Chicken & Vegetable Gravy served with Mashed Potato and Butter Tossed Noodles

 

When it comes to cooking just for your own self, it’s very boring… to make it interesting, here is a simple continental dish with Maggi masala and other ingredients that was available in my kitchen. Any vegetables like broccoli, zucchini, coloured bell pepper, baby corn can be added. For Vegetarians please omit the chicken.. 

Ingredients 

1 pack of Noodles 

1 Boiled Potato 

1/2 cup Boneless Chicken pieces 

1 cup Mix Vegetables like Mushrooms, Capsicum, Carrots, Onions etc. cut into medium size cubes or sliced 

Few Coriander leaves 

1/2 tbsp crushed Garlic

1 cube of Maggi Chicken or Vegetable stock

1 Maggi Masala that comes with Maggi Noodles 

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Fresh Cream

1/4 cup Milk 

1 tbsp Wheat Flour 

Salt and Pepper powder to taste 

1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp Butter 

1 tbsp Vegetable Oil 

Method 

Add 1 1/4 cups of water in a pot, let the water simmer, add the vegetable stock cube and let it dissolve, add the noddles, let the noodles cook, once done, separate the water from the noodles and keep both aside. 

Now take a pan, add oil and 1/2 tbsp butter, let the butter melt, add the garlic, sauté for few seconds, add the vegetables and stir fry for a minute. Remove the vegetables and keep them aside, in the same pan, add the chicken pieces and sauté them until they are cooked. Remove the chicken and keep them aside. In the same pan now add one cup of vegetable stock water used for boiling the noodles. Let the water simmer, take 1/4 cup fresh cream, Milk and wheat flour and make a slurry. Add the slurry into the simmering water and keep stirring until the gravy begins to thickens, no lump should form. Now add the the chicken, cooked vegetables, and a packet of Maggi masala that comes with the noodles. Taste and then add extra salt accordingly if required. Let the gravy simmer for a minute, switch off the flame. Take the boiled potato, grate the boiled potato with the help of a grater, add 2 tbsp cream, 1/2 tsp butter, some salt and pepper powder, mix all the ingredients very well. Take the noodles and simply toss them in the remaining butter and salt to taste 

Take a plate and assemble all the dishes together, sprinkle some coriander leaves on the gravy and serve them hot. 

Enjoy the dish with some beverage of your choice. After all Self love is the first love 💕

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. 

Grilled Pomfret served with Sautéed Vegetables - Mashed Potato and Butter Lemon Sauce

 

We enjoy having continental dinner once in a while. Let’s see how it’s made.. 

Butter Lemon Sauce

Ingredients 

2 tbsp Flour

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

1/2 tsp dried Parsley 

Juice of 1/2 Lemon 

1 cup Milk

1 tbsp Butter 

Method 

Take a pan, add butter, let it melt, add flour, sauté it for few seconds, add milk little at a time and keep on stirring so that no lump forms. As the sauce thickens, add salt, pepper and parsley. Switch off the flame. Let the sauce cool down. Add the lemon juice and stir. 

Mashed Potatoes 

Ingredients 

2 big size boiled potatoes mashed 

2 tbsp Fresh Cream

1 tsp Butter 

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp Pepper powder 

Method 

Add all the above ingredients into a bowl and mix all the ingredients very well. 

Sautéed Vegetables 

Ingredients 

4 to 5 medium size Cauliflower florets 

Few French Beans

1 medium size Carrots cut into thick strips

1 small size  Sweet Potato cut into thick strips 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

1 tbsp Butter 

Method 

Take a pot, add water and salt into the pot, add the vegetables, let the vegetables boil until it’s cooked, drain the water out, take a pan, add butter, let the butter melt. Sauté the vegetables for a minute, add pepper powder and switch off the flame. 

For the Grilled Pomfret 

Ingredients 

3 Whole cleaned Pomfrets 

Juice of 1/2 Lemon 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Pepper powder 

1/2 tsp Garlic paste 

1 tbsp Butter or Olive Oil 

Method 

Marinate the fish with salt, pepper, garlic paste and lemon juice and keep it for 30 minutes. Take a grill pan, apply butter or oil on the grill pan, place the pomfrets. Cook the pomfrets until brown on both the sides. 

To Assemble - 

Take a plate. Place the grilled pomfret on the plate. Place some sautéed vegetables and some mashed potatoes. Pour the lemon butter sauce over the fish. Garnish with a piece of tomato and parsley.. 

Chaman Olu / Cottage Cheese and Potato

It’s a Kashmiri dish that is made with cottage cheese and potato. It’s served with rice. It’s a very simple dish, yet very delicious.
I have adapted the recipe from Ms. Purnima Kachru’s cook book.
We enjoyed the dish with hot steamed rice.

Ingredients
250 grams Cottage cheese cut into medium size cubes
1 big  size Potato cut into thick roundels
4 Green chillies slit
1/2 tsp Turmeric  Powder
1/2 tsp Ginger Powder
1 tsp Fennel seed Powder
1 pinch Asafoetida
Salt to taste
1 Black cardamom crushed
2 Cloves crushed
2 Green Cardamom crushed
1 1/2 tbsp Curd
1 1/2 tbsp Milk
1/2 cup Mustard Oil
1 tbsp Ghee
1 1/2 cup Water

Method
Take a wok, add mustard oil, heat the oil. Reduce the flame. Fry the cottage cheese until the edges are golden brown in colour. Take a pot, add water, add salt and turmeric powder. Add the fried cottage cheese into the water. Now fry the potato roundels and add the potato roundels into the water. Add ginger powder, fennel powder, asafoetida and black cardamom. Place the pot on the gas stove and cook the ingredients on medium heat until the water reduces into half. Beat the curd along with the milk. Pour the milk - curd into the pot, stir the gravy constantly and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the gravy from the flame. Take ghee in a pan, let it heat, add the green cardamom and cloves. Sauté and pour the ghee into the gravy. Add green chillies to garnish. Serve the dish with steamed rice.

Butter - Garlic Chicken Roast with Desi style Mashed Potato...

 

This chicken roast is very easy to make and goes well with the Desi flavoured mashed potato and any type of bread. This can be made with few ingredients available at home. I have added Bhaja masala into the mashed potatoes to give it a twist. Bhaja Masala is used in  Bengali kitchen. Cumin seeds, coriander seeds and dry red chillies are roasted and then ground into powder. 

Desi Style Mashed Potato 

Ingredients 

2 Big size Boiled Mashed Potatoes 

3 tbsp Mayonnaise 

3 tbsp Cream

1  tsp Bhaja Masala 

Salt to taste

1 small Onion finely chopped 

2 fresh chillies finely chopped 

1 tsp chopped Coriander leaves 

Method 

Take a bowl, add the potatoes, half of the chopped chillies, coriander leaves, cream, mayonnaise, salt to taste and bhaja masala. Mix all the ingredients very well. Garnish with chopped onion and remaining chopped chillies. 

Butter - Garlic Chicken Roast

Ingredients 

3 pieces of Chicken full leg pieces 

1 tbsp Lime Juice 

Salt to taste

1 tsp Garlic Powder or Fresh Garlic crushed

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

2 tbsp Butter

Method 

Take a bowl, add the lime juice, garlic, salt, pepper and 1 tbsp butter. Mix all the ingredients together. Take the chicken pieces, give some slits on the chicken pieces. Rub the marination on the chicken pieces and keep it aside for an hour. 

Take a baking tray, place the chicken pieces on the tray, apply some butter on the chicken. Roast the chicken in a preheated oven at 250 degrees celsius for for 15 minutes. Take the tray out, turn the chicken pieces and apply the remaining butter and continue to roast for another 15 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven. Take a plate, place a chicken roast and add some mashed potato, serve the roast with some bread of your choice. 

Chicken - Aloo Tikki

This is a bit different Chicken - Aloo Tikki recipe, that I made in my Kitchen. Chicken boneless pieces are required, along with potatoes and with just few spices like cloves, cinnamon and cardamom that goes into a Bengali garam masala. 

This dish goes well as a starter and as snacks. This can be served with green coriander chutney and ketchup. 

Ingredients 

10 to 12 medium pieces of Boneless Chicken  preferred 

2 medium size Potatoes (peel and chop 1 potato into very small pieces and peel and cut the other potato into big pieces as it will grind with the chicken) 

2 Green Chillies (1 Chilli to grind and another chilli to slice) or added chillies as per requirement. 

5 to 6 Garlic Cloves 

1 small Ginger piece

1 tbsp chopped Coriander 

2 tbsp Sour Curd 

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/2 cup Rice Flour

1/4 cup Fine Semolina 

1/4 cup Vermicelli 

Oil to fry 

Method 

Take a grinder jar, add the chicken pieces, big potato pieces, 1 chilli, garlic, ginger and salt. Grind the ingredients into a paste, add 2 tbsp curd and grind the paste once more. Remove the paste into a bowl. Add the chopped potato pieces, sliced chilli and chopped coriander leaves. Mix the ingredients together. Add the rice flour, mix it and keep it aside for an hour. Add the vermicelli and mix the ingredients together, now add the semolina and garam masala powder. Mix the ingredients once more. Heat up the oil in a wok, Take small lime size portions and flatten the ball. Once the oil heats up, add the tikkis into the oil, fry the tikkis on medium low flame until golden brown in colour. Remove the tikkis on a paper towel. Serve the tikkis with green chutney and ketchup. 

Aloo r Chop in an Appe Pan / Potato Fritters Bengali Style made in an Appe Pan

Aloor Chop is a famous street food of Kolkata. It is found in any Tele Bhaja shop (Shop which sales fried food) in any corner of the street. It is normally had in the evening with garm... garm.. chai ( hot... hot.... tea) and served with Muri (Puffed Rice). Today I have made these aloo r chops in an appe pan using very less oil.

Ingredients 

2 medium size Potatoes boiled and mashed

2 Green chillies chopped

1/4 tsp Ginger paste 

1 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped 

1/2 cup Gram Flour 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/4 tsp Carom seeds 

2 pinches of Soda Bicarbonate 

1 tsp Bhaja Masala 

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Mustard Oil

Method
Take the boiled potatoes in a bowl, add ginger, chillies, coriander leaves, Bhaja Masala and salt. Mix the ingredients well. Keep it aside. Take a mixing bowl with gram flour in it, add the salt and turmeric powder, mix the ingredients together, add the soda bicarbonate, mix it. Add the carom seeds, mix it. Now add little water at a time and mix the ingredients together into a thick smooth batter. Take the appe pan, add 1/4 tsp of oil into each cavity. Heat the oil. Now dip a potato ball in the batter and place it into the appe pan cavity. Repeat the process. Cover the appe pan and let it cook for 2 minutes. Open the pan, check the chop, turn the chop and continue to cook until golden brown from both the sides. Serve hot with Muri (Puffed Rice).

Dimer er Bati Chorchori

Bati Chorchori or Dobka as it was called in my house was very frequently made dish by my mother. There are lots of type of Bati Chorchoris... some are made only with vegetables combining of carrot and potato  or bitter gourd and potato or pointed gourds and potato... there are Bati Chorchori made with prawns and potato and like this one with egg and potato... tomato is optional.. so is onion in the vegetarian version. You can add onions in the non vegetarian version. The dish is made with nothing but only salt, turmeric and mustard oil.. may be in some household they add seasoning like nigella seeds or panch phoran. The spiciness comes from fresh green chillies. It’s the simplest of the recipe, but the taste is divine. Bati Chorchori was cooked in a Bati or a bowl and hence the name has derived. All the ingredients are added together and stirred and then water is added to cook the vegetables. It’s then covered and left to cook till the vegetables are tender. Lastly to enhance the flavour mustard oil is drizzled. Coriander leaves were not added in the actual recipe, but it’s optional. It can be enjoyed during lunch with steamed rice or for breakfast with poratha. 

Ingredients 

4 Boiled Eggs cut into 4 pieces 

3 Potatoes cut into small cubes 

1 Onion chopped 

1 Tomato chopped 

3 Green Chillies slit 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

3 tbsp Mustard Oil 

Method 

Take a bowl or a wok. Add 2 1/2 tbsp mustard oil and let the oil heat up. Then add onion, green chillies, potatoes, tomato, eggs, turmeric powder and salt. Stir it, add around 1 1/2 cups of water. Cover and let it cook. Open the lid and check if the potatoes have become tender. Drizzle 1/4 tsp of  mustard oil and switch of the flame. Serve the Bati Chorchori in a bowl and drizzle remaining mustard oil on top. Serve it with hot steamed rice or porata. 

Ram Rochak Tarkari

It’s a delicious Oriya vegetarian dish popular in the Baripada region of Odisha. This dish is made during Ratha Yatra. This a very simple dish. Mung dal dumplings are cooked with vegetables like brinjal and potatoes.  This dish can be served with rice.

This recipe is adapted from Sweta Biswal's blog Oriya Rasoi....

For the Dal Dumplings / Bara

Ingredients

1/2 cup Yellow Split Lentils(Mung Dal) soaked for 1 to 2 hours

1/4 cup Whole Green Gram (Whole Green Mung Dal) soaked for 4 to 5 hours

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

2 Red Dry Chillies

A pinch of Asafetida

Salt to taste

Oil for fry the dumplings

Method

Add the cumin seeds, dry red chillies, asafetida, salt, yellow mung dal and green whole mung dal in a grinder. Add very little water as the batter should be thick. Grind the dal into a batter. Take oil in a wok and let it heat up. Add a tsp of the batter in the oil. Repeat the process for 3 to 4 times. Fry it till golden brown in colour. Remove it from the oil and keep it aside.

For the Masala Paste

Ingredients

2 to 3 small pieces of Ginger

2 Dry Red Chillies

1 small Green Chilli

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

3/4 tsp Coriander seeds

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

Method

Add the ginger, red chillies, green chilli, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and turmeric powder in the grinder and grind the ingredients. Add 2 to 3 tbsp water and grind it again into a paste.

For the Curry

Ingredients

Mung Dal Dumplings

1 cup Brinjal cut into medium cubes

2 medium size Potatoes cut into medium size cubes

1 Green Chilli slit

1 Green Cardamom

1 small piece Cinnamon

2 Cloves

Salt to taste

Masala paste

2 tbsp Oil

1/2 tsp Ghee

Method

Reduce the oil in which the dumplings had been fried to 2 tbsp. Add the cumin seeds, clove, cardamom, cinnamon and green chilli. Let it crackle. Add the masala paste. Sauté it till the oil leaves the masala. Add the potatoes. Stir and cook for a minute. Add the brinjal. Stir and cook for another minute. Add 1 1/2 cups of water. Stir, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Open the lid, add salt to taste. Stir, cover and continue to cook until the potatoes are 80 percent done. Open the lid, check if the potatoes are almost done. Add the dumplings and continue to cook for another 4 to 5 minutes. Drizzle ghee and switch of the flame. Serve it with hot steaming rice. 

Kashmiri Dum Aloo...

There are many variations of making Dum Aloo. Some of the different states in India has their unique way of making it. In Kashmir, the dum aloo looks rich and vibrant due to the Kashmiri chilli powder used in it, which gives colour to the dish. Apart from the colour, the dish is flavorful too, as the fennel seed powder and ginger powder is also used in it with the other spices. 

The medium size of potatoes are boiled and pricked with a tooth pick. It is deep fried in oil and then the gravy is made. 

I was inspired by Chef Sanjay Raina's Dum Aloo Video and I had to make this dish which was in my bucket list. 

Ingredients 

12 medium size Potatoes boiled 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1/2 tsp Saha Jeera

1 Cinnamon stick

2 Green Cardamom

2 Black Cardamom 

3 Cloves

2 Bay Leaves

1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli powder 

2 tsp Fennel powder

1 pinch of Asafoetida

1/2 tsp Ginger powder 

1 tsp Garam Masala powder 

Salt to taste 

3 tbsp Curd beaten 

Mustard oil to fry the Potatoes 

Method 

Prick the potatoes all over with a toothpick. Take the mustard oil in a wok. Heat the oil well till the smoking point. Reduce the heat and fry the potatoes well till golden brown in colour. Remove the potatoes from the oil and keep it on a paper towel. Remove the excess oil from the wok, leaving 2 to 3 tbsp oil in the wok. Add the whole spices and sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the red chilli powder into the wok and stir well on a low flame. Add  2 tbsp of water, so that the chilli will not burn. Add the curd and stir. Add all the spice powder and salt. Stir and cook all the ingredients together well till the oil separates from the masala. Add 1 1/2 cup of water. Let the gravy simmer for 2 minutes. Add the fried potatoes.  Cover the wok and cook for 20 minutes till the gravy thickens a bit. Serve it hot with rice. 

Aloo Rassa

Aloo Rassa

It’s had with dhuska, puri or Paratha. It’s one of the vegetarian dishes from Jharkhand 

Ingredients 

4 medium size Potatoes boiled and crumbled

1 large tomato chopped

1/2 tsp Ginger paste

¼ tsp Fenugreek seeds 

Salt to taste

¼ tsp Turmeric powder 

½ tsp Red chilli powder

1/2 tsp  Cumin powder 

1 tsp Coriander powder 

1 tsp Fennel powder 

1/2 tsp Dried Mango powder 

1/2 tsp Garam masala powder 

Pinch of Asafoetida

2 tbsp Mustard Oil

Method 

Take a wok, add oil. Add the fenugreek seeds, sauté for few seconds. Add coriander powder, cumin powder, fennel powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and asafoetida. On a low flame stir for few seconds. Add little water and keep stirring, or else the masala will burn. Add the ginger paste and tomatoes. Sauté it till the tomatoes become mushy. In between keep adding little water. Once the tomato are mushy, add the potatoes, stir add salt and add a cup of water and let it simmer for some time, add garam masala powder and dried mango powder. Stir and let the curry simmer for sometime until it thickens. Once the curry thickens add Coriander leaves. Serve it hot with pooris or paratha.

Aloo Morich ar Chirebhaja....

It’s a favourite breakfast at our place. It’s a very simple dish made in all Bengali household for snacks. 

 
For Aloo Morich
Ingredients
1 big potatoes boiled and cut into cubes.
1 green chilli slit
1 tbsp ghee
Salt to test
1/2 tsp pepper pd.
Method
Take a wok, add ghee and heat it up. Add green chilli. Stir it for few seconds. Add the potato, salt and pepper. Stir fry it for 2 minutes.

For Chirebhaja
Ingredients
1 bowl Thin Flatten Rice
3 tbsp Peanuts (optional)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
2 tbsp Mustard oil

Method
Take a wok. Add oil, let it heat. Add the peanuts. Fry it till brown. Fry for for few seconds. Add the thin flatten rice. Add salt and pepper. Stir fry till crispy.

Chilli Garlicky Cheese Rice -Potato Pops

Chilli Garlicky Cheesy Rice - Potato Pops...

These can be served as tea time snacks or starters. These are vegetarian pops. I love the taste of the melted mozzarella. These are easy to make. Must serve it hot.. 

For the Stuffing

Ingredients

1/2 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese

1 cup Mozarella grated  

1/2 cup Cottage Cheese crumbles or grated 

1 tsp to 2 tsp Green Chillies minced as required 

1 tsp Garlic minced 

Salt to taste 

Method

Mix all the above ingredients together and keep it aside. 

For the Potato - Rice Pops 

Ingredients 

1 cup cooked Rice mashed 

2 Large Potatoes boiled grated

1 cup or 3 to 4 end slice of the Fresh Bread crumbs

1/4 cup Spinach Puree 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Oil

Method

Mix all the above ingredients together well and make a dough. If you feel the dough is too sticky to handle then add some more bread crumbs. Add a tsp oil and knead it well. 

To Fry the Pops 

Ingredients 

Stuffing

Dough

1 cup Fine Semolina 

Oil to fry 

Method

Take a small portion of the dough, flatten it.Place some stuffing in between the dough. Press the stuffing in the center and close the edges of the dough. Roll it into a ball. Repeat the process till all the pops are ready. Toss them in semolina. Heat the oil in a fry pan. Fry the pops till golden brown on full flame. Remove it on an absorbent paper. Serve it hot with tomato ketchup... 

P.S. Take Fresh Bread and grind it to make fresh bread crumbs. 

The dough is a bit sticky, to handle the dough apply oil on the palms. 

Please roll the pops well after the stuffing is done, or else it can break and the cheese can ooze out. 

Mete Chorchori (Dry Liver Curry)

Mete Chorchori (Dry Liver Curry)

It is an old dish from Bengal. It is basically made with Mutton Liver, but you can use Chicken Liver too. Here I have made it with Chicken liver. This can be servered as a side dish and can be eaten with Paratha and Roti or Rice. 

Ingredients

250 grams Chicken Liver 

2 Potatoes cut into cubes and rubbed with Salt and 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

1 small Onion paste

1 big Onion chopped 

2  Tomatoes puréed

1 tsp Ginger paste 

1 tsp Garlic and Chilli paste 

1 Bay leaf

1 Cardamom crushed 

2 Cloves crushed

1 small piece Cinnamon 

6 Pepper corns 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder

1/2 tsp Sugar 

Salt to taste 

3 tbsp Mustard oil 

1 Green Chilli chopped for garnishing 

Method 

Marinate the liver with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and salt for 30 minutes. Add oil in a wok. Heat it till smoking hot. Reduce the flame. Add the potatoes and fry it till light golden in colour. Remove it and keep it aside. In the same oil, add the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and pepper corns. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the bay leaf and the chopped onions. Sauté it till light brown in colour. Add the ginger garlic and chilli paste. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the onion paste. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the liver pieces. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes. Continue to stir and cook for 3 minutes more. Add the tomato puree and stir. Add the powder spices, salt and sugar. Stir and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook till the water dries up. Garnish with chopped chillies. Serve it hot.

Potato and Rice Flour Latkes..

Potato and Rice Flour Latkes....

 Latkes are potato pancakes that are prepared by Ashkenazi Jews as a part of the Hanukkah festival since the mid-1800s, but the connection actually goes back to at least the Middle Ages.

Latkes need not necessarily be made from potatoes. Earlier day before the potatoes were introduced, latkes were, and in some places still are, made from a variety of other vegetables, cheeses, legumes, or starches, depending on the availability of the local ingredients.  Numerous modern recipes call for the addition of ingredients such as onions and carrots. The word latke itself has derived from the Russian word 'ladka', 'oladka',"small pancake". The word leviva, the Hebrew name for latke, refers in the Book of Samuel to a dumpling made from kneaded dough, as part of the story of Amnon and Tamar. Some interpreters have noted that the homonym levav means "heart".

Net source... 

I have adopted this recipe for the net... 

Very quick and easy to make and ingredients are easily available in the kitchen. Taste good with garlic and mustard flavoured yogurt sauce. 

Ingredients

1 large potato peeled and grated and excess water squeezed out ( Here instead of the raw potato, I have used half boiled potato)

1 large onion chopped finely 

2 Eggs

1 cup Rice Flour

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

Oil for frying

Method 

Take a mixing bowl, Add potato, onion, eggs, flour, salt and pepper. Mix well. Heat a skillet. Add a tbsp of oil. On a low flame, heat the oil. Place 1 large tablespoon of the batter on the skillet. Press and flatten the batter. Fry it until golden brown from both the sides. Drizzle more oil if required.  Remove it from the skillet and place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Continue with remaining batter until done. Serve it with garlic and dejon mustard Yogurt sauce...

Ingredients 

1/4 cup Yogurt 

1/4 tsp Garlic paste

1 tsp Dejon Mustard paste

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp Pepper powder 

Method 

Mix all the above ingredients well. 

Potato Garlic Chessy Buttery Pull apart Buns ...

Potato Garlic Chessy Buttery Pull apart Buns ...

Bread making is so... so.. therapeutic. Plus home made breads are healthy too. When ever I am down.. bread making has boosted up my energy. I love using my hands for kneading. It is easy too. Once you have the techniques of making basic bread.. you can innovative your own breads...

 

Ingredients
4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 tbsp Dry Yeast
1 tbsp Sugar
1/4 cup of Lukewarm Water
1 cup Lukewarm Milk
1 tsp Garlic Seasoning
Salt to taste
1 Egg (Optional)
2 Potatoes peeled, grated and excess water squeezed out
1 cup Cheddar Cheese
2 tbsp Butter
1/2 cup Melted Butter
1/2 cup Mozzarella and Cheddar cheese mix
Egg wash or 

Butter and Milk wash

Method
Take 1/4 cup lukewarm water, add sugar. Stir it, add yeast. Stir it and keep it aside to rise. Take a mixing bowl. Add flour, salt, garlic seasoning. Mix it. Make a well in the centre. Add yeast water, milk, egg, potatoes and cheese.  Mix it and start kneading the dough. Add extra water little at a time till it forms a soft dough. In the beginning it will be bit sticky.  Add a tbsp of butter and knead it. Take the remaining 1 tbsp of the butter little at a time and keep kneading for 10 minutes. Rub butter on the dough, cover and keep it to rise. Sprinkle little flour, punch and knead the dough.  Make lemon size equal balls. Grease a round baking tray. Dip the balls in the melted butter and arrange the balls in the baking tray. Cover and let it rise for 30 minutes. Apply egg wash on the dough.  Bake it at 180 degrees celcius for 15 minutes in a preheated oven. Take it out from the oven. Sprinkle mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Sprinkle some seasoning too. Bake it for another 10 minutes. Once done remove it from the oven. Cool a bit... Have it with any dips...   

Baked Mince Meat Curry Puffs......

Baked Mince Meat Curry Puffs......

It is a very common snack of Southeast Asian origin. It is a small pie consisting of specialised curry with meat or egg and potatoes in a deep-fried or baked pastry shell, and it looks like the Portuguese stuffed bread called Empanada.

For the Stuffing

Ingredients 

150 grams Meat Minced  

2  medium sized Potatoes boiled and cut into cubes 

1 big Onion chopped 

1/2 tsp Garlic chopped 

2 Green Chillies chopped 

1 tbsp Curry powder

Salt to taste 

2 tbsp oil

Method

Heat oil in a pot on medium heat. Add oil. Heat it. Add the  garlic, onion and chillies.  Saute it until the onions are translucent, then add in minced meat. Stir-fry until the meat changes it's colour, add the curry powder and stir well. Add the potatoes and salt, the cover pot. Reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes. Keep it aside and cool the stuffing completely.

For the 1st Dough 

Ingredients 

1 cup All Purpose Flour 

Salt to taste 

3/4 cup Butter 

Method 

Mix all the above ingredients together until well combined into a dough. Cover and keep it aside.

For the 2nd Dough 

Ingredients 

2 cups All Purpose Flour 

3 tbsp Butter room temperature 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Sugar

Water as required

Method

Mix the flour, butter, salt and sugar together. Add water little at a time and knead it well into a dough.

To make the Curry puffs.. 

Ingredients 

Stuffing 

1st Dough 

2nd Dough

Method 

Divide the 1st dough and 2nd dough into 3 equal portions. The 2nd dough will be bigger in size than the 1st dough. Take a 2nd dough ball and flatten it. Then place a 1st dough ball in the centre of the 2nd dough ball. Close the edges of the 2nd dough ball. Roll the dough ball into a oval long shape using a rolling pin. Now take one end of the dough and start to roll to the other end. Cut the dough roll into 4 parts. Take a piece of cut dough and place with the cut side down onto worktop surface.  Roll out again making sure that the centre of circle stays in the centre.Now it is ready to be stuffed. Pick up the rolled dough and place it on your palm. Add the stuffing and fold the dough into half and seal the edges. Pinch the edges and  pleat it together. Repeat it until the dough balls are used up.  Take a baking tray. Arrange the curry puffs on the tray. Bake at 180 degrees celcius for 25 minutes or until brown on both top in a preheated oven.

P. S. It can be deep fried until brown in colour..

 

Keema Aloo Choley

Keema Aloo Choley 

Ingredients 

1 bowl Mutton Mince 

1 bowl Chickpeas boiled 

10 to 12 Baby Potatoes boiled 

1 Onion chopped 

1 Tomato chopped 

1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Chilli paste 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

1 tsp Coriander - Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

2 tsp Choley Masala 

Salt to taste 

3 tbsp Oil / Ghee

Few Coriander leaves chopped

Method 

Take a wok, add oil / ghee. Let it heat. Add cumin seeds and let it crackle. Add garlic - ginger - chilli paste. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the onion. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the Kheema, choley and the potatoes. Stir a cook for 5 minutes. Add the spices, salt and tomato. Stir it and cook for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water. Stir, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Once done, garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve it hot with parathas or pav..

Kulcha Buns Stuffed with Chatpata Choley...

Kulcha Buns stuffed with Chatpata Choley.... 

I remember having Choley kulcha in Manali... Instead of making two different dishes.. I thought of stuffing the Choley in the kulcha.. It taste awesome with the buttery taste. Have it hot... 

For the Choley

Ingredients

1 cup Chickpeas soaked overnight and boiled 

2 Boiled Potatoes chopped into small pieces

1 Onion chopped

1 Tomato chopped 

1 tsp Garlic minced

1/2 tsp Ginger minced

2 Green chillies chopped 

1/4 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tsp Chaat Masala

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Roasted Cumin powder 

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

Juice of 1 Lime 

1 tbsp Oil 

Method 

Take a wok, add oil, add cumin seeds. Let it crackle, add the garlic, ginger and chopped chillies. Sauté it for 1 minute. Add the onions, sauté it till translucent. Add the tomato, stir it, add the chopped potato and the chickpeas. Stir and add 1/4 cup of water.Cover and cook till the water has dried up. Add the salt, chaat masala,roasted cumin powder and lime juice. Mix it. Take it off the flame. Add the coriander leaves for garnishing. Keep it aside while we make the Kulcha buns. 

Kulcha Buns

Ingredients 

3 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/4 cup Luke warm water

1 tbsp Sugar

1 1/2 tsp Dry Yeast

Salt to taste

1/2 cup or more Water

2 tbsp Butter (room temperature)

Method 

Take the yeast and sugar and mix it into the lukewarm water. Let it rise. Add the salt into the flour and mix it. Make a well in the centre of the flour. Pour in the yeast water and little more water and knead it into a soft dough. Add little butter and knead the dough well for 10 minutes. Apply little butter on the dough, cover and keep till it rises double in size. Punch the dough and divide the dough into equal portions, size of a tennis ball. Cover and keep for another 15 minutes.

To make the stuff Buns... 

Grease a baking tin with oil. Take one portion of the dough, flatten it. Add the chatpata Choley in the centre. Close the edges of the bun. Place the bun on the baking tin.leave some distance for the next bun. Apply oil on the bun and flatten the bun. Keep it for 20 minutes. Bake at 180 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes in a preheated oven. Apply butter on top of the hot buns.