (galangal, mam ruoc [Vietnamese shrimp paste])...well that did not make me give up...instead i zuzhed up my own recipe with what i had at home....and Man-O-Man....I really surprised myself with the out come......guys if u love chicken try this recipe n you will be thankful u did.....its really that good!

Ingredients :

2 Boneless Chicken Breasts

2 Chinese Eggplants (Long Purple ones)

1/2 red onion
4 Dried Bay leaves

2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 lemon juice

Spice Mixture :

4 cloves roasted Garlic

1/2 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste(GG)

6 Long Thai green chillies

2 tsp cumin powder

1 tbsp coriander powder

4 red chillies

2 tbsp peanut butter

1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground black pepper

Method :

Pre-heat the oven to 350F.

Chop the eggplant into bite size pieces and roast them with oil, salt n pepper for 20 min.You can also roast few garlic cloves along side...for the spice mix.

Put all the ingredients for the spice mixture in a blender, and make a smooth paste....add in a little water.

Slice your chicken fillet into 1/2 by 2 inch strips. Set aside.

Take some oil in a Kadai (Wok) , once the oil is warmed up ,add in the bay leaves, put in the ground spice mix...keep stirring it such that it does not stick to the pan....

If you like you curry medium spicy...you can add 2 tsp of red chilli powder at this time as I did.

Do not shake the can of coconut milk.
Starting with one spoonful at a time, scoop out the top heavy cream part and saute it with the spice paste until thoroughly mixed. Then add another spoonful and repeat until all of the coconut cream is used. Keep stirring to make sure it doesn't burn.

Add in the chicken along with salt to taste and cook for 10 min on med-low flame.

Then add all the rest of the liquid in the can of coconut milk. Add water to the empty can, slosh it around to get every last bit of coconut milk, and pour that into the wok as well.

Add in the roasted eggplant and lemon zest....let it simmer for 5 more min.

Squeeze in the juice of 1/2 lemon after you turn off the heat.

Serve garnished with Coriander leaves, atop a steaming mound of jasmine rice.

Next time I do this...I would love to add in green pepper for crunch and throw on a few fresh basil leaves on top ....hmmmm

Mutton Chops

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Wed, 13 May 2009 23:25:00 +0000

This week is very special...Its my hubby's birthday week.....so I will be cooking all his favs throughout the week to make him feel extra special....considering the extra time I have on hand... I hope this would be an excellent Birthday gift :)

Its a known that my hubby loves non-veg,so surely I will start with something he totally adores.....how does mutton chops, sound for a start ?.....I hear YUmmmmmmmmYYY!!!

This recipe runs in my family for generations....my granny to mom to me...

My mom always did this when we had cough/cold, considering it has a lot of warm spices like pepper,mint,coriander,ginger,garlic........helps in soothing the throat, one more reason to enjoy this fabulous dish :)

Ingredients :

1 pound mutton (medium pieces)
1/2 onion finely chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Ingredients for Masala :

1 large onion
1 1/2 tbsp fresh grated coconut
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (GG)
1/2 tsp red chili powder.
1/2 tsp coriander powder.
2 tsp crushed pepper
1 small tomato chopped
1 cup chopped coriander leaves
1 cup chopped mint leaves
2 Cloves
1/2 Stick Cinnamon

Method :

Take some oil in a Pressure cooker , once the oil is warmed up, put in the chopped onions and fry them till golden, add the turmeric and mutton along with salt and fry for 5 min...until the mutton gets caramelized on the outside.

Add the ground masala paste and fry well by stirring occasionally for 5 min until the raw smell of the spices fades.

Add in 2 cups of water.

Cook this in the cooker on med flame and turn it off after 2-3 whistles.

Wait for the pressure in the cooker to reduce...before trying to open the cooker.

Enjoy it with Chapatis,Ghee rice or plain rice.

I made Dosa's to go with this .....its sooo good..... u should try it to believe it :)

BisiBele Bath

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 23:25:00 +0000

Now talking about comfort food.....Bengaluru Style....one has to try the scrumptious BisiBele Bath...its so yummy n healthy at the same time...none to beat that combination.

Its all about the balance between the sweet(Jaggery),sour(Tamarind) n spicy(Spice powder)....which makes this dish so mouth watering....n really its very simple to put it all together too....try this fabulous dish ur self....n u will know..

It tastes best with home made spice powder[which my mom always makes for me...n now that's its over :(]......but now-a-days u get such good ready made stuff to make use of...so I tried it this time with store brought spice powder n still it tastes great :)

Ingredients :

2 cups Rice (Sona Masuri..Short grain rice)

1 cup Toor Dal

1 cup chopped Beans

1 cup chopped Carrots

1 cup chopped potatoes

1 cup frozen peas

1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tbsp Jaggery

1 tbsp Tamarind paste

2 tbsp BisiBele Bath powder (MTR)

Salt to Taste

Ingredients for Seasoning :

1 tsp Mustard seeds

2 whole Red Chillies

5-6 Fresh Curry Leaves

2-3 tbsp Peanuts

Method :

Make 2 cups of rice in Rice cooker with 1:3 rice:water,proportion.

Boil 4 cups water in a vessel, when it comes to boil, add little salt, turmeric and the toor dal....when the dal is al-dente, add in the chopped carrots, potatoes ,after 5 min,add in the beans and cook till all the veges are cooked through but are not mushy......by then the dal should be well cooked and mushy.

Now take a BIG vessel, add in oil and when its hot, add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chillies, ....wait for it to crackle.

Add in the peanuts and roast them on low flame .

Add in the dal with veges and rice into the vessel and mix it all together(I told u...u need a big vessel for this).

Add the jaggrey,tamarind paste, salt and spice powder and mix it well for everything to combine well...add water if the mixture is too think.....heat it through for a few ....allowing all the spices to marry.

Add chopped coriander leaves on top.

Serve it hot with a little ghee on top...along with curd rice (Mosaranna) n potato chips....believe me whether u r from Bangalore or not....if u eat this u will fall in love with Bangalore :)

Khara Pongal (Moong Dal Khichidi)

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 01:33:00 +0000

Sometimes just the most simple thing makes u feel so satisfied n comforting.

Khara Pongal is one such very simple n tasty south Indian dish. It has three key ingredients...Pepper,Cumin n desi Ghee...with the right combination...u will have this mouth watering dish ready in minutes.

Perfect for a quick weekend breakfast,brunch or a buzy weekday dinner.

Ingredients :

1 cup rice
3/4 cup moong daal
2-3 thai green chillies
1 tsp mustard seeds
10 crushed pepper corns
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp Ghee
5 fresh curry leaves
4-5 cashew nuts
chopped coriander leaves for garnish
Salt to taste

Method :

Cook rice with 1:3 proportion water...a little more water is just fine coz for this dish you need the rice to be kinda mashed.

Fry the Moong Dal without oil...for 5 min ...ur nose will tell u when its time....add water 4 cups water and boil it until the dal is well cooked.

Now for the seasoning, take some oil in a Kadai (Wok), once the oil is warmed up, put in the mustard seeds and curry leaves...wait for it to crackle.

Add cashew nuts and fry till golden.

Roughly crush the cumin and pepper corn in a pestle and add it in along with the green chillies.

Now add in the rice and dal into the seasoning along with salt to taste and one cup of water. Stir it all well and cook for some time ....when it begins to bubble ...add in 2-3 tbsp of desi ghee...and mix it well.

Add in chopped coriander leaves and serve it with Raitha(plain yogurt with onion,coriander n salt) or with coconut chutney....you can eat it as is or with any pickle of your choice....its yummy.

Aloo Methi n Mattar curry (Potatoes with Fenugreek and Peas)

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:33:00 +0000

Aloo Methi, is a very simple North Indian curry, its so flavorful n nutritious....sweet red onions, starchy potatoes, fresh garlic n green chilli's, bitter liquorish fenugreek leaves with a hint of lemon juice...along with some Indian spices...how bad can that be....this is my take on this not so fancy but fantastic dish.

I have added some peas in it, I happen to love the sweetness it adds to this earthy dish.

Ingredients :

2 big Potatoes (Idaho)
1 1/2 cups fenugreek leaves
1 big onion finely chopped
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste (GG)
1 tsp red chili powder
1 pinch turmeric
2 tbsp plain yogurt
1/2 lemon juice
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 Thai green chilli's finely chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas
coriander leaves for garnish
Salt to taste

Dry Whole Masala (DWM):

4 red chilli's
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 cloves
1/2 stick cinnamon
2-3 pepper corn

Method :

Boil potatoes till tender,peel and cube them.

Dry roast the DWM and grind it to form a powder.

Take some oil in a Kadai (Wok) , once the oil is warmed up, put in the cumin seeds...wait for it to crackle.

Add the onions and chilli's and fry till onion are transparent,put in the GG along with the turmeric, and fry it well until the raw smell fades...keeping the flame on med-low.

Add the ground masala powder along with the red chilli powder and saute for a min on low flame, be cautious not to burn it.

Add the chopped fenugreek leave and fry until the leaves wilt.

Add the cubed potatoes and frozen peas along with salt and fry them...for about 3 min and then add the yogurt and fry it for another 5 min.

Turn off the heat and squeeze 1/2 lemon juice.

Garnish with chopped coriander and sweet onions.....I love the combinations of aloo methi curry n chapati with onions on the side.....slurrrrpp :)

Fenugreek curry with Toor Dal (Menthya palya)

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:47:00 +0000

This is one of the dishes my hubby grew up eating....I was introduced to this after marriage and have come to like it too.....I do this often now.....its really simple to put it together, very nutritious and scrumptious with hot chapatis....perfect for a quick week-day dinner.

Ingredients :

1 cup Toor Dal

2 cups fenugreek leaves

1 big onion

4 cloves garlic

1 tbsp red chili powder

1 pinch turmeric

1 tsp mustard seeds

Curry leaves

2 red chilli's

Salt to taste

Method :

Boil some water in a vessel, add 2 tbsp oil in it and add the Toor dal, add little salt for seasoning.....cook the dal until they are al dente. Strain the dal n keep aside.

Take some oil in a Kadai (Wok) , once the oil is warmed up, put in the mustard seeds, few fresh curry leaves and the red chilli's...wait for the mustard to splutter.

Crush the garlic cloves with pestle , fry it until it turns golden. Add in the thinly cut onion and fry on med flame until the onion turns pink. Turn down the heat and add the chili powder, turmeric and salt to taste...saute for a min.

Add the chopped fenugreek leaves and fry them for few min....your nose will know when its done...it has this great aroma which I love.

Now add the cooked dal to the mixture and saute for 5 min....

That's it...u r done... enjoy the curry with either frozen chapatis or fresh ones :)

The same recipe can be done using Dill or Chives.When using chives, omit the onions.

Egg pulao with Fenugreek

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:38:00 +0000

We had been to our local farmer's market this weekend and were pleasantly surprised to see fresh Fenugreek leaves (menthya[Kannada],meethi[Hindi]).I brought 3 whole bunches....I mean big bunches of them...I have carefully separated the leaves and stored it in 2 airtight containers ..... n thats a lot for the two of us.

Thus ...you will be seeing a lot of menthya in my up-coming recipes....I need to finish them before they loose their freshness...

My hubby happens to love it in all dishes....GREEN from his side.....so lets start ...shall we ?

Ingredients

4 Boiled eggs
2 cups Basmati Rice (Indian Long Grain Rice)
1 big onion
1 tomato
1 cup fenugreek leaves
1/2 cup coriander leaves
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (GG)
1 tsp crushed black pepper
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp red chili powder
1 pinch turmeric
2 Thai long green chili's
Salt to taste

Dry Whole Masala: (DWM)

1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 Cloves
1/2 Stick Cinnamon
2 Cardamom
2 Bay Leaves
1 Leaf Aniseed

Method :

Take some oil in a Kadai (Wok) , once the oil is warmed up, put in the DWM and fry them.

Now add the cumin seeds and crushed pepper, fry until the cumin seeds crackle,add the green chillies,put in the GG, and fry it well until the raw smell fades...keeping the flame on med-low.

Tip : Add in a little salt to avoid the GG from sticking to the bottom of your pan.

Add in the thinly cut onion, saute it for a few....till the onion softens and become translucent, add the finely chopped coriander and fenugreek leaves and fry.....

Now keeping the flame on low, add the red chili and coriander powder and saute for 5 min....add the tomatoes and cook it for 10 min on med flame...allowing all of the spices to combine.

Add the eggs to the gravy along with a pinch of turmeric and salt to taste, cook for a few.

Tip : Poke the egg all-around with a fork, making tiny holes...this is to help the masala get into the eggs...it really makes a difference.

Add the rice to the mixture and slowly mix it in...careful not to break the eggs.....Stir in the frozen peas just a min before you turn off the heat.

Transfer the contents to a rice cooker, follow the instructions to cook rice.

Enjoy it with Raitha or plain yogurt.

You can omitt the eggs ....for just Fenugreek pulao. Its simply delicious.

Also other variations you can try are replacing methi with mint leaves....its so yummy...really hard to say which ones better...so give it a shot n let me know :)

Lamb Patties

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 23:48:00 +0000

Friday night is party time in my family....after a week long of hectic work....its time to have a relaxed dinner , sipping a glass of wine and watching a good movie.

Food plays a major role ....I usually make some appetizer to snack on apart from the main entry......today it was Lamb Patties....my family really enjoys this dish.....What about yours ?

Ingredients :

1 pound ground meat (Lamb/Goat/Chicken/Turkey)
1/2 Onion paste
1 cup Fresh Coriander leaves finely chopped
1 pinch Turmeric
1 tsp Red Chili powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
2 Cloves
1/2 Stick Cinnamon
1/2 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
1 Egg
Salt to taste

Method:

Crush the cloves and cinnamon in a pestle.

Add all the ingredients for the meet balls in a bowl, add the ground meat and mix well with your hands.

Make patties and place on a baking sheet.

Pre-heat the oven to 350F.

Bake them for 15 min , flip the patties and bake for 10 more min....until it turns golden, crispy.

Remove the patties from the oven. Enjoy them by squeezing a little lemon juice on top , along with your favorite drink.

PS: As most of my other recipes, this is also figure friendly as they are not fried ......one more reason to indulge on them ;)

Mutton Kheema

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:35:00 +0000

This is one of my childhood favorites.My mom used to do it often for us.....I remember how we used to count the number of balls we ate....n fought for more :)

There are umpteen number of ways to enjoy meet balls.......Look forward for my upbeat variations ...coming soon.

Ingredients for Gravy:

1 1/2 Onion
2 tbsp Grated Coconut
1 small Tomato
1 tbsp Poppy seeds
1 tsp Fried Gram
1 cup Fresh Coriander leaves
1 cup Fresh Mint leaves
1 pinch Turmeric
1 1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
2 Cloves
1/2 Stick Cinnamon
1/2 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste (GG)

Ingredients for Meet Balls:

1 pound ground meat (Lamb/Goat)
1/2 Onion paste
1 tbsp Fried Gram powder
1 cup Fresh Coriander leaves finely chopped
1 pinch Turmeric
1 tsp Red Chili powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
2 Cloves
1/2 Stick Cinnamon
1/2 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
1 Egg
Salt to taste

Method:

Grind all the ingredients for the gravy along with little water to form a smooth paste.

Crush the cloves and cinnamon in a pestle.

Add all the ingredients for the meet balls in a bowl, add the ground meat and mix well with your hands.

Make small balls.

Take some oil in a vessel, add thinly cut onion and fry till golden.Now pour the gravy paste and fry it on low flame for about 15 min until all the spices combine.....you need to fry it until the masala is well cooked and the oil separates from the gravy....keep a close watch by stirring it occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the vessel.

Add 2 cups of water to the gravy and wait till it comes to a boil.

Add the meat balls slowly one at a time and do not disturb the balls by stirring it.Once the balls are well cooked ...they begin to float on top.....now you know its done.

Garnish it with some chopped coriander leaves.

This can be enjoyed along with Chapatis , Jeera Rice , Ghee Rice or some plain rice....yummy ! ! !

Chicken Quesadilla with an Indian Twist

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 22:49:00 +0000

How I came up with this recipe...?

I love Mexican food....Tacos,Nachos,Tamales,Enchiladas,Refried Beans,Chicken Fajita...the list goes on...

One day I was back from office...exhausted...and there my brain was ticking Chicken Quesadilla...well going out to dine was out of question... with a 10 month old to take care off.....and the to do list of jobs waiting for me...

Then I created this fantastic recipe in my head while i was feeding Aaru....

Chicken Quesadillas with an Indian Twist....

Its so simple ..I put into test right way...n Wolla it came out so perfect... n yup...its so much more healthy and figure friendly...I ended up eating more than what I would actually do :)

Ingredients :

1 pound minced chicken
2 tbsp oil
1 onion
5 Vine Sweet Mini Peppers (can be substituted with 1 big Red pepper / capsicum)
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 pinch Turmeric
1/4 cup coriander leaves
4 Tortillas
1 cup grated Cheddar Cheese
Salt to taste

Method:

Heat some oil in a pan. Add the crushed garlic and the thinly cut onion and saute until it softens.Now put in the peppers and fry until they mellow down.

Add in the red chili flakes along with the coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric and salt.....fry for a few and add the chicken and cook the chicken until done....avoid big lumps of chicken.

Then finish it off with a generous sprinkle of fresh coriander leaves.

Pre-heat the oven to 250F.

Lay 2 tortillas on a baking sheet. Sprinkle it with some cheese, chicken mixture and some more cheese. Cover with the remaining tortillas and slide it into the oven.

Bake it on 250 for 15 min and crank the heat to 350 and bake it for 10 more min....for it turn golden, crispy and gooey with the melted cheese....yummmmm

Remove the quesadilla from the oven, cut into quarters and serve with a dollop of guacamole......to enjoy a great meal like i did on a hectic weekday or any other day of ur choice :)

Guacamole

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:32:00 +0000

I love Guacamole with Chips, Fajita's, Quesadillas ,Pita's ....n sometimes I gobble some up just like that....

Secret to great guacamole is to use good avocados. Make sure your avocados are ripe. I recommend the Haas variety.

Ingredients :

2 avocados
2 Vine Sweet Mini Pepper
1 lemon, juiced
2 tbsp chopped onion
1 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
Salt to taste
A Ziploc bag

Cut the avocados into halves. Remove the seeds, and scoop out the pulp into a Ziploc bag.

Stir in lemon juice, onion, pepper, salt, and cilantro leaves . Cover the bag, and have fun smashing the ingredients in it until its becomes a smooth mixture.

Make a small opening at one end of the bag and squeeze the guacamole into a bowl.

Variations you can try :

You can enjoy it really basic like above or give it a nice kick with some crushed garlic in it.
Diced mango can also be an interesting addition.

Now you may be wondering WHY ZIPLOC BAG?

Its fun to smash things in a Ziploc bag. Also, it seems to be easier to work all of the lumps out that way. There are less dishes to clean up, and the mixture is ready for storage as soon as it has been made....cool.

Jeera Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 02:03:00 +0000

This is a very simple and delicious Rice dish.

When you want to impress someone with a good Indian Dish ...but are short on time...this is what you want to cook....It goes very well with any of your favorite Chicken,Mutton or vegetable curries.

Your guests will shower you with praise and no one will know how easy it was to put it all together.

Ingredients :

2 cups Basmati Rice (Indian Long Grain Rice)
1/2 cup coriander leaves
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (GG)
2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tbsp Butter
8 Whole Cashew nuts
Salt to taste

Dry Whole Masala: (DWM)

2 Cloves
1/2 Stick Cinnamon
2 Cardamom
2 Bay Leaves

Method:

Heat some oil along with butter in a heavy-bottomed pan till hot,add the DWM and fry them until its fragrant, then add the cumin seeds and cashew nuts.

Lower the heat and add the GG and fry for a few till the raw smell fades....

Add the rice and chopped coriander leaves, saute for a few seconds.

Pour in the warm water and add the salt.

Transfer the contents to a Rice Cooker and cook as per instruction.

Enjoy with you favorite curry / stew.

Ghee Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:37:00 +0000

This is a special rice dish my mom used to prepare along with Chicken / Mutton Stew . It goes absolutely well along with Vegetable curries too.......or can be relished all by itself. The coconut adds a nutty flavor to the rice which I really enjoy......Let me know your thoughts....

Ingredients :

2 cups Basmati Rice (Indian Long Grain Rice)
2 big onion
1/2 cup coriander leaves
1/4 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (GG)
2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 green chillies
4 tbsp Ghee (Clarified Butter)
8 Whole Cashew nuts
1 pinch turmeric
Salt to taste

Dry Whole Masala: (DWM)

2 Cloves
1/2 Stick Cinnamon
2 Cardamom
2 Bay Leaves

Method:

Heat the Ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan till hot,add the DWM and fry them until its fragrant, then add the cumin seeds and cashew nuts.

Now add the thinly sliced onions ,green chillies and turmeric and fry until the onions turn golden brown....don't burn them....keep a close watch.

Lower the heat and add the GG and fry for a few till the raw smell fades....add in the coriander and mint leaves .....add the grated coconut and fry for 1 min.

Add the rice and saute for a few seconds.

Pour in the warm water and add the salt.

Transfer the contents to a Rice Cooker and cook as per instruction.

Enjoy with you favorite curry / stew.

Baked Lemon,Mint&Ciliantro Chicken without OIL

noreply@blogger.com (Hitha Gotur) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 17:50:00 +0000

I have heard every one talking about Healthy Eating these days and belive me after having a baby ,like I just did...I had to come up with innovative ideas to get back in shape... yet, not to scarifice my appitite or taste.
This is just my take on eating great food...but still keeping the calorie count at bay...

The secret to get the perfect fork-tender chicken with NO OIL, is to bake the chicken in a covered pan, so it gets cooked in its own steam.

I recommend marinating the chicken a day prior to baking them, doing so you will be sure to get the chicken really flavor full.

Ingredients:
6 small chicken thighs
1/2 cup ciliantro leaves
1/2 cup mint leaves
6 garlic cloves
2 tbsp lemon juice (can be substituted by Rice Vinegar)
1 tbsp fat free yogurt
1.5 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste

Method:
Clean and pat dry the chicken thighs.

Take 1.5 spoon of crushed or powdered black pepper and crushed garlic cloves into a bowl.Grind fresh mint and ciliantro leaves to a coarse paste and combine to the above mixture and stir in the coriander powder, chilli powder,lemon juice ,yougurt and salt to form a paste.

Apply the marinade liberally on the chicken pieces and marinate for about an hour (minimum) or more in the refrigerator.

Pre-heat the oven to 375F.

Arrange the chicken pieces in an oven proof non-stick pan. (if a non-stick pan is not available, you will have to coat the cooking surface with cooking spray.) Cover with a tight fitting oven-proof lid, or cover securely with aluminum foil. Bake for 35 minutes.

Remove the lid / top aluminium foil, if there is excess liquid, you can discard it and continue baking it in the oven without the lid for 10 more minutes till all the liquids have dried up and the chicken pieces are well done.
Now the most important step, serve it in a beautiful chinaware to your loved ones with thinly cut onion,cucumber and some lemon slices and see how quickly they vanish....

PS: Don't let anyone know its actually healthy ! ! !