Beetroot Coconut Curry

Ingredients

• 2 beetroots, peeled and diced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 green chillies, slit
• An inch piece ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder 
• 1 teaspoon of coriander powder 
• 1 teaspoon homemade garam masala powder 
• 200 ml of thick coconut milk 
• oil for cooking
• salt and red chilli powder to taste

Directions

• To begin making the Beetroot Curry, we will first cook the vegetables together in a pressure cooker.
• Place the beetroot, onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies into a pressure cooker adding a cup of water, turmeric powder and salt. Cook for about 2 whistles. After the first two whistles, turn the heat to low and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to release naturally. The vegetables continue to cook in the pressure that was created in the cooker.
• Once the pressure releases from the cooker, open the cooker, stir in coconut milk,coriander powder, garam masala powder and bring the beetroot curry to a brisk boil. Turn off the heat and transfer the beetroot curry to a serving bowl.
• Serve the hot Beetroot Curry in Coconut Milk for lunch or dinner along with steamed rice or phulka's

Rice Pudding/Kheer

INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

• 1 litre full fat organic milk
• ¼ cup basmati rice
• 5 to 6 tbsp sugar or as required
• 6 green cardamoms/hari elaichi, powdered
• a pinch of saffron/kesar
• 15-20 almonds/badam, blanched and sliced
• 12-15 cashews/kaju
• 1 tbsp golden raisins
• 1 tsp ghee

Method

• Rinse the rice till the water runs clears of the starch.
• Soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes.
• Heat milk and let it come to a boil.
• Meanwhile drain the rice and sauté it in 1 tsp of ghee (my secret).
• Reduce the flame and add the rice.
• Stir and simmer the milk and let the rice grains cook.
• The whole process of cooking the rice in the milk takes about approx 60 minutes on a low flame.
• You want the rice to really cook well and the kheer also thickened somewhat.
• Scrape the sides of the pan and add this dried milk into the pan.
• Meanwhile in a microwave safe bowl take the almonds and cover it with water.
• Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes.
• Let the almonds cool and then peel them.
• Slice them along with the cashews. rinse the raisins and keep aside.
• Take the cardamoms in a mortar-pestle and then powder them finely.
• Remove the peels and keep the powdered cardamom aside.
• When the rice is almost ¾th done, add the almonds, cashews,cardamom powder, sugar and saffron.
• Stir and continue to stir often so that lumps are not formed as it is caramelization  process of sugar
• Cook further till the rice grains are completely cooked.
• The kheer would also thicken by then.
• Remember to keep on scraping the sides and adding the dried milk from the sides in the simmering kheer.
• Switch off the flame and add the raisins. stir.
• You can serve the rice kheer, hot or warm. or pour in serving bowls and refrigerate.
• This rice kheer stays good for 1-2 days in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Panna Cotta with Kashmiri Berries Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/4 tsp. plain gelatin
• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese or additional
•  heavy cream
• 2 Tbs. sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup  bittersweet or semisweet chocolate,
•  finely chopped

Directions:

• Coat four 5 ramekins or 6 custard cups lightly with flavorless oil.
• Pour 1/4 cup of the cream into a small heatproof bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over it and let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Place the bowl in a larger bowl of hot water and stir until the gelatin has dissolved.
• Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, bring the remaining 1 1/4 cups cream, the mascarpone, sugar and salt just to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate and whisk until smooth.
• Add the gelatin mixture to the chocolate mixture and stir until well blended. Pour through a fine strainer into a 4-cup glass measuring cup or a bowl with a pour spout. Divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins and let cool to room temperature.
• Cover the panna cotta loosely and refrigerate until set and thoroughly chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 1 day.
• To serve, dip the ramekins one at a time into a bowl of hot water for about 5 seconds, then run a table knife around the edges of the custard and invert onto a chilled serving plate.
• For Kashmiri Berry Sauce, boil kashmiri berries, water and sugar and strain it after it is reduced. Spoon it over panna cotta. Serve chill

Rose Panna Cotta

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
• 2 to 3 teaspoons rose water
• 1 tbsp rose syrup
• 2 cans (8 ounces each) berries in syrup, drained and quartered, syrup reserved
• 1 pint raspberries, halved
• 4 dark chocolate grated

DIRECTIONS

• Mix cream and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture just begins to simmer. Remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let stand until softened, about 2 minutes. Add to hot cream mixture, stirring until gelatin dissolves.
• Place mascarpone in a medium bowl. Strain cream mixture over top, stirring until smooth. Add rose water, and rose syrup. Strain mixture into a large glass measuring cup or a bowl. Divide among four demitasse cups or 2-ounce ramekins. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours (or overnight).
• Dip bottoms of molds into hot water to loosen, then invert onto plates.
• Mix berries, raspberries, and sugar powder with water and boil. Strain and make a syrup of it
• Garnish each with a rose petal if using. Pour 2 tablespoons syrup onto each plate. Place over a bed of dark chocolate and Serve immediately.

Iyengar Style Masala Bread

Healthy cooking is my latest obsession. So another addition to healthy cooking

Ingredients

• 5 whole wheat bread slices
• 2 teaspoons oil
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds 
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seedS
• 3-4 green chilies, finely chopped 
• half an onion, finely chopped
• 1 deseeded tomato, finely chopped
• 1 cup cabbage, finely chopped 
• 1 cup carrots, grated 
• 3/4 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped 
• 1/2 teaspoon spicy red chili powder (adjust to taste) 
• 1 teaspoon chaat masala powder 
• 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup 
• salt to taste 
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander for garnish

Directions

• To begin making the Iyengar  Style Masala Bread Recipe, we will first make the topping.
• Heat a tablespoon of oil  in heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and allow them to crackle. Add onions, green bell peppers, carrots, cabbage and the finely chopped green chili and saute until the onions, cabbage and peppers soften.
• Once they turn soft, add the finely chopped de-seeded tomato, saute and cook until it softens and cooks well.
• Add the salt, red chili powders, chaat masala and stir well to combine at low heat. Check the taste and adjust accordingly.
• Finally add the tomato ketchup, mix again. Cook at low heat for another 1 minute and turn off the heat. The filling is now ready to be topped over toasted bread. 
• The next step is the toast the bread. Grease and preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
• Spread butter/ghee over one side of a slice of bread. Place the buttered side down on the heated skillet at medium heat.
• Spread butter/ghee on the top surface as well. Toast well on both sides, until the bread is browned and crisp. Remove from heat and toast the remaining breads the similar way.
• Arrange the toasted bread slices over the serving platter. Spoon and spread the masala topping over the toasted bread and serve hot.

Detox Butter replaced with Yougurt Chicken

It is very similar to my butter chicken or chicken masala. Just that butter is replaced by yogurt for a healthier twist

Ingredients

• Chicken : 1kg

Marinate

• Beaten Curd:1 cup
• Vinegar 2 tbsp
• Dhania Powder : 2 tsp
• Red Chilli Powder: 1 tsp
• Tumeric Powder: 1/2 tsp
• Garlic Masala (I have one from Goa) 2 tsp
• Tomato sauce :-  2 tblspns
• Salt to taste

Masala

• 3 onions chopped
• 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 3 tomatoes puree
• ½ cup beaten curd
• 1 tbsp cream
• 2 tsp kasoori methi
• 2 tsp degi mirch
• 1 tbsp tomato sauce
• butter for cooking
• 2 tsp jeera
• 5 cashews soaked in water and make a paste of it.

Method

• Marinade chicken with vinegar n salt n leave aside for 15 mins.
• Then add around 1 cup beaten curd and 2 teaspoons dhania powder, 1 teaspoon red chilly powder,1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, garlic powder, tomato sauce  and salt and marinade for 2 hours.
• In the same vessel after an hour put chicken over slow heat for cooking.
• Grind roast onions with 2 tspns of ginger garlic paste.
• In a kadhai add butter(1 tsp for non stick), splutter jeera and add onion paste
• Cook for 5-7 mins on slow flame.See to it that you bhunno the onions for long on slow flame till it gets a perfect brown color.
• Add tomato puree n cook till oil leaves sides.
• Then add kashmiri chilly powder n red chilly powder and 1tblspn tomato sauce..1tblspn cream.1/4 cup beaten yougurt, paste of handful cashews,and cook the gravy well till oil leaves sides and den add the chicken pieces and other 1/4 cup beaten yogurt and cook again..add some red food colour(optional).
• Add kasoori methi and garam masala powder.cook for 2 more mins and garnish with corriander and fresh curd.

Kale Chane ke kebab

SO one more step towards my healthy cooking.

Ingredient

• 250 gm kale chana
• 3-4 slices brown bread
• 1 onion, finely chopped 
• 3-4 cloves garlic 
• 1/2 inch piece ginger, grated 
• 2-3 green chillies, finely chopped 
• 1 heaped Tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 1 heaped tsp garam masala 
• Salt to taste 
• Oil for frying

Method

• Wash & soak kale chana for at least 5 hours.
• Grind them in a food processor using minimum water.
• Add salt, garlic, ginger, green chili, coriander & chopped onion.
• Now add the bread slices to soak up all the water, in the mixture, one by one.
• Just keep the slice of bread on the chana mixture, press into it.
• Then mix it nicely using your hand. Repeat until the water has been absorbed by the bread.
• Now add the garam masala, mixing thoroughly.
• Let the mixture stand for a while (an hour or so).
• Heat oil for frying.
• Take small quantity of mixture on your palm, shape it round & fry till golden brown.
• Serve with mint chutney