Monday, November 15, 2010

World National Food / Dish

I was going through the recipes on internet and went through few and got an idea for World National Food / Dish. Like the concept and would like to share with you.
If you are fine to have a look at the food , even if it is non vegetarian, you can have a look Here.

Else you can have a look at Wiki, I am providing the link for the wiki National_dish

Soon will try to make vegetarian from those :)


Saturday, November 13, 2010

Books I am going through for new Ideas

Vegetable Manchurian




After the Diwali celebrations and having those loads of sugar we decided to make something spicy and Basically Chinese.
So here goes Indian - Chinese Vegetable Manchurian.


Ingredients:


Manchurian 
  • 1 cup cabbage, finely chopped
  • 1/2 onion finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • 2 carrots grated
  • 1 capsicum chopped
  • 1-2 strings of spring onion
  • 1 green chili finely chopped
  • salt to taste
  • 3-4 tbsp plain flour 
  • 2 tbsp corn flour
  • Oil for deep frying
Gravy
Vegetable Manchurian
  • 1/2 carrot grated
  • 1/2 capsicum cubed
  • 1 string Spring onion chopped
  • 1/4 cup cabbage, Julienne
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 green chili, silted
  • 1 tbsp corn flour (mix with 1 tbsp water )
  • 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
  • salt to taste.
  • 1 tbsp oil
Procedure:
  1. Manchurian - Mix all the ingredients together and make small balls, as shown above.
  2. Deep fry in oil, till golden brown.
  1. Gravy- Heat oil in a pan, add vegetables, ginger garlic paste, chili. Fry well.
  2. Add water if you need more gravy else add the corn flour mixture and soysauce.
  3. Add Manchurian and fry well. 
  4. Add salt.
  5. Serve hot with Fried rice or Szechuan Rice
  6. Garnish with Spring onions 

Kesar Shrikhand




Shrikhand - one of my favorite sweets, if some guests arrive at our house my mother use to make shrikhand puri. 
The process of making is very simple and I made this one more simpler. I used thick and creamy yogurt instead of water drained yogurt (Chakka)  which is more thicker. As I had some guest and I didn't had much time to make any sweet so I made this Shrikhand within no time. Use thick yogurt as when you add sugar it will become thin in consistency. 


Ingredients:

  • 1 cup yogurt, thick and creamy
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 10-12 saffron strings (Soaked in warm milk for few mins)

Procedure:

  1. Mix all the ingredients together to a smooth consistency. 
  2. Serve cold and with Chapati.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Spanish Food


What is real Spanish food?

Sitting on the Iberian Peninsula and with the Mediterranean coast to the East, Spain has been blessed with a geographical position that results in some of the world's best produce. Sun ripened vegetables, a wealth of seafood from the coast and plenty of land for sheep and pigs to roam on, mean that every corner is blessed with fantastic ingredients. While there are a few central ingredients - chorizo sausages, rice, tomatoes, onions and garlic - each region interprets them in unique ways, so there are plenty of regional specialities.
Seafood is loved throughout the country and is treated with the utmost respect. Heading inland to the heart of the country, you'll come across classic jamon (cured ham) and a range of hearty stews.
Spain loves its traditional dishes, but it is also leading the way in new cooking methods and several of the country's restaurants are continually voted among the world's best. It is this combination of old and new, of looking to the past while embracing the future, that characterises Spanish food and makes it one of the world's most exciting cuisines.

Iconic dishes

Spanish cooking is known for a whole host of fantastic dishes. Here's some of the best:

Tapas

This range of dishes is not only a way of eating, but a central part of Spanish culture. Believed to have begun in a bar when a small plate of food was used to cover - or tapar - drinks to keep the flies out, it has been embraced by the entire country, with each region adding its own interpretations to the spread. Consisting of anything from a few slices of jamon or a wedge of tortilla española to a plate of sizzling garlic prawns or stuffed piquillo peppers, this is the way to eat when visiting Spain!

Paella

Hailing from Valencia, the paella is Spain's most famous dish. These large rice dishes are traditionally cooked outside for special occasions, and were once only cooked by men. While there are hundreds of paella recipes around, the two traditional ones are the valenciana and the marinera. The valenciana is made from rice, chicken, rabbit, tomatoes, capsicums, beans, olive oil, saffron, and occasionally artichokes and peas. The marinera, the most well known paella, contains rice, fish, shellfish, garlic, olive oil, tomatoes and saffron.

Tortilla española

Roughly translated as a Spanish omelette, this simple dish combines thinly sliced potatoes with eggs, to create a thick potato cake that is served throughout the country. Eaten both hot or cold, as part of a meal or as a tapa, the tortilla española is a central part of Spanish gastronomy. While it is usually kept to a simple mix of potatoes and eggs, you can sometimes find other vegetables or even crispy chorizo added to the mix.

Gazpacho

This cold tomato and bread soup has its origins in peasant fare, but is now a much-loved classic throughout the country. Traditionally made from a mix of tomatoes, garlic, capsicum and cucumber, it is occasionally garnished with hard-boiled egg or wafer thin slices of jamon.

Pollo al ajillo

This comforting dish sees chicken cooked in garlic -al ajillo - to create one of the country's most loved classics. Served with fried potatoes and a salad, it is a satisfying meal found throughout Spain.

Churros con chocolate

This pairing sees churros, the long fried Spanish doughnuts, served up with a mug of thick hot chocolate, for a sugar-loaded breakfast or for an evening snack. The only rules to this pairing are that the churros must be eaten pipping hot and that they should be dunked into the chocolate.

Flan

The Spanish version of crème caramel, this caramel-topped vanilla egg custard is a popular dessert. Made in ramekins or a baking dish and removed just before serving, this classic dessert is the perfect end to any meal.

Crema catalan

Similar to the French crème brulee except with the addition of cinnamon and citrus peel, this dessert is loved throughout the country. Unlike the French version, this Spanish custard requires no cooking, and is instead set in the fridge. Served in shallow terracotta dishes, it is adorned by a crispy burnt sugar topping, which makes a great textural difference to the spiced custard below.

Arroz con leche

This delicious creamed rice dessert is a classic item on any Spanish menu. Made from rice simmered in a mix of milk, sugar, citrus peel and cinnamon, it is enjoyed warm in winter and cold in summer. Before serving it is dusted with a little ground cinnamon to add a final spicy note.
For more information click Here

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Lal Bhoplyachi Bhazi


Lal Bhoplyachi Bhazi ( Pumpkin vegetable)
This vegetable is specially done in Dasra festival at my in laws place. Its really very easy to make and delicious too. Its basically offering to god so we don't use onion, ginger, garlic.

Ingredients:
  • 2 cup cubed pumpkin (  seeded removed and peeled) 
  • 1 tbsp Panch Phoron
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • salt to taste
  • 3-4 curry leaves
  • Pinch of Asofotida
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • For garnishing, chopped coriander and grated dry or fresh coconut.

Procedure:
  1. Heat oil in a pan, add curry leaves and Panch Phoron , fry well till properly roasted.
  2. Add turmeric, hing, chili powder and cubed pumpkin. Add salt.
  3. Fry well and close lid and cook for 5-10 min.
  4. Its done, garnish with chopped coriander and grated coconut.
This post goes to USmasala

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Bharli dhabu mirchi (stuffed Bell Pepper)

Stuffed Capsicum

This is a simple recipe my mother use to make, I love the taste of coconut in the capsicum. In my mother's house we had two pans / tawa, one for chapapti and other for making vegetable and Bhakri. For making chapati it was flat pan but making vegetables it is bit deep / kholgat we call it 'kala tawa' black pan as it is black in color, mostly it is made of iron. So the food tastes better when made in it. So the conclusion is we make this capsicum in this pan / tawa. :) 
Ingredients:
  • 5 green capsicum / bell pepper
  • 3 cup fresh grated coconut.
  • salt to taste
  • oil for shallow frying.
Procedure:
  1. Cut the capsicum into 2 parts ( not 2 separate parts, but just give a slit in them)
  2. Mix coconut and salt together.
  3. Fill the capsicum with the coconut and salt mixture.
  4. Shallow fry them in Pan or tawa or roast in oven.
  5. Let them fry well, turn them now and then to cook from all sides.
  6. Have it with Chapati, Enjoy
Stuffed Capsicum

Zucchini salad



This is one of the simple salad, most of the time we have pesto at home or any sort of chutney's so use them with any raw vegetable to make a different sort of salad.


Ingredients:
  • 1 Zucchini grated / Julienne 
  • 1 tbsp Rocket Pesto / Basil pesto
  • salt if needed
  • 1 tsp Olive oil
Procedure:
  1. Mix together above ingredients.
  2. and Serve , garnish with coriander.

Jeera rice (Cumin Rice)




Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cooked Basmati rice
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 2 green chilies slit
  • 1 tbsp ghee / oil
  • salt to taste.

Procedure:

  1. Heat ghee in a pan add cumin seeds, chili. Fry well till the cumin and chilies are slightly brown.
  2. Add the cooked rice and salt.
  3. Fry well.
  4. Serve with any curry. 
  5. NOTE: The cooked rice should not be too soft, generally use 1 cup and 2 cups water to cook basmati rice. Or it might differ from rice to rice but the end product should be - the grain of rice should be separate and should not stick each other like sticky rice. 


Clear corn soup

CLear corn soup

This is one of the easiest soup I ever made, You can reduce time span in making by using the frozen corn kernels. Do use the vegetable stock as in recipe, because if you make it only with corn and cornflour it doesn't taste as good as with the stock. You can add different boiled vegetable to it as well. Serve with soy sauce or Peri Peri sauce .

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup sweet corn, cooked (boil the corn cobs in water and salt for 5 min, remove the kernels)
  • 1 tbsp cornflour (I used unbleached cornflour)
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tsp vegetable stock powder
  • 2 cup water


Procedure:

  1. Heat water 2 cups of water in a pot, add vegetable stock cube / powder OR use vegetable stock instead of water.
  2. Add corn kernels to it, let it boil for 2 mins.
  3. Mix cornflour with 1 tsp water and pour the mixture to the simmering stock.
  4. Boil for further 2-3 mins.
  5. Serve hot with soy sauce or sprinkle some stock powder on it.


Besan Ladoo

Mulyachi Koshimbir (Radish Salad)



Ingredients:

  • 1 medium size radish, peeled and grated
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 4-5 curry leaves
  • 2 green chili chopped 
  • pinch of asofoetida
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 1 tbsp peanuts, roasted and coarsely ground
  • 1 cup plain yogurt / sour yogurt / half and half - sour and plain yogurt
  • fresh coriander chopped for garnishing
  • salt to taste

Procedure:

  1. Make a tarka / phodni - heat oil in a small pan add mustard seeds and cumin seeds with chili and curry leaves fry for 30 sec and turn off the gas and add asafoetida . Mix well.
  2. Put the tarka on the grated radish mix well and add yogurt and coarsely ground peanut, salt.
  3. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Besan ladoo





Ingredients:
  • 1-1/2 cups Besan (Sieve flour before using and also after roasting)
  • 1/4 cup Semolina (rawa) - for giving texture
  • 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar / caster sugar
  • 7-8 Cardamom, powdered
  • 1 tbsp poppy seeds, roasted
  • 2 tbsp raisins, fried in ghee
  • 1-1/2 cup ghee
  • 10-15 almonds chopped, roasted in ghee
Procedure:
  1. Roast semolina without ghee in a thick bottom pan on low-medium heat till slightly brown, when cooled grind it to a fine to coarse powder.
  2. Now in the same pan roast Besan without ghee on low-medium heat till slightly brown.
  3. When roasted properly add ghee and semolina and roast again for another 5-10 min with constant stirring and then turn off gas.
  4. Mean while roast almonds in ghee. Keep aside.
  5. Note: You know it is ready when your whole house is filled with sweet aroma of the roasting besan.
  6. Add sugar to it and mix well.
  7. Add cardamom powder and chopped almonds, mix well.
  8. Allow to set and cool for 5-7 min and make ladoos when it is still warm.
Note: Purpose for roasting the besan is to get rid of the rawness of  besan.
Don't over heat the pan to avoid constant stirring,  the mixture will become very dry.



Friday, November 5, 2010

Happy Diwali



WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY DIWALI AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR