Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Pizza Style Paratha with Guacamole Dip

Yesterday’s dinner was Italy meets Mexico
Super healthy pizza verde style paratha with my favorite guacamole dip- all home made
Even the fussy eaters will love it!!!
It's a great way to get your portion of greens.

For Parathas

  • Dough made by 1:1 ratio of wheat and white flour
  • 8 mushrooms chopped
  • 1 white onion chopped
  • (I used green veggies raw- no pre sauté)
  • Spinach : 1 bunch chopped
  • Parsley  : 1 cup chopped
  • Basil : 1 cup chopped
  • Bell peppers :2 chopped
  • Broccoli : ½ chopped
  • Salt pepper fresh garlic and oregano
  • Fresh mozzarella grated


For guacamole

  • Ripe avocados : 1
  • Minced onions :1
  • Chopped tomatoes: 1
  • Green chilly finely chopped :1
  • Grated garlic:10 cloves
  • Salt : as per taste
  • Pepper : ½ tsp
  • Lemon :1
  • Cumin Powder:1/2 tsp
  • 1 bunch chopped coriander


Method

For Guacamole:

  • Mash avocado followed by adding everything and mixing very well. Keep it in fridge for 1 hour before eating so that all flavors infuse well.


For paratha pizza

  • In a pan heat olive oil and add chopped white onion. Once raw smell goes off add mushrooms , salt as per taste and cook till all water from mushrooms get evaporated.
  • In another flat pan semi cook paratha on both sides.
  • Make a sandwich of 2 parathas and for stuffing add all raw vegetables, mushroom mix, salt, pepper, oregano, red pepper, and lots of mozzarella.
  • Apply olive oil  on both sides and cook this sandwich on slow flame over tawa.
  • With heat the mozzarella will melt and hold the sandwich so that it will be easy to flip.
  • Flip on other side and cook that side really crisp on high flame.
  • Remove from heat. Cut it like pizza and serve with fresh guacamole








Monday, January 12, 2015

Daal Bukhara

Ingredients:

For the Dal:
  • Whole Urad Dal – 500 gms
  • Tomatoes – ½ kg
  • Ginger garlic paste – 4 tsp
  • Kashmiri Degi Mirch – 1 tap
  • Green Chillies – 4-5 (chopped)
  • Garam Masala powder -1 tsp
  • Butter – 100 gms (I used amul butter, you can use white butter if you wish)
  • Cream – 200 gms
  • Water – 7 cups to boil and 2 cups after cooking
  • Salt – 2 -3 tsp (as per taste)

Top garnish:
  • Butter – 1 tsp (I use white butter, you can use amul butter)
  • Ginger – ½ inch (julienned) (optional)


Method:
  •  Soak the lentils in 5-4 cups of water overnight.
  • Drain the water and wash the lentils well.
  • Take a 5 litre pressure cooker and add the lentils and 7 cups of water. Pressure cook the lentils for 35-40 minutes or about 16 to 18 whistles. You can lower flame after the first 5 whistles.
  • While the lentils are getting cooked, make a puree of the tomatoes in a blender and grate the ginger and garlic to a paste (you can also use ready-made ginger garlic paste for this)
  • When the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid of the pressure cooker.
  • Add the ginger garlic paste, tomato puree, kashmiri red chili powder, green chillies, butter, cream and salt. Also add 2 cups of water.
  • Dont worry about the colour of the dal at this stage. It may look a little white but once it cooks completely, it will become dark brown.
  • Stir very well and keep the pressure cooker without its lid on a low flame. Let the dal simmer for about 2 hours on low flame.
  • Keep on stirring often, so that the lentils don’t stick at the bottom of the cooker. Also, mash some of the lentils while stirring.
  • If the dal becomes thick, then add some hot water.
  • Lastly, sprinkle garam masala powder and stir well. Check the taste for salt and add additional chilli powder if you like.
  • While serving dal bukhara, dot with the butter or cream and garnish with ginger juliennes.
  • Serve it hot with jeera rice, naan, paratha or rotis.





Stuffed Arbi

Ingredients

  • 6 Arbi
  • Salt as per taste
  • Coriander leaves 1 cup
  • Green Chilies 4
  • Garlic 10 cloves
  • Ginger 1 inch piece
  • Coriander Powder 1 tsp
  • Turmeric Powder ¼ tsp
  • Oil for frying


Method

  • Wash arbi and boil them in salted water till half cooked.
  • Cool, peel them , and fry till  slightly  golden in color
  • Let them cool
  • Meanwhile pound coriander leaves, green chillis , ginger and garlic in a mortar pestle till a coarse mixture is obtained.
  • Add some salt, turmeric powder and coriander powder and mix properly.
  • Now slit each arbi till ¾ length and stuff each one with coriander mixture
  • In a non stick plan pour little oil and cook stuffed arbi on slow flame with lid on.
  • Keep tossing and don’t let it stick. It will be ready inn 10-12 minutes
  • Serve with lemon squeeze over it




Arbi ke kebab

Ingredients

  • 10 arbi pieces which after boiling and mashing was equal to 3 cups
  • 2 onions finely  chopped
  • 1 tbsp minced ginger
  • 1 tbsp chopped coriander
  • 1 tbsp chopped pudina
  • 2 green chillis very finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp besan
  • 4 tbsp fried onions
  • 2 tbsp ground cashewnuts/almonds
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp dhania powder
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp chaat masala
  • 1 lemon squeezed
  • ½ tsp ajwain


Method:
  • Boil Arbi in pressure cooker till soft.   
  • Drain immediately and keep aside to cool.
  • Peel cooled Arbi. Take care that the Arbi should be cooked through…but not so much that it looses it’s shape and turns mushy.
  • Mash Arbi smooth till it has no lumps.
  • To 3 cups mashed Arbi, add 1/2 cup finely chopped onions, 1 tbsp minced ginger & garlic, and a tbsp each of finely chopped dhania and pudina. Also add salt and finely chopped green chillies according to your taste.
  • Next add 2 heaped tbsp roasted besan
  • 4 tbsp fried onions, I used ready made from Trader Joes.
  • 2 tbsp ground almonds/cashew nuts
  • 1 tsp red chilli pwdr, 1 tsp dhania pwdr, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp chaat masala and some lemon juice.
  • Also add 1/2 tsp coarsely ground ajwain.
  • Mix to combine all ingredients to firm a smooth cohesive mix.
  • Form into round flat kababs.
  • Rest in refrigerator…to firm.
  • Shallow fry on medium high till golden!
  • Team them with soft juicy paranthas, hari chutney and pyaz to make a complete meal, like I did
  • Or enjoy them on their own as a delicious appetizer!







Butter Paneer Masala

Ingredients

  • 500 gm paneer
  • 2 tablespoons red chilly paste(if not available use chilly-garlic sauce)
  • 3-4 tablespoons oil

DRY INGREDIENTS FOR MASALA
  • 5-6 green cardamoms
  • 4-5 black cardamoms
  • 2 small sticks of cinnamon
  • 6-7 strings of Javitri (mace)
  • 2 chakra phool (star anise)
  • 4-5 cloves
  • 5-6 pepper corns
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons of cumin seeds
  • 2 dried red chillies
  • 1 tablespoon deggi mirch powder
  • 1 tablespoon kasoori methi
  • 1 teaspoon red chilly flakes
  • Salt to taste

FRESH INGREDIENTS FOR MASALA
  • 5 large onions
  • 5 large tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 2 tablespoon grated garlic

METHOD
  • Other than deggi mirch, 2 bay leaves and kasoori methi, dry roast all the ingredients for masala.
  • Cool the masalas to room temperature and grind them to a fine powder.
  • Puree onions and tomatoes separately.
  • Heat oil in a pan and fry onion puree till you get a nice aroma.
  • Add the powdered masala and fry till fragrant. Add ginger and garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes.
  • Add tomato puree and salt. Fry well till it begins to leave sides.
  • Add 3 cups water (or a little more) and cook the puree till it combines well with water.
  • Add chilly paste, chilly flakes, deggi mirch and kasoori methi.
  • Add bay leaves and cook for another 2-3 minutes. The gravy is ready.
  • Cut thin slices of paneer blocks
  • Reserve a few pieces of paneer for garnishing. Add the remaining pieces to the gravy. Garnish with shaped paneer. Your butter paneer masala is ready to serve





Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Red Cabbage Poriyal with Pasta

A twist to a typical south indian dish and it worked... it gave another texture to cabbage.... and red cabbage is so healthy and tastes yummmmm

Ingredients:

  • Purple Cabbage 1 cup Chopped finely
  • Pasta 1 fist full (or more also,as per wish)
  • Green chillies 3-4 nos.
  • Onion  1
  • Coconut 4 tblsp
  • Salt as needed


To temper:
  • Mustard 1/2 tsp
  • Urad dal 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves 1 sprig
  • Oil 1 tsp


METHOD
  • Chop cabbage, boil it adding salt and once get cooked strain and keep a side.
  • Boil pasta in water with a tsp of oil added to it and cook for 8 minutes (or till done).Strain the pasta once done and keep aside.
  • Chop onion, green chili, grate coconut and keep aside.
  • Heat oil in kadai and add mustard, urad dal followed by curry leaves.
  • Add onion, green chilies fry till onion turns transparent. Then add cabbage and fry for 2 minutes._
  • Lastly add pasta, mix well and then coconut and fry for a minute.
  • Transfer to the serving dish, Enjoy as an accompaniment for rice!! I served it with rice and sambhar