Drive thru my kitchen.......

Baked Baby Potatoes

2011-07-20T19:01:00.000-07:00

I got a pouch of these lovely golden baby potatoes at the grocery store last week. So decided to bake half of these. They were quick & easy to make.

Baked Baby potatoes recipe

Ingredients:-
12-15 Baby potatoes
salt to taste
3/4 tsp crushed pepper
2tbsp Extra virgin Olive oil
1/2 tbsp minced garlic/ garlic powder (optional)
1/2 tsp Chopped Rosemary (optional)

Procedure:-
Was the baby potatoes, then prick them with a fork. Now soak these in a bowl of salted water for 15-20mins. Remove & dab them to take out the moisture from the potatoes. Now cut them into halves, sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder & drizzle olive oil. Lastly add the finely chopped Rosemary. Give all of this a quick mix & spread them into a cookie sheet. Preheat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 mins. Now place the cookie sheet in the oven & let it bake for 40-50mins or until done.You may flip the potatoes midway. Serve hot with Tomato Ketchup.

Note:-
Incase you are using minced garlic instead of garlic powder ensure that u do not add the garlic initially as the garlic will turn bitter if they are baked for too long.So add the mined garlic 10-15mins before the potatoes are done.

Mango Lassi

2011-07-14T13:40:00.000-07:00

The weather in California has been really hot recently & since I had a can of Alphonso Mango Pulp I decided on making this drink to kill the heat.So here's the recipe, really simple & quick to make.

Mango Lassi Recipe

Ingredients:-
1/2 cup Sweetened Mango Pulp
1/2 cup Yogurt
Chilled water as required (You may alternate it with milk based on your preference)
Dash of salt
Cubes of mango (optional)
4-5 Ice Cubes(optional)

Method:-

In a blender add the sweetened mango pulp.Incase you are using fresh mango pulp or mango pieces you can add sugar based on how sweet the mangoes are & how sweet you wud like to have your lassi. To this add the pinch of salt, yogurt, chilled water , ice cubes & blend until smooth. Then pour into glasses & garnish with a few cubes of freshly diced mangoes.

This proportion makes 2 servings.

Dal Vada

2011-07-14T13:20:00.001-07:00

My hubby has been pestering me to try making these dal wada's since a long time. Living in Mumbai I had never heard of these not seen them at any store. But here in US I have seen these in almost all chat joints. So finally last week I thot why not give it a shot. I looked up various recipes of these vada's online & finally tried a combination of few recipes.They were easy to make & turned out tasty, just that as my hubby was used to seeing them burned brown in the stores he was kinda disappointed that I fried mine golden Brown. I'm not a big fan of those charred looking vadas.So here's the recipe .....You can choose to fry them as dark as u like :-)

Dal Vada Recipe

Ingredients:-

1 cup Bengal Gram/Chana Dal (split Chick peas) soaked for 3-4hrs
1/2 medium sized onion finely minced.
2-3 Green Chillies ( I used the Thai Green Chillies)
1/2 inch Ginger finely minced.
3-4 curry leaves chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
pinch of asafoetida/hing
Salt to taste
Oil for Deep Frying.

Method:-

Wash & drain the soaked gram. Make two batches when blending the first batch grind it a little smooth & the next one needs to ground coarse. Now add this mixture to a bowl to which add all of the following ingredients like the ginger, chopped green chillies,onions, curry leaves , cumin seeds,asafoetida, salt . Now form small round flat cutlets on ur palm & deep fry on medium heat in oil. Serve hot with Green Corriander & Mint Chutney or Ketchup.

This quantity will suffice for 2 individuals.

I'm back!!

2011-07-08T14:29:00.000-07:00

I created this blog couple of yrs ago to kill my free time but haven't been able to update it for a while now after having a full time job of a 'mommy'. Had been receiving a lot of requests from friends recently to post my recipes online. So I'm trying to take time out to update my blog with all of my home cooked food.I am used to eye balling ingredients & don't follow exact measures so I will make a genuine effort to try & give precise measurement of all of my ingredients used.Please feel free to post ur comments positive as well as negative.

Cheers!

Paneer Mutter

2009-12-27T15:19:00.000-08:00

I recently tried making Panner mutter & it tuned out yum. The recipe that I followed was from a book of sanjeev Kapoor gifted to me by a relative. Will share the recipe soon.

Fried Rice

2009-08-28T16:15:00.000-07:00

This is something I make often becoz it tastes yummy. Although it requires a long list of ingredients its worth the effort.

Ingredients :-

1 Tbsp + 1Tbsp cooking oil for frying egg & the veggies
Par Boiled Rice 2 cups
3 Eggs 1/4 cup Green Capsicum diced into small bits
1/4 cup Red/Yellow Bell pepper diced into small bits
1/2 cup carrots diced into small bits
1 bunch Spring onions chopped
1/2 cup shredded Cabbage
4 Jumbo Chicken Franks diced into bit size pieces
2 Slices of ham chopped (optional)
1 tbsp or as per taste Soya Sauce
Chings Red Chillie Sauce 2 tbsp or as per taste
Chings Stir Fry sasuce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp or as per taste Tomato Ketchup
1 tsp Tabasco Sauce

Method:-

In a 10-12 inch frying pan heat oil.Then in a small bowl whisk the 3 eggs , add some salt & pepper as per taste & pour it into the pan.Let the egg cook ,then flip it over & cook on the other side.Toss it in a plate & let it cool, then dice it into small pieces & set aside to use later.In the same pan toss the Chicken franks or ham for 1-2mins & keep aside. In a large wok or deep pan, heat some cooking oil to which add the Spring onions, then add the carrots & gradually keep adding all of the other vegetables.Give all the veggies a quick stir on med-high heat & then add the Chicken Franks & Ham to the mixture. Don't over cook the vegges, let them be crisp.Now add the sauces starting with Worcestershire sauce, then add the Stir Fry sauce, next add the Chillie sauce followed by the Tomato Ketchup & lastly add the Tabasco sauce. Now Gradually add the cooked rice. Mix well and top with dices of Fried egg.

Cod Fish Cutlets

2009-08-05T09:50:00.000-07:00

I love the taste of Cod Fish. If you have ever tasted the Fish Burger at Mc D's I guess this is the fish they use in it. I prefer using fish fillet's to make these cutlets.You cud choose to use any fish of your choice.

Ingredients:-
Fish Fillet of ur Choice (I used Cod Fish Fillet)
Salt as per taste
Ginger Garlic Paste 1 tsp
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Green Chillies 3-5 small (can be altered depending on your taste)
Water to boil /Steam fish
Potato 1 boiled & mashed
Cilantro small bunch
Spring Onions 1 Bunch or 1 big onion
1 tsp Garam Masala powder
Red Chillie Powder 1 tsp
Egg 1 whisked
Lemon /Lime Juice 1 tsp
Bread Crumbs for coating
Oil for Frying

Method:-
Season the fillet with some salt, turmeric & slit a couple of green chillies & steam it.Once done I let the fish cool & then mash it in a bowl with a potato masher. To this I add 1 onion diced into tiny pieces ( you cud alternately use a bunch of sping onions), ginger garlic paste, mashed potato, couple of finely chopped green Chillies ,Cilantro, Red Chillie powder, Garam Masala powder, salt as per taste & a dash of Lemon/Lime juice.Then I form small cutlets , dip it in a bowl of whisked egg & rolled it in bread crumbs.Lastly shallow fry these in a pan till golden brown & walah its done !! You can serve this with Mint Chutney or Ketchup .

Shrimp Biryani

2009-07-28T16:26:00.000-07:00

I got these king size Shrimps at my local super market & decided they were good enuff to make Shrimp Biryani. Making Biryani is an elaborate process & requires sufficient time for marination , however with Shrimp its much faster as shrimp cooks real fast & needs less time for marination.It is best accompanied with corn salad or Raita.

Caramel Custard with a twist

2009-07-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

I love making Caramel Custard coz its easy to make, especially coz you wud surely have all these ingredients easily available in ur pantry & it tastes good too. I make mine a little different than the regular recipe by adding some Cream Cheese which gives it a rich creamy texture ........that's the twist in my recipe ;-) This was a tip given to me by one of my aunt's & I must say the Cream Cheese added to flavor of the Caramel custard.

Ingredients:-
Sugar for Caramelizing
500ml Milk
80gms Sugar (can be altered depending on sweetness required)
Nutmeg Grated - a pinch
6nos. Eggs
4 Oz Cream Cheese (Thaw it for almost 40mins)

Method:-

In a pan caramelize sugar till golden brown by adding a tsp of water. Then pour it in a oven proof bowl & swirl it as you pour so that it coats the base of that bowl .Now in a mixing bowl cream the cheese , add the sugar , then the eggs, beat the eggs well & then incorporate the milk into it .Now stir it well & lastly add the nutmeg powder to it.Now add this mixture to the caramel glazed bowl. Bake in preheated oven at 325 °F for 45mins to & hour.Once done let it cool to room temperature & refrigerate.Serve chilled with a dollop of fresh whipped cream (optional).

Alternately you may bake it in a water bath to retain the moisture.

Tandoori Fish Fry

2009-07-22T22:02:00.000-07:00

I love using Pompret to make Tandoori Fish Fry .I season it with salt & marinate it in a paste of vinegar & tandoori spice mix, I then dust a little rice flour & shallow fry it in a pan.The Rice flour forms a crisp crust .I find this easy to make & yummy to eat!!!

Buttermilk Savory Bhajiyas- Goli Bhajji

2009-07-21T14:42:00.000-07:00

I used to enjoy this snack whenever I visited my granny. Recently I recollected having it & started craving for it so looked up for a recipe & with a little improvisation managed to achieve the exact taste.

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups maida (all purpose flour)

1 tbsp gram flour (besan)

3/4 cup curd or yogurt or buttermilk

1 tsp cumin seeds

4-5 finely chopped green chilies

3-4 leaves curry leaves
1/2 inch cube of fresh coconut sliced into bit size pieces

A pinch asafoetida (optional)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp sugar
Water as required

Salt

Oil for deep frying.

Method:

Mix all the ingredients (except oil, cumin seeds , coconut, curry leaves chillies, asafoetida & cumin seeds) into a moderately thick batter. You may add water to the batter to achieve the desired consistency. Leave the dough to ferment for
an hour.

Finally add the remaining ingredients to the batter .Make small balls of the dough and drop into hot oil. Deep fry on medium fire till golden brown.

Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Onion Rings

2009-07-20T08:47:00.000-07:00

Since I am an ardent fan of Food Network , I watched this recipe on Television & was inspired to make these onion rings.They were easy to make & turned out yummy.Here's the recipe:-

Ingredients

2 large Spanish onions (or 3 yellow onions)
2 cups buttermilk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (medium) yellow cornmeal
1 quart vegetable oil

Directions

Peel the onions, slice them 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick, and separate them into rings. Combine the buttermilk, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Add the onion rings, toss well, and allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes. (The onion rings can sit in the buttermilk for a few hours.) In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a wok. Lift some onions out of the buttermilk and roll them in the flour & cornmeal mixture. Drop into the hot oil and fry for 2 minutes, until golden brown, turning them once with tongs. Don't crowd them. Drain the onions on paper towel & serve hot with sauce.

Stuffed Mushrooms

2009-07-14T19:40:00.000-07:00

I always wanted to try making these stuffed mushrooms & since we were to have a vegetarian friend come over & I wanted to make her something special , this proved to be the right dish.For this I used button mushrooms & scooped out the stems.Thereafter I tossed them in a wok drizzled with olive oil till it drained most of the moisture out of the mushrooms.I then prepared a filling with minced mushrooms & spring onions seasoned with some spices which I filled into the mushrooms & topped it with bread crumbs.I then baked it in the oven for 10mins. Although it was a first attempt.It turned out great & our guest enjoyed it too ;-) I'm surely gonna make this more often.

Mutton Chops

2009-07-13T22:56:00.000-07:00

I made these mutton chops marinating them in a batter made with cilantro,cumin powder, pepper powder, green chillies, garam masala powder ,ginger garlic paste & salt as per taste .I dipped them in whipped egg & rolled it in bread crumbs.Thereafter I shallow fried these in a frying pan on low heat.

Gobi Munchrian

2009-07-10T11:00:00.000-07:00

I had my husband pestering me to try out this recipe .He enjoyed having it at a local Chinese fast food joint when he was a student. I hadn't tasted or tried it before so had to lookup a recipe online & after sorting thru a few managed to make this.Thankfully he loved it & I enjoyed it too, considering that I'm not a big fan of Cauliflower ;-)

Egg & Mutton Mince Puffs

2009-07-06T20:24:00.000-07:00

I tried making these puffs using Pepperidge Farm Ready to use Puff Pastry Sheets.I stuffed some with Boiled eggs & a few with Mutton Mince .They were easy to make & turned out really yummy!!

Green Peas Chaat

2009-07-06T19:13:00.000-07:00

This is an easy to make snack.Its a combination of spicy,crisp & tangy flavors.Its made with green peas cooked in different spices & the served with minced onions, lemon juice, cilantro & Gram Flour Vermicelli. Its an all time favorite snack at my home.

Shrimp Tandoori Kabab with Chicken Cutlets

2009-07-05T15:57:00.000-07:00

I love seafood & shrimp happens to be a quick fix especially when we have guests over.It cooks real quick & tastes yum too. Also love making the chicken mince cutlets, it goes well with Veg Pulao.

Paneer Sheekh Kabab

2009-07-05T15:51:00.000-07:00

This is a snack made of diced cottage cheese (paneer) seasoned with spices & grilled on a skewer with diced bell pepper.I'm not a big fan of Paneer but had a friend over who was vegetarian so made it especially for her.

Chicken Sheekh Kababs

2009-07-05T15:24:00.000-07:00

These are my all time favorite .Its made using a chicken mince seasoned with a combination of spices & a dash of lemon & Cilantro and cooked over a charcoal grill. I love the flavor the coal gives to the sheekh when barbecued.

Stir Fried Mushroom

2009-07-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

I tried making this Stir Fried Mushroom using some Spring onions, Stir Fry Sauce, & some chilly garlic sauce. It goes best with Fried Rice.

Egg Pakodas

2009-07-05T14:51:00.000-07:00

This snack happens to be one of my hubby's favorite. These are made using boiled eggs deep fried in a Gram Flour batter seasoned with spices.

Onion Palak Pakodas

2009-07-05T14:37:00.000-07:00

Also known as Bhajjiyas. These are snacks that are best enjoyed on a cold rainy day. It is best accompanied with Ketchup or Spicy Green Mint Chutney.

Moist Spicy Potato Vegetable

2009-07-05T14:10:00.000-07:00

This dish goes best with Paratha's or Chappati's .You can even enjoy having it with Dosa.

Methi Parathas

2009-07-05T13:15:00.000-07:00

These are Indian Breads made of Whole Wheat Flour & Fenugreek Leaves.