Peppery Oats Rasam Vada

Peppery Oats Rasam Vada

This dish has a twist... it is made with Oats... Instead of using Tur dal in the rasam... I have used Oats on it... Similarly the Oats is used in the Vada too. The taste is the same and it healthy and delicious too 😊 

This is my winning recipe from #KelloggsREALCHEF

Rasam Powder

Ingredients 

1 tbsp Coriander seeds

1 tsp Chana dal

1 tsp Tur dal 

15 Pepper corn

2 Red Chillies

2 Pinches of Asafoetida 

1/2 tbsp Dry Coconut  grated / Desiccated Coconut

Method

Take a pan, add coriander seeds, chana dal, tur dal, pepper corn and red chillies. Roast it for 2 minutes. Add the coconut and asafoetida.  Roast it for a minute. Let it cool. Add the ingredients in to a grinder and grind it in to a powder.

For the Rasam

Ingredients

1 big Tomato finely chopped

4 tbsp Oats (soak it in 1 cup of hot water)

1/2 tspTamarind paste

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

2 sprigs Curry Leaves

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

Pinch of Asafoetida 

Rasam powder 

1 tsp Ghee

Few Coriander leaves chopped

Method

Take a pot. Add 3 cups of water, tamarind paste, tomatoes, few curry leaves, turmeric powder and salt. Put the pot on simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the soaked oat along with 3 cups of water. Let it simmer. Add the rasam powder. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. Take another pan. Add ghee. Add mustard seeds, let it crackle. Add curry leaves and asafoetida. Sauté for few seconds. Add the seasoning to the rasam. Switch off the flame. Garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve it hot.

 

For the Vada 

Ingredients 

2 cups Oats

1/2 cup washed and soaked Urid dal for 2 hours

1 Green Chilli chopped 

1/4 tsp Cumin seeds 

Pinch of Asafoetida 

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp Pepper corn coarsely ground 

Oil to deep fry

Method 

Add 1 cup oats, soaked urid dal, salt and water as required in a grinder. Grind it into a coarse batter. While grinding don't add too much of water. Take is out from the grinder and add remaining oats, cumin seeds, pepper, chilli and water as required.  Mix it well.  Take oil in a wok. Let it heat. Take a tbsp of the batter and drop it into the oil. Fry it till golden brown. Serve the vadas with hot rasam.

Murg aur Baigan ka Achar...

Murg aur Baigan ka Achar...

At times when we are lazy to cook, that is the time this pickle comes handy with simple hot dal, rice and papads or fish fry. 

This dish is an experiment in my kitchen. Try it out and I am sure you will love it.

This is my winning recipe from #PlatterShare

For the Chicken Marination 

Ingredients

1 cup Boneless Chicken cut into small pieces 

1 tbsp Garlic and Ginger minced 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/4 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1 tsp Red Chilli Powder

Salt to taste 

2 tbsp Vinegar

Method 

Mix all the above ingredients and marinate it for 6 hours.

For the Spice powder 

Ingredients

1 tbsp Coriander seeds 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

1/2 tsp Fennel seeds 

1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds 

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds 

1/2 tsp Carom seeds 

1/4 tsp  Asafoetida powder 

8 Red Dry Chillies

Method 

Grind all the above ingredients into a fine powder and keep this aside.

For the Pickle 

Ingredients

Marinated chicken pieces

1 medium  size long Brinjals cut into small cubes or 2 cups of cubed Brinjal 

6 Whole Garlic cloves crushed 

Few Curry leaves 

Spice powder

1/4 tsp Mustard seeds 

1/4 tsp Coriander seeds 

1/4 tsp Fennel seed 

2 Pinches of Fenugreek seeds 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

Salt to taste 

1 tbsp Sugar 

1/2 cup Vinegar 

1 cup Sesame Oil

Method 

Add oil to a wok. When the oil is hot, add the brinjals and fry it. Remove it and keep it aside. In the same oil, add the mustard seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds and fennel seeds. Let it crackle. Add the curry leaves and garlic. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the marinated chicken. Cook it for 10 minutes or till done. Add the brinjals, the spice powder, turmeric powder,  chilli powder  and sugar. Stir it. Cook it for 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and salt. Stir and cook for 1 minute.  Remove from the fire and let it cool. Keep it in a glass container and store in the refrigerator. It stays for 6 month.

Strawberry Cashew Mawa Barfi

Strawberry Cashew Mawa Barfi 

This is my Chef's Special Choice winning recipe for the Sugar free contest 

Ingredients
250 grams Mawa
250 grams Cottage cheese  (Paneer )
1/2 cup Cashewnut powder
1/2 Sugar free powder
1/2 Strawberry pulp
Few drops of Strawberry essence
Few Pistachio chopped for garnishing
Method
Take a plate and make crumbs of Mawa and paneer. Take a heavy bottom pan, add the mawa and paneer and stirring it continuously cook it for 10 minutes till the liquid in it dry up a bit. Divide the mixture in to two parts. Take one part in a pan, add the cashewnut powder and 1/4 cup Sugarfree in it. Stir and cook for 5 to 10 minutes more till the mixture forms almost like a dough. Take it out and spread the mixture on a greased plate. Take the next mixture in a pan, add the strawberry pulp, 1/4 cup Sugarfree powder and few drops of Strawberry essence. Stir and cook till the mixture forms almost like a dough. Take it out and spread the mixture on the cashewnut barfi. Let it cool. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Cut and serve it in
pieces.

Grilled Garlicky Herbed Gondharaj Sole fish with Baked Sweet Potatoes.

Grilled Garlicky Herbed Gondharaj  Sole fish with Baked Sweet Potatoes.

For the Baked Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
1 medium sweet potato, unpeeled, cut into thick wedges
1 tsp Melted Butter
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Pepper powder

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degree Celcius.  Put the sweet potato wedges on a baking tray and toss through 1tsp of melted butter, salt and pepper powder. Bake  in the oven for 45 minutes turning occasionally or until golden and tender. Keep it aside till the fish is ready. Keep the baking tray on top of the hot oven, so the sweet potatoes remain hot.

For the Sole Fish
Ingredients
4 pieces of Sole fish fillets
1 whole Pod of Garlic peeled
Few fresh Sage
1 small stem of RoseMary
2 Gongharaj Lemon Leaves
1 tbsp Gondharaj Lemon juice
1 tbsp Melted Butter
Salt to taste
Garnish with chopped Chives and Gandharaj Lemon slices

Method
Take a chopper, add  garlic cloves, Rose Mary, lemon leaves, lemon juice, melted butter and salt. Chop and mince all the ingredients together. Apply the minced ingredients on the fish. Marinate it for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celcius. Grill the fish for 25 minutes, turning the fish occasionally. Serve the fish with sweet potatoes and sliced lemon, sprinkle chopped chives.

P.S. Any lemon can be used if Gandharaj lemon is not available and any fish fillets can be used.

Bottle Gourd Savoury Muffins

Bottle Gourd Savoury Muffins

This is my winning recipe in a contest conducted by Mumbai Chapter Indian Food Freak.... 

Ingredients
4 Eggs
1 cup Grated Bottle Gourd along with the skin
1 small Onion minced
2 Green chillies minced
1/4 tsp Ginger grated
1/4 tsp Garlic grated
1/4 cup +  2 tbsp Whole wheat
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Olive oil
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
Salt to taste

Method
Take the eggs. Very gently with a metal skewer, prick one end of the egg and make a hole. Take a mixing bowl, pour out the yolk and the egg whites in the mixing bowl and wash the egg shells very gently. Remove the water out and keep it under the fan to dry. Mean while add all the above ingredients in the mixing bowl except 2 tbsp flour. Mix it well. The batter has to be thick dropping consistency.  If required add 2 tbsp flour. Take a 6 cavity cupcake mould. Take a piece of foil paper and adjust the foil in the cup cake cavity, so that the egg shell can sit well. 

Repeat the process for other cavities also. Spray the inner side of the egg shells with oil. Pour the batter in the egg shell filling 2/3 of the egg shell. The remaining batter can be poured into the greased cup cake cavities or turned into an egg Paratha. Bake the muffins at 160 degrees celcius for 35 to 40 minutes. To check insert a tooth pick. If the tooth pick comes out clean then the muffins are done. 

Remove it from the oven and cool the muffins before peeling the egg shell out. Enjoy the Bottle Gourd Savoury Muffins with Tea... The remaining batter can be used in making cup cake muffins and parathas. 

   

Indo- Western Mithai shots....

Indo- Western Mithai shots....
I had some leftover cake crumbs and some rasogullas. So this idea came to me to make these Mithai shots. They are superbly delicious. Do try them at home and treat your family and friends.
Makes 12 shot glass
Ingredients:-
4 rasgullas cut into 3 parts
12 tbsp chocolate Ganache ( 100 ml cream added to 250 grams of dark chocolate and melted for 30 seconds to a minute in a microwave and mixed well)
2 grated carrots
8 tbsp condensed milk
1 tbsp peeled and chopped almonds
1 tsp ghee
A pinch of cardamom powder
1 cup of cake crumbs
12 tblsp of rose syrup
1 cup milk
1 tsp vegetarian gelatin
2 tbsp of hot water
12 tsp fresh cream
Method
Take a cup of milk and keep it to boil on a slow flame and reduce the quantity to 1/2 and add 4 tblsp of condensed milk. Now take hot water and add the gelatin and mix well till no lumps should remain. Add the gelatine to the milk and mix well. Now take 12 shot glasses and fill  1/4 part of the shot glasses with milk. Keep it in the fridge to set.
Take a vessel and add ghee. Add the grated carrots and saute it. Add 4 tbsp of condensed milk and a pinch of cardamom powder cook it on slow flame till the condensed milk has dried up. Add the chopped almonds. Now take out the shot glasses from the fridge. Make 12 small balls of carrot mithai and add them into shot glasses on top of the milk gelatine and flatten them with your finger. Now add 1 tbsp of chocolate Ganache  in each glass. Then add the cake crumbs and fill the glass till little portion of the glass is empty. Keep it in the fridge. Before serving the Mithai shots, take the glasses out from the fridge and microw wave the shots for 15 seconds. Then add one part of the rosogulla and pour 1 tbsp of rose syrup on top and garnish it with fresh cream on top. And it's ready to be served.

Spicy Veg Cheese Lollipops

Spicy Veg Cheese Lollipops
Ingredients
2 Drumsticks cut into 8 pieces half boiled with salt
1/2 cup Paneer
1/2 cup boiled Potato mashed
1 Bread piece soaked in water, squeezed and mashed
1 tbsp finely chopped Spring onion
1 chopped green Chillies
1/2 tsp Garlic paste
1 tsp Soya sauce
1 tsp Red Chilli sauce
1/4 tsp Vinegar
1/4 tsp Pepper powder
Salt to taste
1/4 cup Cheddar Cheese
2 tbsp All Purpose flour
3 tbsp Cornstarch
1 Cup Oats
Oil to fry

Method
In a mixing bowl take paneer, potato, spring onion, green Chiili, garlic paste, soya sauce, chilli sauce, vinegar, pepper powder, salt and cheese. Mix all the ingredients together. Make 8 portions of the mixture. Take a portion, give it a oval shape and insert a drumstick to give a lollipop shape. Repeat the process with the rest. Roll the lollipops in all purpose flour. Make a thin  paste of cornflour with water. Coat the lollipops with cornflour paste. Cover the lollipops with oats. Repeat the process once more with all the lollipops. Heat oil in a pan. Fry the lollipops till crispy. Serve hot with chilli sauce or tomato sauce.

Vegetarian Egg Nargisi Kofta Curry served with Vegetable Palau rice....

Vegetarian Egg Nargisi Kofta Curry served with Vegetable Palau rice....

Vegetarian Egg Nargisi Kofta Curry

Preparation time: 45 minutes 

Cooking time : 1 hour 

 For kofta

Ingredients 

4 Raw Banana Boiled and mashed

1/2 cup Chickpeas flour/ Besan 

1 Cup mango pulp OR Butter Milk with 1/2 tsp Sugar

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Ginger paste

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder

1 1/2 tbsp Corn flour

1/2 tsp Chilli paste

Oil to fry

Method

Take a bowl. Add the besan, salt, turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp ginger paste, 1/4 tsp chilli paste and Mango pulp OR butter milk. Make a batter out of it. Take a non stick pan and cook the batter on a low flame, stirring it continuously. Once the batter dries up and becomes into a dry paste, keep it aside. Take the raw mashed bananas and add garam masala powder,corn flour,  salt, 1/4 tsp ginger paste and 1/4 tsp chilli paste. Mix it well. Now take the besan and make lemon size equal balls from it. Take the mashed banana and make bigger balls of equal portions. Take one mashed banana ball and flatten the ball a bit. Make a cavity and add the besan ball in the cavity. Roll up the mashed banana around the besan ball and try to give a egg shape. Repeat the same process for the remaining balls. Take a pan. Add oil in it. Let the oil heat. Add the vegetarian egg kofta till brown. Keep them aside. 

For the gravy

Ingredients 

2 tbsp Ghee / Oil 

1/2 tsp Ginger paste 

1/2 tsp Chilly powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp Curry powder

Salt to taste

1/4 cup tomato puree

2 tbsp Kaju paste 

1 cup water 

1/4 cup yogurt

1 tbsp Chopped Coriander leaves for Garnishing

Method 

Heat ghee or oil in a pot. Add the ginger and sauté it for few seconds. Add a little water.Add the kaju paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add all spices, salt,tomato puree and curd, cook it for 5 minutes. Add 1 1/2 water and cook it for further 15 minutes on simmer. The gravy should be thick. 15 minutes before serving cut the koftas in the centre into two halves.Add the koftas to the gravy.Garnish with coriander leaves.

Vegetable Palau

Preparation time : 30 minutes 

Cooking time : 45 minutes 

Ingredients 

1 cup Basmati rice washed and soaked for 30 minutes 

2 tbsp ghee

2 of each whole spice (Cardomom, Cloves) crushed

4 Pepper corn crushed

1" inch Cinnamon stick crushed

2 Bay Leaves

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1 Green Chillies chopped

1/2 tsp Ginger grated

1 cup of Mix Vegetables chopped ( Carrot,  Peas, Cauliflower)

1/2 tsp Sugar 

Salt to taste

Method 

Take a pot. Add ghee. Let is heat, add bay leaves and cumin seeds. Let the seeds crackle. Add the whole spices crushed. Sauté it for few seconds. Add the vegetables. Stir the vegetables for 2 minutes. Add salt and sugar. Add 2 1/2 cups of water. Let the water boil for 5 minutes. Add the rice. Stir the rice. Cook the rice till the rice has absorbed all the water. Once done serve it with the gravy... 

Mango and Coconut Poli

We all had Puran Poli made out of Chana dal.. This is my version of Poran Poli with Mango and Coconut filling... Try it and ...........
Mango and Coconut Poli
  Mango and Coconut Poli filling.....
Ingredients
1 cup ripe Mango cubed and pulped
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
1/4 tsp cardomom powder
1 pinch of salt
3 tbsp sugar (Sugar according to the sourness of the mangoes)
Method
Take a pan. Add all the ingredients and on a low flame keep stirring the mixture till all the ingredients incorporates well. Take a small pinch of the filling and try to form a ball. If it forms a ball then take of the gas and cool it and keep it aside.

Dough
Ingredients
250 gram Fine flour
1/4 tsp salt
Cold water
1 tbsp oil
Method
Take a bowl. Add the flour, salt and oil. Mix the flour. Add water and knead the semi - soft dough. Cover and keep for 30 minutes.

Mango Cream to serve with the Poli
Ingredients
1 cup Amul cream
2 tbsp sugar
1 /2 cup mango cut into pieces
Method
In a blender add the cream and sugar and blend it. Add the mango pieces to the cream and mix it. Keep it in the fridge to cool.

Making the Poli
Take the dough and make lemon size equal balls. Roll the dough. Add the filling in the dough. Close the dough with the filling inside. Roll the dough. Take a tawa. Put the rolled dough on the tawa. Add ghee and cook the Poli from both the sides. Once brown from both the side, serve it with mango cream...