Fresh Fruit Compote with Creamy Yogurt..

Fresh Fruit Compote with Creamy Yogurt..

 

Fresh Fruit Compote
Ingredients
1/2 cup of Red Grapes chopped
1/2 cup of Strawberries chopped
1/2  of the Pineapple chopped
2 Kiwis chopped
1/4 cup of Sugar
1/4 cup of Honey
Pinch of Salt

Method
Take a pot.. Add Sugar, Salt, Honey and all the fruits. On a low flame, stir and cook till the sugar has incorporated well with the fruits and the liquid have reduced...

Creamy Yogurt
Ingredients
1 cup Hung Yogurt
1/2 cup Fresh Cream
1 cup Icing sugar
2 tbsp Honey

Method
Beat the cream for 2 minutes, add the yogurt, beat it, add icing sugar and honey, beat it until we get soft peaks.  

For Assembling
Take a small bowl, add 2 tbsp of fruit compote... Pipe in the yogurt.. Decorated with dried cranberries and drizzle with strawberry syrup... 

P.S. You can increase the sugar according to the taste... 

Mustard Green Leaves and Cottage Cheese Polau

Mustard Green Leaves and Cottage Cheese Polau
Ingredients
1 cup Basmati rice washed and soaked for 30 minutes
1/2 bunch Mustard Green Leaves (Sarson ka Saag) chopped
1/4 cup Spinach chopped
1/4 cup Dill leaves chopped (optional)
2 medium size Onion sliced
1 Tomato sliced
2 Green chillies chopped
1 tsp Ginger grated
1 tsp Garlic grated
1 cup Cottage cheese cut into pieces and fried
Salt to taste
1 tsp Garam Masala powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tbsp Ghee
Method
Take a pot and add ghee. Add cumin seeds, let it crackle. Add garlic and ginger, sauté it for few seconds. Add onions and green chillies,  fry till light brown. Add the mustard leaves, spinach leaves and dill leaves. Saute and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomato, salt, chilli powder garam masala powder  and coriander powder.  Stir and cook for 3 minutes. Add the rice, fried cottage cheese and 2 1/2 cups of water. Stir, cover and cook till the rice is done. Stir in between. Serve hot.

Carrot Ladoos

Carrot  Ladoos

Ingredients

6 cups Carrots shredded

1/4 tin Condensed Milk

1 cup Milk Powder 

3 tbsp Sugar 

1/4 tsp Salt 

1/2 tsp Cardamom powder

1/2 tbsp Almonds flakes

1/2 tbsp Pistachio flakes 

1/2 tbsp Mask Melon seeds / Magaz seeds 

1  tbsp Ghee

 Method

Heat ghee in a  heavy bottomed pan, add the shredded carrots and salt. Saute the carrots for 10 minutes. Add the milk powder and sugar. Stir it. Add the condensed milk and let the carrots cook, stir it continuously.  Add cardamom powder and stir it until it combines well. Once the condensed milk and the carrot has incoperated well, and the mixture has started to leave the sides, switch off the flame and mix in the almonds, pistachio and magaz seeds... Let the mixture cool. Grease the  palms with ghee and roll out small lemon size balls out of the mixture. Garnish with magaz seeds, almond and pistachio..

P.S. The mixture has to get dry and bit sticky... until then please keep stirring on low flame ... Otherwise the ladoos will not hold.. to test, once the mixture has come to the right consistency.. Try rolling a small portion... if it forms a ball, then it is done.

Baked Fish Bread Cake

Baked Fish Bread Cake
This dish is made with bread and fish.. Leftover bread is ideal to make this dish... Minced meat can be used instead of fish... More veggies and herbs like chopped carrots, mash potatoes, rosemary or thyme can be also add...

Ingredients
1 big loaf of Focaccia or any kind of bread
500 grams Boneless Fish boiled
10 Garlic Cloves minced
2 Green Chillies minced
Few sliced Olives
1 Green Capsicum chopped
1 Onion chopped
Salt to taste
2 cups of Cheddar and Mozzarella mix  
2 cups of Milk
3 Eggs
1 tbsp Olive oil
Method
Add oil into a pan, add onion, garlic, green chillies and capsicum. Stir and saute for 3 minutes. Add the boiled fish and salt. Stir it and break up the fish into small pieces and stir cook for 3 minutes more.. Take the bread loaf and break it up into small pieces. Add it to the fish. Take milk, add eggs and a cup of cheese in a bowl and mix it. Pour the mixture into the bread and fish. Mix it. Take a baking tray, grease it. Transfer the mixture into the baking tray. Spread it evenly. Add the remaining cheese on top... Bake at 200 degrees celcius for 30 minutes in a preheat oven.. Serve hot..

Quick Stir Fried Veggies with an Indian Twist

Quick Stir Fried Veggies with an Indian Twist
Ingredients
1 small size Yellow Capsicum cut into cubes
1 small size Red Capsicum cut into  cubes
1 small size Green Capsicum cut into cubes
8  small size Cauliflower  florest
1 Onion cut into cubes
Few French Beans chopped into big pieces
1 Carrot cut into medium size pieces
10 Garlic cloves whole
I cup Spinach chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp Chilli sauce
1 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
1/2 tbsp Honey
1 tsp Kitchen King Masala
1 tbsp of Olive oil

Method
Take the cauliflower florest and carrots, par boil it in hot salted water. Drain water and keep it aside. Take a wok, add oil, let it heat. Add the onion and garlic, saute on a medium flame for 2 minutes, one by one add the vegetables, stirring it continuously. First add the cauliflower, stir it for 2 minutes, add the carrots.. Keep stirring and let it cook for 2 minutes. Now add the French beans, after few minutes add all the 3 colour capsicum and the spinach leaves. Stir and add the tomato ketchup, chilli sauce, salt and 1/2 tbsp of honey. Stir till the cauliflower has be come tender.. Add the kitchen King Masala and stir it for 2 minutes... Serve it hot....

Kitchen King Masala
Ingredients
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
1/2 tbsp Caraway seeds
1/2 tbsp Mustard seeds
2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp Fennel seeds
2 tbsp Split Bengal Gram
8 Dry Red Chilli
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp Dry Ginger powder
1/2 tbsp Black Peppercorns
8 Cloves
8 Green Cardamon
2 Black Cardamon
2 stick Cinnamon
1 Star Anise
1 small piece Nutmeg
2 Mace
1 tbsp Poppy Seeds
1/2 tbsp Rock Salt

Method
Dry roast all ingredients one by one and allow to cool except ginger, turmeric powder and rock salt. Cool all the ingredients and grind into smooth powder. Cool powder masala to room temperature and store in air tight container. It remains for 12 months..

Roasted Combination Soup

How about some festive winter soup....
Very easy to make, healthy and tasty too.. An experiment for my kitchen.....

Roasted Combination Soup
Ingredients
1/2 cup Pumpkin cubes
1/4 cup Ripe Papaya
1/2 Yellow Capsicum
1/2 cup Red Cabbage cubes
1/2 Red Capsicum
1/4 cup Strawberries
1 Tomato cut into half
1 Garlic pod cleaned
1 Star Anise
1 stick Cinnamon
2 Cloves
6 Pepper corn
3 Bay leaves
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Olive oil
Coconut milk

Method
In a baking tray, spread all the above ingredients but keep the same colour vegetables and fruit together on the same side. Garlic and spice can be spread allover. Sprinkle salt and drizzle olive oil. Roast it in a pre heated oven at 250 degrees celcius for 20 minutes. Take out the bay leaves and star anise.  Blend the same colour vegetables and fruit together and pour it in a pot. Similarly repeat the same for the other colour vegetables and fruit, pour  it in another pot. Add water to liquidise the pulp in both the pots. Add salt to taste. Simmer it for 5  to 10 minutes. While serving, take a soup  bowl... Pour red colour soup and fill up 1/4 of the soup bowl... Next pour in yellow colour soup and fill up more 1/4 of the bowl.. Repeat till the bowl is fillied up.  Garnish with coconut milk.... And create an art work with both the colour soups to pep up your creativity and serve it hot...

Pesto and Olive Whole Wheat Bread Wreath

Pesto and Olive Whole Wheat Bread Wreath
This bread is made with home made Pesto sauce,sliced red pickled chillies and olives...it is then garnish with thyme.

Pesto sauce
Ingredients
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup peeled almonds and walnut mix
3 garlic cloves minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method
Put the basil leaves and  nuts into the grinder and grind. Add the garlic and Parmesan cheese and grind few more times. While the grinder is running, slowly add the olive oil in the grinder. Occasionally stop to scrape down the sides of the grinder. Add some salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Pesto and Olive Whole Wheat Bread Wreath
Ingredients
31/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Pesto sauce
2 tsp Dry Yeast
1/2 cup Lukewarm water
2 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Pickled Red Chilli  sliced
Few Green and Black Olives sliced
Few Thyme Leaves

Method
Add yeast and sugar in the Lukewarm Water and stir.  Keep it aside to rise. In a bowl add flour and salt. Mix it. Add the yeast water and 1 cup or more water little at a time to get a soft dough. Add 1 tbsp oil and knead it for 10 minutes. Cover and keep it aside to rise double in size. Once the dough is risen, knock it back then roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a big  rectangle shape.    Spread the pesto evenly all over the dough. Starting at the long edge closest to you, roll the dough up tightly but gently, like a swiss roll, into a log. Grease the  baking sheet,  transfer the roll of dough to the baking sheet and, using a sharp knife,  cut the roll in half lengthwise. Turn the two halves so that the cut side is facing up then lay one over the other so that they make an X shape, twist them together by laying one side over the other, keeping the cut side up, until all of the dough is twisted and you are left with a braid. Loop the braid round into a wreath shape and pinch the ends together. Leave to rise for about 20 minutes. Add olives and pickled chilli on the dough.  Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Once baked transfer to a wire rack to cool. Garnish with thyme..

Sourdough Bread Cone stuffed with Pizza Veggie Sauce

Sourdough Bread Cone stuffed with Pizza Veggie Sauce 

For the  Dough

3 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour 

1 cup Sourdough Starter 

1 cup LukeWarm Milk 

1 tbsp Dry Yeast 

Salt to taste 

2 tbsp Olive oil 

1 tbsp Butter + 1 tbsp Milk + 1/2 tsp Honey for Brushing 

1 tbsp Black Sesame seeds 

1 tbsp Poppy seeds 

Method 

In a large bowl, add flour. Make a well in the centre. Pour the sour dough, dry yeast and 1/2 cup milk in the centre. Wait for the yeast to react. Mix the dough and sprinkle salt. Start to knead, slowly add the remaining milk while kneading. Add oil and knead for 10 minutes. Let it rest for 1 hour covered till it rises double in size. Punch the dough down and on a floured surface divide into 8 equal portions. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Roll one portion of the dough into an about 30 inch rope. Roll the dough rope around the aluminum cones. Repeat the process with the remaining portions.  Place it on a greased tray and let it rest for about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Brush the cones with butter, milk and honey mix and sprinkle sesame and poppy seeds on top.Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown.

P.S. To make the cones, take 2 sheets of paper and make a cone and cover with aluminum foil completely so that the paper should not be visible at all. 

Any type of stuffing can be added into the cone... 

For the Stuffing 

Ingredients 

3 Tomatoes chopped

2 Onions chopped 

3 tbsp Garlic minced 

1 tbsp Picked Red Chilli sliced

Or Green chillies chopped 

1 Carrot chopped finely

1 Capsicum chopped finely

6 French Beans chopped finely

1 cup Cauliflower chopped 

2 tbsp sliced Black Olives 

2 tbsp Basil Leaves chopped 

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Pepper powder

1 tbsp Pizza mix (Dry Oregano + Chilli Flakes + Dry Basil) 

1 tbsp Olive Oil 

2 cups of Cheddar and Mozzarella grated 

Method 

Take a pan, add oil. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add the onions, saute till translucent. Add the tomatoes, salt, sugar and pepper powder. Cook for 5 minutes. Add carrots, capsicum, French beans, cauliflower, chillies and basil leaves. Stir and cook till the water contained in the vegetables dry up. Take it off the flame. Add the olives, pizza mix and 1 cup mix cheese. Mix it. Let it cool a bit. 

For Assembling 

Add the stuffing in the cone. Top it up with cheese. Repeat the process. Bake it at 200 degrees celcius for 10 minutes or till the cheese has melted.

Sri Lankan Egg Curry with Raw Papaya

Sri Lankan Egg Curry with Raw Papaya

For the Curry
Ingredients
6 Eggs Hard Boil
1 Raw Papaya cut into cubes
2 Onions paste
1 big Tomato paste
1 tsp Garlic paste
1 tsp Ginger paste
Few Curry Leaves
1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tbsp Sri Lankan Curry Powder
1 cup Coconut Milk
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Oil
Few Coriander leaves for Garnishing

Method
Heat oil in a wok and add mustard seed. Once the mustard seeds crackle, add onion paste and saute for 2 minutes.  Add ginger and garlic paste and mix all together till brown in color.Add the tomato paste and stir. Now add the red chili powder, turmeric, Sri Lankan Curry powder and salt. Stir it and fry the masala till the oil starts leaving the sides. Add the papaya and stir. Add 2 cups of water, cook it till the papayas are tender. Add coconut milk and stir. Let the curry cook for few more minutes on low flame. Close the lid.Once the curry thickens,add hard boiled eggs and cook for another 1 or 2 mins.

For Sri Lankan Curry Powder
Ingredients
5 Whole Red Chilies
2 tbsp Coriander Seeds
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
6 Cloves
6 Pepper Corns
2 Cardamom
1 stick Cinnamon
1 tbsp Rice
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1 tsp Fennel seeds
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
Handful of Curry Leaves

Method
Dry roast the curry leaves in a pan and keep aside to cool. In the same pan, dry roast all the whole spices and allow it to cool.In a grinder, add all the roasted ingredients including curry leaves and grind to make a powder.Store it in an air tight jar.

Begun Pora Roasted Mash Brinjal... A Bengali Dish

Begun Pora
Roasted Mash Brinjal... A Bengali Dish
Ingredients
1 big size Brinjal
1 Tomato chopped
1 Onion chopped
2 Green chillies chopped
1/4 tsp Ginger grated
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Mustard oil
Few Coriander leaves chopped
Method
Give 2 slits on the brinjal. Rub salt on the brinjal and roast it on the gas or chula. Let it cool, peel of the skin. In  bowl add chillies, onion, tomato,ginger, mustard oil, salt and  brinjal, mash it well. Garnish it coriander leaves. Serve it with hot roti.

Stuffed Mirchi Bajji

Stuffed Mirchi Bajji
For the Stuffing
Ingredients
3 Boiled Potatoes mashed
2 Green chilli chopped
1/2 tsp Garlic minced
1/4 tsp Garam Masala
1/4 tsp Dry Mango Powder
1/4 tsp Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Chat masala powder
Pinch of Asafoetida
Salt to taste

Method
Mix all the above ingredients together.

For the Stuffed Chillies
Ingredients
6 Big size Chillies for stuffing
3 tbsp Rice flour
1/2 cup Gram Flour
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Chilli powder
2 Pinch Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Soda bicarbonate
Potato Stuffing
Oil for frying

Method
Slit the chillies from the center for stuffing. Add and fill the stuffing in the chillies. In a bowl add the gramflour, rice powder, salt, soda bicarbonate,  turmeric powder, chilli powder and water as required to make a thick dropping consistency batter. Add oil in a wok for frying. Let the oil heat. Dip the Suffed chillies in the batter and fry till brown on both the sides.

Banana, Date and Walnut Sourdough Cake

Banana, Date and Walnut Sourdough Cake

Ingredients
1 cup Whole wheat flour
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1 cup Sourdough starter
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 cup Mashed Banana
1/2 cup Walnuts chopped
1 cup Dates chopped
1/2 cup Oil
1 tsp Soda bicarbonate
Pinch of Salt

Method
In a large mixing bowl, beat the  brown sugar, milk, banana and oil well.  Now beat in the sourdough starter until well combined.  Gently mix in the flours, soda bicarbonate  and salt. Fold in the walnuts and dates. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. Grease a loaf tin. Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 60 minutes or until golden brown. Cool a bit and turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

A Story of a Sourdough Starter - 

https://www.suskitchenbysumitra.com/2020/06/the-story-of-sourdough-starter-lockdown.html?m=1

Mangshor Malai Curry Mutton cooked in Coconut Gravy

Mangshor Malai Curry
Mutton cooked in Coconut Gravy

Ingredients
1 kg Mutton cut into pieces
3 medium size Potatoes cut into four pieces
2 Onions cut in to half and sliced
2 Onion paste
1 tbsp Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1 tsp Red Chilli paste
2 Bay leaves
2 Green Cardomon crushed
1 small  stick Cinnamon crushed
6 Pepper corn crushed
4 Cloves crushed
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 cup Curd
2 cups Coconut milk
3 tbsp Mustard oil
1 tbsp Ghee

Method
Take a bowl, add the mutton, curd, salt, turmeric powder, chilli paste,  ginger, garlic and onion paste. Mix the spices with mutton. Keep it to marinate for an hour. Take a pressure cooker. Add mustard oil. Add the potatoes and stir fry till brown, remove and keep it aside. Add the ghee in the cooker. Add the bay leaves, cloves, cardamon, pepper corn, cinnamon, sugar and the sliced onions, saute the onions till light brown in colour. Add the marinated mutton. Stir and cook for 20 minutes till the marinated juices reduces a bit. Add the potatoes, 2 cups of water and coconut milk. Cover the lid and give 4 whistles. Switch of the gas. Once the pressure releases, open the lid. Serve hot with rice.

Chana Masala

Chana Masala
Ingredients
250 gram Chana Soaked in water overnight
1 Onion finely chopped
1 Tomato finely chopped
1 Green chilli
1 tsp Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Ginger Paste
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Dry Mango powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 Bay Leaves
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Oil
Few coriander leaves for garnishing

Method
Boil the chana with turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, dry mango powder and salt. In a pan, add oil. Add cumin seeds and bay leaves. Let the cumin seeds crackle, add onion and green chilli. Sauté till the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and ginger paste. Sauté for 3 minutes, add the tomato. Cook for 2 minutes and add the boil chana. Add little water if required to make a gravy. Let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle garam masala on top. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Safflower Leaves Bhaji

Safflower Leaves also known as Kardai in Marathi...

The flower from the seeds of this plant are used as medicine.

Safflower seed is also used to treat fever, tumors, coughs, breathing problems, clotting conditions, pain, heart disease, chest pain, and traumatic injuries. Safflower seed oil is used as a cooking oil. The tender leaves of the plant are use for cooking. This vegetable is available in the winter.

Ingredients
1 Bunch Safflower Leaves chopped
1 big size Onion chopped
2 Tomato chopped
1 tbsp  Garlic minced
1  Dry Red Chill broken
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2  tsp Red Chili Powder
1 tsp  Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Oil

  Method
Take a pot, add 4 cups water, add the safflower leaves. Let it boil for 3 minutes or the leaves are cooked. Drain the water out and keep the leaves aside. Heat oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds and dry red chilli. Let the cumin seed crackle. Add the garlic and onion and fry it till it becomes light brown in colour. Add the tomato, turmeric powder, red chilli powder,coriander powder and stir well, cover and cook until tomato are tender. Add the cooked safflower leaves and stir well.Cook on medium heat until all water dries up and it starts to leave oil from the sides. Once done serve hot with steamed rice.

Potal Maach Doi Shorshe Diye Pointed Gourd and Rahu Fish in Mustard and Curd

Potal Maach Doi Shorshe Diye
Pointed Gourd and Rahu Fish in Mustard and Curd

For the Fish
Ingredients
6 Rahu Fish pieces
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 cup Mustard Oil to fry the fish

Method
Marinate the fish for 15 minutes with turmeric and salt. Take oil in a pan, heat it. Fry the fish till brown on both the sides.

For the Mustard Sauce
Ingredients
3 tbsp of Mustard seeds soaked in water
2 tbsp Poppy seeds
2 Green Chillies
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/4 cup Curd

Method
Drain the water from the mustard seeds, add all the above ingredients into the blender. Blend and make a smooth paste.

For the Gravy
Ingredients
6 Fried Fish
1/2 kg Pointed Gourd peeled roughly... Some peels should remain on the vegetable, cut vertically into half.
Mustard Sauce
2 Green or Red Chillies slit
1 /2 tsp Kalonji / Nigella seeds
3 tbsp Mustard Oil
Few coriander leaves chopped for garnishing

Method
Take 2 1/2 tbsp oil in a wok, heat it. Add Nigella seeds and chillies. Let the seed crackle. Add the pointed gourd. Stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes, add the mustard sauce and 1 cup water, cover and cook till the pointed gourds are tender. Add fish, simmer for 2 minutes more, drizzle the remaining mustard oil on top. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Rui Macher Dimmer Bora

Rui Macher Dimmer Bora
Fish Eggs Pakoda
Ingredients
1 cup Fish Eggs
1 Onion finely chopped
2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped
2 Green Chillies chopped
2 Garlic cloves chopped
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Chilli powder
1/4 tsp Nigella seeds
Salt to taste
1/2 cup Gram flour
Oil to fry

Method
Mix all the above ingredients in a bowl, except oil. Mix it well. Cover and keep for 15 minutes. Add oil in a pan, heat the oil. Put 1 tsp of the batter in the oil, repeat the process. Fry it till crispy golden brown. Have it with hot rice.

Forest Green served with Boiled Rice Noodles..

Forest Green served with Boiled Rice Noodles..
A medley of green vegetables with leafy vegetable cooked together and serve on the bed of Rice Noodles..... Green vegetable and leafy vegetables are cooked in Garlicky Green Sorrel Sauce.... This is an experiment from my Kitchen....

For the Garlicky Green Sorrel Sauce
Ingredients
1 Bunch Green Sorrel / Ambat Chuka chopped and blanched
1 Garlic pod cleaned and minced
2 tbsp Chilli sauce
2 tbsp Soya Sauce
1 tsp Oyster Sauce
1 tbsp Honey
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
1 tbsp Sesame Oil

Method
Take a wok, take sesame oil, heat it. Add garlic, saute it for 2 minutes. Add green sorrel, stir and cook it for 2 minutes. Add chilli sauce, soya sauce, oyster sauce, honey, salt and pepper powder. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

For the Forest Green
Ingredients
2 cups medium size Broccoli florets
1 Red Capsicum cut into cubes
1 Yellow Capsicum cut into cubes
1 packet of medium size Mushroom  cut into 2 halves
2 red chillies chopped
1 Onion cut into cubes
2 cups of Garlic leaves chopped
2 cups of Spring Onions chopped
Garlicky Green Sorrel Sauce
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Sesame Oil

Method
Take oil in a wok, heat oil, add chopped chillies and onion, sauté it on high flame. One by one add the vegetables, add broccoli first, stir fry for 2 minutes, add yellow and red capsicum. Stir fry for a minute, add the mushrooms, spring onions and garlic leaves. Stir fry for 2 minutes, add the garlicky green sorrel sauce. Add salt if required. Stir and cook for 5 minutes..... Serve it on the rice noodles and enjoy the goodness of the veggies...

Eggless Chocolate and Cranberry Marble Bundt Cake and Cupcakes

Chocolate and Cranberry Marble Bundt Cake and Cupcakes
Ingredients
4 cups All PurposeFlour
2 tbsp Cocoa powder
1/4 cup Chocolate chips
2 tsp Soda bicarbonate
2 tsp Baking powder
2 cups Butter
2  1/2 cup Caster Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla essence
1/2 cup Curd
1 cup + 2 tbsp Milk
1/4 cup Dried Cranberries

It yielded 1 Bundt Cake and 12 cup cakes.

Method
Sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder. Beat the butter and sugars together until creamy. Mix in the vanilla essences and curd. Beat it. Add the flour and milk little a time and beat it. Divide the batter into two bowls. Fold the chocolate chipes and coco powder into one bowl and dried cranberries into the other. Grease the bundt pan. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees celcius.Take 2 piping bag and add the batter into piping bags and pipe in the batter in the pan. Fill the pan till 3/4 of the pan. Bake it for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan a bit. Remove the cake on the wire rack and cool it completely before cutting....
For the cupcakes bake at 180 degrees celcius for 30 minutes.

Pathar Bangla.. Countryside Mutton Gravy

Pathar Bangla..
The English meaning I would assume should be Countryside Goat..
This is a 100 years old local countryside recipe from West Bengal. This recipe is take from the book "Thakur Barir Ranna"...... The recipes printed here are from Rabindranath Tagore's kitchen...
The original recipe say to take ghee in a pan, then add Turmeric, Chillies, Ginger, Onion paste, lots of coriander paste and curd. Saute and stir cook the masala for some time. Add salt, sugar, and mutton. Stir it for some time more. Add water, add some onions cut into cubes. Cover and let it simmer for some time. Add the potatoes. Once the potatoes and mutton is cooked, sprinkle roasted cumin seeds powder... It should be a liquid gravy.

My recreated recipe is
Ingredients
750 grams Mutton pieces
2 Potatoes cut into 4 pieces
2 Onion paste
8 Garlic paste
1 tsp  Ginger paste
1 Onion cut into cubes
1 Tomato cut into cubes
1 1/2 tsp Red Chilli paste
1 tbsp Coriander paste
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Roasted Cumin seed powder
1 tbsp Sugar
Salt to taste
1/4 cup Curd
3 tbsp Ghee

Method
Take a pressure cooker. Add ghee. Let it heat. Add the onion paste, garlic, ginger, turmeric, chilli paste, coriander paste and beaten curd. Stir it and cook for 3 minutes. Add the salt, sugar and mutton. Stir it and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cubed onion and tomato. Stir it for 5 minutes more. Add 8 cups of water. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes. Close the lid and give 4 whistles. Let the pressure release. Open the lid and sprinkle roasted cumin powder on the mutton gravy.

Spicy Mutton Tortilla Roll with Green Veggies..

Spicy Mutton Tortilla Roll with Green Veggies..
Very easy to make... Healthy and delicious... I always make Mutton roast and keep... It serves my purpose of making quick sandwiches and rolls.. Take a big chunk of boneless mutton. Boil the mutton piece with garlic, onion, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves and salt. Once done, take the mutton piece, baste it with butter and roast it for 30 minutes at 200 degrees celcius, till brown on both the sides. Once cool, cut it into strips or shred  it and use it. Make whole wheat tortilla. For the roll, add the mutton roast and vegetables with any sauce of your choice. 

Ingredients
6 Whole wheat Tortilla
1 1/2 cup Mutton Roast shredded
1 Onion chopped
1 Tomato cut into thin stripes
2 Green chillies minced
Few Lettuce leaves
Few Kale leaves
1/2 cup Carrot shredded
1/4 cup Radish shredded
1/2 tsp Lime juice
1/4 cup Chilli sauce 
Salt to taste

Method
Take a bowl. Add tomato, onion, chopped chillies, shredded carrots, radish, salt and lime juice. Mix the salad. Take a tortilla, spread little chilli sauce in the center of the tortilla, add mutton roast stripes, lettuce leaves, Kale leaves and vegetable salad.  Roll the tortilla and enjoy.

Tuna and Egg Green Scramble....

Tuna and Egg Green Scramble....
"Better Go Green" is my latest mantra. With increasing number of man made disaster in our environment as well as increasing number of health issues... We better go green... Grow more plants and tree in the surrounding.... Plant some in your house.. Try to grow few green veggies in the pot..... Eat more green..... Leafy green vegetables have full of vitamins, minerals and fights diseases. They are a good source of fiber and provides nutrition to the body. It manages weight loss. Leafy vegetables also contains water to keep you hydrated. 
Every day  have 4 cups of Vegetables in the whole day... That includes leafy as well as other vegetables... In the form of cooked and raw..
Ingredients
1 cup of fresh Tuna boiled and made in to flakes
6 Eggs beaten
1 Onion finely chopped
3 Green chillies chopped
4 Garlic cloves Minced
1/4 cup Spring Onion chopped
1 cup Spinach chopped and blanched
4 tbsp Coriander leaves paste
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
1/2 cup Mozzarella and Cheddar grated mix
2 tbsp Olive Oil

Method
Take a pan. Add the oil. Add onion, garlic and chillies. Sauté till light brown. Add the tuna flakes. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add the beaten eggs. Stir continuously, add the spring onions, spinach leaves and coriander paste. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.  Add salt, pepper and cheese. Cook for another 2 minutes. Serve hot with bread.
P.S. Dill leaves, bokchoy, green peas, Shrimps etc can be added..

Raw Papaya Salad

Raw Papaya Salad

For the Salad Dressing
Ingredients
1 tbsp Lime juice
2 to 3 Thai Bird Chillies seeded and finely chopped
2 garlic minced
1 tbsp Thai Fish sauce
1 tbsp Brown Sugar
Salt to taste

Method
In a blender combine the lime juice, fish sauce, chillies, garlic, sugar and salt,  blend it. Set aside for 10 minutes.

For the Raw Papaya Salad
Ingredients
2 cups Raw Papaya shredded
1 Carrot shredded
1 Tomato cut into small strips
1 Onion finely chopped
2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped
2 tbsp Mint leaves roughly chopped
3 tbsp Roasted Penuts crushed
Salad Dressing

Method
In a mixing bowl, combine the papaya, carrot, onion, tomato, mint leaves and 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. Add the dressing and toss to combine thoroughly. Garnish with the remaining coriander leaves and crushed peanuts. Serve immediately.

Ripe Papaya and Carrot Soup

Ripe Papaya and Carrot Soup
Ingredients
1/2 cup  Papaya peeled and chopped
1 Carrot peeled and chopped
1 Onion chopped
2 Garlic Clove chopped
1 small stick Cinnamon
2 Cloves
4 Pepper corn
1/4 cup Milk
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 tsp Olive oil

Method:
Heat the oil in a pot. Add the onion, garlic, cloves, pepper corn and cinnamon,  saute it for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Papaya and carrot and saute for 2 more minutes. Add 2 to 3 cups of water. Cook for 10 minutes until the carrot and papaya are tender. Let it cool. Add the mixture into a  blender and puree until it is smooth. Pour the soup back to the pot. Add milk and salt,  stir well to combine, and simmer on  low flame for  5 minutes. Garnish with pepper powder and a spoon of milk. Serve immediately.

Mutton Raan Roast with Saffron Pulao Su's Style

Mutton Raan Roast with Saffron Pulao Su's Style
I love the Raan Rice at Persian Darbaar at Bandra... After I shifted from Bandra, I did not get a chance to go there. I had it in mind for many days to make it at home... So finally made it at home... though this is a completely different recipe, an experiment from my kitchen...

For the Mutton Raan Roast
For Marinating the Mutton leg Stage 1
Ingredients
1 Mutton leg
1 Lime juice
Salt to taste

Method
Make deep slits on the mutton leg with a sharp knife on both the sides. Rub the lime juice and salt on the mutton leg and marinate it for 30 minutes.

For Marinating the Mutton leg Stage 2
Ingredients
Marinated Mutton
8 Garlic cloves
4 Green Chillies
1 cup Mint leaves
2 tsp Arabic Spice Powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Oil

Method
Corsley grind the garlic, chillies and mint leaves. Mix oil, Arabic spice masala and salt. Rub the masala paste on the mutton leg.  Wrap it up in the foil paper and refrigerate it. Marinate it overnight.

For Roasting the Mutton leg
Ingredients
Marinated Mutton leg
2 tbsp Melted Butter
Handful of Bay leaves or All Spice leaves

Method
Roast the leg in a  pre-heat oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 2 hours. The first 30 minutes roast it covered with foil paper and keep a tray of water on the lower shelf with bay leaves or all spice leaves. After 30 minutes take the mutton leg out of the oven and  baste it with butter on both the sides. Cook it open in the foil for 1 hour 30 minutes, turning it after 15 minutes and cooking it again. If the water in the below shelf tray evaporates then add more water. This will keep the meat moist. Now baste it again with butter on both the sides. Continue roasting. Last 10 minutes take the mutton leg out of the foil and put it on the wire rack and roast it turning after 5 minutes, cook till done.  When done, serve it with Saffron Palau and Salad.

P. S. Don't discard the juices collected in the foil... use it for the Pulao.

For the Saffron Pulao
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Basmati Rice washed and soaked for 30 minutes
2 Onion  Slice
6 Garlic crushed
2 Green Chillies chopped
2 Dry Red Chillies chopped
2 Bay leaves
8 Black Pepper Corn
1 Stick Cinnamon
4 Cloves
2 Green Cardomon
1 Star Anise
5 Alu Bukhara
1 tbsp Raisin
2 tbsp Almond and Pistachio flakes
1/2 cup Milk
Juice retained from Mutton leg roast
3 Pinch of Saffron
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Butter

Method
Take a pot, add oil and 1/2 tbsp butter. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, star anise,  garlic, green and red chillies and  onion. Fry the onion till translucent. Add the raisins, Alu Bukhara,
1 1/2 tbsp Almond and Pistachio flakes. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add sugar,  salt, juice from the roast, milk,  2 pinch of saffron and 2 cup water. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook till done. Add the remaining butter.  Garnish with remaining saffron, almond and pistachio flakes. Serve it with the mutton leg roast and salad.

Arabic Spice Powder
Ingredients
2 tbsp Peppercorns
2 big sticks of Cinnamon
1 tbsp Cloves
1/2 tbsp Cardomon seeds
6 Red Dry Chillies
1 small Nutmeg
1/4 cup Coriander seeds
1/4 cup Cumin seeds
1/2 tbsp Turmeric powder

Method
Blend the above ingredients together in a blender and make it into a powder

Beetroot Chocolate Bundt Cake

Beetroot Chocolate Bundt Cake
Made this specially for my daughter who loves beetroot cake...
Ingredients
2 1/2 cup All purpose flour
1/2 cup Chocolate chopped
1 cup Butter 
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
2 cups Beetroot puree
1tsp Vanilla essence
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Soda bicarbonate
Powder Sugar for Dusting

Method
Melt the chocolate and 1/4 cup butter in a microwave, stir it. Let it cool a bit. In a large bowl, add the remaining butter and brown sugar, beat it until light and fluffy, add the eggs one at a time and beat it. Now combine the chocolate mixture, beetroot puree and vanilla essence in to the beaten batter. Gradually combine the flour, soda bicarbonate  and  baking powder in to the batter and beat it. Pour the batter into the greased  baking bundt tin.  Bake at 180 degrees celcius for 50 to 55 minutes in a pre heated oven or until a toothpick is inserted in the cake comes out clean. Cool it.  Before serving, dust with powder sugar.

Bedmi Puri Aur Aloo ki Sabji

Bedmi Puri Aur Aloo ki Sabji
Bedmi puri is a popular breakfast from the North. Bedmi poori is made from grounded urad dal or moong dal combined with spices and mixed with wheat flour. There are two ways to make this puri, one method is to mix the spices with dal and flour together and knead it. The other method it to make a dry mixture of dal and spices and stuff it in the dough just like making a kachori.

For Bedmi Puri
Ingredients
3 cups Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Samolina
1 cup Moong dal or Urid dal
1 tsp Ginger paste
1/2 tsp Chilli paste
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Fennel powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
1/2 tsp Dry Mango Powder
2 tbsp Oil
Oil to fry

Method
Soak the moong or urad dal in the water for 2 hours. Drain the water out and put the dal into the mixer to make a coarse paste. Add salt, coriander powder, red chilli powder, ginger, chilli paste, dry mango powder, asafoetida, fennel powder into the paste. In a bowl take flour, semolina and 2 tbsp oil. Mix the flour, add the dal paste. Knead it, add lukewarm water little at a time. Knead it and make a semi soft dough. Cover the dough and leave it for half an hour. Knead the dough again. Heat oil in a wok. Make small balls of the dough and roll it into flat disc. Put the puris into the oil and fry until it turns brown. Serve it with Aloo ki Sabzi recipe.

For Aloo ki Sabzi
Ingredients
5 Potatoes Boiled
2 medium sized Tomatoes puree
1 tbsp Ginger grated
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
2 tsp Chilli powder
2 Dry Red Chillies
1 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp mustard oil

Method
Roughly mash the potatoes into big pieces. In a pan, heat mustard oil,  add  dried red chillies, asafoetida and cumin seeds. Add tomato puree and ginger paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt. Cook for another 5 minutes or until oil leaves the sides of the pan. Add potatoes and mix well with the spices. Add 3 to 4 cups of water, stir it. Boil the sabzi till it is thick in consistency. Serve hot with the bedmi puris.

Noodles with Spinach, Eggplant and Sprouts....

Noodles with Spinach, Eggplant and Sprouts....
Ingredients
3 Packets of Hakka Noodles
1 cup of Eggplant cut into thick medium strips
1/4 cup of Spinach chopped
1/2 cup of Red Capsicum cut into long strips
1 Onion sliced
1 tbsp Garlic chopped
1 tbsp sliced Red Pickled Chilli
1/4 cup of Moong sprouts
2 tbsp of Rice Wine Vinegar
2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp of Hot Basil Sauce  
1/2 tbsp Grated Jaggary
Salt to taste
3 tbsp Sesame Oil

Method
Boil the noodles according to the instruction on the packet. While draining the water from the noodles, retain 1/2 cup water from it. Take the water in a bowl, add salt, Jaggary, rice wine vinegar, worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp oil and hot basil sauce. Mix it and keep it aside. Take a wok, add 1 tbsp oil, heat it and fry the eggplant till brown, take it out and keep it aside. In the same wok add 1 tbsp oil again. Let the oil heat, add garlic and onion, fry on high flame till translucent. Add the capsicum, spinach, pickled chillies, sprouts and eggplant. Stir fry till 2 minutes, add the noodles and pour the sauce on the noodles. Stir fry on high flame till the sauce and noodles have incoperated well. Serve hot.

Fluffy Cheesy Potato Casserole

Fluffy Cheesy Potato Casserole

Ingredients

6 Eggs

2 Big Potatoes peeled and grated

1/2 Red Capsicum thinly sliced

4 Garlic cloves minced

2 Green Chillies minced

2 tbsp Parsley chopped

1/2 tbsp Chives chopped 

1/4 cup Cheddar + Mozzarella grated

1/4 cup Milk

1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour

 Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Pepper  powder

1/2 tsp All Spice powder

2 tsp Butter

Method

Put the grated potato in salt water and par boil it. Drain the water from the potato and keep it aside. Take the eggs and separate the yolks from the White. Beat the yolk, add salt, pepper powder, all spice powder and milk, whisk it. Add the flour, cheese, butter, potatoes, capsicum, parsley, chillies and garlic. Mix the batter well. Take a glass baking bowl. Pour the batter and bake at 200 degrees celcius for 10 minutes in a pre heated oven. Take the bowl out of the oven and stir the egg batter once, put it bake in the oven and bake it for 20 minutes more. Mean while the eggs are baking, take the egg whites, add salt and 1/4 tsp pepper powder. Beat the egg whites till stiff.

After the baking time is over, take the bowl  out and with the help of a tbsp, drop the egg whites on the baked egg, put the bowl back in the oven and bake for 10 minutes more till the eggs whites are cooked and brown from top. Sprinkle chopped chives from top. Serve it with toast or sautéed mix vegetables...

Chingri Mach diye Kalmi Saag / Water Spinach Fried with Prawns

Chingri Mach diye Kalmi Saag / Water Spinach Fried with Prawns

Ingredients
1 small bowl medium size Prawns
1 bunch Kalmi Saag chopped
6 Garlic Cloves minced
2 Green Chillies slit
1 Onion chopped
1 Tomato chopped
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
2 tbsp Oil

Method
Take a wok, add oil. Heat it. Add garlic, chillies and onion. Sauté it for few minutes. Add the Kalmi saag, tomato, salt, turmeric and prawns. Stir fry and cook till the water from the Kalmi saag dries up. Serve it with hot rice.

Mutton Stew

Mutton Stew 
Ingredients
500 Mutton pieces
2 Potatoes cut in to big cubes
1 Carrot cut in to big pieces
1 Capsicum cut into big pieces
Small size Cauliflower florets cut into 4 pieces
1 Tomato cut into 4
Few French beans cut in to 2 pieces each
1 Onion cut into big pieces
6 Garlic cloves crushed
1 tsp Ginger grated
1/2 cup Green Peas
2 Green chillies slit
2 Bay leaf
Whole garam masala
2  Cardamom
1 stick cinnamon
4 Pepper corn
2 Cloves
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
1 tbsp Sugar
2 tbsp of Whole Wheat Flour or APF
1 tbsp Ghee

Method
Heat ghee in a cooker and add the bay leaf and whole garam masalas, garlic, ginger  and Mutton. Saute it for 10 minutes. Add the onion, salt, sugar and all the vegetables. Stir and cook for 10 minutes.  Sprinkle the flour and stir well for 2 minutes.  Add 6 to 8 cups of water. Pressure cook it and give 3 whistles, once done, serve it with hot rice.

Palang Saager Ghonto / Spinach with Potato Brinjal and Peas....

Palang Saager Ghonto / Spinach with Potato Brinjal and Peas....

Ingredients
1 bunch Spinach chopped
2 Potatoes cut into small cubes
2 medium sized Brinjals cut into small size  cubes
1/4 cup Peas
2 Green chillies slit
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
2 pinch of Garam Masala powder
1/2 tsp Sugar
3 tbsp Moong dal Boris fried
1 Bay leaf
1 tbsp Oil
1/4 tsp Ghee

Method
Take a pan. Add oil. Add  bay leaf and chillies. Add the potatoes, peas and brinjals. Stir and sauté it for 5 minutes. Add the spinach, salt, sugar, turmeric and coriander powder. Stir fry, cover and cook till the potato cubes are tender and the vegetable is almost dry. Add ghee and sprinkle garam masala powder. Crush the fried Boris and sprinkle from top.