Apple and Beetroot Spread

 

Ingredients 

1 1/2 kg Apples peeled and cut into pieces 

2 Oranges cut and seeds removed

1 Beetroot peeled and cut into small star shape

Some Mint leaves

1/2 tsp Grated Ginger 

Sugar equal quantity as the pulp got from the apples

1/2 tsp Salt

1 Stick Cinnamon 

1 Star Anise

Method 

Boil the Beetroot stars with a tbsp sugar and little water for 5 minutes, discard the juice and keep the Beetroot stars aside. 

Take the Apple pieces and Oranges… blend them into a pulp. Strain the pulp through a strainer. Take a pot, add the pulp, salt, sugar, cinnamon and star anise.. let the ingredients simmer and cook until it reduces. Stir occasionally. To check, take a small plate, pour few drops of the spread. The spread shouldn’t be runny. Once done, switch of the flame.. add the grated ginger, Beetroot stars and mint leaves.. stir.. while warm, pour the spread in a glass jar. Let it cool, then close the lid, this stay good in the fridge for about 8 months.. 

Shola Kochur Korma / Colocasia Esculenta - Taro Corms Korma

Shola Kochu can be cooked in many ways, it can be fried, bata/ mashed, cooked into gravy with fish etc. 

Today we are making korma with shola kochu. It’s a simple, yet delicious recipe. This can be eaten with pulav rice or paratha. 

Ingredients 

 8 round pieces of Shola Kochu after peeling 

1 medium Onion made into paste

1 tbsp Ginger - Garlic - Chilli paste

1 Green chilli slit

2 Cloves 

1 Green Cardamom 

1 small piece of Cinnamon 

1 Bay leaf 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Sugar 

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/2 cup Coconut Milk 

2 tbsp Curd 

1 tbsp Mustard Oil 

1 tsp Ghee 

 

Method 

Take the pieces of shola Kochu, poke the pieces with a fork. Pressure cook  the pieces of the shola kochu for one whistle. Remove the pieces from the pressure cooker.  Heat the mustard oil in a pan, fry the shola Kochu pieces until light brown in colour. Remove the pieces from the pan, in the same pan add the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf and cumin seeds. Let it crackle, add the onion paste, ginger - garlic - chilli paste, salt and sugar. Sauté the masala for a minute, add the curd, cumin powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder and green chilli. Continue to sauté and cook until the oil releases from the masala. Add little water and cook the masala for 2 minutes. Add the shola Kochu pieces, let it cook in the gravy for another minute. Add the coconut milk and let the gravy simmer for another few seconds. Switch off the flame, add ghee and garam masala powder. Garnish with fried onions (optional) and a little coconut milk. 

Taler Bora / Sugar Palm Fritters

 

Taler Boras are very popular in Bengal during this month, specially during Janmashtami as it’s supposed to be favourite of Shree Krishna. Ripe sugar plum pulp is extracted and made into various types of traditional sweets like Taler bora, Taler luchi or pitha. The golden pulp of the sugar palm, wheat flour, all purpose flour, semolina or rice flour, sugar, salt and grated coconut is used to make the batter, which is then dip fried to make fritters.  Some people add mashed bananas into the batter. This can be enjoyed as snacks, but it’s so delicious  that you can’t stop eating until it’s over. 

Ingredients 

1 Sugar Palm

1/2 cup Wheat Flour 

1/2 cup Rice Flour 

1/4 cup Grated Coconut 

1/4 cup Sugar

1/4 tsp Salt 

Oil for frying 

Method 

Take a bowl, add wheat flour, rice flour, salt and sugar. Add the sugar palm as required to make a thick batter, whisk until the sugar dissolves. Add the coconut, stir and mix the batter well. Rest the batter for 10 minutes. Heat the oil in a wok, drop small portions of the batter into the oil. Fry the fritters until golden brown in colour. Remove the fritters on a paper towel. Enjoy. 

Ilish Macher Mathar Bhorta / Ilish fish Head Bhorta

 

This time my travel to Delhi was a bliss, as we could enjoy Hilsa to the fullest. My sister in law’s cook, belongs to a village in Sundarbans, where the Bangladesh border is very close by.  They make Bhorta with fish head at their home. This recipe has been shared by her.. 

We at home normally make Ilish head with malbar spinach / Pui Saag and vegetables or with kotchur loti / Taro Stolon or with Laau Saag / Bottle Gourd stem or with Cabbage etc. We as urban inhabitants don’t know many rustic dishes that are cooked in the villages. 

 It’s so scrumptious that just one plate of rice is required to finish the meal. 

Ingredients 

2 Hilsa fish head cut into 2 halves 

1 Big Onion sliced 

2 to 3 Garlic Cloves 

2 Green Chillies chopped as per your ability to eat spices 

Handful of Coriander Leaves chopped 

2  Dried Red Chillies 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Nigella seeds

Mustard Oil to fry the fish 

Method 

Apply some salt and turmeric powder to the fish head. Take a wok, add and heat up the mustard oil. Add the fish head and fry the fish head until golden brown in colour from both the sides. The fish head has to be crispy fried. Remove the fish head and keep it aside. Reduce the oil and keep only 1 tbsp of mustard oil in the wok. Add the nigella seeds and dry red chillies, once the nigella seeds crackles and the red dry chillies are roasted well, remove the dry red chillies and keep it aside.  In the same wok add the onions and the garlic. Meanwhile once the red chillies have cooled down, crushed them. Sauté the onions until golden brown in colour. Once done, remove the Onions and garlic in a bowl,  add the crushed red chillies, chopped green chilli, coriander leaves and salt in the bowl, mix all the ingredients well. Take a mortar and pestle, add the fried head and crush them well into a paste. I have used a grinder to grind the fish head. Add the ground fish into the bowl, take out the thorns as much as you can, now mix all the ingredients very well with hand. Serve this dish with rice. It’s best eaten during lunch. 

Chicken Tikka Pulao with Cranberries and Dry fruits

 An easy peasy Chicken Tikka Pulao with Cranberries and Dry fruits for dinner. This recipe is inspired from the Persian Pilaf. 

For Chicken Tikka 

Ingredients 

500 grams Boneless Chicken cubes

1/2 cup Curd

1 tsp Garlic paste 

1 tsp Ginger paste 

1/2 tsp Chilli paste 

1 tsp Lemon juice 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder 

1 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

1 tbsp Olive Oil 

1 cube Butter 

Method 

Marinate the chicken cubes with all the above ingredients except butter for 5 to 6 hours. Take a grill pan, apply butter in the pan. Place the chicken cubes into the pan. Cook the chicken from both the sides until the chicken cubes are brown in colour and has cooked well. 

The chicken cubes can be grilled in the pre heated oven at 200 degrees for 15 minutes after applying butter, then turn the chicken cubes, apply butter and grill for another 15 minutes until the chicken cubes are cooked. Remove and keep it aside. 

For the Pulao 

Ingredients 

Chicken Tikka cubes

250 grams Basmati Rice

1 big Onion thinly sliced 

1 Red Dry Chilli 

2 tbsp Dried Cranberries

1 tbsp Almond Flakes

1 tbsp Raisins 

1 tsp Dried Rose Petals 

1/4 cup Hot Milk with a pinch of Saffron 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1 tbsp Sugar

1 tbsp Butter

1 tbsp Olive Oil 

Method 

Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Take a pot, boil 2 cups water. Add little salt and 1/2 tsp oil, once the water boils, add the rice and cook the rice until it’s 75 percent cooked. Drain the water out and keep it aside. Take another pot, add remaining oil and butter, let the butter melt, add sugar, stir until the sugar melts, add the onion and dry red chilli, stir fry the onions until brown in colour. Add the salt to taste and cumin powder, stir for few seconds. Add 1/4 cup water. Stir and let it cook for a few seconds. Add the chicken and the rice. Gently stir, add the saffron milk, cranberries, raisins, rose petals and almond flakes on top, cover the pot. Cook the rice until it’s completely done. Remove the cover of the pot and let it stand for 10 minutes before serving. 

Kakara Kosha / Crab Sukha (Bengali Style)

While driving towards the outskirts of Mumbai during the rainy season, we get to see land filled with water getting ready for the rice cultivation, small water streams and small water bodies flowing around.. there are lots of small fish and mud crabs that you get to see being sold by the locals which are freshly caught. They are great in taste. We managed to get  some mud crabs and cat fish. 

Here is a recipe of  Kakara Kosha. It’s a Bengali way of making crab Sukha..  

While cleaning the crabs, separate out the crab legs from the body, gently crush them. Keep the crab fat and eggs in separate bowl.    

Enjoy this dish with rice or paratha. 

Ingredients 

5 medium size Crabs cleaned 

Keep the crab fat / tomalley and crab eggs separately 

2 medium size Onions sliced 

1 big Tomato chopped 

5 to 6 Green Chilli crushed 

10 to 12 Garlic Cloves crushed 

1 medium piece of Ginger crushed 

2 Bay leaves 

1 Green Cardamom 

2 Cloves 

1 small piece of Cinnamon 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Sugar 

1 tsp Cumin powder 

1 tsp Coriander powder 

1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Garam masala powder 

1 tsp Ghee

1/2 cup Mustard Oil 

1/2 cup Water 

Method

Add salt and little turmeric powder into the crabs and mix them. Take 1/4 cup of Mustard oil, let it heat, on a medium flame stir fry the crabs until it changes its colour. Remove and keep it aside, add the remaining oil in the same wok, add the cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaves, stir, add the sliced onions, sauté the onions until translucent, in between add salt and sugar, continue to cook. Add the crushed ginger - garlic and chillies, stir and continue to cook for a minute, add the  chopped tomato, stir, add turmeric powder, cumin powder and coriander powder. Stir and continue to cook, add Kashmiri red chilli powder. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the oil release. Add the crab fat and crab eggs if any. Stir and cook for another minute. Add the water, let it simmer, add the crabs. Stir and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Add the ghee and garam masala. Let it cook for another minute. Once done switch off the flame. Enjoy the crab bhuna with rice or paratha. 

Mango Whole Wheat Cookies

 

Here are cookies made with Mango Pulp. I have used Alphonso mango. A tbsp of Oats can be added while roasting the flour. It’s delicious, can’t stop at one..

For Mango Paste 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup Mango Pulp made fresh 

Method 

Add the mango pulp into a pan, cook on a medium low heat until the liquid from the pulp has reduced to 3 tbsp spoon 

For the Mango Cookies 

Ingredients 

1 cup Wheat Flour 

1 tsp Almond Flakes  - Optional 

1/4 tsp Salt 

1/4 tsp Baking Powder 

Pinch of Cardamom Powder - Optional 

1/2 cup Sugar 

1/2 cup  Ghee 

3 tbsp Mango Paste 

Method 

Take the whole wheat flour in a pan, dry roast the flour on a low until an aroma releases, but the flour shouldn’t change colour. Switch off the flame, let the flour cool down, add cardamom powder, salt and baking powder, mix the flour. In another bowl add ghee, sugar and mango paste. Whisk all the ingredients together until the sugar dissolves. Add in the flour. Mix and knead it into a soft dough. Take a baking tray, take small lime size portion of the dough and roll the dough into small ball. Pre heat the oven at 180 degrees celsius .Place the dough ball on the baking tray and gently press the center of the dough ball to create a small cavity. Keep a gap between the 2 cookies. Repeat the process until all the dough is over. Place an almond flake in the center cavity and press the flakes gently. Bake the cookies at 170 degrees celsius for 15 minutes, depending upon the oven temperature. Remove the cookies from the oven. The cookies will look soft, but once it cools down it will crunchy from top. Let the cookies remain on the hot tray until the tray cools down completely. Once the cookies have cooled down then keep them in an air tight container and enjoy.

Ripe Jackfruit Cake

 

Rustic jackfruit cake made with leftover ripe jackfruit. It’s healthy and delicious. 

Ingredients 

1 cup Wheat flour 

1 cup Fine Semolina 

1 cup Powder Jaggery 

1 tsp Baking Powder 

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder 

1/4 tsp Salt

2 tbsp Almond Flakes 

1/2 cup Ripe soft Jackfruit 

1/2 cup Ripe firm Jackfruit chopped 

1/4 cup Oil

1/4 cup Curd 

1 cup Coconut Milk 

Method 

Take wheat flour, semolina, jaggery powder, cardamom powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Take a sieve mesh and sieve all the ingredients together. Take a bowl, pour oil, curd and coconut milk and whisk it together.  Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients, and whisk all the ingredients together into a thick dropping consistency. Add the almond flakes and both the types of jackfruits. Mix the ingredients together. Take a grease baking mould. Pour in the batter up to 3/4 the size of the mould. Bake the cake at 180 or 200 degrees temperature depending upon the oven temperature for 55 to 60 minutes. Insert a toothpick and check. Once done remove the cake and cool it. Unmould the cake and let it cool completely before cutting.

Ladi Pav

 Ladi Pav is one of the popular soft and fluffy bun bread from Mumbai. It’s eaten with various dishes and used in many street food. It’s is made with refine / all purpose flour.. but whole wheat flour can also be used for making the Pav.

Hope you enjoy the video and the recipe 💖

Ingredients 

2 cups Wheat Flour 

2 cups All Purpose flour 

1 tbsp Active Yeast

1 tbsp Sugar

Salt to taste

1/4 cup Lukewarm Milk 

Lukewarm Water as required 

2 tbsp Oil

Butter to brush on the Pav

Ingredients 

Take the wheat flour, all purpose flour and salt  mix all the ingredients. Take 1/4 cup of lukewarm milk, add sugar and yeast, stir and mix all the ingredients. Let the yeast rise. Add the yeast water and little more lukewarm water as per requirement to form a soft dough. Knead the dough well for 10 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp oil and continue to knead. Apply 1/2 tsp oil on the dough, cover the dough and leave the dough to rise. Divide the dough into equal parts. Take a portion, apply little oil and roll and shape the dough. Keep the dough on the greased tray. Continue with the other portions of the dough. Don’t leave gap while placing the dough portions on the tray.  Press the dough lightly with the fingers. Spray with water. Cover the dough and let the dough rise. Once done, spray with water once more,  bake the Pav in a preheated oven at 180 or 200 degrees celsius as per the oven temperature for 20 minutes. Once done, remove the Pav, apply butter, let it cool down, remove from the tray and leave the lad Pav to cool down on a cooling rack before eating. 

Fish Bread

This can be eaten as snacks, any choice of stuffing can be added. Hope you enjoy the video... and enjoy making this recipe too. 

For the fish filling

Ingredients 

250 grams Basa or any Boneless Fish cut into pieces 

1 tsp Lemon Juice

1  Onions chopped 

1/2 tsp Garlic chopped 

1/2 tsp Ginger chopped

1 - 2  Green Chillies  chopped 

2 tbsp Green Capsicum chopped 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Chilli Flakes 

1/2 tsp Italian seasonings 

1 tbsp Flour 

2 tbsp Butter 

1/4 cup Milk 

Method

Take a bowl, place the boneless fish pieces, add salt and lemon juice, marinate for 15 minutes. Take a pan, add butter, let the butter melt, add the onion, garlic, ginger, chillies and capsicum. Sauté them on medium low flame until the onion is translucent in colour. Add the fish pieces, let it cook until the fish has become soft and flaky. Add the Italian seasoning, chilli flakes and salt to taste. Stir and add the flour. Mix the flour and let it cook for few seconds. Add the milk and keep stirring the stuffing until all the milk had evaporated. Switch off the flame and let the mixture cool down. 

For the Bread

Ingredients 

1 cup of Wheat flour 

1 cup of All Purpose Flour 

Salt to taste

1 tsp Active Yeast

1 tsp Sugar 

1 tsp Oil

Luke Warm Water 

Method

 Take  a bowl, mix the flour and salt together. Take 1/4  cup of lukewarm water, add sugar and  yeast. Mix it and keep it aside to rise. Add the yeast water and little more lukewarm water - little at a time if required into the flour. Knead the flour into a soft dough. Add oil to the dough and knead again and keep the dough for rising until  it doubles in size. 

For Assembling - 

Ingredients 

Dough 

Stuffing 

1 tbsp Milk

1 tbsp Melted Butter

2 tbsp Egg White 

Method 

Preheat the oven at 200 degrees. Knead the dough again and make lemon size balls, take one ball and roll it out. Cut the sides,  keeping space in the centre for the stuffing. Place the stuffing in the centre of the disc.  Then start braiding, over lapping each strip over each other.  For the eyes put pepper corn. Keep it for 15 minutes covered.  At a small bowl, mix milk, butter and egg white. Brush the mixture on the fish bread and bake for 20 minutes at 200 degrees. Once done you can brush some butter (optional). Enjoy the fish bread. 

Home Style Spicy Chicken and Veggie Stewed Noodles

Summers are really hot and entering the kitchen is like a punishment... I love to cook one pot meal or something really quick in summers.  Here is a brunch dish which is very easy to make, wholesome and tasty.. any vegetables like mushrooms, zucchini, baby corn, carrots, coloured capsicums can be added. 

Instead of chicken, tofu. sprouted mung beans or prawn can be used. 

Ingredients 

1 Packet of Hakka Noodles 

Few pieces of boneless Chicken cut into small cubes 

1 or 2 Boiled Eggs cut into halves 

1 medium size Onion cut into cubes 

1 medium size Tomato, seeds discarded cut into cubes 

2 to 3 Mushrooms cut into halves 

4 to 5 Green Chillies slit into halves 

3 to 4 medium size Garlic cloves chopped 

1 small piece of ginger grated 

Few chopped garlic leaves or spring onion leaves 

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp Pepper powder 

1 1/2 cup Chicken or Vegetable Stock 

1 tbsp Soya Sauce

2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup 

1 tbsp Red Chilli Sauce 

1 tbsp Sesame Oil 

Ingredients 

Take a pot, add oil, add the chopped garlic and grated ginger , sauté for few seconds. Add the chicken cubes and sprinkle some salt, stir and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, add the vegetables - mushrooms, onion, tomato and green chillies. Stir and sauté for a minute on full flame. Add 1 cup of water, let the water simmer, add the pepper powder, soya sauce, tomato ketchup and chilli sauce. Add the chicken stock. Break the haka noodles into 3 parts, add the Hakka noodles in the simmering  liquid, let the noodles cook until it’s soft, Switch off the flame, before serving garnish it with garlic leaves or spring onion leaves and eggs. 

Chicken Rezala

 

This Mughali dish  is very popular in any Mughali restaurant - West Bengal. It’s a rich, mildly spiced and aromatic dish,  that is made in thick white rich gravy was introduced by the Mughals. More like a korma, but more richer in taste. Chicken rezala can be eaten with Paratha, but also goes well  with pulao. 

Marination

Ingredients 

1 kg Chicken cut into medium size pieces cleaned 

1 medium size  Onion paste 

1 tbsp Ginger - Garlic paste

1 tsp Green Chilli paste 

1/2 cup Curd

Salt to taste 

Method 

Take a bowl, add all the above ingredients and marinate all the ingredients together very well. Keep it aside for minimum 1 hour or more. 

For the Wet paste 

Ingredients 

15 Cashew-nuts soaked in water  for 15 minutes 

1 tbsp Poppy seeds

Method 

Grind the cashew nuts and poppy seeds with little water into a fine paste

For the Chicken Rezala

Ingredients 

Marinated Chicken 

2 medium size Onions chopped 

1 cup Curd 

2 pinches of Saffron soaked in 1/4 cup of Warm Milk

2 drops of Kewra essence 

2  drops of Meetha attar - optional 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Sugar

1 tsp Coriander powder

5 Dried Red Chillies 

1 Black Cardamom 

1 inch Cinnamon piece

3 Cloves

3 Green Cardamom 

2 Bay leaves 

4 tbsp Ghee 

Method 

Heat up the ghee on medium flame in a pot. Once the ghee heats up, lower the flame and add the dried red chillies, black cardamoms, green cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves. Sauté until the spices gives out a beautiful aroma.  Add the chopped onions. Sauté until the onions are translucent. Add the marinated chicken.  Stir, cover the pot  and cook the chicken until half done or for 15 minutes. Add the salt to taste, sugar and coriander powder.  Stir and cook for few minutes more. Add the cashew and poppy seeds paste and curd. Stir and slow cook, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked. Switch off the flame, the Kewra essence, the mitha attar and the saffron milk. Stir once again. Serve it with Paratha or Pulao.

Tarbuj er Khosar r Chutney / Watermelon rind Chutney

 

As summers are in, markets too are flooded with summer fruits. Watermelon is one such favourite fruit that is enjoyed and eaten during this season... types of watermelon salads, watermelon drinks, watermelon popsicles etc are made using the inner part of the watermelon... similarly the white part of the watermelon or the watermelon rind is equally used to make Sabji, Spicy Chutney to go with Dosa, sweet dish etc, as the watermelon rind too has its health benefits. 

I am sure many of us Bengali’s will  relate to this ‘Shesh pate mishti Chutney chara Bhat khaaoa shesh hoi na.’ It means that if there is no sweet Chutney at the end of the meal, then the meal is not completed. 

We have varieties of Chutneys that we enjoy throughout the year, tomato chutney, pineapple chutney, mango chutney, raw papaya Chutney, Elephant apple Chutney etc...

Today we will make Tarbuj er Khosar r Chutney, Chutney from watermelon rind, a love from my kitchen. This Chutney is scrumptious... I am sure you will like this recipe too.. Enjoy this Chutney with your main meals or with Puri or Parotta for breakfast. 

Ingredients 

6 cups - Small cubes of Watermelon rind 

Juice of 3 medium size Lemons 

1 tbsp grated Ginger 

6 cups Sugar 

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Chilli flakes 

1/2 tsp Kalonji / Nigella seeds

2 Bay leaves 

Method 

Take a big pot, dry roast the bay leaves and kalonji  on a low flame until there is a lovely aroma. Add in the watermelon rind, sugar, ginger, chilli flakes, salt and lemon juice. Stir and cook all the ingredients on a low to medium  flame. Let it simmer, stir occasionally and cook until the sugar has become thick syrupy. Once done cool the Chutney down, the chutney will become more thicker,  store the chutney in a dry glass jar. Keep the chutney in the fridge and enjoy this with your main meals, Puri or Parotta for breakfast . This chutney will stay for 2 to 3 months. 

Maha Shivratri Special - Aloo ki Kheer

 

Har - Har Mahadev 

Happy Shivratri 🙏🏼

Maha Shivaratri is a Hindu festival and celebrated in India in reverence of the God Shiva. It’s believed that Lord Shiva saved the universe from ignorance and darkness and it’s also said that today Shiva was married to Goddess Parvati on this day. The Maha Shivaratri is known as the 'Great Night of Shiva', and it is celebrated during the night by keeping a night-long vigil and it marks the convergence 2 supreme power - Shiva and Shakti.

In Bengal the young girls celebrates this festival by keeping fast the whole day and night and prayers are offered in desire to get a good husband. Ladies pray for the welfare of their husband. Sabudana soaked in milk and fruits are eaten during fasting. 

Since I am brought up in Mumbai.... We have Sabudana Khichadi, Puri - Alu Bhaji, Aloo ki Kheer...

Aloo ki Kheer 

Ingredients

2 medium sized Potatoes boiled, peeled and grated

2 cup Milk

2 tbsp Mawa crumbs

1/4 cup Sugar or as per taste

Pinch of Salt

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

Pinch of Saffron

1 tsp Almond and Pistacho flakes

Method

Heat milk in a pot and let is simmer for 2 minutes. Add salt, sugar, saffron and mava to the milk. Stir it. Let the milk reduce a bit. Add the potatoe and cardomom powder. Stir and cook for 3 minutes more. Garnish with Almond and pistachio flakes. 

Meat Loaf with Cheesy Mashed Potato and Corn

 This dish is one of my personal favourite. Here I have used mutton minced... it’s easy to make and enjoy the dish for dinner at home. 

Ingredients 

300 grams of Mutton Minced 

1 cup Bread Crumbs 

1 cup Milk 

1 Egg

1 small size Onion finely chopped 

1 big size Potato boiled and mashed roughly 

1/4 cup boiled Corn

1 to 2 Green Chillies chopped 

2 to 3 Garlic Cloves chopped 

Few Parsley leaves chopped 

Salt and Pepper to taste 

1/4 cup Cheddar Cheese grated 

2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup 

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup Cream

Method 

Take a mixing bowl, add milk, salt, pepper and bread crumbs together and keep it aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the chopped onion, green chilli, parsley, garlic, egg and minced meat and mixed all the ingredients very well. Grease a bread loaf mould. Pour in the batter. Bake at 180 or 200 degrees celsius for 45 minutes in a preheated oven depending upon your oven temperature .Take a small bowl, mix in the tomato ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Take out the bread loaf from the oven and apply the sauce on the top of the meatloaf. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it cool down. 

Take the boiled potato , corn, cheese, cream, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix all the ingredients well.

 To serve -  Place some mixture of mashed potato and corn. Cut a portion of the meatloaf and place it over the mashed potato and corn. The dish is ready to be eaten. 

Cheesy Veggie Bombs

This is a very easy starter or snacks for the evening. I am sure children will love it too... vegetables like zucchini, brinjal, spinach, boiled raw banana are used with cottage cheese or grated cheddar cheese. To enhance the taste used mozzarella cheese cubes in the center of the veggie balls. Serve with tomato ketchup. 

Ingredients 

1 medium size  Brinjal peeled and chopped into small cubes 

1 medium size Zucchini peeled and chopped into small cubes 

Few Spinach Leaves chopped 

1 medium size Onion chopped 

5 to 6 Garlic Cloves chopped 

Few Green Chillies chopped 

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

1/2 cup  Cottage Cheese mashed or grated Cheddar Cheese 

Mozzarella Cheese cut into small cubes

Salt to taste 

1 /2 to 1 tsp Pepper powder 

1/2 tsp Curry powder or Cumin powder  (Optional)

1 cup + 1 cup Bread crumbs 

1 tbsp Oil + Oil to Fry

Method 

Take a pan, add 1 tbsp oil, once the oil heats up, add onion and garlic, sauté till the onions are translucent. Add the brinjal, zucchini, spinach and green chillies. Sauté and cook until the vegetables are cooked and the moisture has dried up. Add the salt, pepper and curry powder, stir and cook all the ingredients together. Switch off the flame. Let the veggie mixture cool down. Add 1 cup of the bread crumbs, cottage cheese or cheddar cheese  and coriander leaves. Mix and bind all the ingredients together. The mixture should not be wet,  as it has to form into a ball. Incase it’s wet, add more bread crumbs. Apply oil on the palms. Take a big lemon size portion from the veggie mixture. Create a cavity and add 1 to 2 mozzarella cheese cubes  into the cavity.  Roll the portion back into a ball. The mozzarella cheese should be well covered. Roll the ball in the remaining bread crumbs. Heat the oil, repeat the process with the remaining veggie mixture. Once the oil heats up add the veggie bombs into the hot oil. Fry on medium heat until golden brown on all the sides. Serve the veggie bombs with tomato ketchup  and a hot cup of tea. 

#starters #snacks #vegetarian #cheese #delicious 

Ande Ka Kabab

Ande ka kabab 

This is a very easy and a quick starter or a snack that we can make for parties or to enjoy with evening tea. Serve the Kababs with green chutney, onion and lemon wedges. Paneer can be replaced instead of eggs. This Kabab is very soft... hence while shallow frying the Kababs turn the Kababs gently. 

Ingredients 

3 Boiled Eggs

1 tsp Ginger - Garlic and Chilli paste

2 tbsp Chopped Onion

1 tbsp Onion paste

1/2 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves 

1/2 tbsp chopped Mint leaves 

1 tbsp Lemon Juice 

2 tbsp Roasted Chickpea flour

1 tbsp Almond or Cashew flour 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder

1/2 tsp Shahi Garam Masala 

1 tsp Ghee

Oil or Ghee for brushing on the skillet 

Some Chaat Masala to sprinkle on the Kabab

Method 

Take a grinder jar, add the boiled eggs and make a paste. Take a bowl, add all the ingredients into the bowl, except for the Chaat Masala and Oil, bind all the ingredients together. Incase if we require to bind the Kabab well, then add little more chickpea flour. Apply little oil on the palms. Take a lemon size portion, and give a patty shape. Repeat the process with the remaining portion. Take a skillet, brush oil on the skillet. Place the Kabab on the skillet and cook from both the sides until brown in colour. Remove from the skillet, sprinkle some Chaat masala and serve it with lemon wedges and onion rings.