Monday, February 27, 2012

Mango Custard with Fruits

Take 1/2 cup of Heavy Whipping Cream and beat till stiff peaks are formed. To it, add 1/3 cup of Mango Pulp, 2 tbsp of Condensed Milk and gently mix with the spatula. To it add 1 1/4 cup of Chopped Fruits (Grapes, Strawberries, Pineapple, Banana etc), 2 tbsp of broken Cashews and a tbsp of Tuti Fruti. Serve chilled.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Preheat the oven to 400F and line the muffin pan with liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of Vegetable Oil, a cup of Sugar, 2 Eggs, 3/4 cup of Milk, 2 tsp of Vanilla Extract. Then add 1/2 tsp Salt, 1/4 tsp Nutmeg, 1 tsp ground Cinnamon, 1 tbsp Baking Powder and 2 1/2 cups of All Purpose Flour and mix well. Fold in 1 1/2 cups of Chopped Apples.

Divide the batter into muffin cups. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tbsp of Sugar and a tsp of Ground Cinnamon. Generously sprinkle on top of each muffin. 

Bake for 20 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Quinoa Daddojanam

Cook a cup of Quinoa in 2 cups of Water in an instant pot on Manual for 12 minutes. Once the quinoa is warm, add 1/2 cup Milk and mix well. 

Take 1/4 cup of Grated Carrot, 1/4 cup of Cucumber in a bowl and mix Salt to taste. Add 2 1/4 cup of Yogurt to it and mix well. Add it to the Quinoa bowl.

Heat 1 1/2 tbsp of Oil in a sautepan. Once hot, splutter 1/2 tsp of Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp of Chana Dal, 1/2 tsp of Urad Dal and sauté until golden brown. Add few broken Cashewnuts and sauté till golden brown. Add a tsp of grated Ginger, a sprig of Curry Leaves, a tsp of minced Green Chillies, a broken Red Chilly and a pinch of Hing and saute for a minute. Remove from heat and pour it over the quinoa. 

Serve after a quick mix with pickle.


 


Monday, February 20, 2012

Instantpot: Quinoa Kichidi

Press "Saute" on the Instantpot. Heat a tbsp of Ghee and splutter 1/2 tsp of Cumin Seeds and a Bay Leaf. Add 3 chopped Green Chillies, an inch of Ginger, finely minced and a finely chopped Onion. Saute till the onions turn light brown. 

Add 1/2 cup of diced Carrots, 1/2 cup of chopped Green Beans, 1/2 cup of Peas, a chopped Tomato and cook for a minute. 

Take 1/2 of Quinoa and 1/2 cup of Moongdal in a bowl. Wash, drain and keep aside.

Now add the Quinoa, Moongdal, 3 cups of Water, Salt to taste, a tsp of Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp of Coriander Powder, 1/2 tsp of Red Chilli Powder, a tsp of Garam Masala Powder, mix well and deglaze the pot. Switch off the Instantpot.

Close the lid and turn the vent to "Sealing". Select "Manual" option and set the time for 5 minutes. Once the Instantpot beeps, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes before removing the lid. 

Open the lid, squeeze 1/2 a Lemon's juice over the quinoa. Fluff it up with a fork and garnish with 3 tbsp of chopped Coriander Leaves

Serve warm with yogurt / raita.   


Sunday, February 19, 2012

Butterscotch White Chocolate Cookies

Cream together a cup of packed Brown Sugar, 1/2 cup White Sugar, and a cup of Butter until creamy. Add 2 Eggs, a tsp of Vanilla Extract, a tsp of Baking Powder, a tsp of Salt, 1/2 tsp of Ground Cinnamon and combine well. Slowly add 2 1/2 cups of All Purpose Flour and combine to make cookie dough. Fold in 8 oz Butterscotch Chips, 2 oz of White Chocolate Chips to the dough. 

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 35-40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking oil. Scoop a tbsp of dough at a time into a ball  and place on the prepared pan about 1 1/2 inches apart from each other. Bake for 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes.


Saturday, February 18, 2012

Instantpot: Vegetable Kichidi

Rinse a cup of Rice, a cup of Moong Dal together in a bowl and keep aside.

Turn on the instant pot in “Sauté” mode. Add a tbsp of Ghee, and temper a tsp of Mustard seeds, a tsp of Cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add a Bay Leaf, 4 Cloves, 1/4 tsp of Asafoetida, and few chopped Curry leaves. Then add a tsp of Ginger garlic paste along with 4 minced Green Chillies and sauté for 30 seconds.  Add a Peeled and Chopped Carrot, few chopped Broccoli florets along with Salt. Mix and sauté for 30 seconds. Add a pinch of Turmeric powder, a tsp of Coriander Powder, a tsp of Jeera Powder, a tsp of Garam masala, washed and kept aside rice and dal. Now add 6 cups of Water and mix well.

Turn off the sauté mode. Close the lid and cook on “pressure mode” for 12 minutes.

Tempering: Heat a tbsp of Ghee in a pan. Fry 2 broken Red Chillies, a tsp of Red chilli powder, 4 tbsp of Fried Onions, 1/2 cup of Frozen Green peas

Allow the pressure to release naturally. Now, add the prepared tempering, 4 tbsp of Chopped Cilantro and 2 tbsp of Lemon Juice. Mix well and serve warm with papad.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Aava Pulihora (Mustard Tamarind Rice)

Wash 1 1/4 cups of Rice and pressure cook for 3 whistles with 2 1/2 cups of Water. Once the steam is out, add a tsp of Turmeric Powder, a tsp of Salt, 2 tbsp of Oil, a sprig of Curry Leaves and 3 slit Green Chillies. Mix lightly and keep aside.

Grind together an inch of Ginger piece, a tsp of Mustard Seeds, 2 Red Chillies and Salt to taste into a fine paste.

Heat a tbsp of Oil in a small pan and splutter a tsp of Mustard Seeds, a tsp of Fenugreek Seeds, half sprig of Curry Leaves. Add 2 tbsp of Tamarind Paste, a tbsp of Jaggery, mustard paste and cook for 2 minutes on medium heat. Remove from heat and let cool. Add to the rice and mix well.

In the same small pan, add a tbsp of Oil and saute 2 tbsp of Groundnuts, a tbsp of Channa Dal, a tbsp of Urad Dal. Add 2 broken Red Chillies, half sprig of Curry Leaves and saute for a minute. Add this to the rice too and mix well.

Serve hot.

 


Thursday, February 16, 2012

Bombay Chutney for Poori

Heat 2 tsp of Oil in a pan and splutter a tsp of mustard Seeds, Add a tsp of Chana Dal, a tsp of Urad Dal and roast until they are golden brown. Add 3/4 tsp of Cumin Seeds, 2 broken Red Chillies, a spring of Curry Leaves and roast for another 30 seconds. Add 2 slit Green Chilies, a cup of thinly sliced Onion and cook for 3 minutes on high heat while mixing in between. Add 1/2 ltr of Water, Salt as needed and cover cook for 15 minutes on medium heat. 

In the meantime, take 50 ml Water in a cup and add 2 tbsp of Chickpea Flour (Besan) and mix well without any lumps. Add a tsp of minced Ginger, the besan mixture, boiled, mashed medium Potato (optional), a tsp of Lemon Juice and remove from heat. 

Serve warm with Poori. 


Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Banana Walnut Bread (with Oats & Sour Cream)

Prepare a loaf pan with Parchment Paper and preheat the oven to 350F.

Melt 1/2 cup of Butter in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup Brown Sugar, 1/2 cup White Sugar, 2 Large Eggs and beat together until creamy. Add 2 tsp of Vanilla Extract, a cup of Mashed Banana (2 1/2 medium Bananas), a tsp of Baking Soda, 2 1/2 tsp of Baking Powder, 1/2 cup of Old fashioned oats and mix well. Add 1/4 tsp of Cinnamon, 1/8 tsp of ground Cloves, 1/8 tsp of Nutmeg, 1/2 cup of Sour Cream 3/4 tsp of Salt and blend well.

Slowly add in a cup of All-Purpose Flour and mix until a batter consistency is achieved. Fold in 1/2 cup of chopped Walnuts and pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes or until the tooth pick test is passed.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Methi Paratha (Fenugreek Leaves Flatbread)

Take 2 cups of Wheat Flour in a mixing bowl, Add 1/2 tsp of Ajwain / Carom Seeds, 1/2 tsp of Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp of Cumin Powder, a tsp of Garam Masala, a tsp of Chat Masala Powder, 1/2 tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, a tsp of minced Green Chillies, 2 tsp of Oil, a tbsp of Yogurt and Salt as needed. Mix well and slowly add water to make soft dough. Add a tsp of Oil and coat it over the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes in a covered bowl.

Break away lemon-sized ball from the dough and roll into a thick paratha, while dusting with wheat flour as needed. Heat a pan and cook the paratha with a tsp of Ghee on both sides. 

Serve warm with yogurt and pickle.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Sooji Upma

Heat a pan and sauté a cup of Sooji along with a tsp of Cumin Seeds on low heat until it is golden brown in color. Add Salt as needed and keep aside.

Heat 1/4 cup of Oil in a pan and add a tsp of Mustard Seeds, 2 tsp of Chana Dal, 2 tsp of Urad Dal and saute until the dals are golden brown. Add 15 Cashews, a sprig of Curry Leaves, 3 finely chopped Green Chillies, a tbsp of minced Ginger and saute for few seconds. Add 4 cups of Water, a cup of Milk and let it come to a boil on high heat. Add the roasted Sooji and mix well on high heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set it aside for 5 minutes. Add 2 tbsp of Ghee and mix well. 

Serve warm.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Telangana Chicken Fry

Prepare, cut and wash 500 gms of Chicken into medium sized pieces and soak in Salt water for 30 minutes.

Heat a heavy bottomed pan and add 4 tbsp of Oil. Once hot, add a thickly sliced Onion and saute until light brown. Add 5 finely chopped Green Chillies, 2 sprigs of Curry Leaves, a tbsp of Ginger Garlic paste and saute for another 10 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and saute on 5 minutes on high heat. Add a tsp of Coriander Powder, a tsp of Cumin Powder, Salt as needed, a tsp of Turmeric Powder, a tsp of Garam Masala Powder and combine well. Add few tbsp of Water, if needed. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for another 40 minutes while stirring, as needed. Add a tsp of Tamarind Paste, 1/4 cup of Chopped Coriander, few Curry Leaves and a tsp of Pepper Powder and mix well. Cook for another 5 minutes and mix well.

Serve warm with rice.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Instantpot: Badam Halwa

Press 'Saute' on the Instantpot and heat 1/2 cup of Ghee. Add 2 cups of Almond Flour and sauté for 2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.  Stir continuously to avoid burning at the bottom and press 'Cancel'.

Add 2.5 cups of Milk / Water, a pinch of Yellow color, a cup of Sugar and mix well until no lumps are seen. Deglaze the pot, close the lid and turn the pressure valve to 'Sealing' position. Set the pot to 'Manual' and set the timer to 0 minutes. Once the pot beeps, do a quick release of the pressure.

Add a tbsp of Ghee, 1/2 tsp of Cardamom Powder and cook the halwa till it reaches a pudding consistency. (10 minutes).

Remove the halwa to a serving bowl and garnish with 2 tbsp of Slivered Almonds.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Airfryer: Tofu Fry

Drain and absorb the 14 oz of Tofu with some paper towels. Cut into small cubes and put them into a mixing bowl. Cut 1/2 Yellow onion into big pieces and add to the mixing bowl. Add a tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, Salt to taste, a tsp of Red Chilli Powder, a pinch of Turmeric, a tsp of Cumin Powder, a tsp of Garam Masala Powder, a tsp of Onion Powder, a tsp of Garlic Powder, few chopped Curry Leaves, 2 tsp of Oil and mix well till tofu gets coated.

Preheat the air fryer to 350 F for 5 minutes. Add the coated tofu to the air fryer pan in a single layer and cook for 10 minutes while shaking the pan in between. 

Serve hot.

Thursday, February 09, 2012

Chilli Tofu Curry

Prep - Submerge 14 oz of Tofu in a bowl of Warm Water along with a tsp of Salt for 15 minutes. Drain the water, wrap in paper towels to remove the excess moisture and cut into bite sized pieces. Wash, drain and cut a Green Capsicum into bite sized pieces and keep aside. Dry roast a tsp of Coriander Seeds and a tsp of Cumin seeds and grind to rough powder.

For Coating the Tofu, take a bowl and add a tbsp of All Purpose Flour, 1/4 tsp of Red Chilli Powder and 1/2 tsp of Black Pepper. Toss the diced Tofu in the mixture for couple seconds and saute them on medium heat immediately in 3 tbsp of Oil in a nonstick pan until they are golden brown. Remove them into a bowl and keep aside.

In the same pan, saute the diced Green Capsicum pieces on medium heat until slight brown spots appear on them. Remove them into a bowl and keep aside.

In the same pan, saute a tsp of Cumin seeds. Add a finely chopped Onion and sprinkle Salt, saute until golden brown. Add 2 tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, 2 finely chopped Green Chillies and saute for another 2 minutes. Add the ground Cumin-Coriander powder, a tsp of Red Chilli Powder and mix well. Add a tsp of Sugar, 1/3 cup of Tomato Puree (or finely chopped small Tomato) and a tbsp of Soya Sauce and mix well. Cook for another 2 minutes and add 1/2 cup of Water and mix well. Add the Tofu and peppers and cover cook for another 2 minutes until the sauce and tofu are incorporated. Garnish with chopped Cilantro Leaves / Green Onions.

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

InstantPot: Pappu Charu with veggies

Wash, drain and soak 1/2 cup of Masoor Dal and 1/2 cup of Toor Dal in a bowl for 30 minutes. Clean, peel and chop upto 2 cups of Veggies (Bottlegourd, Drumsticks, Carrots, Eggplant) and set aside.

Press 'Saute' on the InstantPot and once hot, add 2 tbsp of Oil. Add a tsp of Mustard Seeds, a tsp of Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp of Fenugreek Seeds, 4 crushed cloves of Garlic, and saute of 30 seconds. Add a thinly sliced Onion, 3 slit Green chillies, 4-5 Curry Leaves, a pinch of Turmeric Powder and saute until the onions are transparent. Add a finely chopped Tomato and let cook for another 2 minutes. Add the chopped veggies, Salt to taste, a tsp of Red Chilli Powder, 3 cups of Water and cook for 4 minutes. Add the soaked dals, 3 cups of Water and mix well. Close the lid and set the whistle to 'Sealing' mode and pressure cook for 8 minutes.

Do a 'quick release' and open the lid. Add 2 tbsp of Tamarind Paste, a tsp of Sambar Powder (optional) and let it boil on 'Saute' for 2 minutes. Garnish with 1/4 cup of Chopped Coriander Leaves and turn off the InstantPot.

Serve with steamed rice.

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Instantpot: Kalakand

Add 15 oz of Ricotta Cheese, a cup of Sugar and 1/3 cup of Water to the Instantpot and mix well. Close the lid and set the valve to "Sealing" and cook on "High" pressure for 11 minutes. Quick release the pressure. 

Start the Instantpot on "Saute", add 1/2 cup Ghee, a tsp of Cardamom Powder and 3 cups of Milk Powder to the pot. Mix until well combined stirring until well combined. 

Pour the mixture into a parchment lined 8x8 pan. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of Chopped Pistachios and dry Rose petals over it. 

Let the mixture cool down for an hour and then refrigerate overnight to set. 

Monday, February 06, 2012

Instantpot: Tomato Rice

Wash and soak 1 1/2 cup of Basmati Rice in a bowl for 30 mins.

Press 'Saute' and add 2 tbsp of Ghee to the instantpot. Saute a tbsp of Cashews until golden brown. Add a small Bay Leaf, a Cinnamon stick, few Cardamoms and Cloves to the pot and saute for 30 seconds. Add a thinly sliced Onion, 2 slit Green Chillies and saute until the onions are golden brown. Add a tsp of Ginger Garlic paste, a pinch of Turmeric Powder, Salt as needed, a tsp of Red Chilli Powder, a tsp of Garam Masala Powder and saute for another 30 seconds. Add 2 finely chopped Tomatoes and saute until they turn mushy. Add 2 1/4 cups of Water and press 'Cancel', while scraping away all the bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the drained rice and secure the lid in 'Sealing' position. Press 'Manual' and pressure cook for 5 minutes. Once the instantpot beeps, release the pressure manually after 2 minutes.

Fluff up the rice and serve warm with a dollop of Ghee and yogurt.

Sunday, February 05, 2012

Nizam's Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani

Take cleaned and drained 350 gm of Mutton, cut into big pieces in a mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup of Fried Onions, a bunch of chopped Mint Leaves and a bunch of chopped Coriander Leaves, 1/2 tsp of Turmeric Powder, 1 Bay Leaf, a tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, Salt as needed, a tsp of Coriander Powder, a tsp of Cumin Powder, a tsp of Garam Masala, 4 Cardamoms, 5 Cloves, an inch of Cinnamon, 3 tbsp of Oil, 3 tbsp of Ghee and massage the masalas into the mutton pieces for 10 minutes. Add a tbsp of Red Chilli Powder, 2 tbsp of Raw Papaya Paste / 2 tbsp of Lemon Juice, a tsp of Shahjeera, 300 gms of Yogurt and massage the mutton pieces well for 5 minutes. Cover the bowl and marinate in refrigerator for atleast 4 hours or more.

Soak 1 3/4 cup of Basmati rice for 30 minutes and keep aside.

Add the mutton and the masalas to a pressure cooker and cook for 5-6 whistles on low-medium heat. Add the cooked mutton to a heavy bottomed pan and keep aside. 

Heat 2 litres of Water in a saucepan and add a tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, 5-6 Cloves, 4-5 Cardamoms, an inch of Cinnamon, 2 Bay leaves, a tsp of Shahjeera, a tbsp of Salt, 2 Star Anise, 5-6 Slit Green Chillies. Bring the water to boil on high heat.  Add the soaked rice and cook until rice is cooked 60%. Add a layer of this rice to the heavy bottomed mutton pan. After 3 minutes, scoop out another round of rice to layer it over.  After another 3 minutes, scoop out the rest and layer it on the mutton. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the water used to cook the rice to the top layer. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of Garam Masala, 2 tbsp of Fried Onion, 1/4 cup of Ghee, 2 tbsp of Milk soaked with Saffron over the top layer and spread 3 Hand napkins and cover the pan to create dum.

Cook for 10 minutes and let it rest for another 15 minutes before serving.

Saturday, February 04, 2012

Masala Puri - Bangalore Style

Soak a cup of White / Green Peas in Water for 6 hours.

Pressure cook the peas with 2 medium Potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into pieces and a Clove, 3 cups of Water, a pinch of Turmeric for 6 whistles on medium heat. After cooled, mash the peas and potato lightly.

Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a pan. Add 3/4 tsp of Cumin, a tsp of Fennel Seeds, a Bay Leaf, a Cinnamon and saute for 2 minutes. Add a finely chopped Onion and saute till golden brown. Add a tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste and saute for 2 more minutes. Add a finely chopped Tomato, 1/2 cup Mint Leaves, 3/4 cup Coriander Leaves and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add a tsp of Red Chilli Powder, Salt as needed, a tsp of Garam Masala, 1/2 tsp of Coriander Powder, 1/4 tsp of Cumin Powder and a cup of Water as needed. When the gravy is cooked, add the mashed peas mixture to it and mix well. Cook until the curry comes together. Remove from heat.

Add 5-6 Puris or Papdis to a plate. Add the prepared gravy over them. Garnish with a tsp of Coriander Chutney, a tsp of Tamarind Chutney, a pinch of Chaat Masala, Spicy Sev, chopped Coriander Leaves, Onion and Tomato. Serve immediately.

Friday, February 03, 2012

Coffee Spice Cookies

Stir in a tbsp of Instant Coffee in a tbsp of Hot Water in a bowl and keep aside.

In a large bowl, beat a cup of Butter for about 45 seconds and add 3/4 cup of White Sugar, 3/4 cup of Brown Sugar, 2 tsp of Cinnamon, a tsp of Baking Powder, 1/2 tsp of ground Nutmeg, 1/4 tsp of Baking Soda, 1/4 tsp of Salt, 1/4 tsp of Ground Cloves, a tsp of Vanilla and blend well till incorporated. Add in 2 Eggs, the prepared Coffee and mix well. Beat in the 2 1/4 cup of All Purpose Flour until well combined. Cover and chill for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place them 3 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set. Allow to cook on the cookie sheet for 3-4 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.

Thursday, February 02, 2012

Sweet Corn Salsa

De-husk 4 ears of sweet corn (~ 3 cups of Corn Kernels) and pressure cook them for 2 whistles on medium heat. After they are cooled, run a knife to separate the kernels from the cob into a bowl. 

To the bowl, add a 1/2 finely chopped Red Onion, 1-2 finely minced Green Chillies, 1/2 cup of Chopped Cilantro, Juice of a Lime, Salt to taste, 1/4 tsp Red Chili Powder, 1/4 tsp Cumin Powder, 1/2 finely chopped Tomato (optional) and mix well. 

Serve with Tortilla chips.

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Instantpot: Shrimp Biryani

Clean and drain 250 gm of cooked, deveined and peeled Shrimp into a bowl. Add 1 1/2 tsp of Ginger Garlic paste, a tsp of Red Chilli Powder and a pinch of Turmeric and give it gentle mix. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Wash and drain 1 1/2 cups of Basmati Rice into a bowl. Soak in 1 1/2 cups of Water. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Click on "Sauté" on the Instantpot and after a minute, add 3 tbsp of Oil. Once the oil is hot, add the marinated shrimp gently to the oil and cook until the oil separates. Push the shrimp to one side of the pot and add 2 Cloves, 1 Cardamom, 1/2 inch Cinnamon, 1/2 Bay Leaf, 1/2 Star Anise, 1/2 thinly sliced Onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add Salt as needed, 1/2 tsp of Ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell disappears. Add a finely chopped Tomato, 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder, 1/2 tsp Coriander Powder and keep stirring. Add 1/4 cup of Chopped Coriander Leaves and 1/4 cup chopped Mint Leaves and give it  good stir. Add the water from the set aside rice and mix well. Add the Rice and do not stir. 

Close the lid and set the vale to "sealing" position. Click on "Cancel", click on "Pressure" and set to 6 minutes. Once the biryani is cooked, let it naturally release pressure. Open the lid and fluff up the rice. Serve warm with Raita.

At any time, if the food is sticking to the bottom of the pot, click on 'cancel' and then scrape off the food and then continue to cook again.