Khaman Dhokla

 

Ingredients:

1. Besan (Gram Flour) - 1 cup

2. Sugar - 2tsp

3. Salt to taste

4. Green Chilies paste - 1tsp

5. Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp

6. Eno fruit salt (plain or lime) - 1/2 tsp

7. Lime - 1/2 tsp

8. Water - to make a batter of thick pouring consistency

For the tempering:

8. Refined oil - 1 tsp

9. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

10. Curry leaves - a bunch

11. Green Chilies - 10/12 slit longitudinally

12. Sugar - 4 tsp

13. Water - 1/2 cup

Process: Mix all the ingredients except the Eno and make a thick batter. The Dhokla can be prepared in a steam bath (20 mins) or in a microwave (5 mins). If you opt for steaming, then put water to boil in a container which gets entirely covered by a thali type utensil with high edges which can hold the dhokla. When the steam is ready and water starts to boil, ready the dhokla batter by putting the eno into it and vigorously aerating it with the hand or fork so that it more or less doubles in volume. Pour it into the thali and place it over the boiling water container snugly. Place a lid over the thali taking care to leave enough space for the dhokla to rise. Check after 20 minutes by removing the lid and pricking the dhokla by a thin wooden prod, If the prod comes out clean, it

is ready. The same can easily be done in a microwave in full power in about 5 minutes.

Next you need to temper the dhokla. Take a large metal ladle or pan and take the tempering oil in it. Put it over a fire and add the mustard seeds in it. When it begins to crackle add the chilies and curry leaves. Next add the water in it followed by the sugar. Pour the temper over the dhokla so that it covers it entirely. Cut into pieces and serve. You can also garnish with scraped coconut and further chilies.

Luchi & Aloo Chenchki

Ingredients:

For the Luchis:

1. Refined Flour (all purpose) - 3 cups

2. Shortening: 2 tbsp refined oil

3. Water for making the dough as required

4. Ghee (clarified butter) or refined oil for frying.

For the Chenchki:

1. Potatoes 15 -20 medium sized cut into thin wedges

2. Mustard Oil - 3 tbsp

3. Dry whole red chilies cut into small pieces

4. Salt to taste.

Process:

Chenchki: Add the mustard oil into a wok and heat till smoking. Next add in the dry red chilies. Follow up with the potato wedges and saute for a while. Add in salt and cover with a lid. Stir occasionally and let the potatoes cook. When the potatoes are about half done pour in a cup or two of water, stir well and cover again with a lid. Cook till the water is dry and oil separates from the potatoes. Serve hot with Luchis.

Note: The mustard oil can be replaced with refined oil but will compromise on the taste for it.

Luchis: Mix the shortening into the flour and then gradually add water to make a dough of medium consistency. Let the dough rest for about 15 to 20 minutes covered with a wet cloth. Cut the dough into small roundels and with the help of a rolling pin make flat round presses (as thin as possible). While rolling you may use a drop or two of oil to ease out the rolling process.

 

  

 

Avoid using dry flour to roll the balls. Heat pure ghee (clarified butter) or refined oil in a small karai. Put the presses in the hot oil and press lightly with a skillet to help them puff up like a ball. Invert them to cook the other side. The upper skin of the Luchi balls should be paper thin. Take care to keep them white and not over cook. The entire process takes about 5 seconds for each side. Drain the oil and serve with Chenchki.

Note: The ubiquitous Indian Puri and Luchi are essentially similar with the difference that while the former is made of whole wheat atta (flour) and is reddish, the latter is made of maida (refined flour) and is white. Puris are found throughout the Indian subcontinent while Luchis are only found in the sweetest part of India, in Bengal.

Vegetable Upama

Ingredients

1. Semolina (Sooji) - 2 cups
2. Green Chillies - 8-10 (chopped)
3. Curry leaves - 10-12
4. Onion - 1 (diced)
5. Carrot - 1/4 cup (diced)
6. Capsicum - 1/4 cup (diced)
7. Potato - 1/4 cup (diced)
8. Green Peas - 1/4 cup (diced)
9. Oil - 3 tbsp
10. Salt to taste
11. Lemon juice - 4 tsp
12. Sugar - 2 tsp

Process: First dry roast the semolina in a kadai/wok for a few minutes taking care not to brown it. Set aside. Heat oil and add green chillies, curry leaves, onions, capsicum, potatoes, carrot and green peas. Add salt and fry for a while. When the vegetables are cooked add the roasted semolina, lemon juice, sugar, salt and 2 cups of warm water. Mix and cook till the water is absorbed and the semolina is soft (add more warm water if required). Serve hot immediately.

Moghlai Paratha

Ingredients

For the Paratha

1. Flour - 2 cups
2. Salt - 1/2 tsp
3. Oil - 2 & 1/2 tbsp

For the Mince meat

1. Minced Meat - 200 gms
2. Curd - 2 tbsp
3. Onion - 1 large
4. Garlic - 2/3 cloves
5. Ginger - 3 inch
6. Red Chilli powder - 2 tsp
7. Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp (search blog)
8. Oil - 2 tbsp
9. Salt - 1 tsp

For the stuffing

1. Eggs - 4
2. Onion - 1 (sliced)
3. Green Chilli - 4 (chopped)
4. Salt 1 tsp
5. Oil for frying

Process: Make a soft dough out of the flour, oil and salt, adding water as required. Set aside. Make a paste of the onion, ginger and garlic in a food processor. Heat oil in a vessel - add the onion, ginger-garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes. Then add minced meat, salt, red chilli powder, whipped curd and cook until meat is done and dry. Don't add water as the meat will release water. Sprinkle the garam masala and mix. Set aside to cool. Make 4 balls from the dough and roll each of them with a rolling pin to form a 8 to 10 diameter spread. Now put some sliced onions, green chillies, pinch of salt, cooked minced meat in the middle. Whip an egg and pour over the middle. (The entire stuffing should be evenly spread and not form a heap). Next fold the paratha into a rectangle shape (first the left and right sides and then the top and bottom so that the stuffing is covered). Immediately, put on a hot tawa and fry both sides in oil. Repeat the process for the other 3 balls of dough. I would invite some comments and feedbacks from my readers.

Tandoori Ajwain Fish Tikka

AJWAIN: Raw ajwain smells almost exactly like thyme because it also contains thymol, but is more aromatic and less subtle in taste, as well as slightly bitter and pungent. It tastes like thyme or caraway, only stronger. Even a small amount of raw ajwain will completely dominate the flavor of a dish.

Ingredients

1. Sole, Betki or Basa Fish cut into boneless cubes - 500 gms
2. Lemon juice - 4 tsp
3. Ginger-garlic paste - 3 tsp
4. Red Chilli powder - 2 tsp
5. Ajwain - 1 tsp
6. Hung curd - 1/4 cup
7. Kasoori methi - 1 pinch
8. Oil - 1 tsp
9. Salt to taste

Process: Take the boneless fish cubes in a bowl and add 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 tsp chilli powder, 2 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp ajwain, salt and mix well. Marinate for 1 hour. Take another bowl and mix hung curd, salt, remaining ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, lemon juice, ajwain, kassori methi and oil. Take only the fish pieces from the previous bowl and marinate in the second mixture for 2 hours. Next put the fish cubes in a skewer and cook in tandoor or oven. Serve hot with chutney or spiral onion rings.

Tandoori Prawn (Goanese style)

Ingredients

1. Prawn - medium sized (de-veined with tail) - 500 gms
2. Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp
3. Lemon juice - 4 tsp
4. Red chilli paste - 2 tsp
5. Hung curd - 1/4 cup
6. Coconut milk or cream - 2 tbsp
7. Salt to taste
8. Tamarind pulp - 1 tbsp

Process:

After de-veining and washing, dry the prawns, by absorbing the water on a napkin. Take 1 tsp of the ginger-garlic paste, 2 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp red chilli paste, salt along with the prawns in a bowl and mix well. Marinate for 1 hour.
Take the hung curd, cream or coconut milk, remaining lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli paste, tamarind pulp, a little salt in another bowl and mix well. Now take out the prawns from the first marinade and dip it in the second marinade. Set aside for 2 hours.
Put the prawn in skewers tail end first and cook in tandoor or oven till done. Serve hot with green chutney or sauce.

Chilli Bean Soup

Ingredients

1. Tomatoes - 150 gm
2. Chopped onion - 1/2
3. Chopped capsicum - 1/2
4. Chopped spring onion - 3 or 4
5. Baked beans - 50gm or 1/4 can
6. White sauce or corn flour - 3/4 tbsp (to know about the preparation of white sauce use the search blog option at the top of the page)
   
7. Sugar - 1/2 tsp
8. Green chilli sauce - 1/4 tsp
9. Oil - 1/2 tbsp
10. salt to taste
11. Grated cheese for garnishing

Process:

Keep aside a whole tomato and cut the rest into big pieces - add 1 cup of water and cook. When cooked, strain through a sieve and set aside. Chop the remaining tomato. Heat oil in a vessel and fry the onion for 1 minute or until soft. Add the capsicum and spring onion and fry for a further 2 minutes. Add the soup and boil for 10 minutes. Next add the chopped tomato, baked beans, white sauce or dissolved corn flour, chilli sauce and salt and cook for a few minutes. Serve hot with sprinkled grated cheese.

Eggless Caramel Custard

Ingredients

1. Milk - 1/2 litre
2. Sugar - 11 tsp
3. China Grass (agar agar) - 1 packet
4. Sugar - 4 tbsp (for the caramel)
5. Custard powder - 3 tsp
6. Vanilla essence - few drops

Process: Break the china grass into pieces and melt in 3/4 cup water by warming and constantly stirring. Set aside. Now take 4 tbsp of sugar in a pan and add 1tsp water into it. Cook over low heat until caramelised (brown liquid). Set aside. Now take 1/2 cup milk and dissolve the custard powder in it. Now boil the rest of the milk - add sugar (11 tsp) - stir and continue for 2 minutes. Add the dissoved custard powder in the simmering milk and bring to boil again stirring for 2 minutes. Reduce heat and add the melted china grass and boil again. Never stop stirring and continue for a further 2 minutes and remove from heat. Add the vanilla essence and mix. Next spread the caramelised sugar melt in a greased mould and pour the custard milk over it. Refrigerate for setting for 3 - 4 hours. Before serving de-mould by inverting over a serving plate.

Bread Pudding Delight (Eggless)

Ingredients

1. Milk - 1 litre
2. Sugar - 1 cup
3. Milk - 1 & 1/2 cup
4. Cocoa powder - 1 &1/2 tsp
5. Chocolate powder - 1 & 1/2 tsp
6. Corn flour - 2 tbsp
7. Vanilla essence - few drops
8. Grated chocolate for garnishing
9. Bread - 3 slices

Process:

Reduce 1 litre milk a bit. Now warm a cup of milk and dip the bread slices in it. When the bread becomes soft, mix thoroughly in the reduced milk with sugar. Bring to boil. Now mix corn flour, cocoa powder and chocolate powder in the 1/2 cup of milk and add this mixture into the boiling milk. When the mixture thickens, turn off heat and cool. Churn in a food processor. Then add a few drops of vanilla essence. Now pour in small serving bowls and garnish with grated chocolate. Refrigerate in freezer. Take out from freezer 10 minutes before serving.

Cream of Spinach Soup

Ingredients

1. Spinach - 500 gms
2. Onion - 1/2
3. White Sauce - 1/4 cup ( Preparation for white sauce had been given earlier - if not known kindly use the search blog option at the top)
4. Fresh Cream - 1/4 cup
5. Vegetable stock or water - 1 & 1/2 cup
6. Salt & pepper to taste
7. Green Chilli - 1

Process:

Wash and chop the spinach and onion finely. Add 1 & 1/2 cup of vegetable stock or water and cook. When soft blend with green chilli in a mixer and strain. Boil the strained liquid for 5 minutes and add gradually to white sauce. Add the seasoning and bring to boil. Serve hot with fresh cream and croutons.

Butter Chicken

Ingredients

1. Chicken - 5 thigh pieces (boneless & skinless)
2. Almond powder - 4 tbsp
3. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
4. Plain Yoghurt - 1/2 cup
5. Garam Masala - 1 & 1/2 tsp (cloves, cinnamon, green cardamom)
6. Onions - diced 1 cup
7. Ginger paste - 1 tbsp
8. Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
9. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
10. Red Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
11. Tomato paste - 1 tbsp
12. Milk - 2 & 1/2 cups
13. Deggi Mirch - 1 tsp (Kashmiri Paprika which gives color but not hot on the palate)
14. Butter - 4 tbsp
15. Salt - 1 tsp
    

Process:

Mix 4 tbsp of milk with the almond powder to make a paste. Keep aside.
Dice chicken thighs into bite size pieces. Add to it 1/2 cup of plain yoghurt, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp garam masala. Mix well. Marinate for 3-4 hours.
Melt 1 tbsp butter and fry marinated chicken pieces. Meanwhile, boil the onion. When cooked, drain and grind into paste. Now melt 2 tbsp butter and add the onion paste into it. Fry for 5-6 minutes. Add ginger and garlic paste - continue frying - add coriander powder and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and cook for a further minute. Add 1/4 tsp chilli powder and 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook on high flame for 6-7 minutes. Add 1 tsp garam masala. Now add the almond paste and continue frying till the oil separates.
Add the chicken pieces followed by 2 cups of milk and simmer for 5-6 minutes. Set aside in a serving dish. Put 1 tbsp of butter in a separate pan and let the butter melt on low heat. Take off from heat and put Deggi Mirch - stir and pour it on top of the serving dish.
Garnish with fresh cream (optional)