Bhindi Masala

Hi people...!!! Bhindi also known as Lady's finger is one of  my favorite veggies. I love giving it a tangy taste.

Serves:3

Ingredients:

1.Lady's finger 1/2 kg
2.Onions4 (medium sized)
3.Tomato puree 2tbsp
4.Jeera 1/2 tsp
5.Oil  2tsp
6.Green chillies (chopped) 2
7.Coriander powder  1/2 tbsp
8.Garlic cloves(chopped)  3
9.Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
10.Salt to taste

Method:

1.Wash the lady's finger and let it dry. Then Slice the lady's finger.(about the size of 1inch).
2.Slice the onions.
3.Heat oil in a pan and put jeera.Let it turn splutter. Then put the tomato puree and the
green chillies into the pan.
4.Then add the chopped garlic and let it fry until the oil separates.This ensures that it is properly cooked.
5.Now we can add the sliced onions and fry until it turns pink.
6.Add the coriander powder and the turmeric powder.
7. Now add the Lady's finger into the pan and let it cook for 8 minutes.
8. Finish by adding salt.

Tips:

• Lady's finger should be absolutely dry before you start to cook, otherwise it will get sticky
• Dont add salt in the beginning, chances are that the Ladys finger will ooze more water and get gooey.
• You can serve it with hot chapattis.

Hope all of you relish it! 

CHOCOLATE SHAKE: Summer Special

 

Hi everyone!

My summer mornings start with chilled chocolate shake.Chocolate not only tastes heavenly, it gives instant energy too. It is said that drinking a cup of milk along with chocolate keeps us healthy and enhances our memory power! It also helps us against irritable mood swings. At the same time I would suggest that since it contains sugar we should not go overboard with it and also remember to exercise regularly.
This shake is super easy to make!


Ingredients:

• 1 cup Chilled milk (preboiled)
• 2 spoons Chocolate powder
• 1/2 tsp Sugar(optional)

Method:

1.In a mixer grinder take the milk, put sugar and chocolate powder and grind it for five minutes.We do this to create froth.
2.After this, pour the shake into a glass and sprinkle some chocolate powder on it.

 Tips:

1.Do not boil milk too much, it loses its nutrition.
2.Chocolate powder already contains sugar so you can skip using sugar.                            


                            Your simple and yummy chilled chocolate shake is ready!!!

RED BEAN CURRY (rajma)

 When we talk of  the famous cuisines of North India, Rajma (red bean curry) immediately comes into
 our mind! It is one of their famous dishes and I, personally love rajma too.

 So here I am , ready to cook rajma for you!!!

Serves:4

Ingredients:

1. Rajma(kidney beans)                         250 gms
2.Onions                                               4(Large)
3.Green chillies                                      2
4.Tomato (make puree)                         2  
5.Cinnamon stick                                   1
6.Bay leaf                                              1
7.Garlic                                                 4
8.Ginger                                                1 inch  
9 Rajma masala(any renowned brand)    2tbsp
10.Jeera                                                 1/2tsp
11.Red chilli powder                              1/4tsp
12.Milk                                                  2tbsp
13.Sugar                                                1/4tsp
14.Oil                                                     2tsp
15.Coriander leaves (to garnish)
16.Salt to taste




Method:

1.Soak about 250gms of rajma overnight.

2.Drain the rajma and keep aside in the morning when you are about to cook.

3.Make a paste of the onions.

4.In a cooker heat the oil and put the jeera ,the bay leaf and the cinnamon stick. Let the jeera and the cinnamon stick and bay leaf sputter, then add the onion paste.

 5.Once you see the onion paste start to change its color put the green chillies,red chilli powder,
     ginger and the garlic ,rajma masala,tomato puree and sugar.

6.Now we can put the kidney beans or rajma into this masala and fry for ten minutes.Add salt.

7.After this we add sufficient water so as to immerse the kidney beans.

8.After 6 to 7 whistles of the cooker we can see the rajma cooked and we get a beautiful aroma.

9.Add milk.

10.Garnish with coriander leaves.

11.Serve hot with steamed rice and raita.

              The combination of Rajma ,rice and raita generally lists as a top favorite of North Indians.

Hope all of you relish this aromatic rajma!!!


Tips:

1.If you are cooking one cup of rajma then put two and a half cups of water in the cooker.

2.If you feel the gravy is less add a little more water into it.

3.In case you want a thick gravy take some of the cooked rajma in a bowl, mash it and again put it into the cooker and heat the curry.

4.You can use cream instead of milk.

Soya Balls

Hi Everyone!Today I have something special for you.I am a big time snack lover so,I am making these soya balls .Soya as we all know is rich in protein and at the same time they taste awesome.So,here we go!!!

Serves:4-5

Ingredients:
1.Soya chunks    3cups
2.Potato              1 large(boiled and peeled)
3.Green chillies     2
4.Red chilli powder   1/2 tsp
5.Garam masala      1/2 tsp
6.Bread crumbs     4tsp
7.Oil                     (for frying)
8.Dry mango powder(amchoor powder)    1/4tsp
9.Ginger paste        1/4tsp
10.Garlic paste        1/2tsp
11.Onion (to garnish)
12.Salt as per taste

For the yogurt punch:
1.Yogurt              5 tbsp
2.Tomato sauce    2tsp
3.Chilli sauce         1sp


Method:
1.Wash the soya chunks and boil them so as to make them soft.
2.Let the soya chunks cool and then squeeze out the water.
3.In a mixer grinder ,grind the soya chunks along with ginger and garlic paste and the green chillies.
4.Put this grinded soya chunks in a big vessel or a plate.
5.To this add the potato and smash it completely.Mix red chilli powder,salt,garam masala and
    dry mango powder and the bread crumbs.
6.Mix well.
7.Shape the mixture into round balls.

8.You can now take a pan and heat the oil.
9.Once the oil is heated,carefully put these balls into it.

10.Let it fry until it turns brown.

11.Put them on tissue paper so that the extra oil is drained out.
12.For the yogurt punch,take the amount of yogurt mentioned (5tbsp) and mix tomato sauce and
   chilli sauce in it.Your tangy yogurt punch is ready.
13.You can now serve the soya balls along with this tangy Yogurt punch and freshly cut onions and
    green chillies.

Hope all of you enjoy this!!! :)

Mushroom curry

Hey a big hi to all of you.I love mushrooms big time and it's good to know that they are low in calories,cholesterol-free yet are a rich source of minerals!

Serves:3

Ingredients:
1.Mushrooms  250gms
2.Peas              1/2 cup
3.Oil                 2tbsp
4.Cinnamon stick                       1
5.Onions(finely chopped)           3
6.Tomatoes(finely chopped)        1 large
7.Garlic paste                              1tbsp
8.Ginger paste                             1/2 tbsp
9.Turmeric powder                      1/2 tsp
10.Dry red chilli                                 1
11.Coriander powder                   1tsp
12.Garam masala                         1/2tsp
13.Jeera                                       1/2tsp        
14.Green chilly                           1
15.Salt to taste

Method:
1.Firstly mushrooms must be cleaned properly.Boil the mushrooms for two to three minutes so that all the impurities are gone.Drain out the water and let the mushrooms cool.
2.Heat oil in a pan.Put the jeera and let it turn golden.Put the cinnamon stick and the dry red chilli now.
3.Now add the chopped tomatoes,green chilli ,turmeric powder,garlic paste and ginger paste,salt to oil and let it fry.You will get a lovely aroma of chillies and the cinnamon stick.
4.After this mixture is cooked you can now put the chopped onions and let it fry.When you see the onions turn pink put the coriander powder and keep frying.
5.Add a little water to this so that all the items mix well.
6.Add mushrooms and the peas.
7.Add the garam masala and cook for about 5 minutes.
8.Serve hot with chapattis.
 
Tips:
1.Clean the mushrooms well.
2.Do not overcook after putting garam masala.

Hope all of you enjoy your mushroom curry!

Pomfret fry

Hi to all!!!Hope all of you are enjoying your Sunday.Here is an easy way to make your Sunday even more special!!!

Serves :1

Ingredients:
1. pomfret                 1
2.cornflour                 (just good enough to coat the fish)
3.oil                           (so as to just shallow fry it)
4.turmeric powder     1/2 tbsp
5.ginger paste               2tbsp
6.garlic paste                2tbsp
7.lemon(juice)                        1
8.red chilli powder        1/2 tsp
9.onion                         (to garnish)
10.tomato sauce            (to serve with the fish)
11.mustard sauce          (to serve with the fish)
12.coriander leaves       (to garnish)
13.salt to taste

Method:

1.Make a mixture of ginger and garlic paste,turmeric powder,salt ,red chilli powder and lemon juice.
2.Marinate the fish in this mixture for half an hour.
3.Heat oil in a nonstick pan preferably.
4.Now coat the fish on both sides with the cornflour.
5.You can now fry the fish till it turns golden.
6.Cut an onion in ring shapes.
7.Garnish the fish with the ring shaped onions and coriander leaves.
8.Serve hot with tomato sauce and mustard sauce.

 Tips:
Be careful while you fry the fish as they are tender.

Hope all of you like this recipe!

CHILLI CHICKEN

Hi everybody! This is my very first blog post and l i am super excited! My passion lies in the world of cooking and  I would love to share my recipes with you.

The first recipe I am going to share with you is a family favourite, made by grand mother. 

Chilli chicken as we know is a speciality of the Chinese,but here I am giving it an indian touch.Hope you wonderful people like the recipe.

Serves :2-3

Ingredients:

500 gms chicken (with or without bones)
2 onions sliced     (medium sized)
1 capsicum sliced (medium sized)
2-3 tbsp dark soya sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
3 green chillies
5 chunks of garlic (finely chopped)
ginger (slice 4-5 strips)
2 tsp cornflour
2tbsp tomato sauce
1/2 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp oil
salt to taste


METHOD:

1. Heat oil in a pan and put the finely chopped garlic into it.When the garlic starts to change color add the onions and green chillies.
2.When you see the onions turn pink immediately put the chicken into the pan.Fry it on high flame for two minutes and then put it on medium flame.
3.Add the strips of ginger and salt to the chicken and just mix well.Cover with a lid and let the chicken cook.
4.On the other hand take a bowl. Put the dark soya sauce,sugar,tomato sauce,cornflour and little water (say 2tbspn) into the bowl and mix well.
5.Once the chicken is done, you can add the mixture which you have prepared in the bowl.
6.Now add the capsicum.
7.Let the chicken cook for ten to fifteen minutes.
8.Add the vinegar to the chicken and toss well.
9.Finally you can serve hot with fried rice.

Tips:

1.Putting soya sauce towards the end is always better since its taste enhances.
2.Add less salt as soya sauce itself contains certain percentage of salt.
3.Always put ginger after the onions and garlic,the taste is better.
4.Do not overcook onions and capsicum.
5. I know so many people deep fry the chicken before making the curry of the chilli chicken. However from health perspective I refrain from doing so.

I hope you people try and enjoy this recipe. Please share your thoughts in the comments below!