Thursday, October 7, 2010

Paneer mutter masala


In this recipe you can replace paneer and mutter (peas) with any other vegetables.

Ingredients:
  • 1 onion
  • small bunch of coriander
  • 1 med. tomato
  • salt to taste
  • 1'' ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • chili powder as per taste
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1/4 cup peas
  • 100 gm paneer cubed
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp cumin 
  • 1 tsp kasoori methi (dried Fenugreek leaves - Optional)
Procedure:

Curry Paste:
Grind together onion, coriander with stems and leaves, ginger and garlic to a fine paste-
.
  1. Add oil in a pan then add cumin, and finely chopped tomatoes. Fry well.
  2. Now add turmeric and chili powder, little salt. Fry well.
  3. Add the curry paste and fry stiring continuously for about 10-15 min until you see oil beside curry paste .
  4. When done add 2-3 tbsp of water, boil it and add paneer and peas to cook.
  5. Cook for 5-7 mins. Just before turning off the gas sprinkle with roasted Fenugreek Leaves
  6. Serve with roti, chapati....

Roasted Eggplant (Japanese Recipe)

Ingredients:
  • 1 eggplant cut into half
  • 2 tsp miso paste
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp oil for frying
  • chopped coriander &
  • sesame seeds for garnishing 

Procedure:

Apply miso paste and dark soy sauce to eggplant and pierce it with fork so that it goes inside the eggplant, keep it for 2-3 hours for marinating.
Now add oil in a pan and roast the  eggplant till its cooked from inside.
Garnish and serve, warm.


Nachos



Salsa
  • 2 Onions finely chopped
  • 1 tomato deseeded and finely chopped                                   
  • 1 bunch coriander leaves finely chopped
  • salt to taste
  • chili powder as per taste
  • 1 lemon or lime juice ( as per sour taste you like)

  1.  Mix all the ingredients together just before serving.

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Beans:

  • 2 cups soaked and cooked kidney beans (Rajma beans) OR 2 tins of unsweetened kidney beans
  • 1tsp chili powder or Mexican style  hot taco sauce 
  • few chopped jalapeño
  • 2 tbsp tomato sauce
  • 2 onions finely chopped
  • salt to taste
  • Sour cream to serve or Grated Cheese on top
  • 1 Avocado sliced

  1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft.
  2. Add undrained beans from tin and chili powder salt and some jalapeño and tomato sauce.
  3. Simmer, uncovered, for 3-4 mins or until sauce thickens slightly.
  4. In a oven proof serving plate arrange beans and corn chips and bake for few min in an pre heated oven.
  5. Serve with Salsa and Sliced Avocado, sour cream .

Tomato Pizza

Ingredients:
Pizza Base:
  • 1 cup Plain flour
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1tbsp dried yeast
  • 1 tbsp olive oil


For topping:
  • 2 tomatoes
  • few pieces of Sun dried tomatoes
  • 10-15 fresh Basil leaves
  • Peri peri sauce as per taster OR dry crushed red chili
  • 200 gms mozzarella buffalo cheese sliced
  • tomato sauce


Procedure:

Pizza base:
  1. To make the pizza dough, place the plain flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl and mix well.
  2. Make a well in the centre and add all the water and olive oil to the dry ingredients.
  3. The water needs to be lukewarm to activate the yeast and encourage it to grow.
  4. If the water is too hot, it can kill the yeast.
  5. Use a wooden spoon to stir until combined and then use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl. It should be soft and slightly sticky.
  6. Keep aside for resting for around 30 -40 mins
  7. Now roll into sheets.
  8. Brush round pizza trays with the olive oil to lightly grease. Sprinkle with a little flour. The flour will help give the pizza a crisp, dry base.
  9. Preheat oven to 180°C for 20 mins. (timing might differs with individual oven)
  10. Place the base and cook for 10 min.
  11. Then remove and place on wire mesh so it doesn't becomes soggy at the base


Topping:
  1. Apply tomato sauce to the base.
  2. Arrange tomato slices followed by cheese and basil leaves and chopped Sun dried tomatoes.
  3. Can sprinkle little salt and Pepper.
  4. Now keep it in oven and bake for 20 min or till the cheese melts.
  5. Cut into pieces when done.

Sweet potato with nuts


Ingredients:
  • 1 sweet potato medium sized, peeled and sliced
  • Jaggery, half the size of sliced sweet potato
  • Cardamom coarsely ground
  • Ghee 2 tbsp
  • Dry fruits

Procedure:
  1. In a pot add ghee when melted add sliced sweet potato, fry for a min
  2. Now add jiggery and give nice stir.
  3. Let it cook for few min, then cardamom
  4. Serve warm topped with dry fruits.

Chimichanga


It is an Mexican recipe
Ingredients:
  • 4 tortillas
  • Beans cooked
  • Mexican powder
  • 1 onion
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • Salt
  • Any salad or cabbage
  • Jalapeño
  • Avocado Pulp
  • Oil for deep frying (I did shallow fry)

Procedure:
  1. Add oil in a pan then onions fry for a min now add beans , salt and chili powder as per taste fry for 4-5 mins.
  2. Now apply avocado to tortilla then add the fried beans.
  3. Roll it and close it with toothpick so it does not open when frying in oil.
  4. make it crispy, remove , serve with some salad.

Corn on the Cob


Ingredients :
  • Corn cobs as many as you like, Boiled or roasted on BBQ with the leaves on.
  • Mayonnaise
  • Chili sauce (I took Peri Peri) / Chili powder
  • Parmesan cheese grated
  • Salt

Procedure:
  1. Take a cooked cob and apply mayonnaise, sprinkle parmesan cheese then chili sauce.
  2. Enjoy
  3. Another different version will be :
  4. Rub the lemon or lime on the cob then sprinkle chili powder and salt.

Tortillas

Tortillas : Indian way

Ingredients:
  • 4 tortillas / can use Chapati / any papad
  • Oil for deep frying
For Salsa
  • 2 firm avocados (can replace avocado with boiled mashed potatoes)
  • 1 finely chopped onion
  • 3 tbsp finely shredded iceberg lettuce / cabbage
  • 1 small green chilli, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
  • ¼ tsp ground pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp Any sort of Indian Pickle 
Procedure:
  1. Cut tortilla into small round pieces (can shape as per your favourite)
  2. Deep fry until golden brown and crispy
  3. Combine salsa ingredients in a bowl and mix gently
  4. Serve as topping on tortillas.

COCONUT COOKIES




Ingredients


  • 100g butter, melted
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 100g plain flour
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 100g dessicated coconut

Procedure:
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180oC/fan 160oC/gas 4. for 15 min.
  2. In a mixer, add the sugar and butter together until fluffy.
  3. Then sift in the flour, baking powder, salt and add the coconut and mix well.
  4. Roll out the dough into walnut size pieces and place on baking tray and flatten slightly.
  5. Transfer to oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
  6. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

OPTIONAL : Place half a cherry on top of each biscuit and transfer to oven and bake for 10-15 minutes.

Pumpkin Risotto



INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 500 gm pumpkin with skin on
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cups Arborio rice
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped or grated 
  • 3 cups boiling water / vegetable stock
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

PROCEDURE:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Put 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small baking dish and add half the pumpkin. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
  2. While the pumpkin is roasting, cook the onion and garlic in the remaining oil in a large nonstick frying pan over low heat for 5 minutes or until soft. 
  3. When little cooled mash the pumpkin  and now add in cooked onions.
  4. Add the rice, raise the heat to moderate, and cook for 4 minutes
  5. Heat the stock in a large saucepan until it comes to a gentle simmer. Add 1 ladleful stock to the rice, stirring for about 3 minutes until the rice has absorbed almost all of the liquid.
  6. Continue adding the stock, 1 ladleful at a time, until it has all been absorbed (about 20 to 25 minutes) and the rice is cooked and creamy.
  7. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in the Parmesan Cheese

Risotto Basics

This article is from the book: Risotto around the world by - Tamara Milstein


Risotto

The broth or stock must always be simmering before adding to rice.
The broth must be added ladle by ladle, to get the creamy texture.
Onion and garlic -  cook until transparent, not browned.
Stir Risotto frequently during cooking. 
Only add second ladle of broth when the first is absorbed.
When all the liquid as all been added, turn off the gas immediately or the risotto will become dry.
Finally add butter and flavorings and stir through.
Serve immediately.
Never wash rice.